I didn’t realize how much was packed into 2018 until I sat down to work on this blog post. I traveled to 8 countries and several states to document love stories. I am overwhelmed by all the love, beauty and wonder I witnessed and documented this year! What an absolute thrill it is to not only be there to see such beautiful sights and witnessing love stories getting their happy ending but also to be trusted with the special job of documenting it. I am so proud to have served each and everyone of my couples. You have all truly inspired me! I included each of you in this blog because there isn’t one of your days that weren’t the absolute best.

I started the year by traveling to Italy with my dear friend Jessica Manns and she even taught me how to shoot film while we were there!! The top photo is a film capture of the Dolomite Mountains. We explored Rome, Venice, Dolomite Mountains, and documented a lovely vow renewal in Amalfi Coast. My favorite of course was the mountains, as it always is. And I can’t wait to make a trip back and see those mountains in the summer! It was such a refreshing trip with a good friend.

This was the absolutely enchanting vow renewal we got to capture and style in Positano, Italy. This lovely blue dress is from Chotronette and the amazing vow books were created by my friend at Flourish Grace Calligraphy, for all you brides planning your day right now. Ever since this magical sunset evening with this sweet couple I’ve been dying to go back and capture an elopement here. So if this sparks a desire in you to run off to Italy and elope, let me know! 🙂

Shortly after I got back from exploring Italy I took off to go explore the PNW with a group of photographer friends I met a year ago in Ireland. We traveled all over photographing couples, eating new food and drinking wine together. It was such a wonderful time. I came home and tried to convince Tim to move us there but to no avail. But I have plans to go back in 2019 so I’m pretty excited to see this magical place again.

This charming couple ran around Portland with us and I could not have had more fun with them. I mean just look at Lauren and Kevin, how cute they are?! This is probably one of the only times I wasn’t photographing a couple in the rain while I was in Seattle and Oregon too so I appreciated the dry clothes.

My good friend Vicki from Garnet Dahlia Photography set up all these perfect details for this lovely MT. Hood Elopement. We also spent the night in this lovely cabin just drinking wine and making dinner with only the use of the microwave because the stove stopped working. It was an adventure for sure but worth it to meet these two sweethearts. Wesley and Brandon’s tender love for each other just left me swooning hard.

Lauren and Gavin are adventurous souls at heart which makes them so fun to hang out with! We had a surprisingly awesome time running around in the rain and getting soaked to the bone. I just about teared up while I was editing their session just looking at the sweet way they look at each other. There is no doubt that they sure do love each other! I’m seriously just in awe of their adorableness! Working with couples who are head over heals for each other just makes my heart so happy.

I did slip on a rock, fall on my butt and had huge purple bruise on my bottom in the process of photographing these two, had two umbrellas break on me and fly away in the process of photographing these two. It was all well worth it! Running around in the rain documenting their love was one of the highlights of my trip. I think I may have fallen in love with these two!

Nick and Lexx are the definition of the kind of couples I love to work with. Adventurous, head over heals in love and completely committed to each other. I follow Lexx on Instgram constantly for updates on her hikes and adventures and it always makes me smile. I absolutely loved capturing them run around Cannon Beach and cuddle in the rain.

My dear friend Vicki and Melissa put together all these beautiful detail for them, the two of them would make amazing wedding planners if they weren’t already kickass wedding photographers! This gorgeous dress is from the always incredible Sweet Caroline Styles. Be sure to check her out brides to be!

Again I found myself drenched in rain while exploring MT. Rainier National Park but couldn’t of been happier. I seriously find rain to be on of the most romantic things in nature. Amber looked as gorgeous as if the sun was shinning bright, I’m pretty sure I just looked like a drowned rodent but these two looked amazing. They travel the country with their boy in a family camper and I find that so inspiring. I hope to do the same someday with Tim and Hazel.

May brought more beautiful weddings, including Angel and Jon’s. Angel and Jon chose to celebrate their love at her family home with close friends an family. Angel and Jon are so committed to each other, their love was very inspiring to witness! And any day that ends with a sing off to The Greatest Showman soundtrack is going to be my absolute favorite! Intimate weddings are such a passion of mine and days like this are why!

Steve and Shikha were another of my May couples. They got married at Friedman Farms and had a lively celebration. I love getting to photograph Indian weddings as they definitely know how to celebrate. I had a huge smile on my face the entire two days! AND!! Shikha and Steve have hired me to come out for an adventure session in India! I am over the moon excited to be to hang out with these two again! 19 days! 🙂

Matt and Diane were my last May couple and their day was so packed full of beautiful emotion I got in my car at the end of the day and cried happy tears. Their intimate wedding day was absolutely a treasure. There wasn’t a dry eye anywhere. I loved their loved story! Matt actually hit on Diane when she was his waitress, obviously that worked out quite well for me. 😉

I took of the month of June to go explore Europe with Tim, Hazel and my Cousin and her family. We started off with a very brief stay in Iceland. Biggest impression, out time there wasn’t long enough! I’m definitely planning on going back this year! The blue lagoon was hands down the most relaxing experience of my life. Seriously. Go and soak in this magical lagoon. You’ll thank me later.

