Rachael and Jon - Engagement Session

I met up with Rachael and Jon at Schoepfle Gardens - a beautiful and serene setting set in Birmingham, Ohio (which, by the way doesn't show up on my GPS system -- a hidden gem for sure!). I can already tell that their wedding will be filled with sincere and genuine love and laughter. They were fun to photograph!

Meana and Michael - Engagement Session

Whew...it's been a busy weekend! I met Meana and Michael this morning at Shoepfle Gardens in Birmingham, Ohio. Another gorgeous place! Honestly, I think that the MetroParks system in Cleveland and surrounding areas cannot be beat.

Meana and Michael -- laughter, warmth, love, and a genuine pleasure to share in each other's company is how I best describe them. Being around them just made me happy :-)

Here are a few that caught my eye...

Kera and Craig's Engagement Session

Kera and Craig's Engagement Session was scheduled on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. It was the only two-hour time period that it rained this entire weekend. We spent most of our time playing the waiting game in the gazebo. We made the most of it, though, and I got to know Kera and Craig and enjoyed our time together. :-). I loved the location -- the Mill Creek MetroParks Rose Garden in Youngstown. I'm really excited about their wedding there next month!

Liam's Mommy and Daddy

Amanda and Sean will be welcoming Liam into this world within the next week or so. I'm glad I had the chance to capture some of these images for them. Amanda personifies the words "maternal glow." She was positively serene. Sean, the proud dad, had his own camera in tow -- a Nikon (I forgive you). :-) They had a beautiful park like backyard, so we were able to infuse a little bit of surrealism into a few of the pictures. It was such a pleasant morning and I really enjoyed spending time with them!

Judy and Mark's Wedding - 6/6/09

Judy and Mark were happy, easy going and good natured. There was rarely a moment that they weren't smiling or laughing -- and the chemistry between the two of them was tangible.

These are just a few that caught my interest. I'm sure I'll add a few more as I go through them during my edits.

After all the primping, zipping, spraying, veiling. After the make up and the hair. After the jewelery and dressing...



Judy sees herself "complete" for the first time. It's always moving to me to witness this moment as the impact of the importance that this beautiful, special day registers on her face.



Judy was so creative and very thoughtful with every detail of this wedding. She had these fans created for her guests, using one of the pictures of their engagement session. On the back of the fan was the program and list of members in the bridal party.



Austen had a very important job that day. Not only was the ring bearer, but he also gave the bride away! Here he is wondering if they were ready to walk...



The ceremony had several beautiful and moving moments -





the flower girl ...




they had the coolest transportation -- a party bus!



Their photos were taken at Browns stadium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We had some fun setting up these shots in front of the stadium...





and some beautiful photos with the Rock Hall as a backdrop...





The color theme was pink and brown -- the color combination was gorgeous. They had a sweets table to die for.



first dance...



This guest was dancing to "Thriller" -- it was perfect!

Testimonial

Nicole and Bob (5/8/09) sent me a thank you card the other day which was so sweet and so nice, I asked if I could share it as a testimonial. She said, "of course!" Here it is...

Dear Maria,

I feel like I cannot thank you enough for the beautiful job you did on all of our pictures. When I saw the wedding photos for the first time, it took my breath away. You did such a wonderful job capturing each and every special moment of the wedding day - and because of you and your amazing talent, I have the most beautiful memories that I can look at and cherish for the res of my/our lives! You really went above and beyond for us, and FAR exceeded my expectations. Again, you have such an amazing talent, and it really shows in your work. Thank you so much, Maria! Best of luck to you :-)

Love,
Nicole and Bob

I've thanked Nicole personally since receiving this note, but wanted to add...with deep sincerity....thank you. Thank you for the privilege of capturing the memories of the most important day of your lives. I strive to capture "the" moments that are special, and I'm so happy that you were satisfied with the results. I appreciate and take to heart the kind words. Your words motivate and energize me. I look forward to seeing you again at some point in the future.