Someone please pinch me, I must be dreaming.  Chicago one of my favorite cities and getting to shoot here is most certainly a dream come true.  Especially with a couple as adorable and photogenic as Katie and Kevin.

I’ve known Katie since high school.  In fact, I used to date her older brother which makes her like a sister to me.  I was SO excited when she called me to tell me the proposal news (even though her mother had already told me it was happening a few months before it did!) I couldn’t be happier for her.  She now lives and works in Chicago.  When it just so happened I was going to Chicago for a wedding, we just HAD to do their engagement session here.

Umm, seriously.  How cute are they?

Katie and Kevin met in college and have been dating since.  She (and her family) is a die hard Cardinals fan, and he, as much as it pains me to say, a die hard Cubs fan.  I told her mother that I couldn’t believe she was letting her daughter marry a cubs fan.  He must be one hell of a guy!  And after meeting Kevin, he is a pretty good guy ; )  But we couldn’t resist a little cubs/cards rivalry.

Katie, Kev – had so MUCH fun with you despite the heat!  Already so excited for your wedding next summer!!

Lately I’ve been a bit obsessed with the Pixar movie Up.  When Jessie & Steven’s coordinator, Katy Carrier, & I were talking up ideas for this session, we decided balloons would be a fun prop for these two.  I decided I wanted pastels like in Up.  Upon arriving at the shoot, Jessie pulls out a grape soda badge (”the Ellie badge” for those of you versed in Up lingo) from the flick for her beau.  I about died I was so excited!

Katy also brought us these delicious cupcakes to play with.  Jessie and Steven were too cute with them!

Then it was time for a quick change and some more fun!  Steven was named for thee Steve McQueen.  She says this is her favorite shirt of his.

We also found some AMAZING light.  LACMA rocks.

We ended our session with a request from Jessie.  A series of their “secret handshake”.  I guess it’s not so secret anymore.  Can’t wait for their wedding this fall!  Thanks to Katy Carrier of Katy Carrier Events for all her help with this session.

When Jodi told me that Chris proposed to her at Disneyland, I mentioned how fun it would be to shoot their engagement session here.  She loved the idea and the rest is history.

They even reenacted the engagement.

After a small break and a quick change, we headed over to California Adventure.

What an amazing fun day!!  A big shout out to my dear friend, stylist guru, Tashina, for tagging along and helping out.  And thank you to Jodi & Chris for bringing me along for the fun!  Can’t wait for your wedding this fall.

When Ryanne & Erich suggested an engagement session in the woods my head immediately swirled with ideas.  Erich, having grown up in the area, had this amazing spot in mind.

Nothing like a picnic in the woods.

Time for a change!  Being a dress kind of girl, I’m typically partial to dresses at engagement sessions but Ryanne sure knows how to pull of a pair of jeans & boots.  Have I mentioned I love my clients?

And one more change, a silly one!  Matching shirts, jackets and even chucks.  I think this one totally expresses these two… completely inseparable!  Erich says “we’re going to be one of those couples that a groom sees this session and says ‘honey you’re not going to make me do that are you?’”  Ha!  And ladies, it’s perfectly ok to say yes I am!

Ah!  You two are too adorable.  I can’t wait for your wedding later this year!

I’ve known Michelle and Jared since they first started dating about 4 years ago.  It’s been amazing to watch their love grow and then to be asked to be apart of telling their story, I melt.  I have such wonderful clients and feel truly lucky to get to travel to their locations to be apart of their lives.

Meet Daisy, the sweetest miniature pincher ever.

Michelle and Jared live in Hoboken, NJ, just on the other side of New York City.  This is where we decided to do their engagement photos to show friends and family their lives here.

I just love Michelle’s soft blue eyes.

Michelle putting on her modeling face.  I think she has a career.. don’t you?

Michelle and Jared will be getting married this August in Chicago, IL, where Michelle is originally from, and also where they met and fell in love.  I cannot WAIT to be apart of this day.