Year's Best Kiss

Hugs and Kisses ... that's what I Heart Faces is asking for this week. I literally just spent two hours looking through galleries, but ultimately decided to go with my first choice :)  It was nice to look back through the past year and remember such amazing moments - I hope that's what all of the couples and families do as well; look through their albums and feel like they are back in the moment.
Angie and Zach are one of my favorite couples. After their impressive engagement session, I could hardly wait for their wedding day! Their family and friends are just as incredible as they are ... and the day couldn't have been more perfect. What I love about them is the way the love ... to see the affection they have towards one another is touching. Sometimes couples can feel a little awkward displaying their love for the camera ... these two don't need any time to warm up ;)  It's quite obvious that they are a gorgeous, photogenic couple ... but I think it's what these two have on the inside that make their wedding album beautiful :)

Click here to see more loving moments captured by other great photographers!

I Love a Good Love Story ...

In honor of Valentine's Day and the fact the 'heart' is in their name ;) I HEART FACES is going with a heart theme this week. I personally love Valentine's Day ... but I'm a sappy, hopeless romantic who loves anything that has to do with or pretend to do with love ... for example, The Bachelor ...Yes, I watch it - faithfully - and I'm not ashamed, lol :) I'll also proudly admit that I have every love note that my husband and I have exchanged over the years ... we actually have a drawer for them {awwwww ;}  We went and saw The Vow this weekend.  Excellent movie, but I was just a little disappointed that it didn't have me bawling at the end ... I was teary eyed at times, but didn't have the full blown runny nose/blotchy eyes/cry your heart out tear fest that I was hoping for. I'm hoping that The Lucky One will fill that fix for me; patiently waiting for April now! 

My love for love is probably why I love being a Wedding Photographer.  I've been blessed and blown away but what amazing couples I get to work with. While all their stories are unique and different ... the one thing that remains the same is their love - real, true, pure, honest to goodness love. To be able to witness this and document such a meaningful time in their lives is really a great privilege for me. 

Veronica and David are from Illinois ... they had a small and intimate beach ceremony in St. Joe, MI this past summer, and then a bigger reception back home a few weeks later. The day was perfect ... the officiant spoke beautiful words, the backdrop was gorgeous, and their closest family and friends witnessed their obvious and overflowing love for each other sealed with a kiss as they became husband and wife. The evening ended with a sunset swim ... absolutely perfect. 

I just love the image below ... how cute would it be for them to have this same kind of picture after they start a family, with a little baby sitting between them {I can already envision it ;} 

Others have posted some great things too ... head on over to check them out 

What's So Funny?

Oh So Silly is this week's theme over at I Heart Faces.  I laughed {out loud!} several times as I was searching through some of my albums trying to pick an entry for today.  Lots of funny moments; some planned, but most not ... just silly, carefree, fun-loving interactions - I think those are the best kind.

I had a few in mind until I came across the one below ...

This is my grandmother {pictured right} with her sister, who was visiting from Ohio. Every year my grandma's side of the family has a get together around the 4th of July.  

My grandma is here in Michigan, so they keep in touch through telephone ... only seeing each other a few times a year. So when they do get together, there's lots of laughter ... and silliness ;)  

You wouldn't guess by looking that they are in their 80's ... they're blessed to be in such great health - aside from the normal eye sight and slight hearing loss associated with aging - the one thing they haven't lost is their sense of humor :)  I could sit and listen to their stories all day!

Most entries usually involve children, but I wanted to  change things up today ... to show that whether you a kid, or a kid at heart, you're never too old to be 'oh so silly' :)

{ I was just trying to get a couple pics of them together - who would have thought it would be so hard, lol  But this just might be better than any posed picture they have ... because this is the one that we will look back on and say, 'remember when ...'  This captures them perfectly ... silly girls ;) }

Others have captured some great moments as well, click here to see more

Can you Really Judge a Book by it's Cover?

