engagments & weddings
jeannie & alex {married}
While I cannot say that I was physically at Jeannie and Alex’s wedding, I do feel like I was right there in the midst of everything after going through every. single. one. of the photos and editing/retouching them. I am still saddened that I had to get so horribly sick, and for the first time ever, have to call in for backup for a wedding! I guess there is a first for everything, but, hopefully it’s the only time. Thank goodness there were people willing to step up and help out — at the very last minute. Jeff Pope did an amazing job taking over the day, and after getting numerous texts about the bride and groom being happy, and “no worries, he’s great!” from the bride, I was able to rest up knowing everyone was in good hands. 🙂
How fun was this wedding!? Jeannie and Alex both looked amazing, and the details of the day were just awesome. After doing their engagement photos, I knew they were a super sweet, fun couple, so I didn’t expect anything less for their wedding day. A mariachi band, RICE KRISPIE cake, candy bar and dress up attire are just a few fun details to name. I know that family and friends came from near and far, so I hope that everyone had an amazing day and can look back on the wonderful memories for years to come.
Congrats, Jeannie and Alex! Here’s a sneak peek at your day. 🙂
**Photos by Jeff Pope
kim & vince {married}
Recently, I not only got to be a part of our friend’s wedding in Jamaica, but a mini engagement shoot and my very first trash-the-dress session also took place — three fun events packed into one long weekend in paradise! It was perfect. I was thrilled when Vince and Kim asked me to photograph their big day. I knew it would be an intimate, relaxed setting, and I was more than happy to say yes. The wedding ceremony took place on a cute little gazebo with the beautiful turquoise water surrounding them. Family and friends were able to sit within a few feet of them, something you don’t always see in a church setting! I loved it. So personal, sweet, and fit the personalities of Vince and Kim perfectly. Relaxing on the beach after and dinner at the Hibachi Grill was a great way to wrap up the day. I was happy when Kim was excited about doing a trash-the-dress session too! What better location could you have than near an ocean!? It had just rained that afternoon, so a puddle shot was a must as well as ending it with the outdoor shower. I loved the perfect balance of fun and romance in all of the events. Kim and Vince both looked amazing and seem so happy. I’m happy we were able to be a part of it all. Here’s a peek at their beautiful time in JAMAICA!
**Big thanks to my hubby for second-shooting! And carrying the gear….. 😉
kate & sam {married}
Kate & Sam’s wedding was a perfect combination of classy and fun. It fit their personalities perfectly, which is the way your big day should be! Kate and Sam are one of those couples that just radiate love and warmth to all those around them. Both looked absolutely amazing and were sooo relaxed! I am so happy that they had me be a part of it all — such a fun day! Everyone was so warm and welcoming from the first moment I pulled up — I was offered help in carrying my lights in, and then again, on my way out the door. I have to give a big thanks to Chrystal Cooper as well as she helped me tackle getting the formal shots in. 🙂 Both sides had a lot, and and mean, a lot of people in their family! So much fun, I’m sure, all being together on such a joyous occasion. The day unfolded just beautifully, starting out at Holy Cross Church, and at the end of it all, they celebrated hard at the Scott Conference Center. First starting off with the speeches — I have to say that everyone was truly an amazing speaker. They spoke straight from the heart with much humor as well, and a few times I even had a few tears in my eyes! Oh, and shall I mention their cutting the cake with a sword!? Yes, a sword. 😉 Here’s a peek into an amazing couple on their beautiful day.
kim & jim {married}
The first wedding of the season took place outside at Tiburon Golf Course in Omaha. We could not have asked for a more beautiful day. Not too hot, barely any wind, and overcast skies, all made for a pleasant afternoon. It feels like quite some time ago when I first captured Kim and Jim during their engagement session, so I was very much looking forward to their wedding. Both are naturals in front of the camera, and you can definitely feel the love they share for each other. And, Kim has not only gained a husband, but also a son. A sweet family of 3, with so much to look forward to. Here’s a peek at how their day unfolded as they were surrounded by their friends and family.
