Michaela and Josiah,

Thank you for being so super in-love that every time I turned around, you were already in the cutest snuggly poses!! Thank  you for being creative and adventurous, braving giant boulders in a single bound (even in heels!) Thank you for teaching me the very fun completely original “Michaela & Josiah  Woohoo!” pose. Also….Josiah, thank you for having the best name ever 😉 Seriously though, this was such a fun and beautiful session!! Your combined sense of adventure, fun, love and intentionality shines through your relationship. I CAN’T WAIT for your beautiful marriage. (Weddings are beautiful milestones. Marriages last a lifetime!!) 

Much love to you both! Happy one year anniversary and almost wedding day!! May these engagement photos bring you joy for years to come!!

It all started because they had three social work classes together!! If you could see the way their smiles grew bigger every time this beautiful couple locked eyes on each other during our special portrait session, in one instant you would know these two were made for each other!!

I have so much for respect for this courageous couple. Not only did they brave August temperatures in Phoenix to capture these dreamy desert portraits (AMAZING!! Right?!), they also braved one of the most difficult times to plan a wedding and get married in the history of ever. This joy-filled, intentional, kind couple didn’t let anything stand in their way of committing their lives to each other!! One of my favorite parts of our session was hearing how much they loved being together–this is couple is beautiful inside and out. Next we get to celebrate with a beautiful wedding in the very place where their relationship started — the Phoenix Art Museum!! I can’t wait!!

Emma & Max, you are one AMAZING couple. I had such a blast hanging out with you both during this beautiful session and am so excited to help capture these special memories for you both!!

This is definitely a hiking couple! When I pointed to a rock and asked if they could get up there in their engagement outfits, they didn’t hesitate. Hannah was almost up there before I could blink! What a wonderful couple with adventurous spirits.

Hannah and Josh met at church. It was a small community so it was easy to get to know each other and each other‘s families. Then they developed a strong friendship when they started working together at a local Chick-fil-A. (So many good things come from Chick-fil-A!) For a while they even managed a shift together for 17 hours every single Saturday!

Their friendship blossomed as they started to hang out more together. This included multiple hiking dates as this was one of their favorite things to do. She was enamored by the strong anchor of his faith. She loved how intentional he was and how perfectly he fit in with her family. He was attracted to the fact that she loved his goofiness and was super intelligent.

Friendship blossomed into love which grew to something even more. He had planned everything perfectly for a very special occasion. Her mom was hiding in wait on a designated mountain spot, ready to take pictures. They hiked up the mountain; then at the perfect time, he popped the question. And of course she said yes!!

Now they are going to be married and I can’t wait! What a beautiful and wonderful relationship that started on a foundation of faith, progressed through a beautiful friendship and has now grown into love and marriage. Now Hannah and Josh will be forever-partners as they navigate through the all the ups, downs, curves and discoveries on the hiking trails of life. Congratulations Josh and Hannah!! I know the very best is yet to come I’m so happy for you both!!

I love a good international love story! He is from Malawi. She is from Kenya. They met while taking classes at ASU. They laugh at how young they were when they look back at pictures from when they first met. They feel like they have grown up together through such a special season of life.

Ernest is in love with this beautiful, God-fearing lover of life who cares deeply for everyone around her. Nancy loves his amazing ability to listen and genuine care for her and others. They love doing life together and have a strong foundation of friendship and faith. They are sweet and beautiful through and through. He surprised her on her birthday with a very special, private proposal. And of course she said yes.

Nancy and Ernest, you made our cold, rainy day an incredible Central-Park-in-Phoenix experience for the ages! You were full of contagious joy from beginning to end. Ernest you were a super hero as you shared your warm jacket with your beloved fiancé and then did push-ups to stay warm. You are both brilliant, beautiful, stunning, kind and genuine in every single way. You two are heroes through and through and I am so blessed to have been able to capture this wonderful window of time in your relationship as an engaged couple. May these photos be a blessing to you for generations to come!

Joy and love radiate from this couple! And their love story is straight from a storybook. They met each other in fourth grade and grew up together. Everything got real when he invited her to high school prom. Then came first dates, Yogurtini, movies, endless talks, laughter, adventure and college. After all these years, they know each other really well and love so many things about the other person. He loves how caring she is, her joyous smile, her laugh and everything about her personality. She loves everything about him, especially how he cares so deeply about people and is always investing in her intentionally.

Things hit a special climax a few months ago. She thought she was headed on a day-trip adventure into the woods near Flagstaff for his birthday. Little did she know, he had already picked out a tree in an aspen grove and recruited their siblings to hide in waiting. He walked her to the exact spot, leaned over and grabbed a ring from his backpack. Her eyes lit up. This beautiful relationship blossomed all the way from a fourth grade friendship into the wonderful gift of marriage!