The theme at I HEART FACES this week is By The Book.  I had a really cute idea in mind that I didn't get the opportunity to do, so as I was looking through some of my galleries, I remembered Sara and Aaron's Library Themed E-Session ... and this funny one we caught towards the end :)  Sara noticed this book as we were wrapping up inside, so how could I not resist, right??? lol  We had to have a little fun with it!  And by no means does Sara have to worry about Aaron being a jerk - these two are so adorable together. Their love is strengthened by their faith in Christ, and to see the two of them together is actually quite refreshing - complete love and respect and commitment for the other ... it makes me smile to be around them :)   { and how can this picture not make you smile as well?  ;}

Check out more great ideas by clicking here

Family Fun Time

I HEART FACES wants to see some family love and laughter this week, and I have just the picture!  The Horvath Family is dear to my heart ... Misti and Jason invited me into their home when little Miss Addison was just a baby ... I fell in love with this family and hoped that they would call me again :)  They are such a sweet and loving couple, the kind of people that you instantly take to ... and Addison is a little doll - a 'challenging' one that makes me work for my money, lol ... but a sweetie pie none the less :)  I've been blessed to keep their albums and walls updated ever since with family pics!
Misti shared news of expecting their second child this past year and I think I was just as excited as she was!  It was a couple months later that she shared the news ...
 I knew they would probably set up a time to do family pics close to Christmas, so I was expecting a message from them - just not the other news that came with it...
Misti had an elevated protein level at her 15 week blood work appt. An ultrasound revealed news that the baby was suffering from a condition called anencephaly - a neural tube defect where the brain and top of the head never develop - a condition with no survival rate. On October 22nd (17.5 weeks gestation) Misti gave birth to Savannah Faith Horvath. She was perfect in every way, all 10.2 ounces & 7 inches of her. 
The tears rolled down my eyes as I read the news - no reason or explanation for this fluke happening. It seems so unfair to happen to such a happy and loving family so full of excitement and anticipation. The only thing I do know is that God only gives us what we can handle ... and Misti is an incredibly kind, compassionate, loving and strong woman -backed by the love and support from an amazing husband and family. Though she may not realize her strength, God does. And God must have known how special Savannah Faith is, and decided that he needed her up there now instead of later. 


We did get a family session scheduled in time for Christmas. Despite the circumstances that were all still so fresh and painful, we captured lots of love and laughter and smiles :)  Aside from getting some great pictures, we had a great visit. Misti shared more of Savannah's story ... and we shared some tears as well. The doctors have assured them that this was a fluke thing and does not put them in a high risk category for when they try again. Just as I was as excited as they were for their pregnancy, I was equally as saddened for their loss. There really are no words of comfort I could think of, but I think they know that I too shared in their grieving. During our session we included a bear, Savannah's bear, in some of the pictures ... and from now on, any time we do pictures in the future, her bear will be included. She is their daughter and will never be forgotten. 
It's always bittersweet for your little clients to reach the 1 year mark, because it usually means that you won't be doing pictures as often any more. I know that the Horvath's will continue to do family portraits even though it may not be every three months ... but more importantly than that ... they will forever be called my friends :)
So not only is the picture I'm submitting a great one ... it makes me even more happy to see that after all they went through - their smiles have not faded, their love is stronger than ever ... all because of their faith and Grace of God. This family is blessed ... and so am I for knowing them.

Others have captured some great fun as well, click here to see more

SO PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THIS IMAGE TOOK 1ST PLACE!!!

Thank you so much!  And congrats to all of us - all the entries are great!

   

BEST FACES of 2011 CHALLENGE

I HEART FACES is having a Best of 2011 Photo Challenge.  As you can imagine, it's not an easy task to look through thousands of photos and narrow it down to one!  If it were a contest between all of my clients from this past year, I would have to say you are all winners, every one of you that spent any time in front of my camera are all simply amazing and wonderful :)   So while the choice was an extremely difficult one to make, I went with the following photo ...
Little Liam's session was back in the summer, and this particular image was one of my favorites :)  His little expression was priceless ... and I always had this picture in the back of my mind for a contest to come along - I think it's perfect for this :)

Check out more priceless faces here

Love & Laughter make Life that much Sweeter

I HEART FACES theme this week ... Bust a Gut :)   I knew instantly the photo I needed to enter!  This is from a fall wedding last year, and I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use this pic in a contest or something.  Jamie and Michael are adorable and fun together, and I was so happy to capture this moment at the beginning of their ceremony.  I don't remember exactly what the officiant had said - but it was when Jamie's Dad was handing her over to her new hubby ... and as you can tell, Michael was just a little excited!!!  His reaction was priceless ... and all in attendance got a good laugh out of it as well.  Laughter is just one of the things that a marriage needs, and I don't doubt they lack any of it ;)  Such a warm, sweet, loving couple who also knows how to have fun - their entire day was full of laughter and smiles.  I think there were several 'guts busted' throughout the evening's festivities ;)

To see some other funnies, head over here