2019 was the hardest year for me personally. After weeks of agonizing over what our life might look like with a Trisomy 18 baby, our sweet Cecilia made her entrance early, and her time with us was very, very short. I vowed to cherish each and every day that I’m given, and 2019 ended up being a year of so much growth and focus. My life revolved around the things that were important to me, and the things that were not so important were easy to brush off (hence my lack of online presence this past year).

Before we knew Cecilia had Trisomy 18, I had limited the amount of work I would take on, knowing that I would want to cherish the summer with my family. I just didn’t know how *much* I would treasure that time.

When I was working, I was gifted the most wonderful people to be around. People who were also living their days intentionally, and making the time to celebrate each other. This filled my heart just as much as those days at home with my family.

In 2019 I spent time gardening, adventuring, celebrating all seasons of life – from small moments to big ones – and I know that each person I had the honor of spending time with this year was for a reason.

I spent time with ‘new’ couples, and with couples who I’ve known for a while, and are so close to my heart – time with them was like going back in time, when everything was ‘normal,’ and eventually when a tear would slip out of my eye, I was wrapped in a most sincere hug.

In 2019, I was able to document big, new beginnings, but also in-between, just as important memories: a birthday, a family vacation, a military spouse reunion, a man’s last ‘good’ day with his whole family before cancer took over. One thing I’ve realized this year is that each day is worth celebrating, no matter the circumstances. I am so honored to have witnessed all kinds of memories for the people in front of my camera.

In February, a new ‘season’ of our lives began – grieving the loss of our daughter. I also carved out a pocket of time that month to do something to make my mind switch gears. One afternoon, I met Dustin + Cahri for some beautifully cold engagement photos. Cahri and I grew up in the same town, and seeing her so happy and comfortable (despite the wind blowing flurries of snowflakes into her face) with Dustin (who has also suffered the loss of someone very close to him) was just what my heart needed that month – to see an example of the beauty of life after loss. I will forever be grateful for this sweet couple.

Then, later in the summer, I was reunited with a client-turned-best-friend who helped me through some of the hardest days of my grief. Over ten years ago, Marcy lost her baby girl, and all this time later, she still had the insight to know what I was feeling and when, and to have just the right words to make me feel better. Being able to see her and hug her in person was so uplifting. Being able to wander and have fun with her and David in the Badlands was the icing on the cake.

And who can forget this super fun kayak adventure with Matt + Ashley?! I mostly spent the afternoon in ‘video’ mode, but I love this photo because it perfectly encapsulates their genuine happiness and love, plus the peace and simplicity of their favorite place to kayak in the Black Hills.

I got to spend time with Fabian + Alysse and his daughter before their September wedding, and I’m now a fan of Wyoming and the color yellow.

Cody + Justine’s anniversary adventure was a little less adventurous than we planned, because we got two feet of slushy snow at the end of May which prevented us from hiking the trail we wanted. But it was still adventurous in the way that every day is what you make of it, and we had a pretty great time.

I realize this is probably a ‘standard Pinterest pose,’ but what I loved about this moment was that Cody was trying to remember the words to their first dance song, and all he could come up with was the title, so he kept repeating it over and over. :-D

Weddings are so full of different kinds of emotions and memories. I love how the mood can change from serious to hilarious so quickly! Here, Alysse’s mom and sister are helping her into her dress – there were lots of people in this room watching, but the connection between these three was so beautiful.

And then this beautiful staged moment, where Cahri’s mom pretended to fasten her dress, then joked to the other girls, “How’d I do?”

Again, another beautiful moment followed by a good laugh – Cahri’s phone didn’t recognize her wedding-day face, so she had to type in her passcode.

p.s. I still love the intimacy of a first look – no one else around, just a soon-to-be husband and wife sharing how excited they are!

Let’s focus on the kids a bit, shall we? They’re easily the most entertaining part of a wedding. Here, the bride’s nephew shares a single Goldfish cracker with the groom just before the ceremony (in case he was hungry).

…and this gaggle of a miniature wedding party to start the ceremony. Check the next photo for the little boy who ‘got one’ with his fishing rod mid-processional. ;-)

Then, the bride’s reaction as she followed all that cuteness.

Some first looks aren’t as secluded as the one I showed earlier, but even with all their guests between them, this groom had quite the beautiful, intimate moment with his bride as he saw her for the very first time in her wedding dress.

There’s nothing more intimate than an elopement, and I loved all the uninhibited emotions showing up this day!

Danny gave a tearful speech for his vows, and then we all shared a little chuckle as Mary, their officiant, was prepared with tissues for the couple.

Another laughable moment was when Tane forgot Elle’s ring and had to use his sister-in-law’s ring during the ceremony – this was the moment he had to explain what happened to the pastor, while Elle looks over at the ring’s owner! I love how this little detail (which could be a huge detail to some) was so funny in the moment because it didn’t *really* matter (he could have used a ring pop, just how he proposed) and they still joined their lives together as one that day.