Katelyn and Noah, I had so much fun capturing these special photographs with you both on our epic road trip adventure. May these memories always remind you just how special your relationship is. Enjoy this special season! I can’t wait to capture your special day very soon!

I love romantic desert sessions! And I love long-distance love stories! Needless to say, this session was a delight! Daniel was in Florida when he heard about this girl in Arizona that caught his interest. He was intrigued because she had all the qualities he was looking for—she was tall, beautiful and loved Jesus! They both had a strong foundation of shared values, strong families and strong community. It started with a simple email, which blossomed into a long-distance romance and resulted in a growing love. Their precious first notes have all been printed and saved – over 50 pages of treasured emails.

He flew out to Arizona earlier this year just as the pandemic started to spread. This glorious couple continued to build their intentional relationship and fall steadily in love with each other. They both knew that this was a divine romance and that it was growing quickly towards marriage.

He took her on a hike to the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff. She wanted to believe that this is when he would propose but was afraid to get her hopes up. He totally threw her off when he took a nap on the way up. (She figured there would be no way he was calm enough to take a nap if he were planning to propose.) He had, in fact, cleverly hidden the ring in his pocket. They enjoyed a beautiful hike and found just the right view.

This is the moment his heart started to tremble inside. He knelt down on one knee. Before he could even finish offering his forever love, she had already accepted his proposal. Now this couple is soon to be wed with the greatest of joy and anticipation.

Caitlyn & Daniel, I am so excited for you both! Being engaged is such a special once-in-a-lifetime season. I hope these photographs always remind you of your deep love for and commitment to each other! Congratulations you two!!

This couple is sweet to the core. We had such a blast together on our escape-the-heat Engagement Portrait Session. We drove, we shared favorite movies and laughed throughout the day. My true confession is that our car ride conversations totally led me to purchase some delectable Cinnabon rolls the next day and watch We Bought a Zoo for my next family movie night!

My favorite thing about Kaitlyn and Dennis is the way they complement each other so well. They propel each other forward toward their best selves and their best lives. They encourage each other, strengthen each other and love each other deeply. It is beautiful to watch and I’m so excited that the wedding is almost here!

What a treat! For this session we returned to the exact spot where Dennis proposed to Kaitlyn. What a special and meaningful photo shoot. Here is the exact spot in a beautiful, wooded canyon near Sedona!

Dennis and Kaitlyn, you are an amazing couple. I’m so blessed to be a part of your special day and cannot wait to capture all those beautiful memories. May these couple portraits always remind you of the deep love you have for each other. Lots of love for you both – I can’t wait until your big day!!

He scurried through the park, luggage in tow on a hot day towards a magical castle in Universal Studios. His goal was to propose to the love of his life. Originating from two different desert locations, they met in Seattle of all places, making coffee together at Starbucks. Now he was on his way to propose to his one love. Rushing in to surprise her on her vacation, he found his soon-to-be fiancée. He asked the magic question on the bridge in front of the castle. She said yes. The crowd clapped with loud applause and promptly purchased them both butter beer to celebrate.

This is one amazing couple. You can tell their relationship is built on a fabulous friendship and an undying commitment to love the other person well. Edward loves that Kylee is his steady rock. Kylee loves the way Edward is always appreciating her and telling her how he loves her. Their strengths totally complement each other and it is beautiful to watch. Together this is one powerful team.

Kylee and Edward, I love these pictures and I can’t wait to photograph your beautiful day! It’s almost here! You have persevered through one crazy year and now you shall soon be able to commit your love to each other forever. I’m so honored to be a part and cannot wait. May these pictures always remind you of your deep, sweet love for one another. It is glorious!

Meet an amazing couple I affectionately think of as my Covid couple. This beautiful Moment Bride took on the task of planning her wedding during our crazy shelter-in-place, ever-changing, uncertain environment. This required massive determination, adaptability, and creative problem solving. On top of all this, she finished school, which included completing a final 100-page capstone thesis!! Talk about determination and passion – I am pretty sure that this couple can accomplish anything it puts its mind to!! Rachel and Gabe are nothing less then absolutely awesome!!

I love this couple’s story. Their love grew from a strong foundation of friendship that blossomed in separate states while Gabriel faithfully served our country. Gabe loves the strength of their relationship which is rooted in shared values and a love for God and family. They share many similar interests and have beautifully complementary differences. Rachel also loves the sweet things Gabriel does for her. (Evidently he is very good at making breakfast burritos.) My heart melted when Rachel told me he stopped by to bring her flowers during her bridal shower. What a sweet, glorious love!! Gabe proposed amid the beautiful glow of Glendale Glitters and of course Rachel said yes! This love was meant to be.

Rachel and Gabe, it was so fun to photograph you two. Your expressions, love and good-hearted fun were radiant in every pose. I’m soooo excited for your wedding. (It’s almost here!!) I’m grateful to see that nothing can hold back the love and commitment you both share. Lots of love to you both!