paige + trevor // The Strathallan Hotel Rochester, NY

We met Paige and Trevor back in 2015 when we photographed Paige’s sister’s wedding (Ashley + Ethan!!), and we loved them instantly. They are sweet and genuine souls with wide-open hearts, and their families are equally wonderful. I’ve gotten to know Paige’s family pretty well just through being a part of both weddings, so I already knew what incredible people they were, but getting to know Trevor’s family a little bit this time around was wonderful, too. Both of their families are made up of warm, supportive people who love authentically. It’s no surprise at all that they are perfect for each other.

This wedding happened in February, but weirdly, it was like 65 degrees that day, so it totally looks like a beautiful spring day! #nocomplaintshere It was our first time at The Strathallan, and we absolutely loved it. That rooftop!!! You can see so much of Rochester from up there; the view is totally impressive.  My favorite part of the day (aside from the rooftop portraits at sunset, of course) was the ceremony, because the absolute joy on Paige and Trevor’s faces was a truly special thing to witness. There’s no doubt about it, friends; we live in a crazy world. Having a front row seat to the most genuine love stories week after week is a constant reminder that life is a beautiful journey, and I’m pretty grateful for that.

Paige and Trevor were kind enough to share a little bit about their love story, their wedding day, and even some advice for those of you still in the planning phase, so be sure to read their comments!

Paige: “I met Trevor in high school! Later in life Trevor reached out to me on Facebook, and I mentioned it to my sister. He happened to be the tennis partner of my sisters boyfriend at the time, and my sister decided it was time for Trevor and I to meet up, so they scheduled a surprise visit!“

(more…)

caitlin + jason // Eternal Flame Falls

Caitlin and Jason are the kind of people that reinforce my belief in the law of attraction. They are exactly who I want to work with forever and always. They love dogs as much as I do (they own a doggie day care), they’re both writers so they appreciate excellent grammar and punctuation as much as I do (as a former English teacher), and they told me that they feel slightly awkward in photos (music to my ears!!). Whenever a couple warns me about their photo-awkwardness, I’m secretly like, “Yessssssss!!!  My people have found me!” I don’t know exactly how this came to be, but making people look and feel amazing (and super relaxed) during photo sessions is definitely my strong suit. ;)

We had a great time hiking on the icy trails at the Eternal Flame Falls where I got to meet their sweet pup, Dory. I took them to all my favorites spots there, and then to a couple of my favorite engagement session spots in downtown Buffalo. I used my tried and true mind reading games to make them forget the camera was even there, and we ended the shoot on a high note at the new fancy “Greetings from Buffalo” mural that all of our out of town couples are loving so much this year.  I absolutely cannot wait to be a part of their wedding day!

Caitlin was kind enough to share the story of how she and Jason met, as well as their proposal story (which I love), so be sure to read her words as you scroll!!

Caitlin: “Jason and I probably shouldn’t have ended up together — we were star-crossed from the start. While we initially ‘met’ online, our match rating was really low. And though we scheduled a couple dates, something always came up and one of us cancelled. Finally, in late April 2012, we both made it to the appointed bar. (It’s a craft beer bar on 14th Street in D.C., called Churchkey, and it’s overpriced pours will always have a place in my heart.) We hit it off immediately.“

Caitlin: “Given how hard it’d been to schedule that first date, I didn’t hold my breath when Jason said he’d call me for dinner that weekend. He surprised me by calling the very next day and asking if I wanted to go for lunch instead because he couldn’t wait for dinner. That was probably Jason’s smoothest line in five years. We’ve been together ever since!“

Caitlin: “We love to hike, especially with Dory. We like to be outside, camping or trying a new beach or sitting around our friends’ fire pit. We go to see plays, which feels very mature! And we love to try new bars and restaurants, especially if they have a patio and/or a good wine list.“

Caitlin: “We’re also kind of homebodies, and we like to hang out at home together — reading in bed, drinking coffee on the weekends, renting bad movies, taking walks around our neighborhood, singing along to Hamilton. Sometimes we’ll do work in different rooms for a few hours without really talking. But I know when I walk in the kitchen to make tea, Jason will get up and give me a hug.“

Caitlin: “Our proposal story… We were hiking with our dog Dory on our go-to trail about 35 minutes outside D.C. It was sort of an odd time for us. While we’d been talking about getting married, I had just got a job offer I was considering, and Jason had just been laid off. It didn’t even cross my mind that Jason would propose at a time of such upheaval!!

As always, however, J surprised me — right as I was shoveling trail mix in my mouth. As he started his little speech, I blurted out something like ‘oh, you’re gonna propose?’ through a handful of almonds. Jason told me afterwards that he almost thought of delaying, because I’d basically ruined his vision. But then he realized the best vengeance would be saddling me with this unflattering story for our entire marriage.“

Engagement shoots are a great way to get some adorable photos of your sweet pup!! Click here to see another dog loving couple!