Jeanna & Brian | Maternity

January 10, 2014

Jeanna and Brian are going to be parents so soon, and I'm honored to document this important time in their lives! I met these two gorgeous people downtown on a snowy December afternoon. It was a perfect backdrop for a sweet maternity session. I, personally, love shooting in the snow. The light reflects so beautifully, and it's just such a soft, serene look … perfect for a soon-to-be mom and dad!

We started inside (because, you know, it was a little cold outside) at the Cleveland Public Library ...

Jeanna and Brian have two wiener dogs and are educating baby on the breed. :)

Gah! Favorite on the right!

Can we talk for a minute about how gorgeous Jeanna is? She is equally as sweet!

Thank you, you two! I can hardly wait to meet Baby W!

Crystal & Mark | Cleveland Federated Family Life Center Wedding

January 8, 2014

There's a little bit of 2013 left over here! I've been posting Facebook albums like crazy, and now I have ONE last wedding to share with you all: Crystal and Mark! Crystal is a witty Cleveland blogger, and I wanted to give her space to do her own posts before I did my own.

Looking at these photos makes me feel SO warm in the midst of this freezing cold weather. Crystal and Mark had the most perfect day for their outdoor Botanical Garden wedding ceremony. It was blue skies all the way and a breezy 78 or so degrees. Sounds good right about now. :)

Weather aside, my favorite thing about Crystal and Mark's day was the way they looked at each other. I know that sounds cliché, but it's so easy to get swept along with the craziness of your wedding. I should know! And it's for that reason that I love observing couples on their big day. I love the stolen glances and the private moments that happen in the middle of the crowd. I admire the respect and adoration Crystal and Mark have for each other, and I know it's only strengthened since September.

Enjoy my favorites from this sunny day:

Lindsay London was on hand to doll up Crystal.

Oh my goodness, the flowers. Spenser of Life in Bloom outdid herself!

Such sweet moments between Crystal and her dad.

Married!

These two are Clevelanders through and through.

Luna provided the delectable (and I do mean delectable) cake and cupcakes.

And then there was a donut truck. So cool!

Baby Belen | Newborn

January 7, 2014

It was a cold and snowy December day when I arrived at the E family's house, ready to take pictures of their brand-new baby girl. Inside the house it was warm and oh-so-cozy, just right for little Belen. This little lady was just a few days old when she was photographed. She was SO easy to work with, and I had fun capturing all her facial expressions. I'm also convinced she's going to be a dancer or a gymnast because she kept her legs moving and her hands were constantly poised (see above … all you gymnasts know what I'm talking about!).

Every time I do a newborn session, I love it more and more. Enjoy my favorites from Miss Belen's session, with appearances from her brother, Logan.

I love when newborns are awake for some of their session. You can see a little of their personality already forming!

My heart melts.

Thank you E family!

Creative Juices: Stay Alive by Jose Gonzalez

January 6, 2014

Have you seen The Secret Life of Walter Mitty yet? If you answered no to that question, I encourage you to make your way to the closest movie theater stat! Walter Mitty has made its way onto my List of Favorite Movies Ever. The cinematography is just so gorgeous and the story is uplifting and encouraging. For a lifelong traveler, it touched my heart and made me want to pack a bag and get on the next plane to Iceland. (Go see the movie. You'll know what I mean.) As we were leaving the theater and the credits were rolling above us, this song by José González was playing. It was the perfect end to a beautiful story, and I downloaded it as soon as we got home. Enjoy the sweet tune!

And in case you're in need of a new playlist, I thought I'd share my 2013 Creative Juices picks: