While it was still cold enough to wear winter jackets (yes, I admit, I’m a slow blogger), Jenn and Justin made the trip to Archbold from the Fremont area to have their Engagement Portrait Session. While we did take did traditional studio portraits, the ones that I feel compelled to share are the on-location and outdoor images. I feel like once we got outside and “let loose,” Jenn and Justin were so much more comfortable. I was easily able to see the love between the two of them, and I’m so excited to be shooting their special day. Their wedding is going to be taking place in Fremont, and since these two are avid OSU fans, it’s Buckeye themed! (Bet you couldn’t tell by their sweatshirts, right?) Anyway, more on the wedding later… back to the e-session! We shot all around Archbold, but my favorite was stopping by Mom’s Diner and photographing their mini-date. So cute! I love the feel of that place, I could sit in there for hours looking at everything hanging on the walls! Here are a few of the happy couple, I hope you enjoy them!
I love this shot, showing her beautiful ring!
How cute and loving is this photo of them snuggling up in the cold?
Jenn and Justin, thanks for making the drive to Archbold for your session! We hope you’ll find these portraits and memories worth your drive! We can’t wait to make the trip to Fremont and photograph your wedding! 
You got to see some images from Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s engagement session (which turned out to be a beautiful sample album), so now I’ll show you a few spreads of their wedding album. (Also beautiful, btw!)
After going to the salon, the ladies decided to go catch a bite to eat. Brian and I went straight to the church, where all of the bride’s special items were waiting. I was so happy to have to time shoot all of the little details. I love details! Several of these held special sentimental value, which really gives me goosebumps when I get the privilege to shoot them. If you couldn’t tell how much I admire these, just check out our new website… the images are all over it! Anyway, I’d like to share them with you, along with an image of the happy newlyweds! Congrats to the both of you! We wish you the best of luck!
*Sigh* Tax season is finally over for me. The blog must go on! Obviously, these images are a little bit old (we don’t have that much snow these days!) However, I can’t resist sharing! Kina and Matt were sooo cute, despite freezing their booties off! To set the scene, this particular weekend there was a high of 23 degrees…. but… with the windchill factor, it was only somewhere around 11. Eleven! Brrrrr! We were scheduled to drive up to Adrian, Michigan to shoot the couple at their home and around their town. We briefly discussed rescheduling, but Kina wanted to brave it. I’m up for anything, so Brian and I put on our snowsuits and grabbed the cameras! (Oh, and, and I had just gotten my brand new camera, so I was stoked!)
We started the shoot at their home, which I don’t typically do, but I’m glad we did. The home was beautiful, and we got a bunch of adorable images. Here are a few at their home:
Once we got rolling, we hopped into the car and went to shoot at a park in Adrian. There were a few bridges, a creek, and a lot of really large trees! This park is known for it’s paved trails, but they sure don’t plow the snow from them! We all walked (or tried to walk!) through the deep snow to get to all the good spots. It was so funny watching Kina and Matt play in the snow. They were such good sports!
Little did we know that we’d need to be good sports, too…. Shortly after this photo, Brian was trying to get a “fun” angle and fell right through the thin layer of ice on the creek. I couldn’t see him, but here’s the couple, getting a kick out of Brian’s misfortune! 
Once we got over the initial shock of Brian getting wet, we were able to capture this shot, which represents the couple’s theme- double two’s.
Here are a few more from around the park. I love the photo of Kina and Matt going for a K-I-S-S under the tree!
I’ll close this entry with another of my favorites. This was taken somewhere around the downtown area, against this crazy wall that I spotted from blocks away! I love the color combos and the brightness of it all. Somehow the cheeriness made it seem not quite so cold! Kina and Matt, we had such a great time getting to know you better! We can’t wait to photograph your wedding on August 22nd!
In the middle of the busy wedding season, the blog was the furthermost thing from my mind. My time was spent on my highest priority- my brides and grooms and their wedding day images. So now that I’ve got a this new blog (and I’m really going to stick with it), I figured I’d post some of the weddings that never made it to the blog during wedding season. Sound good? I hope so, because here’s one of them… Linda and Derek!
If you remember, this was the couple that we drove down to OSU to shoot engagement portraits for. We had so much fun getting to know them that day, so the wedding day was that much more special to us, simply because we had a chance to know them a little bit better.
