Last, but not least, one of my favorites. Even though I think I have 47 favorites from this session, it was that good.
These next couple are some of my favorites.. it starts with some tickles of sweet Annie..
And then it got even better. In the midst of all their children's giggles I saw Ryan beaming at his wife and my heart just about burst. And we all know what happens next..
Yup, he leaned in for a kiss. I'm such a sucker for love.
We then proceeded to get some sibling shots and some individuals.
I know it's fall but I couldn't resist getting a shot under the weeping willow tree. My dream home has at least one of these trees in the backyard, they're just so beautiful!
We ended with some shots of just the parents. There's something to be said about a couple that can be so loving and adorable in the midst of raising 4 kids.. talk about life goals!
Thank you Bomgardners for an awesome session! I hope you enjoy the photos :)
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We ended with a few of just the parents and I'm so glad we did. Ashley and Dav
If you follow my work you know I LOVE laughing pictures. They're my favorite. But this little boy nails a serious face unlike any other and the image is beautiful. So I'll end there ;)
There are so many cute ones of this baby boy.. I can't pick which one is best so I'll just go ahead and share a bunch!
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I love meeting new clients! When Sarah contacted me about getting some family photos done I was instantly excited. A couple weeks ago I had the chance to not only meet this sweet family but also shoot at a new location - the Children's Lake in Boiling Springs.
When it comes to photographing littles ones I've found that those first few shots are the best chance you are going to get for the posed family photograph. So that is what we started with. We then wandered around the lake with breaks to feed the ducks and play in the shade of the perfectly in bloom tree.
Thank you Mishler Family for a great shoot!
One more shot full of giggles and real smiles.. because it's a good one!
I am so lucky to call these people family! Thank you Gross Family for an amazing session :)
]]>So this past Sunday I told my stepsons, Mason and Logan, I would make them milkshakes with mint chocolate-chip ice cream because Saint Patrick's Day was coming. They were thrilled! I explained that in order for them to get the shakes they had to get out of their usual athletic wear and let me take pictures of them enjoying their drinks. I am not above bribery when it comes to photos.
Now normally any time I ask Logan to wear something for pictures we have an issue. He says his shirt is too small, his pants are too long, the sleeves are itchy, the shoes aren't comfortable and he can't run fast in them.. the list goes on and on. I mentally prepare for this. But on this day the lure of the milkshake was so strong that Logan didn't waste anytime complaining or trying to get me to change his wardrobe. I will have to remember this for next time.
Our little session started as they typically do. The boys were calm and quiet.
To get the real smiles and giggles flowing I asked them if they wanted to play with the photo props I had picked up.
And then it was game over. Complete silliness ensued.
Sometimes it's hard for me to keep shooting because laughter is contagious and I just want to laugh with them.
Then the boys took over as the shoot directors. I love when this happens. "Okay Rachel, get one more picture with props but it will be a serious one." Everything in boy world is about being tough. Even with goofy props, you have to look like a superhero who could handle bad guys if needed.
Those images were so important to them that they requested to look at my camera to make sure I got the shots right. Because God forbid I messed up the serious pictures of my two goofballs.
Logan then decided he had enough of the props; it was time for mustaches only.
All their laughter meant things were heating up. They asked if we could go outside for some fresh air. I'm pretty sure this is where I completely lost control.
In this final image Mason is trying to pull down Logan's pants and Logan almost lost his balance in the process. When the kids are in danger of falling down and getting hurt I know it's time to wrap it up.
I told the boys we were done taking pictures and thanked them for cooperating. Immediately Logan asked "Can I put my sweatpants back on now?" Yes Logan. The inhumanity and torture that is khakis is over.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Saint Patrick's Day! Cheers!
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The day started at the Hotel Hershey where Lauren was getting ready. It all starts with the dress..
Jason's daughter Ryan came to join in the fun of getting ready. Lauren and Ryan share a truly special bond. Lauren you are going to make an amazing stepmom, Ryan adores you!
Ryan wore a dress that Lauren had worn as a child. How sweet is that?
I love this next one of Lauren's Mom watching her daughter put her jewelry on. So sweet!
Meanwhile, Jason was reading a letter Lauren wrote to him. My second shooter caught some awesome images of him, trying to keep it together.
This next photo makes my heart swell.
After finishing up the letter Jason began to patiently wait for his Bride and their First Look.
