Viewing entries tagged
wedding photography
As a father of daughters, I am just beginning to witness the deep love and connection between sisters. This past week I have the privilege of photographing Natalie’s wedding, nearly three years after I had the honor of documenting her sister’s wedding on the shore of Lake Huron. It felt like family all over again, stepping into the joy and celebration of this union, seeing familiar faces, shedding a tear or two at all the beauty that surrounded me.
“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.
Over the years, I have realized that the role of wedding photographer often means being entrusted with the intimacy and emotion of each couple’s story.
here it is...my final wedding of 2016. and what an awesome couple to spend it with! drew and rebecca were married on saturday in grand rapids surrounded by friends and family, and it was beautiful!
when i have the chance to sit down with couples and chat about their wedding day, we often talk about scheduling and how they envision their wedding day playing out. usually the topic of a first look comes up and i really make a point of trying not to influence a couple's thoughts prior to them making a decision one way or the other. there are certainly good reasons for both a first look or waiting to see each other until the moment the bride walks down the aisle.. i say all of this, because for these two...a first look was absolutely perfect. when both the bride and groom cry seeing each other for the first time, you know it was a special and powerful moment, made even more special because of the intimate privacy they were able to share.
and the wedding day was truly full of those moments! from the early morning stylings in the salon to the late night sky lanterns being lit, it was a stunning day* thank you d&r for helping me to finish out my shooting season on a high note! may God bless you you two in your marriage - it was a gift to be a witness for your wedding!
much love,
- npe
it takes a special couple to hire you when you are living on a different continent for pretty much the whole ten months leading up to their wedding. maria and paul are just that! we had hopes of meeting up in person prior to the wedding day but my travels never really made it possible until the week of the wedding. but even with all this said, maria and paul were the most laid back couple, working together with my experience to nail down details for the day and prepare for the possibility of rain meeting us for the whole wedding day.
well, last friday came and went, and it certainly was a wedding to remember - these two know how to laugh and see the humor in everything. even with the unpredictable forecast, maria did such an amazing job of taking the day for exactly what it was, a wedding worth a full heart of celebration! and wouldn't you know it..but we caught a window of clearing and were able to have the ceremony on the lakeshore, under the cool clouds of an august afternoon..and it was beautiful!
paul & maria, we now know each other at a whole other level, haha..thanks for letting me tag along and for trusting me throughout the day. i wish you two all the best in your lives together!
blessings,
-npe
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
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
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
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
its a funny story...the circumstances in which we first met. but you'll have to ask stephanie about that one! ;D
a little over a week ago, i spent a colorful fall day in grand rapids with two new friends. freddy, along with his new bride stephanie, were smiles at every turn, every moment! trying to get a vogue look from these two was a pretty awesome challenge, because lets face it..who doesn't love people who exude happiness and laughter. and laugh we did!
with some of the most vibrant fall color i have seen here in michigan, the day itself was vibrant as well with true celebration as steph and freddy said 'i do.' it is always a gift to just be one of the party, and thats how i felt, right from the start...feeling far away from 'work' and very close to the profound reminder that my job is such a privilege...and SO MUCH FUN!
thank you f&s..for picking me out of a lineup of endless photographers and for trusting me with your day. it was fabulous and a joy for me to be a part of. i hope this preview lets you relive a little of how great your wedding truly was. i wish you two all the best!
much love,
- npe