These kids had the best seats in the house for this wedding!!

And this pastor made the.most.amazing painting for this wonderful couple (see the original blog post for more of that story).

I like to focus on the couple during the majority of the day, but I’m also always looking for little moments that make their day so unique, like parents holding hands, or grandparents comforting tired babies.

That moment when you’re all ready for the family photo, but then realize the bride’s brother wandered off, so we’re *all* waiting for him to make his way back! Again, notice the joy in this moment!

These next few photos are from a wedding I never shared on the blog. The groom’s job doesn’t allow him to share his face online, and he doesn’t really enjoy photos to begin with, so when this day arrived, I was so excited about how in-the-moment and accommodating he was to any and all photos, I was more focused on getting them a whole bunch of moments for them to treasure forever. The blog was the least of my concerns that day. I did get these few without his face showing, and it was a beautiful day, so here’s a few for me to remember what a blessing this day and this year was. (Because let’s be honest, most days I didn’t want to show my face anywhere, but it still ended up being a beautiful, memorable year.)

Aside from ‘new’ weddings, I had the pleasure of working with past wedding clients in new phases of life. This is Beth and Kasen, who wanted some professional head shots, but we spent most of our time together goofing around and catching up.

Eric and BMae had their first baby! Another evening spent being goofy and chatting about life. When I sent these photos off to them, Eric said, “wow, we look way cooler than we are in real life!” Hahaha! So, if you’re ever worried about being too dorky for pictures, just know that I see you and I love you, and it is possible to have fun *and* make beautiful photos. ;-)

Danny + Chanda originally wanted their elopement to be at sunrise, but when I heard they had a little girl, I was glad they changed their ceremony time to when she would be happiest. Wedding days should be as relaxing as possible – there’s no reason to add stress to the day just because of what the light might be doing!

Because really, who cares about the light when your son thinks that dandelions are for tasting, not blowing? It’s all about the memories. ;-)

I was so, so, so excited to see Jesse + Elizabeth again seven years after their wedding, and to meet their daughter! But the circumstances were less than ideal – Jesse’s dad had been diagnosed with cancer, and this would be their last time together as a family.

We only had a few minutes with Jesse’s dad before he needed to go back inside to rest, and my favorite family photo is this one, where he’s looking down, admiring his granddaughter.

Okay, wiping away my tears now, Andrew and Tremaine were back in the hills to celebrate their son’s first birthday (with a really yummy donut) and their sixth wedding anniversary!

Then there was the Robbins family, who spent a week enjoying the finer things in life at Custer State Park – playing with rocks, and throwing them in the water. :-)

And finally, the most beautiful, honest, romantic reunion I’ve ever witnessed. Andrew was overseas for a year, and from the moment he was back in Meghan’s arms, they were inseparable – even waiting for his luggage! (Also, notice the lady in the chair who also obviously felt the love in this moment.)

Seriously, is this not the most romantic baggage claim moment you’ve ever seen?

So, from my family to yours, thank you for making this year way more beautiful and memorable than I thought it could be. I heard recently that, “Grief is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All of that unspent love gathers in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in the hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.” (Jamie Anderson) So, thank you to all who have shown and shared love your love with me this past year, and allowed me to love you back in the way I knew how (with my camera, and spending quality time together).

Let’s keep sharing the love, and savoring those ‘everyday moments’ in 2020! :-)

Back when we thought we were going to have three kids at home this year, I purposefully chose not to schedule any weddings before June, or further than an hour away from our home – I wanted to cherish as much time as possible with our new baby. Turning down these weddings greatly reduced the number of work I took on for the year, but I trusted that God’s plan was greater.

Our sweet daughter arrived early, and she didn’t stay with us for long, giving us a lot more ‘free time’ than we had originally planned for. Lots of that time was spent grieving, but also cherishing the gift of our first two children even more. We viewed each day as an adventure, and we were very intentional with our evenings and weekends together.

Being immersed in this lifestyle and mindset, the ‘work’ that I did accept was simply more rewarding, and I savored the in-between moments even more than I have before.

I wasn’t focused on getting Instagram-worthy photos that would gain a lot of likes or comments, or even sharing any photos on the blog – my focus was on the people in front of my camera, and as soon as their images were handed over, my attention turned back to our family.

I simply witnessed the beautiful lives interacting in front of my camera. What I saw was so much love. I saw a grandfather snuggling his only grandchild while his cancer drained the life right out of him. I watched a wife welcome her husband back home after a year-long deployment, and wait for his belongings at baggage claim together (such a simple act filled with so much joy). I’ve gotten time to catch up with past brides and grooms, hearing where life has taken them, and for a couple of those couples, I also got to meet their growing babies. And for the people who were in front of my camera for the first time, instead of telling them how to pose, I let a lot more natural moments unfold, which were far better than anything I could have imagined for them.

