Viewing entries tagged
romantic
“We are each other’s person,” Lauren remarked when we first met to talk about plans for their wedding. Their journey had taken them like ships in the night, through passing introductions from years past, to now on the brink of marriage. Stepping back, I could see so clearly why these two were such a stunning and compatible couple. Its not often that shared experiences and hobbies include triathlons and snowshoeing, but for these two..it just all made sense.
I have found that it is a key element to quality, honest, and captivating work as wedding photography - the element of trust. When a couple offers it to you as an artist, the canvas is blank you are given the chance to create in the midst of realtime moments of lasting emotional impact and gravity. All the more, that trust is a profound gift when the bride herself is an artist.
i sometimes find it hard to communicate my heart as it relates to the work i do. certainly my aim is never to speak in arrogance or pride...but to honestly recognize the gratefulness that rests in my mind week after week, as i continue to find employment as a wedding photographer. yes, this is my job. yes it required and still requires a lot of sacrifice and dedicated hard work. yes i have my bad days. but as cheesy as it sounds, i honestly often forget that i am working...when photographing a wedding.
this past saturday was yet another day where the lines between work and play were blurred...where spending those hours with erin, ross, and their family and friends had me focusing on the details not for the sake of expectation, but for the sake of pure enjoyment and the fulfillment of capturing a gorgeous day with honest beauty.
those that know erin and ross will tell you that you would be hard pressed to find another couple who is more welcoming, accommodating, thoughtful and gracious. my wife and i had the privilege of spending time with them in arizona for their engagement session and we were witness to some of the very best hospitality we have ever experienced...i guess it might help a little that ross is a manager at one of the country's most premiere resort hotels. and that essence of accommodation carried over into the wedding day, with a couple who graciously gave me their trust and lived in the moment...the moment of a day to remember.
thank you e+r for everything. its hard to sum it all up, but i am sincerely grateful. i hope you enjoy the peek into your day, as it was a true pleasure to share in it with you. blessings to you two on your marriage.
grace and peace,
npe
when you get to spend the day with just six special people as two families are joined together, you have the privilege of truly feeling like family as well.
this past friday anne and mike were married in an intimate ceremony of just their parents and sisters, amid a lot of joyful tears i might add! mike and anne met on the slopes of caberfae as members of the ski patrol, and a mutual love for the slopes is certainly something we shared right away! the ceremony took place in a charming little chapel in grand rapids with a private reception at the 19th century mansion turned restaurant of mangiamo* talk about incredible food!
m&k, thank you for such a wonderful day. you braved cold weather and shared such a special and intimate day with me, and i recognize the privilege it was. blessings to you two in your lives together. and yes, we still need to hit the slopes together someday!!!
- npe
i am so grateful for the people i meet and the relationships i discover in my line of work. when you work in the world of people's memories and life changing moments, you get a unique perspective on the power of relationship and the beauty of sacrificial love. all in all, i don't think shooting weddings will ever get old to me. and i don't mind a bit*
for the first wedding of 2015, jana and i made the trip out to the pacific northwest and my home state of washington. i had the privilege of meeting james and tressa through jana...who actually grew up just a few houses down from tressa when they were kids. how cool it was to jump the gap in time and join them on their wedding day after tressa and jana and shared so many childhood memories before families moved away.
when the soon to be married couple invited us to be a part of their ceremony in seattle and photograph the day, we jumped at both the excitement of being with them on their special day and also the chance to revisit seattle and the surrounding beauty that is pretty much all of washington!
needless to say, it was a great trip, filled with old friends, new friends, great coffee, evergreen trees, rain, sun, and a whole lot of adventure! j&t, thank you so much for allowing jana and i to share in your day. it was an honor, and i hope you enjoy this little preview of what was an incredible start to 2015!
