derek + kristin | wedding | westphalia, mi

no amount of cold these past few weeks could keep these two from joy and jubilation!

derek and kristin got hitched on valentine's day and made the most of the romantic day, even with the negative 15 degree windchill*  i am pretty sure i am starting to get an idea of how the communities of fowler and westphalia celebrate weddings, holding nothing back!! i had the privilege of photographing a wedding here a few years ago for one of kristin's bridesmaids, and even with rough weather, kristin and derek's friends, family, and guests made sure to be present to witness and celebrate their marriage, thats true commitment to a couple!

thank you d&k for keeping me warm on a cold day, for all your organization and willingness to smile into the wind.  blessings to you two in your marriage as it was an honor to witness your vows and dance the night away with you!

all the best,

-npe

tyler + alia | wedding | crystal mountain, mi

lets just say there were a lot of tears shed this past saturday...the best kind of tears*

alia and tyler truly wear their hearts on their sleeves...and to watch them take in their wedding day, moment by moment, was really quite beautiful. when i first met these two for their engagement session up in manistee, right away i knew they would be a blast to work with! and the transition from hired hand to friend seemed to me as seamless as ever....and that made for a really spectacular day, really!

i know i might say it a lot, but northern michigan absolutely put on a show with a forecast of perfection, from start to finish.  the bluest of skies, the nearest of family, the dearest of friends, the stunning beauty of the crystal mountain resort and spa made for a day to remember!

t&a, thank you for being completely and wholly yourselves on your wedding day. for embracing the emotions of the day and allowing me to capture those moments that hopefully will remain close to your heart and in your head for years to come.  your gracious words were so very encouraging and i am so thankful for the opportunity i had to witness your wedding.

all the very best!

-npe

john + jessie | wedding | leland, mi

last year i started traveling for weddings in the state of michigan and chicago without charging a travel fee.  there is something about offering couples a single all-inclusive price that i just love! it simplifies the process and takes me to new venues and locations, which is always a welcomed adventure!

well, john and jessie did just that...inviting me along to join them this past weekend in the harbor village of leland, just north of traverse city and the sleeping bear dunes. something about this town gets me every time i visit. and saturday was no different! jessie and john lived every moment of that day fully invested, taking in the love that surrounded them on a gorgeous june day.

here is just a snippet of what i had the honor to witness!

love you guys j&j - thank you for your trust and joy. it was so much fun to work with you!

peace and blessings,

-npe

eric + nikki | grand rapids | wedding

its not every day that you can say you got married and almost experienced a tornado in the same day!

well, that was this past saturday for eric and nikki, even losing power at the church! certainly an exciting start to my weddings in 2014! thank you friends for the privilege and honor it was to share in this celebration with you.

from the early morning hints of sunlight, to the dance party that ended the night, it was one fantastic day, all wrapped up in the beauty of witnessing these two promise to pursue each other for the rest of their lives, so awesome!

blessings my friends,

npe

greg + nancy | wedding | east lansing, mi

these two shared a last name long before they ever met, but it wasn't until this past weekend that their last names truly became one. mr. & mrs. boyd.

what a wonderful day in east lansing! as spartan alumni, i could not have imagined a more fitting venue and town for greg and nancy's wedding. and these two, with all their combined love for swimming, biking, running, hiking...really anything outdoors, were glowing all day, knowing what July 20th held.

it never gets old just moments after the wedding, to mention to the groom 'hey, scoot in closer to your WIFE for this shot!'...haha, so awesome!

and so it is with great joy that i share these moments from their day.  and yes, as i am sure you will notice..there are a lot of dancing photos. thats required when the party is this good! ;)

blessings to you g&n!!

-npe

dustin+recia {under.a.rainbow.sky}

i am so incredibly grateful for clients who trust me with their wedding day and are excited to have me share in the festivities of such a marvelous celebration. and i would have to say that recia and dustin are such clients in rare form!  i felt so welcomed and so encouraged throughout their entire day...working within the freedom of my passion and personal perspective, both dustin and recia reminded me time and time again how thankful they were for me...wow, talk about a humbling, grateful place to be!

the fire of fall in michigan delivered again, with colors of brilliance and a rainbow to match.

thanks you two, you make my job such a joy! i hope you enjoy this preview*

oh...and yes, at the end, it is gangnam style, and things got crazy...just in case you were wondering*

blessings,

-npe