From there we worked our way to London where we spent a magical week exploring this perfect city. Now I am not a city girl, I’m a back mountain village king of girl BUT London won me over. Perhaps it was because Tim loved it so much or maybe it was because so many of my childhood favorite books and movies (Harry Potter, Marry Poppins I mean it’s got it all) were made here or maybe it was because the food was so freaking amazing. Either way we all loved our time there and can’t wait to go back as a family.

Then we took the train at King Cross Station to Scotland. I cannot tell you what a dream come true it was for me. Scotland has been my dream location since I was a little girl. I have adored it as long as I can remember. Being able to see it with my own too eyes was a dream come true. Tim, Hazel and I completely fell in love. We plan to make another trip this summer to this beautiful country. I could go on and on about the beauty of this land. I would move there in a heartbeat and spend my days hiking the terrain and hanging out in the pups.

After Scotland we moved on to Ireland. Ireland will forever have a special place in my heart. I met some of my best friends in the world here. I found a hidden gem there for all the Lord Of The Rings fans. I haven’t quite made it to New Zealand yet but staying in these Hobbit holes sure made me feel pretty close. If you are planning a trip there please go stay here! It’s called Mayo Glamping. https://www.mayoglamping.ie/

I got to show everyone the magic of the Cliffs of Moher and Galway and stuff my face with Butler Chocolate again. MMM, best thing ever! I didn’t want this trip to end. It was the perfect family holiday.

We flew home for my little brother’s wedding. I got the best sister in law I could ask for and Hazel got to be a flower girl for the first time. My friend Marivel came and photographed it and got to just enjoy/ chase my daughter. It was a special day and my heart is still so happy that my brother got such a sweet woman and I gained a sister.

I can’t forget to mention all the incredible adventurous engagement sessions I captured this year either. As this post is already too full I combined them for you. Thanks for exploring, hiking and be vulnerable with me you guys. You all rocked your sessions!

Adam and Danielle kicked off July with an emotional and beautiful day! I had so much fun hiking the Appalachian Trail with these two for their engagement session so it came as no surprise to me that they would be just as adventurous on their wedding day. If you want to see more of their day please go back through the blogs posts and read their story. Such a sweet and caring couple!

Then I traveled to Playa Del Carmen Mexico and was absolutely enchanted. I’ve never been a beach girl as I’ve always been in love with the mountains but Mexico’s clear blue water, delicious food, colorful buildings and amazing people made me swoon. I am already planning a trip back for this year. I photographed several of my beautiful friends, ate tacos, drank pina coladas on the beach, jumped off waterfalls and swam in the beautiful water. If you’re debating making a visit, GO! Perfect place for a destination beach wedding or a jungle wedding.

I mean how much better can a wedding day get than getting to hang out with a Zebra? This friendly guy couldn’t get enough of Nolan and Kacey and I had a good chuckle as he turned his butt to Nolan for some butt rubs. Kacey and Nolan were one of my absolutely sweetest couples and I was overcome with pride that they trusted me to be their wedding photographer.

In the very beginning of August my sister got proposed to and hitched within a week. It was a whirlwind and beautiful time! Zack planned the perfect proposal for my sister and the weather turned it into a magical moment of Notebook proportions. We hiked up to the top of this mountain and in the torrential downpour Zack told her how much he loved her. I am ecstatic for my little sister to be married to such a wonderful man.

Next Alex and Liana’s intimate wedding at Stirling Guest Hotel. Their day was so unique and special. I think my favorite detail was the dinosaur the ring bearer carried down the aisle! Ingenious! It was a beautiful and heartfelt celebration! Alex and Liana’s hired me to come along for their honeymoon in Austria as well! So you’ll see them again in this post. 🙂

Cayla and Andrew have such a special relationship. They are the kind of couple that you can just tell by how they look at each other how deeply they care for one another. I cried several times during their ceremony as they vowed their love to one another in front of their closest friends and family. Cayla’s mom surprised her with a piece of her wedding dress made into a necklace that she could wear on her wedding day and we all burst into tears. I definitely intend to do this for Hazel. Andrew and his groomsmen had the best outlook on a rainy day and went mud sliding after we were done with all the portraits. It was a day full of laughter, music, love and so much joy.

Brandi and Devon’s intimate wedding at Friedman Farms was one of the prettiest weddings I ever saw. Chippy White Table decorated their ceremony and reception perfectly and Monzie’s florals were amazing as always! I absolutely love every chance I get to work with these two wedding vendor friends, they are the best of the best. If you’re local to PA go check them out!

