john + kelsey | wedding | orchard ridge farms | rockton, il

i often feel my relationships that blossom out of shooting couple's wedding days easily step into deeper levels of friendship right off the bat...even if for the only reason of sharing a single day, vibrant and bursting with life-changing moments. add to that the fact that for some of my clients, we are dear friends even before the thoughts of wedding bells or photography are even on the horizon....and you have a uniquely profound intimacy and camaraderie hard to match.

this is the very story of my day this past friday in rural rockton, illinois. john and kelsey, beloved by many and cherished friends at our church in grand rapids, were surrounded by their family and loved ones, preparing to embark on a brand new journey together. and my role as photographer was an honored gift i was given. these two are beautiful, inside and out, and it was far from work to spend the day with them, their wedding party, family, and friends. i hope you enjoy these moments from their day as much as i did...

j&k, jana and i love you, and are so very excited for the work God is doing in your lives. may He bless you in this new chapter. and the great news? it just keeps getting better!

-npe

brandon + katie | wedding | blue dress barn | benton harbor, michigan

with both katie and brandon living out of the state, i didn't have the chance to meet them in person before their wedding this past sunday...and to be honest, it made me a bit nervous* i have always felt that the relational connection between a couple and their photographer is just as important as the artistry and images that the photographer can capture - and having a chance to confirm that connection before the wedding day is so very helpful.

but with that being said, i could not have hoped for a more wonderful couple to meet in such a beautiful moment, amid the detailed charm of the blue dress barn in benton harbor. both katie and brandon were immediately welcoming and made me feel as if i were part of their very family. and that was truly the theme of the day...an aura of gratitude among these two for their families that had surrounded them, supported and loved them..and ultimately were there to celebrate with them.

beauty was everywhere...in conversations, embraces, dresses, flowers, speeches. it seemed as though i just happened upon a taste of heaven's wedding feast...what an honor!

thank you b&k - your gracious words and character were a precious gift. blessings my friends!

-npe

trent + morgan | wedding | grand rapids, michigan

i cannot say enough about how wonderful this day was. trent and morgan are kind, compassionate, genuine, stunning, and a joy to be around. ask anyone at their wedding and i am confident they would say the same. even in their engagement session, i could tell that these two would be something special to photograph.  their relationship is so very full of endearment for one another and it shows in the subtlest and most beautiful of ways. their comfort in front of the lens made my day simple and riveting...just trying to ready for the next incredible moment i was going to witness.

with an incredible wedding party and the love and trust of their families, these two became one on saturday. and it was an honor to be there.

m & t - grace and peace to you two. may our God richly bless your marriage!

- npe

tim+jess engagement {lovely.soda.sun.fun}

tim and jess hit the ground running.  they came to our engagement session with their game faces on, and by game faces, i mean...truly in love, full of joy, loving the moment faces! these two have a wonderful story of redemption and pursuit, and as we chatted while walking from location to location, i could tell that they were perfect for each other.  both funny, witty, alive, and trusting. they gave me an awesome opportunity to take their inspiration and creative ideas, and run with it. what an honor as an artist!  so here is a snapshot of our evening.  hope you enjoy!

ciao,

npe

max+chelsea {truly.best.friends}

when i first met my wife...it was, in a sense, a two for one special* chelsea and jana: best of friends, thick as thieves, two peas in a pod...

i had the honor of having chels on my side as i fell in love with, pursued, courted, married, pursued, pursued, pursued my beautiful bride.

and now, jana and i have the honor of being on her side as chelsea soon will become mrs. max garter! chelsea has found a new best friend in max...an incredible man of God and now truly a good friend of mine*

so good for each other, so overjoyed, so clear eyed and head over heals in love.

being a part of their story is truly a humbling honor.  cheers for best friends in love!

-npe

luis+maria {from.sand.&.city.with.love}

i love shooting in michigan, and i certainly love our city of grand.rapids! but when maria and luis said 'chicago' - i jumped at the chance...and exciting possibilities*

we had a great day, starting at the beach where these two best friends had their very first date, and ended in a city that luis knows all too well - the windy city delivered with a beautiful day, and spectacular skylines!