Michael, his mom, and I were able to coordinate our schedules for when I was back in Ohio the last time--and wouldn't you know, it was the coldest day in Ohio to date.  Thankfully, the rain held off for our session, and we were able to get into the grungy parts of downtown Dayton that make for such awesome pictures.  Michael, thank you for putting up with the pictures thing for your mom.  Hopefully it wasn't too bad. :)

Hope you enjoy your preview!

How did you meet? We met in the 6th grade! We've been friends since then and love that our story begins with a long and deep friendship.

When did you get engaged? Sept. 3rd, 2010

Did you have a First Look? If yes, what did you think about it?  Yes.  We loved it!! We enjoyed those first few moments with just the two of us, and it also allowed us to be able to do all our pictures before the wedding.

What was the most memorable part of your day? This is a hard one to answer!! We both loved the whole day, and are amazed that everything went as we had planned!! We did enjoy the moment at the reception when we sat down to eat- everything that required us to be "on" was over. We sat down and just took it all in. We looked out over our friends and family talking, laughing, and eating together and felt truly blessed. Everything looked so beautiful!! Oh, and the food was awesome, so we enjoyed that too!! :)

What was your favorite detail? This is another hard one to narrow down! One of the most enjoyable parts of the planning process was watching our wedding become more and more "us"- big things like writing our own vows, little things like the set up of the head table, and all kinds of things in between!

Any advice about wedding planning for future bride/grooms? Good wedding planning is such a balance. Don't stress over every last detail- it is only one day (your actual marriage is way more important!) and most people won't even notice things you may have agonized over!! The flip side is that we did see the benefit of intentional planning. Since we were intentional to plan the day well, once the day came we were stress free!! (seriously, we really were!)

Funniest memory from your wedding day? We did have a funny moment when it came time to cut the cake! That seems like it should be pretty straightforward, but we found ourselves standing in front of the cake wondering what to do! We had a good laugh and, with the help of some instructions being shouted to us from the crowd, we did manage to cut the cake!

If you could do it all over, would you change anything? No! It really was an absolutely amazing day!! We feel so blessed!

Where did you go on your honeymoon? a cottage by the sea in Northern California

Any other little things you want people to know? Don't lose sight of the fact that your wedding day is one special day and that your actual marriage is so much more important. Don't get lost in the planning of the wedding and forget to intentionally grow with this person who will soon be your spouse!!

Why did you choose me? We heard through word of mouth about your work, and after checking out the website and blog were very interested. After hearing from someone else who had you do their wedding (they commented that you were great to work with and they were happy with your work) we pursued the possibility!

What was the best part about working with me? You were so relaxed and went with the flow so well! We didn't notice you when we were in the moment and you were efficient and fun to work with during the bridal party/family pictures! Also, we SO appreciated your willingness to work with us to give us exactly what we needed!

What is something I can improve on in my business? We did have a little trouble communicating at times, but we know we caught you during a very transitional time of your life!!  (this is an understatement!  I shot Joel and Allie's wedding on Saturday, and moved to California the following Wednesday!)

florist: The Flowerman
ceremony venue: Southgate Baptist Church
reception venue: Schindler Banquet Center
cake: Ele Cakes
dress: David's Bridal
bridesmaid dresses: Target

Joel and Allie, thank you so much for asking us to be a part of your wedding day.  I have never had a bride AND groom so excited to be fulfilling God's plans together.  Your joy and happiness infected everyone around you, and you had a perfect day that celebrated all that is amazing about the two of you.  I look forward to seeing how God richly blesses your lives together!

Sarah is a Senior that has gotten a head start on her future already.  She completed high school early, and has been taking college classes ahead of time!  She is starting her college career officially this week, and I am so excited to see her touch lives as a pediatric nurse!

I hope you enjoy your preview, Sarah.  It was wonderful to work with you on such a HOT Ohio morning!

I have known Libby since she was little.  I used to babysit her!  She has lived next door to my house for years.  It was an honor to be their photographer.  It was such a beautiful day of sharing their love story.

How did you meet? Church. I was coming back from summer camp and Tom was coming home from a year on mission in Chicago.  

When did you get engaged? September 12, 2009. We were engaged for a year and a half for me to finish school. It was tough, but worth it. 

Did you have a First Look? After much deliberation, no. I talked with Allison about what great pictures you can get, how it eases nerves and makes the day go smoother, but ultimately for us, nothing beat seeing each other as I was coming down the aisle. It still gives me chills. It was such an incredible moment in life!

We're going to start with Jacquie and Ty!

How did you meet? Intramural Volleyball at Wright State University, we were on opposite teams and played each other for the Championship!!

When did you get engaged? December 21, 2009

What was the most memorable part of your day?
Jacquie - Getting to see all of our friends and family celebrate our great day with us!
Ty- Being pronounced husband and wife for the first time!

What was your favorite detail?
Jacquie - Wearing an Ohio State Garter.
Ty- Riding in a limo with everyone.

Any advice about wedding planning for future bride/grooms?
Jacquie - Remember that it's a day for you and your future husband, don't worry about anything else!
Ty - Start as early as possible and don't let things get behind schedule.

What was the funniest memory from your wedding day?
Jacquie - Watching one of the kids break dance, he was only 7.
Ty - Watching my niece walk down the aisle.

If you could do it all over, would you change anything?
Jacquie - Give more time for pictures and dancing.
Ty - The limo company, we had to find a new limo company the day of our wedding.

Where did you go on your honeymoon? White House Sandals Resort in Jamaica

Any other little things you want people to know? It goes fast, but is super fun. Go with what you want in your wedding, it's yours and nobody elses. You only get to do it once!!

What was the best part about working with me? Very professional but fun with pictures and ideas. Very flexible with meeting times and places.
What is something I can improve on in my business? There is nothing at this time that we can think of, you did a great job!!

hair: Headways (Tammy)
makeup: Mary Kay Consultants (Megan Brannon and Camille Howard)
florist: Two Little Buds (Hamilton, Ohio)
ceremony venue: St. Peter's Church (Huber Heights, Ohio)
reception venue: Beavercreek Golf Club
dj: D'Agostinos (Fairborn, Ohio)
dress: Bridal and Formal (Cincinnati, Ohio)
bridesmaid dresses: Altar Bound (Beavercreek, Ohio)

Congratulations, Jacquie and Ty, on your favulous day!  We had a great time being with you and your friends, and it remains top in the cake cutting, and one of the best dance parties we've been to!

I haven't done any fun sessions with them in a while, so I figured it was time.  Got out an old blanket, and let them get on the couch.  This is a big no-no in our house, but we had a little fun with it today!

Here are a few of my favorites:

These albums are a deluxe hardcover, with a customizable photo cover.  The pages are lay-flat, so you don't have to worry about "breaking it in".  The images are printed using a 6-color printing technique, to give you maximum color.  Each album is custom-designed just for your images.  To top it off, every album comes in it's own box, so you don't need to worry about damaging the cover, or bending any of the page corners on accident--your album will be protected!

We will be offering two sizes: an 8x8 album, which will come with every family and engagement session, and the 10x10 album for our brides and grooms.

We are so excited!