jessica & tim {engaged}
This last weekend, I photographed a super sweet couple, Jessica and Tim, whom recently got engaged after meeting on an airplane for the first time years ago. We started at their home, since the front porch is where Tim proposed. We then ended the evening at beautiful Lake Cunningham, which I had not known existed before they told me about it. Such a serene location, and a perfect place to capture these two since they spend much time there fishing. We had quite the adventure there too, pretty much laughing the entire time. We even did a little “rock climbing” and it was there that Jessica stated “I love rocks.” I guess you had to maybe be there, but that statement cracked me up and just summed up our whole evening. Pure bliss. If they are as cute and loving behind the doors as they were in front of the camera, I can tell that they are going to have a very happy marriage. Congrats to these two!
jeanna & conor {engaged}
With the cold winter days, it’s sometimes hard to find a great location indoors for an engagement shoot, but, knowing that Jeanna and Conor’s wedding reception will be held at the Hilton in downtown Omaha, I wanted to take advantage of using that location as I knew it was beautiful with lots of natural light. Thankfully we had the whole place pretty much to ourselves being that it was on a Tuesday, and, we fortunately missed any guests that may have been leftover from the Justin Timberlake concert the night before too. 😉 Jeanna and Conor are a sweet couple and I really enjoyed getting to know them! Both were naturals in front of the camera, and their eyes are just amazing and really draw you in. When I asked Conor to spin Jeanna, he just lit up and stated that it was probably his most favorite pose of the day. I’m pretty sure that he is already looking forward to the first dance at their wedding… 😉
Here’s a peek from the day! Congrations, Jeanna and Conor, on your engagement, and I can’t wait until your big day!
audra & brett {engaged} //omaha
If you haven’t already checked out Audra and Brett’s adooorable proposal, feel free to go to this link!
I was excited to shoot that moment for them, even more excited to shoot their engagement photos, and honored that my husband, daughter and I will be in their wedding! Audra is such a sweet sister-in-law, and since I met her almost 8 years ago (wow!;) — I was always hoping that she would find a great guy. So happy that she and Brett found each other, because they could not be more perfect together. On our car ride to downtown, Brett kept glancing over at Audra. When she asked, “what?” — he replied with, “You just look so amazing.” — which she did. He kept giving her that look throughout the shoot, and I can tell that they are so in love and excited to start this next chapter of their lives together.
We started the shoot off at the zoo, and after, went out to Brett’s house in the country and got some gorgeous photos at sunset. Although it was freezing out, a fresh coat of light snow made for a beautiful setting, so it was worth it to freeze our toes and fingers for just awhile. 😉 They are a beautiful couple, both inside and out, and we are all so excited for these two love birds to tie the knot this August!
jeannie & alex {engaged}
With the sun shining and a break from the bitter cold temperatures, I roamed around the streets of downtown Omaha last weekend with a couple that was willing to explore and whom laughed the whole way. Our adventure started out with some random guy who asked if we’d like to venture up on his building rooftop for some photos. Of course I said “fun” when I heard it, because I would love the chance to take some rooftop shots, but then I backtracked a bit with not knowing who this guy was. I really try to trust people, but there was something odd about the situation, and, we could tell that he had been drinking…. We left that scene, but were approached a few minutes later by the same guy with the same request. After that, we were thinking that he was following us, lurking around every corner…. this thought gave us a comical approach to the whole session, along with several other people who asked to take OUR picture. 😉 Before all of this, I had a chance to meet their sweet daughter who took part in a few photos. They are an adorable family, and I had so much fun getting to know Jeannie and Alex better as a couple. I am excited for their wedding coming up this summer!