We started out the day photographing Linda and the girls getting ready and hanging out at her mom’s house near Kenton. It was a very relaxed setting, and it set the tone for a laid back and fun day. After the girls finished getting pampered, we all moved on to the church, where they were to do final prep before portraits. We had plenty of time to photograph a lot of fun details, especially the flowers and rings.
The flowers were sooo pretty, and Linda’s bouquet could be my favorite of the whole season. However, it wasn’t just the blooms that made this bouquet so special, it was what she had intwined with it…. a locket containing photographs of her father and grandfather, both of which had gone to home to be with God. This tiny little thought, this little piece of jewelry…. can you believe something so small can take up so much space in your heart? That it can make a such a big difference? This locket allowed Linda’s father to walk down the aisle with her on her wedding day. Now that is a special bouquet.
You know, it’s times like that when we realize exactly how important photography is. Linda and Derek were also blessed to have their wedding in such an amazing church, St. Johns Church of Christ, in Kenton. It has been added on to, but the sanctuary is mostly original. I loved seeing the old parts of the building that actually had writting on them in German! The pastor was so kind, too! I’ve never seen someone so accomadating to a bride. He even took the time during the rehearsal to determine the best placing for everyone in the wedding party, so that it would actually look nice, not just a bunch of people standing there.
The reception was held at the Hardin County Armory, and it was so unique. The outside looked like a castle and the inside had two levels, so I was able to take some fun images of the party happening below.
I’ll leave you with one last image, a detail shot of the bridesmaids’ flowers, with the cake behind it. The cake was done by my favorite “cake lady,” Cynthia, from Cynthia’s Cake World.
So, as I said, we’ve been crazy-busy around here, which is what I’m blaming my bad blogging on! 
Since I’m trying to do better, I thought you might like to know what we’ve been up to. So, hopefully this post will be a sneak peak into what’s been exciting in our lives the past few months!
Brian and I finally moved from the tiny town of “Stryker” to a town that’s a just a bit bigger, Archbold. They’re only about 10 minutes away from each other in Northwest Ohio, but moving that 10 minutes made all the difference. (Yes, we finally have a town with fast food! And a grocery store!! Woo-hoo!) Our new home is in the historic downtown area, and believe it or not, this big house is 109 years old!! It’s a lot of fun to enjoy a lot of the original things in the home, such as the beautiful woodwork. I especially love the old antique doorknobs through most of the inside of the house. You just don’t see art in the little everyday things like this anymore, you know?
However, moving into an old house has it’s pros and it’s cons! The photo above is of the doorknob to the upstairs of the house, where all the bedrooms are. However, keeping in mind that the house was built in 1900, our queen-size mattress didn’t fit through the staircase! No problem, though! Stan and Sue (Brian’s aunt and uncle that we rent from) have done this enough times that they happily helped us on moving day. (Along with both Brian’s family and my family- thank you all!) If you’ve never seen a mattress going through a second story window, it is actually quite entertaining.
If you’re wondering, yes, they did have to take out the entire window! Crazy, huh? Anyway, the house has been a pleasure, but I believe one of the best things about moving was that we were finally able to have a family pet! Since it was quite cold outside, I knew I wouldn’t want to potty-train a puppy, so when my grandma called me about this poor little stray kitten, we knew it was meant to be! Poor Brian never knew he’d love a pet so much, but he does! (yeah, I think he’ll admit it!) He even got to name her a Spanish name, Nena, which means “baby girl” or “little girl.” Yes… spoiled. Here she is a few weeks after we brought her to our (and her) new home:
All in all, we’re very happy with the changes that have taken place this winter. The house provides plenty of fantastic space to live and work. (With room to spare!) We’re excited to see what kinds of changes will be taking place within the next several months!
We just wanted to let everyone know that we have just gotten a new blog! Yes, I admit, the last one didn’t work out so well for us, but I promise this one will be way more up to date and maybe a bit juicy. (My new favorite adjective…lol)
Anyway, all of the blogs below (listed under February) are the entries being brought over from our old blog. We have plenty more good stuff (lots of images!!) to come, but we’re also super-busy, so I’ll do my best keeping up!
By the way, if you’ve been around before, you may have noticed a few changes on our website, as well as our overall company look. Let us know what you think! We aim to please.
