JR + lindsay | wedding | valparaiso, in

sooooooo....last saturday was my last wedding of september, and it was spent in indiana with lindsay and JR!

i met lindsay a few years ago as she was in the wedding party of another couple's wedding that i was shooting. she is a photographer herself and the fact that she kept my info over the years and sought me out once she was engaged was amazing to me! it was a great reminder that even the simplest of interactions can leave an impression, for good or bad..and i was fortunate enough to have her call me in preparation for her own day - what a compliment!

to be honest, i haven't spent a whole lot of time in indiana..as it usually is just the state through which i travel to visit my brother and his family in tennessee or get to a shoot in chicago. but wow, did valparaiso surprise me in the very best way. my assistant james and i had very few words to exchange when we walked into the chapel on the university's campus. like so many locations with stunning beauty..words, and even photos do not do it justice. and it was in the beauty of such a room that JR and lindsay shared their vows.

and not only did the chapel and even the reception site deliver all sorts of eye-candy..but the late september weather was the stuff of dreams! from start to finish it was a wonderful day*

l&jr - you guys...it was such a great day! thank you for your trust and for making my job never once feel like a job during the day.  blessings to you two..i hope you enjoy the preview as much as i did working on it!

-npe

steven + letticia | wedding | grand rapids, mi

sometimes it all starts over a cup of coffee*

i still remember the first starbucks i worked at...and although that location is no longer even in existence, some of the fellow baristas i met there are still friends to this day! letticia is one of those very friends, and has been an incredible supporter of my work for many years. i had the privilege of photographing her brother's wedding a few years ago, and ever since then she continued to remind me that when she got married, she would want me to document her wedding too!

talk about a compliment...wow. i am so very grateful for friends like her, who have been behind nathan.english.photography every step of the way.  so when steven proposed, i was excited to get her message saying the planning had begun! letticia and steven's wedding a little over a week ago delivered a day full of sun and rain, along with more family than i could count...and you could tell there was an enormous amount of love and support surrounding these two!

s&l, you braved the bit of rain we had with true smiles on your faces, and you gave me a great honor in asking me to document your wedding. thank you for that gift and i wish you the very best in your marriage. God bless you two - much love!

- npe

moses + laura | wedding | grand rapids, mi

when lives collide in the midst of beautifully unique cultures*

the story of moses and laura has some personal elements to it for me, as we all attended the same small bible college here in michigan.  knowing moses from school and getting to know laura through her family and our meetings before the wedding helped me see so many similarities between their relationship and the relationship my wife and i have.

moses traces his heritage back the hmong people of asia and laura grew up in the wilds of africa, so you can imagine the amazing diversity this home will always hold...and if you know anything about me, you know i'm a big fan of interracial marriages, just ask jana - haha! these two were radiant this past friday. from the emotional first look moment that even took my breath away, to the dance floor full till the end of the night, it was an incredible day.

m&l, may God richly bless you two - jana and i love you and are so excited for your future! thank you for allowing us to spend the day with you, it was absolutely wonderful!

all the best,

- npe

matt + heather | wedding | grand rapids public museum

word of mouth will keep you honest. it will keep you accountable. it will keep you focused on providing the very best, every time.

this past saturday's wedding day was spent with matt and heather, a couple who were referred to me by friends and colleagues...i actually had the privilege of shooting matt's sister's wedding a few years ago...but when you are actually living the day with couples like heather and matt, you gain a greater appreciation for those who have supported your dreams for years, and also for the couple who took the word of their friends and entrusted you with their wedding day.

well, m&h, it was an honor! thank you so much for choosing me and for allowing me to follow along on a crazy fun day! from the back halls of your family's greenhouse to the classy dance floor spread out at the public museum, it was all gorgeous! i hope these images capture how much you seemed to love every moment of your day, and i can't wait to get the full gallery to you, so you can relive it over and over again.

blessings my friends!

- npe

adam + tabitha | wedding | downtown market | grand rapids, mi

when tabitha contacted me regarding the possibility of shooting her wedding, i was excited to say the least!

being asked to photograph the wedding of a fellow photographer comes with a certain sense of unique honor along with a little added pressure! (they probably know and can see through all my secrets!) but with adam and tabitha, it was incredible.  from day one, i could tell that tabitha had a vision for her wedding day that was going to be stunning, but along with that..i sensed a true and complete trust in me as an artist. when it came time to step into that role for her and adam this past sunday, they were incredibly gracious and trusting...and for a wedding photographer...that is a big thing! to know i had tab's trust even in the midst of a timeline that veered off course was a testament to her as an incredible client and friend!

the simply elegance and beauty of the day was refreshing, and the warm september sun only added to the perfection of the day. making our way from the jw marriott in downtown grand rapids to the riverside ah nab a wen park for the ceremony, we then moved on to the  downtown market for a lunch reception, dressed in all of tabitha's unique and beautiful vision! not to mention, we were treated to spectacular food from the everyday chef and fabulous frozen deliciousness from love's ice cream - pretty awesome!

a&t, thank you for trusting me..again, it means so very much, especially coming from a fellow artist who is as particular as i am! enjoy st. maarten and the adventure ahead! love you guys,

-npe 

tyler + alia | wedding | crystal mountain, mi

lets just say there were a lot of tears shed this past saturday...the best kind of tears*

alia and tyler truly wear their hearts on their sleeves...and to watch them take in their wedding day, moment by moment, was really quite beautiful. when i first met these two for their engagement session up in manistee, right away i knew they would be a blast to work with! and the transition from hired hand to friend seemed to me as seamless as ever....and that made for a really spectacular day, really!

i know i might say it a lot, but northern michigan absolutely put on a show with a forecast of perfection, from start to finish.  the bluest of skies, the nearest of family, the dearest of friends, the stunning beauty of the crystal mountain resort and spa made for a day to remember!

t&a, thank you for being completely and wholly yourselves on your wedding day. for embracing the emotions of the day and allowing me to capture those moments that hopefully will remain close to your heart and in your head for years to come.  your gracious words were so very encouraging and i am so thankful for the opportunity i had to witness your wedding.

all the very best!

