This is a story I’ve been dying to share in detail with all of you!!  The story of how I came to know Erin and Matt is one that still blows my mind sometimes :)  First, let’s back up to about 8 years ago.  Tim and I had been married a few years and had added our daughter Evie to our family.  We had outgrown our home and had hopes of buying a farm near Decatur at an auction.  I still remember Tim calling me that morning (I couldn’t make myself go to the auction in fear someone else would walk away with MY house…) and simply saying to me, “Pack your bags, Baby!”

Through the process of closing the house, we met Kathy.  Her parents had left her the house after their passing and had decided to sell.  I know it was hard for her to let the house go as it held so many memories of her childhood.  But I was just as eager to start making memories of our family within its walls.

Fast forward to two summers ago.  Now a mommy of two and new business owner who reveled in over booking herself  (I was a crazy woman), my days were very hectic.  I remember it being a hot day, and my first day with no sessions in WEEKS.  The kids were at Grandma’s and I refused to get dressed and padded around the house in my pj’s all morning.  That’s when the doorbell rang.  I RAN upstairs to put on acceptable attire and when I came back down, the car was beginning to leave.  I stepped outside to wave the car down.  Out of the car came a smiling woman who I didn’t recognize.  She must have known it because she said, “Do you remember me?”  It was Kathy :)

I welcomed her in and apologized profusely for the mess..and hoped she didn’t think I had trashed her house!!  She asked about my work and I gave her a business card so we could keep in touch.

Here’s where it gets fun!

Last summer I got an email from Erin.  She was struggling to find the perfect fit in a photographer for her wedding.  She mentioned it to her mother one day in passing.  Guess who her mother is ;)  KATHY!!  They looked me up..and within a few days, I was on the phone with Erin discussing plans for her wedding.

Erin and Matt  make their home in Chicago and wanted to shoot the engagement session in their beloved city.  I also thought how great that I now live in her Grandparents house…we could shoot part of the session HERE!!!!

Erin and Matt came down to visit family over Mother’s Day weekend…when it seemed to rain more than anything here.  They arrived at my home and we shot a few out front before the rain started to drizzle.  The front of our house has stayed virtually the same for years, so I hoped it would feel just like old times for Erin.

We took cover in one of our barns, where Erin remembers playing as a child.  It was so fun to hear her talk about what she remembered about the place!   To be honest, it was a little nerve wracking meeting them for the first time and taking them around to all the places where we store our JUNK..but Erin and Matt were so incredibly sweet…and the camera LOVES them both!

Then over to the second barn on the property.  Another admission…I’d only been in the loft once before and wasn’t sure I liked climbing up the ladder to get in there again!  Oh, but it was sooo worth it!

Can’t decide which is my favorite.  Aren’t these two smokin’ hot??!!!

To be continued……images from our Chicago session coming shortly!

Abe and Julie were my first wedding couple of this year and they kicked it off in style!  Theirs was a wedding different from any other that I have been a part of as their religious beliefs do not permit any photography inside their church.  Being that it was early April and FREEZING, Julie had the wonderful plan to do all of the portraits the day before the ceremony.  I was all…GREAT!  I cannot tell you what a thrill it was to just shoot for a few hours with no care as to what time it was ;)  Most definitely a great intro into wedding season this year!

The Hilton in downtown Fort Wayne was chosen as the place to prepare and being our shoot for the day.  It was beyond gloomy and raining through the windows but you wouldn’t have known it from the excitement happening inside….

I love me some great heels on wedding day :)  Julie’s were sky high and beyond fabulous!

One of my favorite moments of the day….Abe arrived at the hotel while Julie and her maids were in the middle of their preparations.  I found him in the hallway and he asked me if he could see Julie.  I thought he was kidding!  We had planned a first look before pictures to give them a special moment together…I doubt Julie wanted to do that in her tshirt and no makeup ;)  I told Abe he had to wait to which he replied that he just had to at least talk to her!  So, here is Abe talking to his bride-to-be through the door of her suite.

Julie’s black sash and brooch were not decided upon until the last minute…mom pins it into place.

Both ready for the moment…Abe waited downstairs in the lobby for his Julie to arrive.  He was not disappointed ;)  One of the best groom reactions I’ve seen yet!

Ah, my favorite below…the heels make me happy!

I have to say, this was one kind, gracious and non-complaining group! I still can’t believe they were so willing to be outside, especially the girls in their short J.Crew dresses (which I also adored).

Isn’t she absolutely adorable?!  You should hear her giggle ;)

Julie had told me that her gift to her bridesmaids/flower girl were these cute rain boots…I said Bring Them!!!  We were lucky that the rain held off until we were in our final location and we at least had cover to shoot under!  Julie told me from the very beginning of our consults how much she wanted texture in her photographs….Check!

At the end of the session, Abe and Julie left to attend their wedding rehearsal and dinner while I headed home.  The wedding took place the next morning at in Milford, Indiana and I arrived just before the ceremony began to capture a few images of them heading to the church along with the reception details…

…and captured their reactions as they exited the church as husband and wife :)

It’s a great send off when all you an see of the bride and groom are their smiles and hands holding onto each other ;)

Abe and Julie, I truly want to thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wedding festivities.  It was a pleasure and honor to meet your wonderful friends and families and witness the love you have for one another.  I know God will bless your marriage for years to come!

I probably sound like a broken record by now….every time I post a session from earlier this year I talk about the rainy weather we all endured!  The rain seriously messed with my life for two months and it always seemed to be a part of each session in some way….especially Nicole and  Troy.

Nicole and I used to work together so when she contacted me to tell me Troy had finally popped the question, I was completely thrilled for her and also honored and excited that I would get to photograph her wedding.  She and Troy were high school sweethearts and are now both finally finished with their schooling and ready to start the next chapter of their lives together :)  We set the date for their engagement session and started shooting with dark clouds overhead.  We had barely finished the first outfit when it started to rain and we postponed the rest of the shoot…..

And it rained again…and we rescheduled again…then it rained.  AGAIN.

Regardless of the rain that first day, the images in the field are some of my favorites of Nicole and Troy.

Which brought us to scheduled session number FOUR.  And the sun was actually shining!!!  So glad the rain made us wait for clear skies which provided a completely different look for the rest of the images :)

Nicole and Troy, I am so excited to shoot your wedding..in the same place that I married my high school sweetheart too :)  And hopefully, we have been granted some grace with the rain gods and your wedding day will be bright blue skies!  I think we’ve earned it!