My brother's wedding! :)

Paul and I have traveled a lot more than expected the last few months for destination weddings, but this one is one that I've been looking forward to for quite a while and I have good reason, it's my brother's wedding!!! Though it was one of my biggest challenges, it was well worth it. A few days before the wedding, I got together with Jen & Cory to do a quick engagement session for the "practice run" for the big day. It was so great getting to know Jen, his wifey-to-be!







I got home from the shoot and many of the images brought tears to my eyes, I haven't seen my brother this happy in such a long time. I feel honored to have captured this part of his life and the beginning of a great journey forward. He has been through more challenges than some have experienced in a lifetime, but as my previous blog post says, "everything happens for a reason", and even though it's taken him 34 years to find the love of his life, I think he & Jen can agree that it was worth the wait!





It was so wonderful to spend the past two weeks with family in Michigan & helping prepare for the big day. My sister, her hubby and their newborn (6 weeks), & 3 year old traveled all the way from Melbourne, Australia to join the fun...here's Ethan and me, the proud Auntie "T"!



...family came down from up north and we had such a beautiful day out at the lake for their wedding. Here is one of my favorite moments which reveals just how much Cory adores Jen...



My good friend Janelle just started photography and brought her brand new Nikon D90 to show off - she took some awesome shots, here's just one of my favs of the two in a junkyard. Gotta love it! Thanks Janelle!!! :)

My NEW baby Nephew!!!

I just returned from visiting my sister and her family in Australia! Oh my goodness, I could not have asked for a better trip! My sister wasn't due with her baby until May 24th, so I figured since tickets there are so reasonable right now & I had a couple weeks free, I should at least give her a great gift & take preggy pics and family pictures before the baby arrived. AND the day after we got the family photos taken in the midst of our busy schedule, well, Mr. Ethan Ryan came into the world!!!

Big Sister, Emma, moments after seeing her little brother for the first time, checking to see if Mum is ok...so sweet...

I was there for the kicking, then the pushing, then the cuddling. So beautiful. An amazing experience I will never forget and forever cherish.

Congratulations Shana, Matt & Emma! What a blessing!

Check out more pictures from Ethan's birthday!

View Slideshow HERE!

Back from Down Under!

Paul and I had the opportunity to shoot a destination wedding in Australia!!! Who could ask for more? This has been such a blessing and an adventure. We returned last week & I thought I'd share a few "sneak peeks" with ya!

The "Castle on the Hill", also known as "the place Nicole Kidman got married" or the famous "St. Patrick's Seminary", which is now a school for International Business students, not too shabby huh!? No students should be complaining here. This is where the wedding & ceremony took place for one of my greatest couples, Lara & Omari!



The Sydney Opera House...

I was so fortunate to be able to work and play all the way across the world. After we shot the wedding in Sydney, we were able to catch a flight to Melbourne for a few more days to spend time with my sister, my niece and the family. So much fun! I won't see them again until OUR wedding in Jan/Feb 2010, so sad...I'm trying my best to set a location & date in stone by the end of the year!
Ok, let me just say when I gazed out the window to the scene below, my stomach dropped and my eyes swelled. I couldn't even speak. You don't understand...I've been searching for a scene EXACTLY like this for my wedding day for over a year now, EVERYWHERE. Of course, I find it in Australia....GRRRR, not an easy option for the family & guests...aghhhh, well, one can dream. We drove along "The Great Ocean Road" to The "Twelve Apostles", an amazing sight!

Check out more of our trip in this awesome slideshow Paul put together for the family, I thought I'd share it, since whoever reads this is considered part of the fam! :)

AUSTRALIA SLIDESHOW!
(you'll see how much we love all the funny animals!)

Omari & Lara: Engagement!

The beautiful lovebirds, Lara and Omari...









Yes, ANOTHER engagement! :)

Out of the seven engagement shoots and two weddings i've shot this past month, I was fortunate enough to be able to make a trip up to SanFran to do one of them! I have so MANY amazing couples this year, in which I will share their most precious day. This is one (I'll have to consider them EXTRA special), inviting me along to AUSTRALIA with them to capture their wedding day!!! They are getting married at the Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel in Sydney this September - It will be amazing! WOOHOO!