The girls came out together, all ready to see Jason!
I love a first look! Such a sweet intimate moment for the bride and groom. As you can plainly see in the pictures these two were both overjoyed to see one another!
After some bride and groom portraits it was time for the ceremony to begin. We headed down to the Hershey Gardens - such a gorgeous location!
Ryan was first to walk down the aisle. This little girl is just adorable!
I'm pretty sure Jason's cheeks hurt at this point!
Was Lauren excited or what?
First kiss as a married couple!
This next one is another one of my favorites! These two are both just so excited! They did it!
The newlyweds walked off to the Gazebo and asked for a moment to themselves. I went to check in on them and found this..
Next up were the formal family photos.
We got a group shot of all the family members who were at the ceremony.
We then proceeded to do some Bridal portraits. Lauren, you made such a stunning bride!
Then it was Jason's turn for some shots of the Groom.
We got in some more Bride and Groom shots - these are always my favorite at any wedding. Lauren and Jason were just so happy to be together, I think they forgot I was there at times.
After we wrapped up at the Hershey Gardens it was time to head to the reception at The Central Hotel. First I caught some details of the room.
Before heading to the cocktail hour Lauren asked for a shot with her dear friends, who had helped her get ready for her big day. What a sweet group of girls!
After the cocktail hour Jason and Lauren headed into the reception and went straight in to their first dance.
Towards the end of the song the couple were met on the dance floor by Ryan!
Following the dance, Lauren's Dad made a toast to the bride and groom.
Jason's old Baseball Couch gave a great speech as well.
After dinner Lauren and her Dad did their Father-Daughter dance, followed by Jason and his Mom in their Mother-Son dance.
And last - but certainly not least - was a special dance between Jason and his daughter. Love these images!
We got a group shot in of everyone at the reception! Erica and Jesse - I see you!
Following the group shot Lauren got into a much more comfortable dress. Her friends loved her new shoes ;)
Pretty soon the dance floor started to fill up. I'll leave you with one last image of the fun. Ryan stole the floor when she broke it down with her Whip and Nae Nae! She was amazing!
Congratulations Lauren and Jason! It was a pleasure to shoot your big day! I wish you both many happy years of marriage!
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Nikki was absolutely stunning! She looked flawless!
Nikki's son Enrique was so adorable! He was so excited for the ceremony to begin!
I love this look of happiness! They did it!
The bride and groom portraits are my favourite at every wedding. I love love!
After we finished up we headed over to the reception. Mark planned a few surprises - one of which was a Star Wars themed entrance!
Another surprise by Mark - a switch of songs during their first dance! Nikki was completely thrilled!
After the bride and groom dance Nikki went on to a dance with her Father.
And finally, Nikki had a special dance with Enrique.
Next was the cake cutting- they both behaved!
Instead of a dollar dance Nikki and Mark decided to play bartender. What a fun idea!
Congratulations Nikki and Mark! I hope you both enjoyed your honeymoon!
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Rick had beautiful red roses sent to Steph! How sweet!
After Steph's hair was done it was time for her mom to help put on her dress.
Then came her beautiful veil.
Once Steph was all ready we headed outside for some bridal shots and some pictures of her with all her beautiful bridesmaids.
We headed back inside and got a couple more bridal shots as we were waiting for the main event to begin!
Meanwhile, the guys were headed to the ceremony site. My sister Sarah is my amazing second shooter - she did a fantastic job catching some fun shots of this great group of groomsmen (try saying that 5 times fast!).
It was time for the ceremony to begin! And what a sweet ceremony it was!
I just love these next two shots! What a happy couple!
Next we proceeded to get some group shots of the entire wedding party. What a great looking group!
Then it was time for my favorite part of the day - bride and groom shots! What a stunning couple Steph and Rick make!
While I was getting pictures of the newlyweds Sarah was capturing shots of all the beautiful decorations!
After cocktail hour it was time for the party to begin!! The reception started off with the couple's first dance as Mr. and Mrs. So much love!
Then it was time for toasts. Steph's life-long best friends did a great job of making the bride laugh... and cry.
Next up were the best men!
Last, but certainly not least, were some kind words by Steph's Dad, Mr. Ricci.
After dinner it was time for the Father-Bride and Mother-Groom dances.
What a gorgeous cake!
Things got a little messy after that so I'll just move on to the bouquet toss!
The dance party that ensued looked like a blast!
Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Katsifis! I had a blast shooting your wedding and hope you enjoy the pictures! Best wishes to you both on a long and happy marriage!!
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Before heading up to see the bride I stopped by the dinner room - it was all set up and ready for the celebratory feast!
Then I went to see Joleen, where she was getting ready with her mother and daughter.
First to get dressed was the bride's daughter, Mikayla. She was so proud of her dress!
Once Joleen was ready I headed outside where I met the groom.
He was anxiously waiting to see his bride! I love their first look!
Their smiles say it all!
We preceded to do some photos before the ceremony began. This couple was so affectionate and caught up in one another! Such love!
Mikayla came to join in on the fun!
This next image is so special and I'm proud to have taken it. Modern families can be such a beautiful thing and weddings that involve children are near and dear to my heart. Joleen and Leighton went above and beyond to make such Mikayla knew that this day was about creating a family! Mikayla's support of her Mom was touching to witness. The mother-daughter bond between these two is just incredible!
We wrapped up with a couple bride shots before the ceremony began!
Isn't her smile stunning?
Part of the ceremony included Mikayla receiving a necklace with a family tree pendant. She was thrilled to receive it.
They did it! Mr. and Mrs. Bingham!
After the ceremony we went on to do a few more family and bride/groom photos! I was thrilled that right as the ceremony ended the sun peaked out!
What a beautiful couple! So much fun to photograph.
Remember when I talked about the bond between Mikayla and her Mom? Well, the bond between Mikayla and her new Stepdad was equally touching. Mikayla choose gorgeous high-heels (special ordered with lots of 'bling' as she pointed out to me). Unfortunately those stylish shoes didn't allow for comfort as we walked all over the grounds. Lucky for her, Leighton offered to carry her around. So precious!
I'll end with one last image of this wonderful family!
Congratulations Joleen and Leighton! Best wishes to you both on your marriage. It is a joy to photograph you and your beautiful family!
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I have known Christy for as long as I can remember. As the older sister of one of my closest friends I remember many childhood sleepovers watching her in awe and admiration. When she asked me to photograph her wedding I felt extremely flattered and honored to be part of her special day. Christy and Cody's wedding was nothing short of amazing. The perfect weather, the beautiful views at the ceremony location, the gorgeous decorations and the love of their family and friends made this a wedding to be remembered! I wish this couple nothing but the best! Now onto the photos!
The day started at Christy's Matron of Honor's parent's house. Their yard was beautiful and made for a gorgeous background for pictures.
The bridesmaids seeing Christy in her dress for the first time - they agree, she was stunning!
What a great group of girls! Made my job so fun!
The bridal portraits were almost my favorite part of the day, topped only by the bride and groom shots. Christy, you looked so amazing.
Can you tell by the abundance of photos that I loved shooting her? I could have shot this flawless bride by herself all day long! But, there were other things we needed to get to: the ceremony! I headed down to the ceremony location, Fort Hunter, to get some shots of the groom and groomsmen before the main event began. The excitement was rising!
I was met at Fort Hunter by my second shooter, my sister, Sarah Green. She helped me to capture many important aspects of the ceremony, starting with the location and decorations.
Love this shot of the programs, great work Sarah! Thank you for your help.
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Cody watching his bride walk down the aisle - his face says it all.
The vows these two wrote for one another were extremely touching and heart-warming. You two make such a wonderful couple.
They did it! Officially married!
After the ceremony we moved onto formal family photos and some shots of the wedding party. Fort Hunter made for such an awesome location to get some great pictures.
After we finished the wedding party shots we moved on to my favorite part of the day- the bride and groom portraits. These two make such a beautiful couple! They were both completely caught up in the love and excitement of the day, which made my job so easy.
After we finished up at Fort Hunter we headed to the reception. I loved all the decorations, the place looked amazing!
It was time to party!
Christy and Cody came in and went right into their first dance.
The Father/Bride dance was so sweet. All of Chirsty's siblings got choked up, and I even found myself trying to keep my own eyes from watering! What a special moment.
Equally special was the Mother/Groom dance. These two are so precious together!
Then we were on to the cupcakes! Christy was declared the winner, but they both got each other pretty good.
And then the dance party was ON!
This wedding was a blast to shoot from start to finish! Everything was so beautiful and I truly do feel honored to have been a part of this wedding. Thank you for having me be part of your special day Christy and Cody!
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