Ella Love :: Newborn

Isn't that the cutest name EVER!

I LOVE IT!

My dear friend, Kristin, FINALLY had her little baby girl. I was so excited for her, but not only was I excited for her... I was excited we got to watch her little pooch while they were in the hospital. Hula is awesome and her and Maddox are totally boyfriend & girlfriend, even though Maddox has a few girls on the side... they totally love each other. I mean honestly, Maddox and her were cuddling... Maddox doesn't cuddle, so that's huge!

But anyways... Kristin had the most precious little girl. She's adorable, sweet, cute, calm, alert, and I'm sure she's going to be growing into so much more, especially with a family as they have. She was so fun to take photos of because for one, she loved being on her belly, which a lot of babies are not fans of at first, but for two, she totally kept us on our toes by pooping in the little box we put her in and then peeing all over herself on the dresser. What's a newborn shoot without some poop and pee, right? Ha!

Congratulations you guys... she's just precious and I can't wait to watch her grow up into an amazing woman!

Here are some of my favorites from the shoot....

Awww... is this not the cutest?



Adorable...



Tired little baby...



Haha... fighting her sleep!



I love her face!!!



Look at those cute toes...



Gotta love those faces... lucky for us she didn't cry too long... Phewww...



I LOVE HER!



Adorable! (This is when she pooped... don't worry, mom cleaned her up quickly after...)



Hot pink dresser... awesome! (... only for her to pee all over herself! Ha!)

Neil & Jennifer :: Wedding

The last time I was in California was in college. It was my junior year and our soccer team at Indiana Wesleyan made it to Nationals, which was held out there in Santa Barbara. It was awesome... we stayed in this hotel close by one of our teammates home (she was from out there and was also one of us four in our room). A couple of our other friends not on the team drove all the way out there to watch use play. Crazy or Dedicated Fans... not sure which, but it was really cool that they did that!

Not many people know this, but the night after our game (we lost... boo!), our friends came over to our room, without our coach knowing, and all of us girls snuck out and went to the beach. Hehe... sneaky sneaky! It was November, so the water was freezing! But we all had so much fun clowning around and just making memories... even if it was a secret trip! It was fun and so worth it! Good thing we didn't get caught... I'm not sure what kind of trouble we would have been in, but we are all good kids so if anything we would have gotten out of it pretty quick!

Anyways... Cali brings me to great memories. I will remember the trip, the fun, the friends, the laughs, the smiles, the beach in November, and now I'll remember Neil and Jennifer...

Both of them are originally from here in Michigan, but a few years back they moved out to L.A. for work. I was so glad they found us at another wedding we photographed last year. After talking with Jennifer after the other wedding, I was so excited as she was super sweet and then I met Neil and they both were awesome! I had so much fun during their engagement session over Christmas, I could not wait for their wedding in the summer. I'm sure they loved the cold snow, but not me. I'm loving the summer weather now, and I loved their wedding. They were married over at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial on one of the most beautiful days of summer so far. The day was perfect... perfect couple, perfect day, what more could you ask for?! I did feel really bad for Jennifer as she was not feeling well. Poor thing... it was a bit toasty out that day, but luckily she got to feeling better and life was good. They had the cutest first dance, you could tell Neil was a dancer, which is usually not the case with grooms. Ha! Todd and I had a blast!!!

Congratulations you two... we hope Greece was AMAZING! (Sooo jealous!)

Check out some of my favorites and a slideshow of more of their day...

Cake: Mother of the Bride
Flowers: Chris Engel's Florist & Greenhouse
Stationary: Taryn Leach Events & Stationary (Los Angeles)

Getting ready down at Greetown Hotel... such a beautiful hotel...



Jennifer looked A-MAZING!



ALL of her girls were so beautiful... and so fun! Loved them all...



Neil was awesome... handsome and look at those dimples!



And his guys were especially nice... gentleman all the way through!



They had a first look, which was so cute... LOOOVEEEE THOSE!