- npe
this past saturday i drove up to traverse city, making my way through the changing colors of fall as the sun rose through broken clouds. come rain or shine, i knew it would be a great day..as meredith, a longtime friend of my wife and i, was walking down the aisle to marry her best friend ryan*
my wife met meredith when we first got married, seven years ago, as they were both working as CNAs in an assisted living home. as the years have passed, meredith has become a nurse and now lives in the stunning michigan town of traverse city. sharing the day with her and ryan was so great, as i was welcomed into the wedding party as just one of the friends! meredith and ryan truly lived in the moment on their wedding day, and it made for a whole lot of fun with photos and a night of celebration that their friends and family enjoyed to the fullest!
r&m, you know jana would have loved to be there with you..but let me just say for the both of us, congratulations on such a beautiful day, and many blessings to you two as this is just the start of your lives together as husband and wife. we couldn't be happier for you! much love from your friends in grand rapids!!
- npe
word of mouth will keep you honest. it will keep you accountable. it will keep you focused on providing the very best, every time.
this past saturday's wedding day was spent with matt and heather, a couple who were referred to me by friends and colleagues...i actually had the privilege of shooting matt's sister's wedding a few years ago...but when you are actually living the day with couples like heather and matt, you gain a greater appreciation for those who have supported your dreams for years, and also for the couple who took the word of their friends and entrusted you with their wedding day.
well, m&h, it was an honor! thank you so much for choosing me and for allowing me to follow along on a crazy fun day! from the back halls of your family's greenhouse to the classy dance floor spread out at the public museum, it was all gorgeous! i hope these images capture how much you seemed to love every moment of your day, and i can't wait to get the full gallery to you, so you can relive it over and over again.
blessings my friends!
- npe
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
there truly is something magical about traverse city in the summer and fall. i remember the first time my wife and i stumbled upon old mission peninsula. having grown up on the west coast, northern michigan was a mysterious land of beauty i had only heard about...but upon witnessing the stunning landscape of the peninsula, with is rolling hills, lush vineyards, and incredible views of lake michigan, i finally realized what people were always raving about!
well, fast forward a few years to just over a week ago, and i found myself amid those very rolling hills, documenting the wedding day of david and kathryn, and what a stunning day it was. these two were such a pleasure to spend the day with - enjoying every moment of their wedding day. you could certainly tell they were living with eyes wide open and full hearts! even david, who had told me pictures were not his thing, had joy written on his face all day...you could certainly tell these two loved each other tremendously!
from our beginnings at the grand traverse resort and spa all the way to their romantic reception at the elegant peninsula room on old mission peninsula..it was day full of celebration* katie and david's retriever paisley even made a cameo and smiled for the camera! and with the stunning details, gorgeous flowers, and organization from jenn of modern day floral events and design, it was an evening to remember!
d&k, thank you so very much for inviting me up to beautiful traverse city for such an incredible day. from your engagement session to the sparkler send off at your wedding, it has been an honor to get to know you! blessings in your marriage as you move into a new and exciting chapter!
all the best,
npe
where to begin...
a few weeks ago, i found myself on the shores of lake michigan..preparing to photograph what would turn out to be an absolutely stunning wedding day for two pretty awesome people. brianne and lee first introduced themselves to me during their engagement session as self proclaimed hippies! and let me tell you, the uniqueness and style of these two is through the roof and beyond!
i knew i was going to be in for something incredible when they asked me to be a part of their bohemian beachside wedding. it was certainly an honor to be entrusted with the responsibility of documenting their beautiful day...and trust me, their day had it all! vibrant color, stunning clouds, joyful family, incredible food, amazing details...and yes, even some romantic rain to bring an even more memorable chapter to an unforgettable day.
and not only was it a delight to spend the day with the bride and groom, but i was able to witness an incredible group of vendors work together to create a spectacular setting for bri and lee. rhiannon nicole and her team at hey gorgeous events blew me away with planning and bringing to life a truly gorgeous celebration!
l & b...you two are infectiously joyous and obviously head over heals for each other. thank you again for the honor of being at your side through an amazing day. blessings in your marriage my friends!!
much love,
-npe