**We ended our shoot with whistles from “that guy” on the top of his roof. It was our time to say goodbye for the evening… ;o)
Thanks for the laughs and beautiful moments, Jeannie and Alex, and CONGRATS once again!
justin & aliya {proposal}
I have now witnessed 2 proposals live — within a few months! — thanks to my soon-to-be brother-in-law who also referred one of his friends, Justin, to me after his recently successful proposal. When I received a call from Justin about wanting to have me capture his special moment, I once again got very excited, but also a little nervous! There is something about proposals that is different from anything I’ve ever shot. Maybe it is the anticipation, not really knowing when exactly it’s going to happen. I’m not sure. All I know is that it’s an amazing experience, and I’m so happy that I was able to capture it for Justin and Aliya.
It all started at Charlie’s — a very special place in my eyes, as it was the location of my first date with my husband! 😉 While Justin and Aliya were wrapping up Justin’s birthday dinner with their parents, my husband and I waited patiently for their exit. Along with dinner plans, Justin had a limo waiting outside with close friends and family also waiting eagerly for their exit. What a great group they were as it wasn’t the warmest of weather. I admit that my fingers got a little frozen, and it was hard to press the shutter at times! When we saw them making their way out the doors, Aliya started to go the other way! I am not sure if she didn’t see us, but it was a cute moment as Justin had to turn her back around, and I think it was then that she realized what was going on. Brief words were said that only the two of them could hear, and I could sense some nervousness and excitement. Soon after, a cheerful yes was said as Justin got down on one knee, and hugs were given all around. Even though I only met Justin and Aliya briefly, my first impression is that they are an absolutely adorable couple with so much love for not only each other, but also their friends and family. It was a beautiful moment to witness, and I wish them all the best as they plan this next chapter of their lives together!
Congrats to Aliya & Justin!! Thank you for having me capture this special time. 🙂
audra & brett {proposal} ;)
To start off, this might be a little long…but so cute! You have to read. 😉
A little over a month ago, my sister-in-law’s boyfriend (now fiance), Brett, came to me with some exciting news and a fantastic idea. He first informed me that he was going to propose to my sister-in-law, Audra, and that he wanted me to capture the moment! I was SO excited for them, and, I have to admit, a little nervous to take on the challenge as we would have to be hidden in the dark, far away from the subjects of course, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever done before. I gladly said yes though, and we met one evening in the place he had planned for to scope out an exact spot to make it happen. For those that don’t know, every year Omaha has an amazing light display in the Leahy Mall area. Since this is a place Audra and Brett go see every year, he thought it would be a perfect time and place to do it. Unfortunately when we went to scope out a location, none of the actual Christmas lights were on yet, so, we picked the one place that we knew would have some constant light, and, where I could hide out, paparazzi style, behind the trees. 😉 We were hoping all the planning would work out!
The night of the proposal, my husband and I plotted our place to “stalk” them, and sat waiting…and waiting… Since they were at dinner beforehand, we really didn’t know exactly when they’d show up, all I knew is that Brett was going to text me. I soon saw the words “now” come across my phone from him. We waited some more and watched and finally spotted them heading in the right direction. I seriously became really nervous for him, but also super excited as I had never seen an actual proposal take place! Audra looked in our direction for one second and was so nervous she spotted us! She did not, thankfully. As I watched him stop in the exact spot we chose and turned her the right direction, he soon after got down on one knee and all we could hear were squeals echoing across the river — coming from Audra of course! It was a magical moment and so wonderful because it almost looked like they had the place all to themselves! People were nearby, and some actually cheered, but, in that moment, I could tell they were in their own little bubble.
After capturing that moment, we had to keep quiet that we did so — for almost an entire month!! On Christmas day, Brett presented her with a canvas print and I captured Audra’s expression (tears of joy) as she had NO idea any of this took place! Thank you to all the other friends and family that kept quiet and allowed for a fun surprise. 😉
I am so excited for these two! They are an amazing, fun and sweet couple. Truly made for each other. I am excited to be taking their engagement photos and honored to be in their wedding!