They are adorable!



I LOVE this...



Loved their first dance!



Check out their slideshow...

Umm...

Ughh.... I don't even know where to start. It has been a crazy last couple weeks and I'm kind of in shock. Anyone who has been through any kind of remodel and were still living there can probably relate to how I'm feeling right now, especially since I get the job of doing all the random running around. Awesome! Ha! Plus, I'm the biggest neat freak... it's really pushing my tolerance for the mess. But I'm hanging in there...

It's starting to look a little better...



But my mother-in-law came over today and brought me the sweetest gift. It was this cute little book with a dog on it... I loved it right away, but I turned right to this page that said...

" Maintain Peace: Keep an open mind and maintain your peace - even when things seem a bit chaotic. Problems often dissolve, creative solutions emerge , and if nothing else, the world looks like a better place."

And the best part was that the dog next to that phrase looked just like Maddox, kind of like the cover of the book. I love it! Maddox knows best doesn't he? Even if I'm mad at him for keeping us up this morning with all the storms. I still love him, and I love that there is progress despite all the chaos.


(Pardon the dust)

Happy Tuesday!

Baby Raygan :: 4 weeks old

So picture this...

It's the summer before 5th grade and you've decided to play an instrument. You choose clarinet. You go to summer band class to learn how to play your instrument and meet a really fun friend. You laugh and smile together, while learning your 'new' and exciting instrument... such a great bonding experience, right? Ha! So, summer comes to an end and you realize that your "friend" goes to a different school than you... bummer! You decide to become 'PEN PALS' (remember you're in 5th grade... that was cool back then!) So you write back and forth for two years, you learn about each other... very basic stuff like if you have pets, what your favorite color was, what your favorite food was, what boy or girl you might like, etc...etc... So after those two years, you decide to quit playing the clarinet. You are getting ready to start 8th grade, which is at a whole other school, a school where all the middle schools combine into one BIG school with the 9th graders before you move to the HIGH school. (Your school district is really weird... I know!) You are super nervous because this is a big deal... 8th grade is all about being cool, right? So first day, you go to your home room and recognize a familiar face. The face of your old clarinet buddy! What are the odds! You spend the next 5 years bonding even more and becoming amazing friends! Fast forward to today... that friend that you met many years ago is still present in your life and you now are experiencing many of lives greatest gifts together.

One of my oldest and dearest friends just had the best gift she could imagine... me home for a few days to see her! Ughh... ok, that was my gift! But her's would be, that she was just blessed with the sweetest little baby girl ever! Little Miss Raygan was born a few weeks back and has been such a great baby, so I hear. The day I came she must have been growing or something, as she was not too happy about the camera in her face, although I was not complaining because it was great to see my dear friend in motherhood action. She's such a great mom... and does amazing with Raygan. I love both of them so much... I can't wait to see how beautiful Raygan becomes being raised by such a beautiful family.

Congratulations you guys... it was seriously a joy being able to see and capture this time of your lives... Love you! Mwaaahhh!


Here are a few favorites from our session...

Look at that adorable face!



I LOVE this one... she's so cute!



Look at that lung power...Pheww...



Those toes are so small...



Adorable!



Haha!





Sleepy, sleepy...



My niece was there to help... can you tell? Trying to steal her pacifier... haha!



She made up for it when she was trying to hug her... aww...



Wide awake, but not too happy!

Derek & Leah :: Wedding

I remember when I was in 1st grade and it was Halloween. I came to school dressed as Punky Brewster. This is her...



I was so proud because I wore clothes that were mismatched and cool. Plus I already had the dark hair and frekles, so I just put my hair in pig tails, which back then was cool anyways. At the end of the the day, we were all judged by our costumes and only the "lucky" few got prizes for winning. I did not really think to much of it, I was just happy I got to wear a costume to school. I remember getting up on stage in a single file line and the teachers all looked at the students. I don't remember all the details, it was SOOO many years ago. But I remember winning "Most Original". Yay! But at the time, I thought to myself, "I'm not even sure I know what that means." Ha! But once I was explained what original meant, I thought I was so cool! I was original then, and consider myself original now.

