My sister and Lauren and I planned her maternity session as a sort of last minute thing and then on a rainy Saturday, we decided to wait until Sunday. Well, that rainy Saturday night at 11pm a text from Lauren saying that her water broke meant our maternity session plans went right out the window. My sweet nephew Tobin had his own plans and a few days later we were shooting his newborn session!
Here we are wrapping up the last of the fall mini sessions! It’s no secret that I love blended families and this one is no exception. Even better? Miss Kaylee joined our rec cheering program for the first time this fall. With her cute little glasses, crazy curly hair and a smile that never ever goes away, what’s not to love?! And who doesn’t adore a family that makes their mini session not just about the kids, but understands how important photos are and aren’t afraid to snuggle in for a few shots.
Yes, another fall mini session peek! And I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love these three kiddoes…..which shouldn’t be a big surprise, since they have some pretty great parents. We first met when Curtis and my Colby played baseball together and Curt’s dad was one of their coaches. And this fall marked Alana’s (and my Izzy) first year playing field hockey…and Alana’s mom was their coach. My kids are more than blessed to have such amazing coaches in their lives who’ve raised some fantastic kids of their own, and I love the friendships that Curtis and Alana have formed with my little ones.
It looks like the blog will be filled with a few more peeks from my fall mini sessions this week! And with the threat of super cold weather starting this weekend, I’m going to take a sec to just be thankful for such a beautiful and warm October… minus last week’s ridiculous amount of rain of course. Anyway, first up is pretty miss Lauren and her two handsome little brothers <3
When my husband built me the most adorable little stand out of a couple old pallets, I had a ton of ideas for mini sessions. It’s been used as a kissing booth for Valentine’s day as well as a lemonade stand not only for mini sessions, but for an actual lemonade stand run by my kiddoes! Now, with the cooler weather creeping in, we converted it to a pumpkin stand. Miss Natalie was the first to come visit and I think she was more interested in loving on our chickens than the actual pumpkin stand itself. They combo of chickens and pumpkins still made for some adorable shots!
After seeing pics of Miss Isabel posted on Facebook here and there, I could not wait to get her back into the studio for her three month session. She had been flashing some amazing smiles with some of the best dimples I’ve ever seen! Of course, once she got to the studio, she had other ideas and those dimples might just have to wait another few months to debut on the blog. No worries though, with lots of snuggles from her mom and her Lele, and maybe a little bribery with Little Einstein videos on my Kindle, we managed to get some pretty cute shots;)
In a cozy little room in her grandfather’s great big house, Heather stated simply…Josh is the best person I know. It was a simple sentence, but a powerful one. In this one small thought, Heather made it clear that Josh was her perfect match and there is no other place in the world that she belongs than in his arms and by his side. Josh and Heather traveled from their home in Georgia to get married with just their closest friends and relatives to celebrate. The wedding was peaceful, simple, coastal and beautiful as they exchanged their vows and danced the night away with the people who mean the most to them. 
Heather and Josh, it was an honor to be able to capture your day for you, and I wish you both all the happiness in the world <3
If you have been following my work for even a little bit of time, you already know how much I adore Amanda and her boys…and well, the rest of her kind, generous, fun and loud family! After meeting Stefen at their engagement session and seeing him interact with her boys and watching him just simply love his fiance, there was no doubt that this is right where these two hearts belong. The original plan for this wedding involved an elopement, but with a family as big and generous as Amanda’s (not to mention some pretty awesome friends), the day was quickly turned into an intimate beach wedding with immediate family, lunch by the beach complete with entertainment for the little ones and finally followed by a party with their closest friends. All of which the only decisions Amanda truly had any say in was her choice of outfit for the day. That’s right, she gave full reign to family and friends and they managed to keep all the little details a surprise. While most brides would probably have a heart attack not knowing what to really expect on their wedding day, Amanda never flinched at the idea. She and Stefen had only one goal in mind…to celebrate their love. And that’s exactly what they did. Amanda managed to plan a few special personal touches to her day. While most people think to engrave the inside of their wedding bands with some sweet quote, Amanda and Stefen had each other’s fingerprints engraved on theirs. It was super unique….and super hard to photograph! 
She also added her late brother’s dog tag and a ring he used to wear in high school to her bouquet. 
I simply adore these boys! They are such a HUGE part of this family’s life and the center of Amanda’s world. Stefen is amazing with them and I am so excited that he is such a big part of their lives now. Cody was so sweet helping his mom into her dress and both boys jumped at the chance to help her with her shoes. 
Now that the bride was ready, it was off to the ceremony. A gorgeous location, on a chilly and breezy afternoon….and everyone smiled and loved through goosebumps and chattering teeth.
These three beautiful ladies are to thank for the gorgeous location, the delicious lunch and all the entertainment immediately following the ceremony. And yup, I even managed to get myself into the little cart and towed behind the four wheeler! 
Finally, after everyone’s bellies were full (and a few attempted naps), it was time for the big celebration. Amanda’s family did a fantastic job at transforming the garage into someplace cozy, pretty, warm and with plenty of room for dancing. Oh, and Nana was beyond excited to share the special butterfly cake and cupcakes she spent three days working on just for Stefen and Amanda! 
Stefen and Amanda, I am honored to have been a part of your day. You two were meant to be together, and I could not be happier for the both of you. Congratulations again and here’s to happily ever after <3 