~Ashley
P.S. Sorry this entry is photo-less. 
I promise it’s not going to be a habit.
I usually ask my brides what their style is, what their dream wedding is, how do you want it to be? Annie answered that her wedding was going to be “summery and fun!” I wasn’t sure what exactly that meant, but she did! It was indeed, summery and fun. The church (Market Street Presbyterian)
was absolutely an amazing fit. I just couldn’t believe how beautiful it was… but not in an old, paintings everywhere sort of way. It was bright and airy and open and the lighting was sooo amazing! Ok, so it wasn’t completely perfect… it was really hot in there. But, I’d love the chance to shoot there again, anytime! Oh, and the windows with the huge window seals and Annie’s summery potted flowers (which also adorned the hall) were just the right touch. And, as if I hadn’t been lucky enough, Annie and Josh were nice enough to walk across a field by the hall to get some gorgeous relaxed/romantic portraits. Annie must have been having fun (and probably felt the beauty radiating off of her), because she actually asked me to keep shooting her portrait. Well… I won’t turn that down…ever! What a joy and a privilege it was to capture this amazing day.
Annie and Josh, thank you so much for welcoming in Brian and I, showing us a good time, and letting us capture those memories. We wish you the best of luck in the future and we can’t wait to do those maternity portraits we talked about!
Brian and I recently had the opportunity to photography a very classy wedding for a beautiful couple. Everything about the wedding had a special touch, right down to the favors they passed out to each guest individually. (Love that!!) Following the wedding was the much anticipated reception at Lima’s Memorial Hall. I’ve heard so much about this place, and even considered holding my own reception there last year. I knew it was a treasure, photographically speaking, of course! Despite the heat, the guests had a blast dancing, and I had a great time taking rare photographs from the old fashioned theatre balcony. Here are some from their day:
We recently had a last minute engagement portrait session with the soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Smith! The bride-to-be requested an all-white (“high key”) background, and then, of course, we went around town to see what we could get into. The weather was really heating up, the sun was coming and going, but overall, I think the main thing that shines through is the love that these two have for each other. Aww…. ok, ok, no more cheesiness! Here are some from the day! Get ready, you guys, soon you’ll be be walking down the aisle!
Mandy and Trevor first met with us over a year ago. We had so much fun that day (not to mention the engagement portrait session), we just knew they were a couple we’d love sharing their day with! Unfortunately, Brian was a groomsman in his cousin’s wedding and was unable to make it. I can’t tell you how many times he told me he was disappointed that he couldn’t be there! But, obviously, life goes on! And so did their wedding! Even though Brian wasn’t there, I still had fun with this beautiful couple, on their exciting day!
Before we got started with the girls’ formals, there was a fire truck and Life Flight in the church’s parking lot. We aren’t sure what happened, but were told everything was ok. Ironically, the bride’s dad happened to be a firefighter, so it worked out perfectly that the truck was there… just in time for portraits! So, something potentially scary ended up being quite a blessing, as we got some truly unique images of Mandy and her dad, as well as with the girls. I’m not really sure… but.. if I had to guess, I’d say that opportunity won’t come around at too many weddings!!
After the ceremony, I followed them to the local bar, where they got down and dirty and the party got started! We also got to stop off at a park by the river, for a fun chance to take some fun photographs. It was kind of funny, though, because a lot of storms had just gone through, so trees were down everywhere! Oh, and while I was following their party bus to the park, I got mooned by a bunch of groomsmen!! Good thing I couldn’t see through their windows, huh? (Joke’s on you, boys!)
Mandy and Trevor, you guys are such a fun couple! I hope all goes well with your move to Las Vegas! Here are some images to help you imagine their day:
Father’s Day weekend led us to another trip back home to Wapakoneta. For those of you that have visited us at our home, you know we live in a tiny town. Not only that, but we live around pretty much nothing else, for a long, long time. This could make for an interesting (or boring!) drive. On this particular day, I had just gotten my brand new lens, aka, “my new baby.” I decided to take it with me for the weekend, in case any good shots came up along the way. Just as I’d hoped, the perfect opportunity arose. The sun was setting, the light was gorgeous, and we were getting close to this little run down house I’d always thought looked like it belongs in an old photograph. Of course, I made Brian stop the car and pull over so that I could let out the photographer in me! By this time, the sun was setting quickly and when we left, I was afraid I hadn’t gotten much. I was satisfied, though, because I’d always wanted to shoot that house on the little hill! I’ve passed it for years… all the time that Brian and I dated… this was the scene on the way to visit him. I’m so glad I finally got the chance to capture that memory. Here it is:
This last image is an ant that Brian photographed while testing the limits of our new lens. Overall, it was a nice weekend!