Derek and Leah are two of those people as well! They had one of the most creative weddings I have ever been to. Leah is such a DIY bride, from making their centerpieces, to their bouquets, doing her own hair, doing some of her girls hair, and much much more. She is just a natural and so low key. She also wore such a gorgeous and unique dress. She is the whole package there! Derek was also creative himself by choosing the most comfortable outfits for him and his guys... I'm sure all grooms wish they could do that, to having an ice cream truck come during their reception for dessert! It doesn't get any better than that, does it? But this couple fits so well together. They both are so sweet, so loving, so gentle, and just match perfectly together! Their wedding was at Pine Knob Mansion, which is so beautiful and unique by itself, but when you add their touch to it plus a gorgeous day, it was even more stunning! Everyone that came up to them just complimented them over and over on how great it was to be there and what a great wedding it was! I'm sure they loved that!

Congratulations you guys! We had SUCH a great time! Enjoy being a newlywed!!!


Check out some of my favorites and a slideshow from their day...

Dress: Demetrios
Flowers: Flower Works (Boutonnieres) Whole Foods (Bouquets- Made by Leah)
Ice Cream: Meadowbrook Ice Cream
Cupcakes: Mrs. Maddox Cake Shop
Linens: Linens and Beyond
Band: The Euphorians

Check out those shoes... LOVE THEM!



And those bride-made-bouquets! Gorgous!



SOOOO gorgeous!



And her girls... AMAZING!



Derek... handsome as ever!



And his guys were great... so fun!



Her poor sister dropped the ring during the ceremony... it was so funny!





And rose petals were thrown on the way out... just beautiful!



They have so much fun together!



Umm... love them!



Hot Stuff!



Check out a slideshow from more of their day...

Josh & Carrie :: Engagments

Phewww...

It has been quite the whirl wind. Just when you think you cannot get any busier, something happens and you somehow make time for the extra stuff!

I thought that our whole kitchen project was more of a "man's" job! I mean that's great that they want to include me to help, but seriously, I have other things I would rather do, like work, play with my dog, blog, etc... which I apologize I have not had the extra moments to sit down and fill you in on what's going on. But I could think of 100 other things I would rather be doing instead of being put to work with a paint brush in one hand and the paint can in the other, especially since I have sooo much other stuff going on right now. But I cannot complain whatsoever... the more help the faster it will get done! Right?! But I will do my best not to neglect my other stuff... like you all!

Anyways...

So it is my goal to get you all caught up on all the photo shoots I have had the last two weeks, which is quite a few...

Josh & Carrie are very, very, very good friends of ours. Carrie is actually Todd's cousin, but more than that she is a great friend to me... she's way more than just family! I remember the first time I met her five and a half years ago, she totally opened up her heart to me right off the bat and treated me as though I was family. Not many people, especially girls will do that! She's an exception and it has been so great getting to know her over the years. Then came Josh, and he has been nothing but PERFECT for her! It has been such a joy seeing their relationship grow and mature into something sooooo beautiful! I'm so excited for them and also excited that they are going to be living so close to us! YAY YAY YAY!

Congratulations you two! We are sooo looking forward to next weekend... it's going to be so fun!


Here are a few of my favorites... even though there were sooo many great ones!

Umm... this couple could not be more photogenic together! So Lucky!



This is where their relationship grew into what it is today... (Downtown Detroit)



Hottt....!!!



I LOVE this one... It's probably one of my favorites from the whole day! It's just so relaxed and genuine!



Love the background... gotta love fun colored walls!



Mmm... so pretty!





Josh's face cracks me up! What a fun soul!



They have so much fun together... it's SOOO contagious!





LOVE THIS! It would not be downtown without some graffiti!