Mountain Morning Camp Session
Sedona, Arizona Couple's Session
Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes Session with Brett+Emily
Back in June we were in Northern Michigan for two weeks, living in our camper in the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore and we wanted to shoot on the dunes really bad. We've been so lucky over the years to meet SO so many people. Often people in love, celebrating exciting milestones and excitedly partaking in life's adventures! That's the best part of this gig. Brett and Emily drove 3 hours so that we could adventure in the sand together! What transpired was pure human connection. Brett surprised Emily by being completely hilarious and romantic in front of the camera. We laughed and talked about all the things...hiking, road tripping, long stints living in vehicles, we had so much in common and made a real life friendship out of an Instagram message!
It was an honor to document this basically random season for these two in their relationship and in life...they're both on separate paths, yet finding their way together. We were so glad we could all convene here for this short time to make something beautiful and real together.
Check out Emily on Instagram, she's an adventurist like myself @hikingwithheels
Hannah + Ben | Cleveland Beach Session
Photographed by our associate Lauren
The Heartlanders Collective
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Arizona Desert Couple's Session
Spice Acres Wedding | Kat + Zak
I could rattle off a list of reasons why Kat & Zak quickly became our favorite couple, or how we have so much in common, or how they chose the most amazing vendor team...but it's really just not even about their wedding or about us. I'd much rather talk about how these two chose to center this celebration around their love of each other and natural, how they chose to focus their weekend around celebrating with their people. It's obvious to see why, too, their family and friends were so happy, genuine and inclusive. We felt like guests the whole weekend.
In their vows, they spoke of family, of hiking, of trials on the trail and hardships they've overcome. They spoke with cracked voices, holding back tears, overwhelmed with joy. They held each other close all day and each portrait we captured was the product of a real moment, never performed.
It was beautiful in every single way and I would shoot this wedding 100 times more if I could.
Meet Kat & Zak!
Vendor Team:
Venue, Catering & Cake: Spice Acres
Hotel & First Look: Hilton Downtown Cleveland
Planning: Kirkbrides
Furniture: Borrow Rentals
Florals: Twig Floral
Band: Blue Water Kings
Beauty: Looks by Lyss
Dress: Mira Couture
Invitations: Stone Pine Design
Tent: Aable Rentals
Kendel + Paul | Autumn Vintage Wedding
Meeting Kendel + Paul was so refreshing. These two are so young and full of life and appreciation for each other. Just starting a life together, renovating their new home, moving in together, planning a wedding; these could be a source of stress for most couples but these two took every chance to truly celebrate in every way they could. Kendel donning her Grandmother's rose gold, silk wedding gown planned an effortlessly elegant and vintage inspired day that was just so cute, so romantic and so them! Thankful we got to be a part of it!
Jen + Tyler | Ariel International Wedding
I hardly know where to start with Jen + Tyler's wedding. They had their dogs, their motorcycle, a Star Wars theme, a rooftop ceremony...it was basically the most badass wedding day ever. Their wedding choices aside, Jen + Tyler are the coolest kids on the block...if you're like us and you're into video games, comics and Star Wars, you'd agree!
Their day was SO emotional and so special to watch. Their friends and families poured their hearts into their parts of the day and it was so obvious (as you will see below) that these two really honed in on celebrating this day their own way and making sure it was special.
Rachel + Brian | October Backyard Wedding
As I sit in this Starbucks trying to drown out all the noise; the metal cups bashing the ice, the chairs scooting across the floor, the baristas enthusiastically bellowing names of people and sentence-long names of drinks, the vibration of music playing...I can't even put words to this story. This environment is too mundane for the level of spirit and emotion in this love story.
This story doesn't even need words, really.
Rachel & Brian were really connected, really emotional, really in love and really expressive of their gratitude for everyone surrounding them. See for yourself. It was one for the books.
