They met as so many couple do these days - online. Steve was the first one to send a message, he told me that Taunya's profile (a very long, well written, direct profile) was one that he really liked, but it was the picture of Taunya with one of her best friends kids that really got him. He loves kids, and was looking for someone that also loved them.
Read MoreThey both met on their first day at the Mayo Clinic. They were the oldest of the new group at the clinic, and immediately got along. Casey told me that Christina caught his eye from day one, and his interest was piqued. Luck would have it (for him, kind of) that both his AND Christina's new name tags were messed up, so they had* to walk together to go get them fixed. This was their first conversation. Small talk would ensue, but being that they were both older than the others, and both with the same level of education, they had a lot in common. Casey's biggest problem? Christina had a boyfriend.
Read MoreAs a photographer, you get to be at some pretty amazing things. Beautiful elopements, incredible weddings, watching a couple go from getting engaged, to married, to having kids, then to having even more kids. I absolutely love watching life move forward and people grow, families change, and love make way to life. In this case, it is the beginning of the story. One day I got a phone call form a real person (yes, every once in a while a non-robot calls me still) and that person was Alex. He explained to me that he was going to be asking his girlfriend to marry him, and when he did, he was going to fly her whole family up to surprise her after he asked her. He wanted me there to capture her reaction. So while Alex was up on a cliff overlooking the lake, I got setup with the family at the house for the big surprise (and boy was she surprised!) It was a great moment, and I am so happy I got to be there for it. I’m pumped for these two.
Read MoreThey met in middle school. In some cases, people that meet in middle school are friends for a while and then they begin to date in high school. Life happens, but in the end they stay together and get married. Those are beautiful stories - but it's not this story. Jake and Jo did in fact become friends in middle school, and Jake did really like her. The problem is, not a lot of girls "like a super awkward guy with acne" as jake would put it, or someone who wore the exact same bright sweatshirt every single day (as Jo would put it). The point really is that these two were great friends, but the interest wasn't mutual. Flash forward to graduation, and these two would go separate ways - Jake to the military and Jo to Gonzaga.
Read MoreThe first time they saw each other, was also their first date. Alex came into it knowing two things - Julie's first name, and her phone number. Julie had a little more on her side, with a friend who knew Alex, and so she had his Facebook page and other social media outlets to see what she was getting into - plus the word of her friend (who gave Alex a glowing review). It was all this that made Julie much less worried going into and, and much more comfortable on their first date - which went extraordinarily well.
Read MoreI drove up to Sandpoint to take Nathan and Whitney's engagement photos. We went to some area's I knew, some I didn't, but what I found was that their company was so welcoming. Our conversation didn't lag, and it was so fun just talking to them. I often get to a point during a shoot where I get the chance to ask about how a couple met, how they came together, what makes them who they are. It's a party that I always enjoy, and love watching a couple work through the experience again. In Nathan and Whitney's case, I only realized after the fact we never even got to that point. We were talking and having fun, and before long, the shoot was over. I'm sure their wedding will be beautiful, and I can't wait to spend some more time with these two amazing people this December when I photograph their wedding.
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