Downtown Traverse City Proposal | Tyler + Sara

There is something so incredibly special about proposal photography.

It is such an intimate occasion so we make sure to keep our distance while we photograph and allow the couple to soak in those blissful first few moments. Eventually they find their way over to us and we introduce ourselves (it's usually our first time meeting them both) and congratulate them!

If time allows, we take a few engagement photos so they can share the happy news with friends and family. And that is exactly what happened for Tyler and Sara's Traverse City proposal.

Tyler had reached out to let us know his plans to propose to his girlfriend Sara on a trip to Traverse City. We showed Tyler some of our recent proposal photos and he loved the location of James and Chelsea's proposal earlier that year. So we set up a plan and arrived at the Traverse City Marina on a beautiful June evening for the most splendid golden sunset photos.

Scott + Jackie Engagement | Old Mission Lighthouse Park

The day of Scott and Jackie's scheduled engagement session came with a questionable forecast. Rain was predicted during the time we were supposed to be photographing. We chatted back and forth and decided to just go for it!

We met them out at the Old Mission Lighthouse Park for their photos. There is such a variety of beautiful backdrops at the park--we started in the woods and followed the trail for some photos in front of the lighthouse and along the beach where we could see the rain along the horizon. It was quite the moody scene as the wall of dark clouds slowly made their way closer and closer. Thankfully we snuck in some beautiful photos and finished just before the rain fell.

We can't wait to celebrate and photograph Scott and Jackie's wedding this May!

Jack + Tatum Engaged

We loved photographing these portraits for my brother Jack and his fiancée the day they got engaged. Jack proposed earlier in the day with just the two of them, but we met them at our favorite coffee shop Mundos Roasting & Co. to congratulate them. It was fitting to snap a few photos of the two of them there since Jack is the head coffee roaster of the shop. Afterward we drove a few minutes down the road to a local park downtown and took a few more portraits of the two of them together. Congratulations Jack + Tatum!

Engagement Ring | Vince's Jewelers

Traverse City Winter Proposal | James + Chelsea

"Chelsea loves the Traverse City area. We like the outdoor and eating good food. I think that is what our weekend up there is going to be like and I would love to fit the perfect proposal in there as we do all the things we love."

James reached out to us with his plans to propose to his girlfriend Chelsea during a weekend visit to Traverse City. We set up a phone call to discuss the details and location for the proposal. When the day came, we bundled up and waited (with our cameras hidden under our winter coats) for James and Chelsea to arrive at the Marina. James knelt down on one knee and that was our cue to whip our cameras out to document the moment when Chelsea said yes.

We wandered around the marina to capture a few portraits of the two of them, while Chelsea admired her new ring and the two of them shared the happiest smiles and laughter.

We are always honored to photograph proposals--the beginning of the rest of their lives together. Congratulations James and Chelsea!

In Home Family Portraits | The Clarks

Whenever we have the opportunity to photograph our friends it is such a special occasion. Not only are Adam and Kelly some of our closest friends, but they are also our family as well. That means our children are cousins! That also means that their precious daughter is our niece and she has made us 'Uncle Miles and Aunt Sarah' for the first time ever.

Kelly and I had the opportunity to be pregnant side by side and our due dates were actually only two weeks apart. We were originally planning to photograph a maternity/couples session for Adam and Kelly this Fall before I went on maternity leave. But their sweet daughter surprised everyone by being born five weeks early! And since that moment, Mabel Louise has charmed her way into all of our hearts--we love her dearly.

Once Adam and Kelly came home and had an opportunity to get settled, we offered to photograph some family portraits in their home. Kelly got to wear the beautiful dress she had originally planned for her maternity session (which is one of the many reasons we both love Nothing Fits But--for their versatility to wear their dresses in any season of life). Adam and Kelly had their home decorated for Christmas and we had many picturesque settings for their photos. Underneath the dried oranges and fresh garland. Beside the Christmas tree with their stockings hung above the fireplace mantel. And after swaddling Mable so she was snug and warm, we snuck out to the backyard for a few minutes to get some photos in the snow.

We love photographing these kinds of in-home family portraits. There is something so peaceful about being invited into one's homes and documenting them in their natural environment. We felt as though we could take our time, settle into cozy positions, and enjoy the company of their precious family. And all the while we were photographing them as they were and capturing this sweet stage of life for them to remember forever.

Mark and Lindsay | Winter Engagement Portraits

As is with most winter days in Northern Michigan, it was frigidly cold. But Mark and Lindsay held each other close and kept each other warm despite the wind and snow. By the end of their session our noses were red and our mouths were numb but it was so so worth it for the beautiful winter engagement portraits we were able to capture. We knew instantly that their wedding was going to be just as beautiful and we were definitely not disappointed--we can't wait to share their wedding photos on the blog soon!