caleb + jessica | wedding | air zoo | kalamazoo, mi

part of the joy of photographing weddings is witnessing couples find their stride when it comes to having their picture taken. i often share with couples that my job, among many things, is to foster a relationship between us that allows them to feel at ease in front of some intimidating lenses.

when i first met with jessica and caleb, they both mentioned how getting his photo taken was not high on the list of things caleb loved to do, haha...but i have to say, when the true emotion and bliss of their wedding day arrived, these two owned it and their love for one another showed time and time again in the photos of the day. no amount of camera intimidation prior to last saturday would keep j&c from expressing their captivation for one another and a wonderful sense of appreciation for every moment of the day.

and to top of a day full of laughter and joy, in the spirit of flight (as jessica is a pilot!) the party truly started once we arrived at the air zoo in kalamazoo for a reception to remember.  its not every weekend that you get to not only photograph in such a unique and stunning venue, but also enjoy the childlike thrill of doing barrel roll after barrel roll in a flight simulator like you actually know how to fly!

j&c, thank you so very much for an incredible day...for taking the time to make me feel truly welcomed into your families and into your lives. it was a privilege to take your trust and guide you through photos that i pray will remind you year after year, of the vows you made. many blessings my friends!

- npe

eric + emily | wedding | the h hotel | midland, mi

this past saturday was truly the perfect april day, crisp morning air, sun burning off the clouds, and wedding to celebrate!

i met emily and eric at a wedding i photographed last year and was especially humbled and thrilled when they asked me to be a part of their own wedding. from the beginning of the day when i went skeet shooting with eric, his dad, and best man...to the gorgeous sunset over midland's unique tridge, it was a wonderful day. there was plenty of laughter from start to finish, with a couple who embodied hearts of generosity and kindness while enjoying their wedding day to the fullest!

e&e..thank you again for taking a chance on me and offering me your trust.  i hope you find you made a good decision.  it was my honor to spend the day with you and your families and friends. blessings,

-npe

ross + erin | wedding | watermark country club | grand rapids, mi

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

tim + helena | wedding | downtown market | grand rapids, mi

surrounded by light and in the midst of family, friends, and the sweet aroma of a greenhouse...tim and helena pledged their lives together in marriage.

just over a week ago, those that were closest to them gathered in grand rapids to witness the intimate ceremony against the stunning backdrop of a room of light at the downtown market. it was chic, eloquent, and an privilege to be a part of.  i met helena and tim through a friend at church and even in the brief time we had together, i could tell that they both had an air of genuineness about them. i felt privileged to witness a small window into their lives through the morning ceremony and brunch..and needless to say, the two had no trouble looking fabulous and offering me some incredible moments to capture.

once again t&h, the honor was mine to join you on your wedding day.  thank you for the invitation, the warm reception as a friend, the delicious food, and a chance to help you remember these moments forever*

- npe 

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

james + tressa | wedding | withinsodo | seattle, wa

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

zane + nicole | wedding | spring lake country club | spring lake, mi

so fall here in michigan has really been on point...i mean, really* fantastic color with some really great weather combine for a photographer's dream, especially when you have clients who are hoping for an outdoor ceremony in october!

but nicole and zane probably could not have gotten any better weather.  as the sun shown down through the rustling leaves of the willow looming over the wedding party, these two pledged their lives to each other.  i love shooting at spring lake country club and especially ceremonies that take place under those weeping willows...right off the water, it was all so lovely!

nicole, thank you so very much for your trust and gracious words.  you gave me the opportunity to creatively see the day moment by moment and it was a gift* and zane, for a guy who hates getting his picture taken, i have to say..you did a pretty stellar job.  i hope i won you over to the belief that taking pictures with nathan isn't all bad, haha.  you two were a joy to work with and i wish you all the best in your marriage - here's to 60 years and more!

- npe

ryan + meredith | wedding | traverse city, mi

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

JR + lindsay | wedding | valparaiso, in

sooooooo....last saturday was my last wedding of september, and it was spent in indiana with lindsay and JR!

i met lindsay a few years ago as she was in the wedding party of another couple's wedding that i was shooting. she is a photographer herself and the fact that she kept my info over the years and sought me out once she was engaged was amazing to me! it was a great reminder that even the simplest of interactions can leave an impression, for good or bad..and i was fortunate enough to have her call me in preparation for her own day - what a compliment!

to be honest, i haven't spent a whole lot of time in indiana..as it usually is just the state through which i travel to visit my brother and his family in tennessee or get to a shoot in chicago. but wow, did valparaiso surprise me in the very best way. my assistant james and i had very few words to exchange when we walked into the chapel on the university's campus. like so many locations with stunning beauty..words, and even photos do not do it justice. and it was in the beauty of such a room that JR and lindsay shared their vows.

and not only did the chapel and even the reception site deliver all sorts of eye-candy..but the late september weather was the stuff of dreams! from start to finish it was a wonderful day*

l&jr - you guys...it was such a great day! thank you for your trust and for making my job never once feel like a job during the day.  blessings to you two..i hope you enjoy the preview as much as i did working on it!

-npe

steven + letticia | wedding | grand rapids, mi

sometimes it all starts over a cup of coffee*

i still remember the first starbucks i worked at...and although that location is no longer even in existence, some of the fellow baristas i met there are still friends to this day! letticia is one of those very friends, and has been an incredible supporter of my work for many years. i had the privilege of photographing her brother's wedding a few years ago, and ever since then she continued to remind me that when she got married, she would want me to document her wedding too!

talk about a compliment...wow. i am so very grateful for friends like her, who have been behind nathan.english.photography every step of the way.  so when steven proposed, i was excited to get her message saying the planning had begun! letticia and steven's wedding a little over a week ago delivered a day full of sun and rain, along with more family than i could count...and you could tell there was an enormous amount of love and support surrounding these two!

s&l, you braved the bit of rain we had with true smiles on your faces, and you gave me a great honor in asking me to document your wedding. thank you for that gift and i wish you the very best in your marriage. God bless you two - much love!

- npe