samantha & shem {married} // omaha, ne
A few weekends ago, we celebrated Samantha and Shem’s big day! Since their engagement photos, and, since I’ve photographed others within the wedding party, I knew it would be a fun day. Speaking of wedding party, I believe it is the largest one I have ever worked with — 23 total! It only makes sense though considering Shem’s 8 brothers and 1 sister made up almost half of that! I’ve mentioned this before, but how fun would it be to have that many siblings!? The ceremony took place at the beautiful Our Lady of Lourdes church and reception at Legacy Hall. In between, we went to a pretty little park, and even though it looks nice out, it was quite chilly! I always appreciate when the party is willing to step out into the cold for a few shots. 🙂 After going to a few of their favorite bars, they went to the reception to dance the night away! And let me tell you, there was definitely A LOT of dancing! Such a fun crowd. I don’t think anyone was too shy in breaking out their best dance moves.
Thank you again, Samantha and Shem, for having me capture your beautiful day!
megan & alex {married} // baldwin, wi
A few weekends ago, we traveled up to Baldwin, WI for my little cousin’s wedding. Years ago, I recall her saying that one day (when she finally got that ring ;)), that she would love to have me as her photographer. I was so happy when I received the news of her engagement and that she truly wanted me to be her photographer! There is something special about capturing the big day of someone within your own family. It is especially nice having much of your family (whom we don’t get to see often) there too. The only problem was when my daughter called out “mommy mommy mommy” during the entire ceremony! Sorry, Megan and Alex! 😉 Hopefully that was only distracting to myself. And, thanks to my hubby for keeping her preoccupied.
Megan was an absolutely stunning bride. I couldn’t be more proud of her and was so happy to capture this special day. Even though it rained much of the morning, it did not stop the adorable couple from having fun! The rain let up just in time to have the ceremony outside in the beautiful garden, and then sun popped out for the only time just after they exchanged rings and said a prayer. It was breathtaking. I am going to share far too many photos, but, it’s hard not to when it was such a perfect day.
Congrats again to the sweet couple, and, welcome to the family, Alex! 😉 I wish you both years of happiness and love together.
gwendy & wayne {engaged} downtown omaha
I love when you meet people for the first time, and within minutes, it feels like you’ve known them forever. That was the case with Gwendy and Wayne when I first met them this last weekend. Wayne was in town from California, so we decided it was a great time to sneak in their engagement session. Having dated long distance for quite some time now, it was fun to capture the love that these two share with one another during the short visiting time they had together. We started the evening off at Pinnacle Bank downtown where Gwendy works. I am in love with that staircase that sits nestled in the branches of a beautiful, large, green tree. The second image feels very tropical to me, especially with Gwendy’s colorful dress. Midway through, we stopped at Ted and Wally’s icecream shop — a favorite spot of theirs, and super cute might I add. After sunset, we ended at Parliament Pub which had the coolest lighting.
Congrats again to the adorable couple, Gwendy and Wayne!
rachyl & peter {married} nebraska
A few weekends ago I traveled to the small town of Beemer, NE for Rachyl and Peter’s wedding. I was happy when Rachyl asked me to be their photographer as I had photographed her brother’s wedding years ago, that of which was my second official wedding shot alone. Rachyl is one of 7 siblings, all of which were a part of the wedding. What a fun group the whole wedding party was, and, how fun would it be to have that many siblings!? After the ceremony, all the guests threw bags full of Rice Krispies! That was a first for me to see, and such a good idea! They then took a hay rack ride out to the cornfields where we got a few more shots before dancing the night away at the Beemer Ballroom.
Thank you, Rachyl and Peter, for having me be a part of your special day! You are a sweet couple and I wish you all the best in this next chapter of your lives. ** Oh, and btw, did you forget that it was agreed upon to pack me in your suitcase for your honeymoon? We will have to talk about that…. 😉 Ha. Hope you had a great time!