Molly + Ryan | Woodland + Theater Wedding
Working with Molly + Ryan was a dream. Molly is an insanely talented graphic designer/artist and Ryan works in the film industry. They definitely got what we were about. Their engagement session was killer but man, this wedding was a knockout. Together they planned a perfect blend of their personalities. They share a reverence for nature which led to a private vow reading along Rocky River and John Muir readings during the ceremony. The setting for the ceremony and reception was a beautiful, full-of-character old theater in the heart of Cleveland complete with the most whimsical, free-spirited details to match Molly's taste. She designed their stationery suite and featured her uncle's band! We couldn't have had a better time documenting this lovely story for these two!
Vendors:
Venue: Cleveland Public Theater, Gordon Theater; Floral: Jennifer Slagle; Gown: Claire la Faye, Moon & Back Bridal; Rentals: Borrow Rentals; Stationery: molly-lawrence.com
Rachel + Brian | Date Night Couple Session
We decided to call this a 'Date Night Couple Session' because Rachel & Brian drove all the way from Charlotte, NC to New Castle, PA and then onto Cleveland, OH to meet us for drinks at Plum in Ohio City. After some delicious whiskey beverages and taste-y sharables we headed out to make some portraits without a destination or goal in mind.
As you'll see these two turned a half hour of wandering around the alleys of Ohio City into the most playful, romantic date night ever! We had nothing to do with all those smiles and laughs...these two didn't need any input from us to be this awesome together! After Ohio City we headed towards the lakeshore and ended the evening the same way they spent their first date, sitting lakeside as the sun fell behind the horizon. We cannot wait for their backyard wedding next month!
Molly + Ryan | Sunset Couples Session
Molly + Ryan are lovestruck and insanely good in front of the camera. They have this palpable energy between them that is drawn out and amplified by being together in nature, their favorite place. We tried something new for their session, we shot in a new location, in direct sun and had them nonstop moving around, like every 10 seconds I'd say "ok switch it up". At the end of the session, I wasn't sure I got anything I wanted but when I saw the set come together I was in love with this little love story. I can't wait to share their wedding later, it's even more beautiful if that's possible.
Ashley + Zach | Northern Michigan Wedding
You may recognize these two from the recent adventure we had with them in Colorado a week before their wedding! We shared a sunset hike in the Rockies and a week later we shared a Sand Dune hike in Upper Michigan. What is this life?
Well, I had the hardest time not selecting a thousand beautiful moments to share from Ashley + Zach's Northern Michigan wedding. Not only was the destination and the wedding absolutely stunning but these two are genuinely the sweetest and happiest people I think I've ever met. Zach's love for Ashley was SO apparent in his mood that day. Between their shared glances and constant smiles, everyone who witnessed these two that day was sincerely intoxicated by the joy they share in their adoration for each other. This is one we'll remember for a long time.
Location: Traverse City, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Maple City, Michigan
Venue: Snow Moon Ranch | Planning: Sincerely, Ginger | Florals: Stem & Sprigs | Cake: Sweet Tartlette | Beauty: Knoelle Artistry | Band: Other Brother Entertainment, Charleston, SC. |
Ashley + Colton | Sand Dunes Adventure Session
Ashley + Colton made the drive from Albuquerque, New Mexico to meet us at Great Sand Dunes National Park. We arrived the day before and slept in the van (secretly) in the backcountry parking lot overlooking the dunes. We fell asleep to the quietest, pitch black night and woke to the white, hot sun trying to melt the sand and the van.
This place is incredible, vast and other-worldly. The wind sweeps sand in every direction until it's swirled into massive mounds that harmoniously blend into the pale blue sky at every vantage point. We sat back and watched as Colton and Ashley danced in awe; The most beautiful story, their love for each other, for adventure and for the moment. In the heat of the setting sun, at 10,000 feet elevation, they let the grains of sand sting by the millions against their skin and curled into each other for shelter; a sentiment worth documenting in any place but especially a place as beautiful at this.
Dress from KII Boutique, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Vintage Camper Couple | Rocky Mountain Sunset Adventure Session
We've been so lucky to meet so many great creatives through Instagram in the last few years. It's such a powerful resource for connecting us with the people who see the world the way we do!
