I was so excited to spend the afternoon with these 2 because, well, they are quite possibly some of the nicest people I know. No joke, they are the kind of people that make you ask, “Is it possible to really be that nice?” Well, it is and they are. Their ceremony was absolutely lovely and they were both so happy all day.  Thank you Cory and Ashley for asking me to be your photographer and for being so laid back in spite of the terrible weather!

I always say that every wedding is so unique and takes on a life of it’s own photographically. I definitely think that these photos are good examples of that fact. I can honestly say that lighting and weather wise, the day was pretty challenging. I love dramatic indoor lighting and am pretty good at it, but the outdoor portraits are what gave us some trouble. It was storming all morning, but cleared up and gave us beautiful blue skies for most of the day. Unfortunately, the one hour that we needed it be clear, it poured again!!!! Not only did it pour, but it was like taking photos in a steam room. My lenses were fogging up and I had to keep wiping them down every few shots. Technically, shooting through rain and steam was a first for me. Not to mention it was extremely gloomy and dark. All that said however, Cory and Ashley were amazing troopers and I don’t think I could ruin one of their photos if I tried. Because, they are just that beautiful!

I’ve always thought that Cory looks like George Clooney’s much younger brother.

I loved this flower print hanging in the bridal room at the church. Isn’t she just stunning?

Going over her vows. I love when couples write their own.

Here are some lovely details. These were the flower girl’s flowers. When I first got there, the florist had already hung them on this coat rack. I loved the way they looked hanging there and thought, “Why mess with a good thing.”

These flowers were so fragrant that you could smell them from 20 feet away.

The ceremony was held at  Heartland Community Church in Rockford, IL. I loved the graphic look of the inside of the chapel there. Since her dress was sweet and simple, I thought it would be a cool contrast for the dress photos.

We did manage to get some more photos at the reception site which was at Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Country Club in Rockford. I’ll end with this shot because it shows just how cute they are.

After my session with this little cutie pie, I’ve decided that I am in love with photographing 6 month olds. This little guy was full of wonderfully adorable faces.  He also wasn’t crawling yet, which means I didn’t have to chase him and my knees thanked me for that. I cannot say enough about how fun it was to work with this little guy and his mama. Thank you Nicole for choosing me to document this wonderful time in his life! I enjoyed catching up and swapping “Old House” stories. Enjoy your Sneak Peek.

Seriously. Look at those blue eyes!

Oh, and the faces he gave me had me smiling the whole time.

I love that Nicole brought some of his favorite toys and coordinated outfits that fit well with them.

Interestingly enough, dad sent some toys for the shoot as well. These are special because they were his daddy’s tractor toys growing up. And, I found out that it is important that they are International Tractors, as opposed to John Deere. Being a city girl, I never knew there was a difference.

After some shots in the studio, we headed over to Beckman Mill and did some outdoorsy stuff. It was such a beautiful day and the weather was perfect. We all enjoyed just being outside.

Nicole had asked if she should bring this old wagon she found. My response was, “Definitely!” You can never go wrong with a baby in a red wagon!

I’ll end with this favorite cause it just makes me smile.