christina & heath {married} minnesota
Last weekend, I went back to my old stomping grounds of Hutchinson, MN for Christina and Heath’s wedding! I’m so glad that my high school friend, Annie, sent Christina my way last year. Even though I didn’t meet the bride or groom until the day of the wedding, I felt like I’d known them forever! Such a sweet couple, and, their friends and family were all so welcoming. The whole wedding took place at Crow River Winery, and wow, what a beautiful place! Although there were drops of rain throughout the day, including during the ceremony, Christina and Heath seemed so happy. I have never seen a bigger smile from a groom — he was seriously beaming from ear to ear as he watched his beautiful bride throughout the day. I always love to capture the adorable children at weddings, and one in particular that I probably took far too many photos of at this wedding was the flower girl, who is Heather’s daughter. What an absolute doll she was. There was so much laughter, a few tears, lots of hugs, tons of dancing and just overall fun. I’m so happy to have met this lovely couple and wish them the same joy they experienced on their wedding day throughout the rest of their lives!
kim & jim {engaged} Beaver Lake — NE
Kim and Jim knew of each other back in high school, but didn’t actually start dating until almost a decade later when they found each other on match.com. I was excited when Kim asked me to photograph their engagement and wedding, and even more excited when she said she wanted to do the engagement photos down at Beaver Lake. Beaver Lake is a place where we’ve spent many summer days, and, it’s even more special to the bride-to-be as she grew up going there since family members live on it. She decided to scout out some places she liked and knocked right on the owner’s doors to ask if we could take pictures on their property! I give her much credit as she picked out some fun and beautiful spots. I may end up sneaking back there on occasion to take future pictures… 😉 These two are such a sweet couple and I am already looking forward to their wedding next spring!
jenny + paul {married} nebraska
I traveled out to Norfolk, NE just this last weekend to capture Jenny & Paul’s wedding day! Norfolk is Jenny’s hometown, so it was very meaningful to be getting married there. Although I sensed a little nervousness when I first saw Jenny that day (it turns out a stomach bug was making it’s way around the wedding party) the overall day turned out absolutely beautiful, and Jenny and Paul seemed so happy. From the ceremony, the party rode on a trolly and made their way (slowly) through the town to a park. I found it quite entertaining while following behind as I have never heard so many car horns, motorcycle revs, semi honks, cheers, and even high fives from fellow trolly passerbyers. I was tempted to try and take some photos of it all (while driving), but decided to stay on the safe side. 😉 The wedding party was an absolute blast and I had fun capturing some fun moments at the park. Jenny and Paul both looked amazing and together make a beautiful couple. I was so happy to be a part of their big day!
caitlin & adam {married} nebraska
I love outdoor weddings! Of course I love all weddings, but, there is something about outdoor ones that makes it more intimate feeling. I have been fortunate enough to have done a handful thus far, and each one is simply lovely. Of course you chance mother nature and potential rain, but even if that happens, there is always a backup. My goal is to someday do a mountain wedding — overlooking rows and rows of them. Anybody? Anybody? 😉
I really enjoyed Caitlin and Adam’s engagement photos, so I was super excited when their big day finally arrived! Their wedding, which took place at A View in Fontenelle Hills, overlooked a beautiful golf course and never-ending shades of green. We did get a few drops of rain in the early afternoon hours, but nothing that stopped us from enjoying the day. I mentioned before about how Caitlin’s eyes pop, and once again, wow! Not only hers, but all of her bridesmaids! I had an absolute blast with the whole wedding party, and was happy that they were willing participants in a few different and fun types of shots. There was so much laughter and poking fun at each other, it was obvious that they are a tight-knit group. Not only was there lots of laughter, but also a few moments of tears, that of which got me a little teary-eyed too! Caitlin and Adam are such a sweet couple — one that I can tell will last forever. Here is a sneak peek at how their beautiful day unfolded.