-npe

bradley + amelie | wedding | goldner walsh greenhouse | pontiac, mi

this past saturday i had the privilege of spending the day at an incredibly unique and beautiful venue with two of the most genuine and easy going people you could meet!

amelie and bradley's wedding at the goldner walsh greenhouse was really quite stunning, with so many details that you could tell amelie had just thrown herself into.  the personal touch of warmth and kindness from these two could be felt the whole day! and wandering through the back nooks and crannies of the greenhouse was a special treat for me - you know you have a character filled venue when you have a hard time choosing where to do portrait shots!

and to top off a splendid day with an awesome wedding party - amelie's father brought his award winning food truck (errr..more like trailer) to the reception for some late night eats, how cool is that!!

b&a, thank you for such a blast last week! you two and your smiles made my day, over and over again. i hope iceland is treating you well! all the very best my friends!

blessings,

npe

zach + carrie | wedding | bissell tree house | grand rapids, mi

i've said it a few times now, and maybe its time to make it a reality!

i hear some pretty entertaining, funny, sweet, endearing, ridiculous things on a wedding day, and i've said that i should write a book someday with all the memorable quotes i've heard at weddings. if nothing else, at least it would be entertaining for me, haha!

well, this past friday held yet another day full of memorable quotes and moments for zach and carrie...but there was one thing i heard more than once.  i actually heard it more times than i can remember, and it came from an absolutely stunning bride.

..."isn't he cute!?"

i heard carrie say this so many times and how she just couldn't get over how dashing her husband looked. honestly, its little things like this that prick my heart. they confirm in my mind that love is joyful, sometimes boisterous, often passionate, and always unashamed!

what a fabulous day* zach and carrie, you showed me time and time again on friday that you really did trust me, and for that i cannot say thank you enough. to put in my hands the task of capturing your wedding was a gift that i would gladly accept again in a heartbeat.

oh, and i'll be thinking of you two come this winter, when we are all enjoying another polar vortex and you two slip off to jamaica! love you guys, i wish you all the very best.

blessings,

nathan 

floral - horrocks market

photography - nathan english photography

cake - the cakabakery

catering - the catering company

dj - curtis avison

makeup and hair design - friends of the bride

parker + lindsay | wedding | old mission peninsula | traverse city, mi

it is always a special privilege when a bridesmaid or groomsman from a previous wedding i shot asks me to shoot their wedding.  there really is no better compliment a wedding photographer can receive! lindsay was in a wedding i shot a few winters back and i was honored when she and her fiancé parker asked me to be a part of their special day.

i guess i didn't scare them off! haha...

this past saturday was some pretty perfect weather...and once again traveling up to the traverse city area was a special treat.  i could tell the minute i walked into the salon that it was going to be a good day...lindsay was brimming with smiles she couldn't hold back, surrounded by her bridesmaids, all of which were sharing in the happiness of the day.

one thing to know about parker and lindsay, is that they had spent so much time away from each other leading up to their wedding day.  with parker stationed with the navy in san diego, and lindsay finishing up pa school in the midwest...this was a day both of them savored, i am sure of it.  to not be parted any longer - how awesome is that!

well, michigan delivered again (as i have said so many times before..this state is stunning!) and we had quite the day!

p&l - what can i say? watching you on saturday was awesome.  i am so so happy for you two! thank you for your graciousness and welcoming spirits. it was an honor to spend the day with you and your families. may God richly bless you in the years to come. love you guys!

-npe 

jason + katherine | wedding | shelby, mi

jason and katherine are just one of those couples that everyone wants to be around. they are fun, free-spirited, full of kindness and joy, and are so approachable that just spending five minutes with them will leave you feeling like you've know them for years.

i first met j&k through some mutually close friends at our church, and when they asked if i would photograph their wedding, i was absolutely thrilled! thrilled, not only to document the wedding day of two beautiful people - inside and out - but just to get to know them better!

when it came time for their engagement session and ultimately their wedding day, i realized one thing very quickly. these two really couldn't take a bad picture. throw into the mix that they absolutely adore each other and are up for an adventurous shot, and you have one potent combination of beauty and joy that made for a photographer's dream! their wedding day showcased some of michigan's true beauty and looking back through the pictures, i wish we could do the day all over again!

j&k, what can i say? it was a privilege to be your photographer and not just that, but to call you two friends....i am so thankful! it is so very exciting to see what God has in store for you two as you pursue Him together as husband and wife. thank you for sharing these moments with me, as i hope these images will remind you for years to come of all the joy that first day of this new adventure held. all the very best from my family to yours,

much love,

npe