Danielle & Ed | Metropolitan at the 9 Wedding

I'll never forget meeting Danielle and Ed and thinking, "OK, I want to work with this couple." Besides being fun and funny and personable and kind, they are just good people and you understand that the minute you meet them.

Danielle and Ed's wedding was such an awesome reflection of them. It was full of all these great moments. Simple, touching, hilarious. The entire day was such a great tribute to them and the people they love. Some of the most notable moments of their fall wedding day include:

• Danielle's parents opening their gifts from their daughter. Danielle and her sister and parents are so close and have such a beautiful relationship. It was so fun to watch them all support each other and laugh and cry together all day.
• All the thoughtful ways Danielle included her grandparents in her day, including wearing her late grandma's bracelet and doing a special dance with her grandpa at her reception.
• Watching how much respect Ed's family and friends have for him. Not surprising because that guy is pretty cool. ;)
• Ed's varied emotions as Danielle walked down the aisle. Their's was the sweetest "first look" I've ever photographed.
• The wedding party being champs about taking photos in a wind storm! We actually lucked out with the weather as it called for rain all afternoon, so I'll take that wind thankyouverymuch.
• Danielle's dad's touching toast to his little girl. I'm telling you. This family.
• Ed's brother gifting the newlyweds with a pumpkin during his toast. Hilarious.
• Ed serenading his new wife with Home. :)
• And … drumroll, please … Ed and his dad serenading the entire crowd with their harmonica skills. That family is talented!

Danielle and Ed, I can't thank you enough for all your kindness and generosity over the last year-and-a-half. It was SO FUN to photograph your wedding day, and it just made me adore you two even more. Hugs!

Ceremony: St. Dominic
Reception: The Metropolitan at the 9
Videographer: Infocus Studios
Florist: Life in Bloom
Cake: Michael Angelo's
Band: The Avenue
Makeup Artist: Lisa Adams
Hair Stylist: Monica Colagiovanni
Bride's Dress: Allure
Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bill Levkoff
Honeymoon: Maui!

Nicole & Jason | Wade Oval Lagoon Fall Engagement

The only thing Nicole wanted for her engagement photos was a tree-lined street in the fall. That's it! Lucky for us, we got the nicest, sunny fall day … and I think it was the last warm day of the year. If Nicole and Jason have that kind of luck for engagement photos, I'm crossing my fingers that their luck holds on their wedding day. :)

This pair is one of the nicest you will ever meet. Jason was such a good sport about getting a ton of photos taken and Nicole made him laugh to ease the nerves. They were so interested in my life that I felt like I was hanging out with old friends. That right there is when an engagement session becomes more fun than work!

Seriously, you guys. Just go get yourselves a magazine deal already!

Love this one. Nicole, you are gorgeous!

Having Him Home

There's nothing quite like being forced out of your routine to make you really appreciate what you have. Nathan's been traveling the last few weeks, and for us, this is new. It's new to watch him pack his back over and over, it's new to communicate through text messages and phone calls, it's new to hope and pray he gets home safely after boarding yet another flight. Nathan has worked so hard lately, and I can tell that when he's home on a weekend, he's REALLY enjoying it. I admire that kind of gratitude. Soaking in every last minute. Getting pleasure from the most normal of tasks. It makes me pause and take a look around with new eyes too.

I know that in just a few weeks, busy season will be upon me. I'll be photographing weddings every weekend, editing like a mad woman and booking weddings for next year. It's a lot to anticipate. But I've also never been so grateful to have this job. To get to interact with such warm and loving people and document their story is kind of unbelievable.

So, thank you, Nathan. Thank you for working so hard for our tiny, little family. Thank you for showing me that even the most mundane of tasks should be appreciated. Thank you for helping me slow down. Thank you for being yourself.

(Photo taken with my iPhone using the VSCO camera.)