Raleigh & Eric | Reinstein Ranch Wedding, Livermore CA

One of my most favorite things is getting to wake up at the location of a wedding, walking around with my cup of coffee, and entering into the day slowly. I think it is because I feel fully invited in, I am surrounded by the couples community, sharing meals and small talk and excitement, and everyone has bought in to the slower pace. At Raleigh and Eric’s wedding, we spent two nights in a yurt on a ranch in California, waking up to the sun coming over rolling golden hills and the sounds of horses and chickens, and falling asleep to singing and dancing and celebrating outside.

Molly & Connor | Minneapolis Winter Engagement Session

I often ask my couples to just have conversations with each other during the session to try to forget about me.   Usually its goofy questions in the beginning, since both people are trying to get past that "oh shit, there is a camera pointed in our direction" feeling.  But later on, it changes to the sweetest of exchanges.  

I usually only get little bits of it.  Which I love.  Sweet little whispers of affirmations and I love yous, and I can't believe we soon will be married. 

Sarah & Lee | In-home Session

If I would of picked all my favorites this post would of been WAY too long, so here was just a portion of my engagement session with Sarah and Lee.  They traveled in from Colorado so  I invited them in for a cozy winter in home session at my own apartment.  To help make this space their own they sat on the kitchen floor, tangled up with steaming cups of coffee and then read love letters to out loud to one another.   

The sunset campfire photos to follow are just as stunning, but I am so drawn to these simple intimate in-home moments that can encourage couples to think differently about what an engagement session needs to be (face palms and squished noses and all).  These feel so down to earth, intimate, and personal.  Their love in its simple raw form, just as it is.