happy holidays!!!

unplugged. fun1+fun2.
(better late than never!)

i do : Corey & Lisa

Cory and Lisa were my very last wedding of 2008. Ceremony at East Paris Christan Reform in Kentwood with their reception at the Radisson at Ann Street. It was an amazing December day, a bit chilly, but the perfect wedding to end the year!

The day started bright and early at To Cher Salon in Grand Rapids with the amazing Rachel for hair + make-up.

Lisa's dress was GORGEOUS!

This dress was meant for a winter wedding. The detailing was breath-taking!

First meeting...something that I absolutely LOVE. Watching a couple meet for the first time before the ceremony or as the bride is walking down the aisle is always an emotional moment.


LOVE the berries!

A-MAZ-ING.


Just looking at these pictures gives me the chills.*giggle*


And the closeness of the very first dance.

Corey and Lisa, it was a blessing to capture the first most important day of your lives. Thank you!

gift certificate winner : happy holidays!

A blog post can not go with out pictures...so I'm shamelessly offering up my fun2.

Thank you to all that entered by email and comments! It was so hard choosing from all of the stories.

I look forward to meeting this mother who has given selflessly to her children. Amber Tafe, please email me to claim your gift. I look forward to meeting mom!

Happy Holidays!

thank you : happy holidays : gift certificates

Gift Certificates just in time for the holidays + a Thank You gift!

As a Thank You I'm giving away a $100 gift card. It includes a session + $50 print credit.
Use it yourself or give as a gift!

How to enter you ask? Just let me know your plans for this lovely little card!

Comments will be open till Tuesday, December 16th at noon.
The winner will be blogged on Wednesday!

Happy Holidays!

365 : frozen hair

This morning as I went to the kitchen sink to start the coffee ritual I looked up and saw this out the window. I dropped what I was doing, grabbed my camera, boots, coat, and out the door I went...wet hair and all. This is straight out of the camera. New camera body met old lens, shot at ISO 200, f16, at 18mm...full frame baby! If you look close at the corners you'll see perfect flare all the way around. My only challenge with this image is the funky flare...but I have gotten past that. It felt good to take two minutes of time to shoot something just for me.=)

family : sugar and spice and all things nice...

is what Taylor and Karly are made of.

What a perfect evening. I have not seen Taylor since last Christmas, and this year she brought her new little sister, Karly!

With big sisters help Karly turned the giggles on. Talk about contagious!


Thank you for coming out to play!

family : kissy face Dylan

Dylan brought his parents into the studio today for some holiday fun. The image above, looking at Master Dylans expression; How would you finish this letter?

Dear Santa,

I enjoyed the new tricks little man!

baby : bigger than life, meet Brayden!

I stepped off the elevator to the music of great lungs in search of a room number. The closer I got the louder the music. Master Brayden was in his dads arms testing those new cords.

Baby burrito. I sniffed his melon. We cuddled.
I have a prediction...ten months from now there will be a story about how this little man has mastered ripping his diaper off and was caught streaking through the house.

Congratulations Ken and Amy!

baby : Devin owns my heart

Devin Lee Rigterink

Welcoming a nephew and a cousin. Monday's road trip to the east side of the state with the fun2 was a must. My little brother welcomed a son on Turkey Day. See those squinty little eyes...Rigterink.

And if you know me, you know that I had to strip him down and check him out... ten fingers, check. ten toes, check. Even though Ty missed a couple hours of school, he got a lesson in how baby's eat before they are born. Nyla just wanted to see his belly.*giggle*

Congratulations Uncle Bubba and Melissa!

gorgeous Miss Kendall...seven months young

Miss Kendall came into the studio this morning with mom and dad in tow. We covered family, Holiday goodness, then played peek-a-boo and SOOOOO big.


Doer or thinker?

Thinker. I'm almost certain she was wondering if I was crazy giving her lights to snack on. Could it be teething as why she wasn't feeling so good?


It was wonderful seeing everyone! Hope you had a great day making cookies with grandma!

yes! : Matt & Tracy

Sunday morning before leaving the St. Joe area we met up with Matt and Tracy for their epics! Tracy was a bridesmaid in one of my weddings from August, so it was great seeing her again. Matt, it was great finally meeting you!

These two moved their wedding from June to July due to economic challenges with their original location...something no b&g ever wants to go through. I'm a believer of one door closing and another opening. New location... Mill Creek Barns opening May 2009! w00t!




I found this location months ago and have been dying to use it. Unfortunately, it's 100% poison ivy (both walls + ground). Being I spent eight weeks covered in the stuff last spring I'm not that adventurous.*giggle* Luckily for us, it's November so most of it was dead. See the red on the left wall? So far so good here. Matt?

Looking forward to July 2009!

i do. : Brian & Shaya

Saturday, despite the bitter wind and the rain (or was it snow?), Brian and Shaya were HOT. The emotion that overwhelmed the entire day was amazing. Ceremony took place at Zion Church of Christ in Baroda with the party (oops, reception) at Lake Michigan College Mendel Center.

I'm sooooooooo in the mood for black/white....

First meeting. A great way to surprise a photographer...do it on the fly.=)



I :heart: Grandma Barb.




The ridiculously fabulous bridal party. You know your friends and family rock when they will suffer the bitter cold for you!



There are so many unexplainable images from Saturday night. It's making me crazy that I can not remember the song at this point of the evening. Help? What do you think Brian was singing?*giggle*

I hope you two find time to relax and enjoy your first week of marriage! Thank you for allowing Justin and I to experience it!

On a side note: this past Saturday was bitter sweet. One more wedding to go for the year coming up here in December, yet I can see relaxation in my future. w00t!