The day finally arrived for these two...i can remember vividly, sitting in my living room in oxford, skyping with alexis and rob and talking about this past weekend as a future moment of celebration we were going to be sharing. and now, the day has come and gone...what a day it was. you would have thought we were in late september with the absolutely perfect weather. so many singular moments in time to hold onto from saturday, so many memories to be treasured.
take just one look at a photo of either of these two and you wouldn't be surprised if you were told they worked professionally in some modeling agency...and i guess in some ways i was told that wouldn't be too far from reality! so much beauty, elegance, class, and happiness! these two just complimented each other so beautifully..and their families were a great gift to be around all day.
thank you a&r, for inviting me to sharing in your wedding day - i hope you enjoy this little window in the story of your celebration. it was lovely in so many ways, and i wish you both the very, very best in your marriage*
much love,
- npe
a question i often ask couples who get in touch with me is where they found my name in the search for a wedding photographer. and no matter how many times i hear it, i am still grateful and honored to hear that they were recommended to me by past clients. there is an inherent accountability in the work that i do..no matter how many weddings i shoot, each and every one has to be respected as the only one that matters in that moment. to have past couples encourage their friends to invest in me for their wedding day is so humbling and gives me great joy every time i get the chance.
for megan and eric, their wedding on saturday was that very scenario. one of eric's groomsmen derek, was a groom from one of my weddings last year. and so, not only is it a great honor, but it feels like a growing family as i see past couples, friends and families at these weddings and remind myself that as much as people see the images..this work is so much more than just photographs. its about people, relationships, and the celebration of love in so many honest, intimate, and beautiful ways.
i am pretty sure that the west michigan autumn day on saturday was just trying to keep up with megan on her wedding day. she looked absolutely stunning, and her husband eric embodied the hashtag that megan coined for him...#frustratinglyphotogenic haha! thank you both for the privilege of joining this past weekend. i hope you love your wedding day preview as much as i loved editing it. blessings to you two in the many years to come!
all the best,
-npe
so i'll tell you right away..i am pretty sure i broke every rule for the reasonable number of portraits for a bride and groom in one blog post. but hopefully once you scroll down, you will understand why! when a couple is this easy to photograph, and the light is this wonderful all day, you just can't help yourself!
i met whitney a few years ago as a guest at another wedding i was shooting and had the wonderful privilege of photographing her mother's wedding in 2014. when couples ask you to capture their wedding day after witnessing your work, especially for family members, it is probably the highest compliment i can receive. and the day was so much fun, seriously. ben and i could totally pass off as long time friends i am pretty sure, with the fact that we couldn't stop laughing at the awesome awkwardness that photos can sometimes be!
thank you b&w, for the gift of celebrating beside you two and your beautiful families. leland will always hold a special place in my heart, and the fact that your wedding was there makes it all the more magical! lets relive this past weekend, what do you say? i loved working through these images...pretty sure i cried while editing your vow photos. love you guys!
- npe
i am so excited to share this wedding! i am pretty sure cassie, tom, and their families single handedly helped me fall in love with charlevoix. i have had the privilege of shooting weddings all over the state and yet i hadn't shot in this stunning little costal town yet...i have been missing out! from the engagement session along the water, to their wedding among the spires of castle farms, i was blown away by the beauty of it all*
with the very best of vendors helping make this wedding all of what it was, cassie and tom celebrated alongside friends and family from all over. speeches that make you cry, details that make you swoon, and a couple who lived in the moment...every minute of the day!
thank you c&t - i hope i was able to capture the beauty of the day that was all around me. you two and your families have been so very gracious to me, and i count it a true blessing to have shared in your wedding celebration with you. congratulations again - here's to a life of joy, journeying together!
all the best,
-npe
as autumn begins to settle in for west michigan, the air cools and the colors begin to change...one of my favorite seasons in the mitten state. weddings in the fall are especially beautiful and this past saturday was no exception! when we were living in oxford last year, i enjoyed the privilege of meeting lin and sara in boston for their engagement session. these two graciously showed me around the city they had come to love and i knew that when their wedding day arrived, it would be a special one!
there was plenty of emotion to capture..from sara's father seeing her for the first time in her dress, to the incredible speech lin's mother gave at the reception. and the way these two attended to one another throughout the day..you could tell that this day was being appreciated for all that it was, two best friends overjoyed to begin their married lives together!
thank you sara & lin - it seems like just yesterday we were in boston on a beautiful early summer day..and now you are married!!! it was an honor to share in the day with you*
all the best,
-npe
i realized it at the very start of my career, even if i didn't fully understand the weight of it....wedding photography is just as much about relationship as it is about art.