Brandi walked down the aisle to the Imperial March and I seriously almost screamed with delight. She was not only the most stunning bride but a kickass one! Their cupcake bar made me want to die it was so pretty! And the barn cat couldn’t help but come and celebrate with us all and we loved every second of it.

Taylor and Franklin started out my busiest month of the year, September. A little rain couldn’t stop them from having a blast. As you can see they were a playful group and I had a ton of fun with all of them. Franklin and Taylor had the sweetest ceremony and reception at Stroudsmoor Inn with their family and friends and I was glad to be a part of it.

Emily and Sam (Or Samwise as Emily calls him, isn’t that the sweetest. It made my nerdy heart happy.) had an intimate wedding at Glasbern Inn which is the most charming little place. Their ceremony was one of the most genuine and heartfelt celebrations of love I’ve ever witnessed. Their pup was so overcome with the love from everyone that he started licking the tears off of Emily’s dad’s face. I could not stop crying. These two are such a special couple an I’m so happy I had the chance to meet them.

Right after Emily and Sam’s wedding I drove up to Bethany Beach so to capture Bridget and Ryan’s intimate wedding the next morning. In the weeks leading up to their day we thought several times we would have to find another location for their ceremony because it was due to storm but nature obviously changed it’s mind for these two. It was so sunny all day and we were all so thankful. Ryan broke down when he saw his bride for the first time. And their pup was the sweetest girl the whole day and the perfect flower girl.

Next up was Steve and Jackie’s day at Stroudsmoor Inn. Their Jewish ceremony a top the hill was stunning! From the start they had told me one of the most important things to them was their reception coverage and I found out why. They had SO much fun! I was glad to be there for that party! Steve’s friend surprised them by dressing up like an leprechaun like he had been the day they met on Saint Patricks Day.

The sun seriously showed off just for Caitlin and Corey’s day. I swear I’ve seen few sunsets as magical and warm as this one. I couldn’t of been happier because these two definitely deserved it. Their intimate day was charming and beautiful.

Marie and Evan’s day was an actual fairytale! Marie looked like a real life princess and I would say that Evan agreed. It was an enchanting evening! I was a sucker for their pretty green details!

Megan and Evan’s intimate wedding was my last September wedding and Hazel got to be a flower girl for the third time! In 2017 Megan and Evan took me with them to New Orleans for their engagement session and I’m honored to be close enough friends that Hazel was their flower girl and Tim came as a guest. Their Jewish woodland ceremony was something I still cherish. And their cake had llama’s on it! OBSESSED! It was a gorgeous day and I was so glad to watch these two become husband and wife!

The next day I started October off by driving to Shenandoah National Park to capture this adventurous anniversary session for one of my 2017 couples, Bryan and Brittany. We climbed waterfalls, hiked and watched the sunset together. What an incredible time with old friends enjoying this beautiful place.

There was so much that I loved about Kayla and Mike’s day I don’t know if I can cover it all. They had their friend dress up like the pope and marry them, instead of a flower girl they had one of her friends walk down and toss whiskey to their guest (LOVE IT!), they had a donut wall and as I sit her writing this I just started a new diet and all I want to do is stuff my face with donuts. But how they love and care for each other was the best of all. Their devotion and respect for each other was absolutely inspiring.

The very next day they went hiking and exploring with me at Delaware Water Gap. As park rangers themselves the outdoors and adventure has always been important to them so they couldn’t imagine celebrating any other way than getting lost in nature. We had an amazing adventure together and I can’t wait to meet up for another one sometime soon!

Then I flew off to Austria with Alex and Liana to explore the alps and the wonder of this country. We met up in Hallstatt and took a romantic sunset boat ride to overlook the town. If you ever get the chance to go to Austria this lovely town needs to be on your list. It was so good to catch up with these two and be around their sweet love!

Sabrina and Julio’s relationship is one of the special ones. You just look at them and know that nothing that life could bring their way will ever be able to destroy their love and devotion to each other. Best friends and lovers. The rain made their portraits look straight out of a romance movie and their intimate celebration was the most perfect way to declare their love for each other.

Josh and Christine’s November wedding was my last wedding of the year and what a day it was! As soon as they locked eyes as Christine started walking down the aisle they were both so overcome with love and emotion they broke dow together. After their heartfelt ceremony we went hiking in Falls, PA and enjoyed the last pit of beauty fall had left. It was the perfect way to end the season.

To end the year Tim and I celebrated our own anniversary hiking, exploring and cuddling in a cabin in Vermont and the Adirondacks with a small stop in Canada. We talked about all that had happened in 2018, gained a brother and a sister, explored the world, watched our daughter grow. We drank wine, hot coco and made new friends. It was a refreshing time.

Thank you to each and every one of my 2018 couples! You made this one of the very best years of my life. I truly treasure each and everyone of you and think of you often.

Here’s to 2019 and all the love, laughter and adventure it brings! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to plan your own adventure or have your intimate wedding or elopement photographed by me. I’m offering 20% my collections till the end of the month.

Cheers to the new year!