That's how we met Chelsea + Lyn, these camper-dwellers from southern Ohio who are living the rocky mountain life in a beautiful campground in Colorado right now. We obviously bonded over our love of alternative living, travel, adventure and mountains!
We were on our campervan tour, heading through Buena Vista and these two just happened to be on our route! They saved us a campsite and we met at their camper-home just before sunset.
Lyndon + Chelsea live a beautifully tiny, big life on the road. They invited us in, made us pancakes, offered us beer and then took us for a true mountain drive in their Land Rover. We headed up a private road as far as the Rover would go and hopped out to get to the top of the ridge where we could see all the peaks surrounding the valley and their little camper below us! Lyn kept saying he didn't know where the best light would be for photos but he knew this view couldn't be beat. We laughed and wandered until the last bit of amber light fell behind the peaks and then we finished the evening with dinner cooked over the campfire. We've never had a more authentic experience getting to know strangers than with these two! And what a beautiful home they have!
Follow their adventures on their Insta @mobile_millers
Ashley + Zach - Boulder | Colorado Adventure Session
In the mountains we find ourselves. And for these two that is true. In the midst of a very active season in their lives, Ashley + Zach made time to reconnect on a hike with their cute pup Quimby (a week before their wedding). The hike through the evergreens and aspens was brief. And before we even got winded, layers and layers of grey and blue rocky mountain ranges greeted us while the sun laid it's golden haze across the snowcaps in the distance.
We talked about the future, our collective plans to hike a 14-er and to make more time for things like this. Colorado has a way of delivering perspective and on this evening, we all needed it.
Ashley + Zach took full advantage of every overlook and outcropping, they sat in the dirt and kissed their dog. They let the summer night fade without hurry. It's was a beautiful story to tell.
Mandy + Wade - Ohio Farmhouse Wedding
After spending the morning with her girls in the historic farmhouse, Mandy calmly got dressed while awaiting the rain shower that showed up uninvited for their first look. Rain on a wedding day is a common fear in Ohio but Mandy & Wade gracefully endured the light showers to make memories out in the fields at Brookside Farms before their barn ceremony + reception. As a heavy fog quieted the scene, we found quiet places for shelter under the evergreens along the creekside. Guests enjoyed the smell of dinner from the smoker as they arrived to the ceremony. And they partied into the night while these two thoroughly enjoyed everything the night had to offer.
Venue: Brookside Farms
Catering: Taproot Catering
Bride's Make Up: Andi Wheatley Artistry
Florals: Ubran Orchid
Planning: Tricia Dever
Rachel + Michael | Romantic Industrial Wedding
This incredibly joyful day with Rachel & Michael was mostly spent exploring downtown Cleveland, wiping happy tears and laughing hysterically. They also got married and it was really sweet. These two planned a really tasteful, simple, romantic, and really personal day that was brimming with love from their family and friends. The best part is, you can totally tell from these photos because they were so in love, in the moment and true to themselves.
Their romantic, industrial wedding vibe at The Lake Erie Building is definitely one of our favorite wedding vibes! Vendors listed below!
Venue: Lake Erie Building
Florals: Fair Rarity Flowers
Shelley's Cafe" (home baker based in Bend, Oregon)
DJ: Brian McDonald
Make Up: Maggie Kleinman Artistry
Gow: Nicole Miller from Moon and Back Bridal
Suit Designer: Sid Mashburn
Chuppah- handmade by the couple
Emily + Katie - Waterfall Adventure Session
We met up with Em + Katie at the top of a stairway on a busy road in Cleveland. The stairs led us to this nook on the shore of Lake Erie. It's amazing that a little piece of nature like this exists among a whole city of collapsing structures, gentrification and concrete. It rained a ton that week so the waterfall was flowing like crazy and these two ladies were loving like crazy!!
Em + Katie love out loud. They shared laughter and quiet moments and so many adoring looks that we caught on camera! This was one instance where I truly felt the importance of our job as documenters. These two will forever have these records of their emotions to look back on; to see how the other looked at them and to feel that all over again.
Meet Em + Katie
