Tara + Joe (+ Delaney + Darla) | Blue Marsh Engagement Session | Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

Wedding season is in full swing and I've been so busy that I've slacked on blogging lately.  I am determined to get caught up, so be prepared to have your newsfeeds filled!  Now starring on my blog are Tara and Joe and their fun-loving (and incredibly well-trained) pups Darla and Delaney!  We met up at the Stilling Basin at Blue Marsh Lake, one of their favorite places to hang out together.  What was supposed to be a warm (or at least mild) spring session ended up being unseasonably cold and windy!  They were such troopers, though, and I love how their photos turned out.  I can't wait for their wedding this fall!

Here are a few samples from our session.  Enjoy!

Liz + Phil | Berks County Engagement Session | Penn State Berks | Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

Last weekend, I met up with Liz and Phil to photograph their engagement session.  Liz is my cousin - and one of the biggest Penn State fans that I know!  Choosing the Penn State Berks campus as the backdrop for their photoshoot was a pretty easy decision.  This location has a lot of meaning for Liz, and I personally love it because there are so many incredible little nooks for portrait backdrops.  And, I'm pretty sure Phil is happy anywhere that Liz is by his side.  So, Penn State it was!

Liz and Phil had hoped for a wintry backdrop for their photoshoot - and even though the temperatures were definitely winter-appropriate that day, there was no snow to be found.  We were, however, gifted some pretty incredible golden light.  At the end of our session, we even happened upon an amazing field of yellow flowers.  That was a pretty great consolation prize for being denied the snow that we were hoping for.  Mother Nature is unpredictable, just like so many aspects of life.  At the end of the day, all that matters is how you spend your time and who you spend it with.  Everything else is just noise.

That being said, I LOVE how their photographs turned out!  I hope you enjoy this little preview from their session.  Congratulations, Liz and Phil!  I wish you both a lifetime of happiness together.

(Disclaimer - Liz and Phil brought the empty champagne bottle along that they celebrated with on the night of their engagement!!  Awesome, right?!  They toasted to their engagement - but they used ginger ale this time.  We wouldn't want anyone to get scolded for an innocent, alcohol-free toast on Penn State grounds.)

Kayla + Colin | Berks County Winter Engagement Session | Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

Before I decided to follow my dreams of running my photography business full time, I was a high school math teacher.  As a teacher, you are supposed to make an impact on the lives of those you teach.  However, during that time, I met a a number of students who taught me just as much (if not more) than I taught them. I recently had the honor of photographing one of those students as she and her soulmate celebrated their engagement to each other.

Kayla, Colin, and I met up at Penn State University, Berks Campus for their engagement session.  It was windy.  It was cold.  I think the temperature was somewhere in the teens.  But you would never know it, looking at these photographs that we made together.  From the way Kayla and Colin looked at each other, smiled at each other, breathed each other in, and had a way of doing something at just the right time that would make the other one burst into laughter, I don't think they even noticed the chill in the air.  In fact, I think they hardly noticed me and my camera there at all - which is my goal at all of my photoshoots and weddings.  They were so into each other, and it was amazing to witness.  One of my favorite parts of this job is being surrounded by so much love, and this session did not disappoint!

Kayla and Colin, congratulations on your engagement.  I'm so happy that you found each other, and I'm honored that you asked me to photograph this milestone event in your lives.  Kayla, it has been an absolute joy getting to know you over the years, and watching you turn into the incredible woman who you are today.  Everything happens for a reason, and those reasons brought the two of you together at just the right time in both of your lives.

On a side note, I've been trying to introduce a new editing style into my work that has been really tugging at my soul.  It's difficult to time such an artistic change, but something about the light, the mood, and the energy at this session just made it feel like the right time to do it.  So, I took the leap.  I hope you enjoy these samples from our session.

Finally, I owe big thanks to my daughter Kaiya for braving the cold with us and assisting during the session!

Amy + John | Wyomissing Park Engagement | Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

I met Amy and John a few months ago when we got together over dinner for their wedding consultation.  We immediately hit it off, and I knew we were going to make a great team!  They are about as real as two people can be - my favorite kind of people.  I was thrilled when they officially asked me to be their wedding photographer, because they are incredibly kind and over-the-top fun, and I know their wedding is going to be unique and fabulous in every way! 

Fast forward to October, when we met up at the Wyomissing Park (The Highlands) for their engagement session.  It was everything I thought it would be, and more.  I love how they make each other smile and how they make each other laugh.  Really, I just love how they love each other.  I'm guessing if you have the pleasure of knowing them in person, you already know what I mean.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our afternoon together.  My face hurts from smiling so hard looking at them all over again!  Congratulations again, Amy and John.  I'm so looking forward to your wedding next fall.

An Extra Special Engagement Session | Wyomissing Park | Berks County Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

Last weekend, I had the honor of photographing Rachel and Mark's engagement session.  I was one of Rachel's high school math teachers more years ago than I care to share, and I was thrilled when she reached out and asked me to be her and Mark's wedding photographer.  I love how my education and photography passions continue to bring and keep amazing people in my life.

We had some extra special guests at this engagement session - Rachel and Mark's son Gavin and pup Venus decided to come along and hop into a few photos!  I'm so glad they decided to get their entire family involved, and I am so looking forward to photographing their wedding in just over one week!!  

