Kat + Ivy

When clients book outdoor sessions I usually recommend to schedule them between May-October to increase our chances of good weather.  Sometimes clients want to plan an engagement session during February and that's okay too!  It's just much more difficult to plan.  It could be 70 degrees or below zero, 12 inches of snow or none at all.  I'm always ready and willing to shoot in any conditions though.  

Since Kat and Ivy live out of town, we were limited on dates for their engagement session.  We decided to schedule it for President's Day weekend.  And wouldn't you know it, we had a beautiful weekend.  They didn't have to bundle up in heavy winter coats and we were all comfortable for the entire shoot.  

They chose the most beautiful location for the engagement session: Jeffrey Park and Mansion in Bexley, Ohio.  If you haven't been here you need to make a trip to see it!  It's a public park so anyone can visit the space and take photos during set hours.  You can even rent the indoor space for your wedding!  

Not only is the mansion gorgeous, but there's an amazing wooded area that runs along the back of the property.  It has beautiful trees and a walking path as well.  

And to make the session even better, they brought their dog with them!  He is such a sweet boy and he is the most well behaved dog I've ever worked with.  He was the perfect little model and did everything we asked him to do.  He is going to be the ring bear at Kat and Ivy's wedding too!  Can't.  Even.  Wait.  

Kat and Ivy will be having their wedding at Waters Edge in Hilliard, Ohio.  I can't wait to capture their special day and post the images from their wedding gallery!

Taylor + Christopher

I had the opportunity to work as a second shooter with Amilia of Amilia Photography this past December.  Taylor and Christopher's wedding took place on December 29th.  It was a very cold day but the snow provided a gorgeous backdrop for outdoor wedding photos.  

The day began at The Bertram Inn Hotel & Conference Center in Aurora, Ohio.  It is such a gorgeous venue.  Taylor and Christopher used this venue for getting ready photos and for the wedding reception. 

The ceremony was held at St. Mary Church in Hudson.   What an incredible place for a wedding ceremony!  The church is GORGEOUS!  To top it off, the church was still decorated for Christmas.  The decor was an incredible addition to the wedding celebration.  

The reception was the party of a lifetime.  Darryl Cameron of Flash Jam Entertainment kept the dance floor packed with his amazing talent.  The music was a great mix of old and new, slow and upbeat.  The crowd couldn't get enough of it!  I really love being a photographer at receptions like this.  

Bloomtastic Florist

I had the chance to visit the CUTEST flower shop called Bloomtastic Florist!  They service the Columbus area and they're located at 2136 Arlington Ave.  Bloomtastic Florist is both a retail shop and wedding 

The street the shop is located on is absolutely adorable!  Bloomtastic Florist is surrounded by a bunch of great little shops, including a cafe, called South of Lane.  It would be perfect to visit after your planning appointment with Bloomtastic to discuss the floral arrangements for your wedding day!

The staff at this floral shop is AMAZING!  They're such a fun group and they really love what they do.  They're a great team to work with for your special day!  They even have a wall of cards and thank you notes from past clients, which definitely say a lot about the service they provide.  

The inside of the shop is super CUTE.  There's so much great natural light which makes the space so bright and cheery.  

So if you're getting married near downtown Columbus, stop in and check them out.  You're going to love them!

That's a wrap!

I learned a lot about myself this past weekend.  I learned that I’d much rather be the one pointing a camera at someone than be the one it’s pointed towards, I learned that I get really stressed out knowing I have to look really presentable for a photo shoot, and most importantly I learned that I have ABSOLUTELY NO future in being on television or in movies!  I never realized how difficult it is to sit in front of a camera and talk to it while it records my voice and the way I’m sitting and every movement I make and the exact way my hair and makeup looks (without the ability to Photoshop it later.)  It was probably the most nerve wracking experience I’ve had in a long time.  It was on par with interviewing for medical school, only it was wayyy more embarrassing.   But I made it through that portion of the filming and we got to the part where we actually film me in action, doing what I love to do. 

There was only one problem....I picked a location that happened to have a giant winter festival taking place in the exact spot I wanted to film the video!  That was a little bit of poor planning, but I didn’t get this far in life without being a great problem solver.  I quickly chose a new location and we got there in time for golden hour.

While the Cleveland Museum of Art is a really gorgeous place to film a promo video, the Rockefeller Park & Greenhouse is equally as beautiful.  One thing that went even better than planned was the weather we had last Sunday!  I couldn’t have wished for a more perfect December day in Cleveland.  It.  Was.  Perfection. 

Another amazing part of the day was working with Tiffany and Greg.  I did an engagement session with them this summer and LOVED how their gallery turned out.  I knew they would be the perfect couple for my promotional video.  They’re an adorable couple with great chemistry, and it shows on camera!  They do a great job with my goofy prompts and we all have a really great time when we work together. 

After a lonnnng do of prepping for the video and filming, I immediately went home and edited the gallery.  To say I was happy with the results is definitely an understatement.  Seeing the finished gallery from Sunday makes me so excited to see the final promotional video. 

I hired an incredibly talented woman named Amanda Ellis of Amanda Ellis Photography + Films.  She specializes in newborn photography and film making.  Her promotional videos are captivating and moving.  She is amazing at what she does.  Her attention to detail makes everything come together in the most perfect way.  I can’t wait to see the final product! 

Working with couples brings me an incredible amount of happiness.  I love it all – engagement sessions, anniversary sessions, working with married couples, working with couples on their wedding day, and couple boudoir sessions.  Photography is a career that I can see myself immersed in and loving for the rest of my life.  The joy this job brings me is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.  It makes every day exciting and fuels me.  My photography company motivates me to set challenging goals and work hard to achieve them.  I’m so thankful for the ability to pursue a career that is my passion.  And while running a business can be quite challenging, I can’t imagine a job doing anything else. 

Hair and makeup by Jackie of Jax Hair Salon & Kaelyn of My Fair Makeup Artistry.

Sweet. Simple. Perfect.

I had the opportunity to photograph an intimate wedding in Toledo this past Saturday.  Laura and Ben had a beautiful, stress-free day.  It was the perfect way to enter into a marriage.  We met up before the ceremony to take some getting ready shots.  The space we used was AMAZING!  

The bridal accessories were gorgeous.  Laura's shoes looked like something Cinderella would have worn.  

Then I laid eyes on the dress!  SIMPLY STUNNING!  The beading.  The details.  The train.  Absolute perfection!  

And the bride's adorable dogs helped too!  

We took some family photos before leaving for the venue.  

And just a few more of the STUNNING bride.

The reception was held at 20 North Gallery in the historic downtown Warehouse District of Toledo.  Ben and Laura couldn't have chosen a better venue for their ceremony.  It is a gorgeous space that accommodated their guests perfectly.  

The ceremony was short, sweet, and filled with love.  Ben's daughter had a special role in the wedding as well.  It was a perfect day.