now, it goes without saying that the artistry of a photographer stands tall in a world of social media and visual overload, but the subtle threads of real relationship behind the photos are what bring those images to life in an honest and captivating way. the great honor of sharing in the wedding day of a couple is something that settles on my heart with a weight of gratitude.
and this past saturday was yet another wedding where the esteemed role i had been given was a gift all in itself. jordan and matt have quite the story, both individually and together as a couple...and to join them in this moment in time at their wedding was truly a privilege. quite moments and prayers among siblings, a ceremony rich in humble love and purposed vows, joyous celebration and beautiful details...it was a dream day, and i am pretty sure everyone who attended would agree.
thank you matt & jordan. i know the choice of photographer was a question heavy on your hearts, and i am so grateful to have walked beside you two on your wedding day. may God bless you and keep you...and remember, never stop dating. but you already knew that, didn't you? haha
much love,
- npe
where to begin...amy and eric were the perfect way to cap off a weekend of shooting in michigan. i've had the privilege of calling eric a friend for a while now - we met at our church in grand rapids and have kept in touch since he moved out of the state. i met amy vicariously through her blog that eric told me about...which by the way, is super impressive. not only is she the sweetest, but she is a food stylist and recipe extraordinaire! meeting her in person was even better as everyone can see in an instant that these two are so perfect for one another.
from the stunning details of the ever impressive cheney place, to the honest and sincere letters these two wrote to one another...everything about last sunday was a joy. thank you e&a for inviting me in! it truly was my privilege to spend the day with you and yours, pray with you, document such jubilance, and cut a rung together under those disco balls. much love you two!
blessings,
- npe
this past weekend was pretty special for a few reasons. our family has been living in oxford, england for the past several months and our home in michigan has been feeling a long way away. when molly contacted me about possibly photographing her wedding, i was amazed at the providence of the situation as i had been discussing another wedding the same weekend back in michigan. although i unfortunately have had to miss some weddings back in the states while we have been gone , having these two weddings in the same weekend made it possible for me to return for a few days and pick back up the camera after an extended off season.
molly and trevor, along with their families and friends, made last saturday a truly wonderful day! the weather was perfect for a late may wedding and these two made the most of it...not to mention a guest list of more than 400 friends and family - talk about people loving on m&t!! trevor is in the military and has been living out west, so now that they are married, the couple is headed back out to las vegas. we will miss you two! thanks for inviting me in to celebrate with you!
many blessings*
- npe
these mountains know me. they tested me from a young age. they are etched into my memory...and continue to remind me of the wilds of my youth. and when i have the chance to return, i count it a privilege and joy!
i had that very privilege when thomas and alissa asked if i would join them in the snowy mountains of washington, and it was such a gift! alissa's family have been dear friends since I was young and the honor of shooting her wedding was something that i sincerely appreciated and enjoyed. i don't think leavenworth could have been more perfect...from the sun breaking through at seemingly orchestrated moments, to the base of snow that has been falling on the valley for the past month..i was wide-eyed at nearly every turn. it certainly didn't hurt that these two looked incredible amid the white wilds of the cascades.
t&a, thank you so very much for such a wonderful day. i replay the day over in my mind and still cannot believe how fortunate we were to have such stunning beauty surround the beauty of promising your lives to each other. may God richly bless you two in the years to come, through the difficult and the encouraging, the joys and sorrows. much love to you too!
all the best,
-npe
i could hardly wait to get this post up! a week ago saturday, korrine & ben had the most lovely wedding day and unfortunately this past week held a great deal of happenings for our family so i was unable to blog as soon as i would have liked. but with our move to oxford slowly settling in, i was finally able to revisit this incredible day and i am delighted to share with you just a peek into what was most likely my last wedding for 2015. and what a wedding it was to close out the season!
i had been up to the homestead a few times already for this summer and it was wonderful to be able to revisit the stunning views that glen arbor has to offer just one last time. from the moment you meet korrine and ben, you know you are in for a fantastic day. these two were such incredibly joyous people with a great deal of laughter and fun to spread around. i remember mentioning to korrine that i felt her flowers captured her and her personality is such a perfect light, bursting with stunning colors and beautiful uniqueness.
the weather decided to cooperate in gorgeous fashion with the ceremony being held at the top of the mountain, overlooking the vastness of lake michigan. and the light all day was wonderful to work with...it truly was a great wedding to bid goodbye to michigan for a season.
b&k, thank you so very much for inviting me into your day and for the privilege it was for me to document it. i wish you two all the very best as you step into married life. love you guys!
blessings,
nathan