Thanks again for this opportunity, and thank you for putting up with the extra-aggressive bugs that afternoon at the Wyomissing Park!  I love how your photos turned out, and I hope you do as well.

See you in a week!

Nona + George | Longwood Gardens Engagement Session | New Jersey Wedding Photographer

I don't even know where to begin describing this engagement session.  It was so incredible, in so many ways.  Once you see the photos, you'll know what I mean...

Nona and George live in New Jersey, but wanted to drive closer to me for their engagement session for a little change in scenery.  On our original date, we were going to meet up in Lancaster, but Mother Nature had other plans.  With their 3 hour drive (each way), we decided to play it safe and call it off.  So, we rescheduled for a few days later, and since their original location choice was closed that day we moved the shoot to Longwood Gardens.

We couldn't have picked a better day, time, or location.

We had Longwood Gardens practically to ourselves, and the weather was incredible!  It was a little hot and humid, but honestly, I don't even think Nona and George noticed - they were too mesmerized by each other!!  They have incredible fashion sense, but that was secondary to their chemistry and love for each other.  Everything, and I mean everything, was perfect.

By the way, Nona is a very talented artist herself!  You can find her work here: https://www.facebook.com/DesignByNona/  or here: https://www.instagram.com/designbynona/.

I am so looking forward to their wedding this upcoming winter!  I hope you enjoy this rather large collection of photos from their engagement session - because I had too many favorites to narrow it down any further.

Congratulations, Nona and George!!

Longwood Gardens Engagement Photoshoot | Jess + Sean | Berks County Wedding Photographer

Last Sunday, I met up with Jess and Sean for their engagement session.  They picked Longwood Gardens for the backdrop because it's one of their favorite places to visit together... and I was really excited, because it's one of my favorite places, too!  They booked me as their wedding photographer a few weeks ago, and this session was the first time we actually met in person.  I was so excited to meet them, and I had a very strong feeling that they were going to be really fun in person.  Oh, was I right!!  We were chatting and laughing during their entire session, and my face hurt when I left from smiling so much!  For every serious pose I got out of them, there were about 15 more silly poses - which I think is awesome!  My favorite pictures are always the ones where I capture my clients being themselves!

I hope you enjoy this collection of photos from their engagement session.  I'm looking forward to their Florida destination wedding next fall!!

Wyomissing Park Engagement Session | Kailey and Kyle | Berks County Wedding Photographer

Last weekend, I met up with Kailey and Kyle for their engagement session.  We were planning on doing it Sunday evening, right before sunset... but the weather forecast was looking pretty ominous.  At the last minute, we decided to move the photoshoot to bright and early Sunday morning instead.  And I am so glad we did!!  Clouds, wind, and strong thunderstorms moved in to the area right at our original start time!

There was almost another last minute glitch in our photoshoot plans, because when we arrived at the Wyomissing Park, we realized that a 5K was set up smack in the middle of our planned location.  We were determined to leave the park with some amazing pictures, though!  So we focused, hit a few great spots in the park, and made it out right before the race began and right as a police officer was blocking off the parking lot we were in!  (I was literally standing at the edge of the parking lot taking a photo of Kailey's engagement ring as the officer was closing the barricade...)

We most definitely accomplished our goal - the pictures turned out great!  Kailey and Kyle are so easygoing, so in love, and so freaking photogenic!  (Even with millions of gnats swarming their heads!)  Check out this collection of photos from our session and I think you will agree that they are incredible!  I'm really looking forward to their wedding next year!

(Big thanks to one of my other favorite couples, Courtney and Brandon, for the referral!!)

Wyebrook Farm Engagement Session | Steph and Al | Chester County Photographer

I recently met up with Steph and Al for their engagement photoshoot, and had a blast!!  Our first stop was the Twin Valley High School baseball field - a place near and dear to their hearts.  Then, we headed to Wyebrook Farm, just in time to befriend a few cattle and catch some amazing late afternoon light as the sun started to set.  The wind was a bit of a challenge that day, but Steph and Al rocked their session and I love how the photos turned out!  I am so looking forward to their wedding next August!

I hope you enjoy this selection of photos from our time together!

Glen Onoko Falls Engagement Session | Becca and Joe | Jim Thorpe Wedding Photographer

Fall in Jim Thorpe is amazing, and I was so lucky to have experienced it recently with Becca and Joe!  We met at Glen Onoko Falls for their engagement photoshoot a few weeks ago.  It was the perfect location since that's where they went on their first hike together when they began dating!  We started out by hiking up a bit to one of the waterfalls, then turned around and stopped at a few of their other favorite spots just in time for sunset.  To be completely honest, I was a little winded at a few of the steeper sections on the trail (I'll blame my heavy backpack and not the obvious reason that I'm a little bit out of shape) - but Becca and Joe were champs!  Becca even hiked it in dress boots, and was putting me to shame!  The hike was beautiful and was absolutely worth it.  I love how their photos turned out, and I'm so excited to shoot their wedding next October!

Here are a few of my favorites from our session!  (Be sure to check out Becca's stunning engagement ring that she made HERSELF!)