Some of these stories might get some more attention in my yearly ‘best of MOMENTS’ blog post coming up, but for now, I just want to say a simple ‘thank you’ to everyone who has invited me to document their lives this year. You are such a gift.

“Real but also silly.” My favorite kind of people, and those are exactly the words Chanda used to describe herself and Dan! They brought their parents and their daughter to the Black Hills to witness the first moments of their marriage, then they all went out for some old-timey photos. A pretty great blend of ‘real and silly’ if you ask me! :-)

They started off their elopement with a first look, giving them a chance to soak it all in and enjoy the beauty of the Black Hills (and each other). ;-)

Since their little girl was all smiles, she joined in on the little love fest for a few family photos before the ceremony.

Mary Maisey-Ireland of Your Joyful Wedding does a fantastic job organizing and creating the most personal ceremonies!

Dan + Chanda’s heartfelt vows had us all a little misty-eyed!

After exchanging vows and rings, their little girl joined in for a feather ceremony, which Mary put together the most beautiful words for:

“Feathers have been used in our homes and on our bodies since we first caught birds. They decorated our hair, our garments, our hats. They warm our bodies in the form of down jackets and soften our beds as pillows, mattress toppers and comforters. Some of the world’s greatest literary works were penned using feather quills.

“For some cultures, feathers represent our connection to the spirit world. Native American tribes believe that hawks and eagles carry our prayers to the Great Spirit. The Iroquois used feathers to express gratitude for the bounty of the earth. Christians imagine that angels’ wings are made of feathers.

“Feathers can be about inspiration, about surpassing our limits, taking flight as it were. They can be used to tickle, and they can even remind us to take ourselves lightly.

“All of this symbolism is so fitting for a family. May you use your love to warm and comfort one another, to inspire each other, to give thanks to each other and for the gifts in your life, to exceed any self-limiting beliefs you may have about yourselves, and to remember to always find something to laugh about.”

All of the beautiful-ness you see here was put together by Sarah from The Vintage Lease – she brought the food, arranged the table, and put together the bouquets (and even had extra raspberries just for Dan + Chanda’s little girl while they enjoyed their breakfast/scenery).

*clink!*

Soaking in that Black Hills view!

Cody + Justine had planned to go on a hiking adventure while they were here in the Black Hills to celebrate their second anniversary. Mother Nature had other plans. Just days before they arrived, we had 24+ inches of slushy snow, and the trails were still covered in ice by the time we had planned photos. Since we didn’t have any ice cleats with us, we opted for an adventure with less hiking, but we still had a great time!

Since Cody + Justine were nearing their second anniversary, I asked them to dance and asked what their ‘first dance’ song was. It took them a beat to remember, but it all came back to them and Cody even sang part of it to Justine.

We wanted to get some glow-y sunset photos (at the top of the hike that didn’t happen), and the sun was already much further North than I had expected, so we literally chased the light and scrambled up a hill to catch as much glow as we could!

Lastly, Justine brought this balloon ALL THE WAY FROM MINNESOTA for some special photos. Turns out even the slightest breeze makes photos with a balloon pretty tricky. And hilarious. ;-)

Cody + Justine – I hope the rest of your time here in the Hills was wonderful and that you got to do a bit more adventuring despite all the weather-related issues! I had a wonderful time getting to know you, and my husband and I have already adopted your mozzarella cheese analogy.

ALSO, thanks for being kind enough to entertain my trials as a videographer.

It almost feels like we’ve been given the gift of time. If we don’t celebrate and cherish our lives together now, when will we?

To sum up my last blog post… losing our daughter, Cecilia, has opened our hearts to the fact that our time here on earth is so precious (and short). So, we’re living out the adventures we’ve been meaning to do, and savoring the smaller, daily adventures in a new/refreshed/heartfelt way.

Now, what does this mean for you?

I still love documenting love. I’m still photographing weddings, elopements, engagements, and life in general. 

I’m also finally taking the leap in to creating videos. It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a while, and even though parts of it still scare me, I’m willing to lean in to the learning curve in order to document honest, authentic, everyday adventures in a new-to-me way. While this process (and end product) won’t be perfect, they will definitely be memorable – and that’s what good adventures should be, right?

So, tell me! What does your everyday adventure look like? Hiking a new trail on your day off? Chasing toddlers around? Do you have a garden of your own (tell me your secrets)? Do you love making dinner together? I want to help you document that! (And then stay for dinner, if what you love is to cook. ;-)) Think of it like a home video that you and your loved ones all get to be in.

One of the sweetest couples I’ve had the honor of photographing let me follow them along as they went kayaking on their favorite Black Hills lake – Center Lake in Custer State Park. Here is the video (and some photos, because I will never stop photographing) from that afternoon. 

Enjoy!