jillian & mark {married} nebraksa
I am so happy that our friends, Jillian and Mark’s, big day finally arrived! They knew each other years before they even started dated, and then dated for some time before Mark popped the question. Even though we always kinda counted them as one of the “married” couples in the group, we’d always tease Mark about when he’d ask Jillian — and “10 years” was for some reason the response. 😉 When he finally did ask her though, her answer was of course YES. We were all thrilled to hear the news, and I was really excited when they asked me to capture their special day! Taking place at Bella Terre Vineyard in Glenwood, IA, it was an absolutely beautiful wedding. A gorgeous location, stunning bride and handsome groom, a few tears and lots of laughter brought this day together. Even though I put on my professional face when shooting a wedding, it was fun watching friends go through the motions of becoming one, as well as hang out with other friends and family. It was especially cute when I’d capture Mark just looking at his new wife — completely in awe. Such a sweet couple – I ❤ them. 🙂
CONGRATS to Jillian & Mark! So thankful we are friends.
mary & kyle {married}
I met the Rice family back in 2011 when we had a shoot with their son, Miles, who was just 3 months old! Since then, we have done various family shoots as well as Mary & Kyle’s engagement session, and I have thoroughly enjoyed each one. They are such a sweet family and I am so happy that I have gotten to know them a little more over the years! Their wedding was equally enjoyable with much laughter and happy tears. Mary looked gorgeous and Kyle and Miles adorable in their matching suits. One of my personal favorite moments was seeing little Miles join them for their first dance. Though they have always been a family, this day just symbolized them becoming one and emphasized the love they share. I am so happy that they had me be a part of it all. Congrats to the whole family! Enjoy a sneak peek from their day. 🙂
samantha & shem {engaged}
When I met Samantha and Shem at one of my most recent weddings, I knew immediately that we’d have a fun engagement session which was already planned for a few months later. They again, are one of those couples whom upon meeting them, you feel like you’ve known forever as they have such an easygoing personality. They are an adorable couple and both have amazing eyes that I couldn’t help but focus in on. We were able to take advantage of the beautiful spring weather (before the crazy snow storm that hit a few days later). I am very excited for this couple’s wedding coming up in October!!
robin & eric {married} omaha, nebraska
Robin and Eric’s day was full of beauty, laughter and crazy fun! I’m not sure how many people “warned” me that I was in for a ride… a fun ride of course. Everyone that was a part of the day was definitely ready to have a good time. 😉 We started the day at St. John Vianney Church, and what a beautiful place it was. Both the ceremony and reception were conveniently in the same building, but in between I was informed that a bus was going to drive the party around. When I heard “bus”, I pictured the black school (party) bus that I’ve seen before, but nope, it was a giant coach bus! A little more luxurious. 😉 We enjoyed the beautiful day outside prior to heading back to dance the night away. I was so happy to be a part of it all. Congrats to Robin & Eric ~ a beautiful couple!
kelly + paulie {married}
I know I mentioned this in their engagement session post, but I’d like to reiterate that even though I only met Kelly & Paulie a few times before their big day, they are one of those couples that you feel like you’ve known forever. The same held true when I met all of their family and friends for the first time that day. Such a fun and welcoming group. It was the beginning of Spring, but ended up being a cold and blustery “winter” day. Despite the lack of beautiful weather, their wedding was nothing short of beautiful. From Kelly’s gorgeous dress with the blue underskirt to the amazing church that the family grew up going to. From their first look to the general glances they’d give one another throughout the day — not even blowing, slushy snowflakes got in the way of how happy they were. Here’s a sneak peek at how the day unfolded…I’m so glad to have been a part of it all!
mary + kyle {engaged}
When Mary and Kyle walked out of the elevators at the Hilton in downtown Omaha, they looked amazing in their black and white outfits. Mary was stunning, and Kyle, handsome (Bond-like) as I’ve seen some people comment. As we walked through the hotel lobby, many people shouted out “congratulations” as I think they thought it was their wedding day! We didn’t correct them, because hey, why not enjoy having all eyes on you during this special time as you express the love you share with one another. I’ve had so much fun capturing these two (along with their adorable son, Miles) in previous sessions, and this time was equally as fun. I had a hint of what their wedding day is going to be like — and I can’t wait!
Congratulations to Mary and Kyle on your engagement as well as many other new happenings your their life lately. Here’s to opening a new chapter — enjoy every moment. 😉