The other day, Tara and Josh drove up from Lima for their engagement portrait session. We started out doing some “typical” studio shots, just to get them used to being photographed. I know from experience that most men hate having their portraits taken, and I figured this time wouldn’t be any different. But…. the day went on, and we started to have a really good time. (I know I’m not the only one that had fun, because Tara emailed me that Josh admitted he had fun, too. Sorry, Josh, the secret’s out!) If I had to make a complaint about the day, I think everyone would agree with me on one thing- the wind! It was outrageous! We got through the day without blowing away, and in the end, I got some nice shots of Tara and Josh individually. (An engagement session first, which may become a new fun habit!)
I was recently very blessed to be able to share the day with Jarrod and Jessica. I had booked them only a short time before their wedding, because they originally had another photographer. That photographer fell through, and that’s when things fell into place. I truly believe God’s blessing was poured down upon us that day. Watching Jarrod and Jessica, and constantly learning more about them, filled me with so much joy. I have to admit, there are stressful weddings… days where things don’t go as planned, etc. I know that every time I’m at one of those weddings, wondering why it is I love my job so much, I’m going to think about these guys. They will be there, in my mind, to balance out the bad with the good. They will be there as a reminder to me that true love does exist, that two people really can make each other better people, growing closer together and closer to God.
When I first showed up at the salon, Jessica was so excited. It caught on right away with anyone (and everyone) around her. I couldn’t help but wonder… would Jarrod be just as excited, or was he across town, biting his fingernails?? The girls finished up at the salon and finished getting dressed at the church. There was really beautiful lighting in the spacious room they had chosen, so I had a lot of fun shooting in there while Brian went and took photographs of the groom getting ready and the best man writing his speech! Once everyone was ready, we got started with formals. I finally got to see Jarrod and the other guys and I found out the answer to my question. I was quite surprised, actually…. I’ve never seen a happier groom! Really! He was actually jumping up and down, he could hardly hold still! The smile never left his face, and at that point, I knew the rest of the day was going to be just as perfect as the beginning had been!
Jessica and Jarrod, it was such a pleasure to work with you. Thank you for the wonderful time and congratulations! Jessica, I know you said the day went by in a blur and you are anxiously awaiting seeing all of the images, to remind you of your day. Here are a few that I hope will help bring back some special memories, along with some things you may not have seen.
You can really see the excitement!!
The lovely bride and groom…..
When the weather started warming up, Brian and I had the opportunity to take a trip to Columbus and shoot Linda and Derek’s engagement portrait session. It’s something we had talked about doing from the first time we met, and I think we were all looking forward to it. We planned the trip weeks in advance, hoping for the best, but all that week the weather had called for rain. Linda and I had brainstormed different ideas for “rainy day” photographs, but much to our surprise, the weather was beautiful! I had told Linda that my main “requirement” for driving all the way there for this special session was that these two people had to be “good subjects”… Yeah, I know, bad of me, right? Well… I didn’t want to drive all the way there and photograph two people who didn’t want to be “lovey-dovey.” Well, I wasn’t disappointed. Linda and Derik are obviously very in love, and had no trouble when I asked them to hold hands (or kiss…) all day! I’m very happy and honored to photograph such a happy and “head over heels” couple! Linda and Derek, we had a great time getting to know you better and spending the afternoon with you! Here are some of the images from the trip….
A big thanks to LeighAnna and Josh for making the drive to Northwest Ohio and braving the cold weather for their engagement portrait session! We had a great time meeting them and we can’t wait for their “Big Day!” Below are a few pictures from their shoot, excluding the indoor shots. Enjoy! 
She was scared of the train. Ok… I was, too!! 
Buckeye Fans??? Ok….. so we played with it a little bit…. Come on guys- you live in OHIO! The truth: 
