Posts tagged Superior Viaduct | Columbus Wedding Photographer

Sami & JohnHuntington Beach Engagement Session

I can imagine how they met. Sitting next to each other in business class, noticing one another over time. An unnoticed glance from her. A hidden glance back from him. Bumping into one another at the home of a shared friend. A relationship that starts cool, but builds quickly. At least that’s how I imagine it in my head after talking to Sami and John during their Huntington Beach engagement session.

Like my wife and I, Sami and John started dating on Valentine’s Day. After a few years, they were engaged. As Sami tells it, she thought something was odd that Christmas Eve in the park. It was unusually warm for winter. Nonetheless, John gripped is jacket tight, sweating the whole time. They hiked for some time, eventually reaching a hidden bridge. He shed his unnecessarily thick jacket, producing a ring and a heart-felt proposal.

Now it’s nearly time to cross another bridge. In just a few short months, Sami and John will be sharing vows during their Cleveland wedding. Oddly enough, this isn’t the first time I’ve photographed Sami. She was also in her cousin’s wedding, which I captured earlier this year. Below, you can find some highlights from their Huntington Beach engagement session. We also had the opportunity to visit many other spots around downtown Cleveland. Hope you enjoy!

Huntington Beach engagement session with Sami and John. Cleveland engagement photography with Sami and John

Jacklyn & Adam – A Summer Engagement in Bay Village

After a couple photos, I stopped and asked “Not too difficult, right?” Both Jacklyn and Adam nodded as they stood in the driveway of Jacklyn’s family home in Bay Village. We had just begun their summer engagement sessions and the nerves were starting to settle. Just a few minutes prior, we were all running around making final wardrobe decisions and polishing off a drink to calm the nerves. At this point, the session was well under way and developing a flow of it’s own.

The plan was rather simple – start at the family home and then move out to other locations around Bay Village, including Huntington Beach. We would end the engagement session around sunset in downtown Cleveland. I had the perfect place picked out with a great city view. Jacklyn was really excited to feature her hometown in the engagement photos. Adam, being from St. Louis, was just happy to explore the city a little bit more.

As the session went on, we shoot a little and then talk as we moved from one spot to another. At one point, I was reminded of Jacklyn & Adam’s engagement story. They’re a refreshingly down-to-earth couple, and so is their engagement story. It starts simply enough, with Jacklyn and Adam relaxing at home. Jacklyn knew the engagement was coming soon, but not exactly when. She had just finished getting ready, when Adam beckoned her over. As she approached, Adam started to talk about love and life together. As Jacklyn puts it, these kind of statements were out of character for Adam. Apparently, it was so out of character that Jacklyn exclaimed “Are you proposing or something?” In that very instant, Adam turned white. Realizing the moment she was in, Jacklyn of course said yes, which brings us back to today.

Below are just a few highlights from the session, all captured on film. I love how we were able to highlight so many locations from around Bay Village, especially Jacklyn’s home. For Adam – Martin says hello. He’ll know what that means. For everyone else – enjoy!

A summer engagement session in Cleveland with Jacklyn and Adam. A summer engagement session in Cleveland with Jacklyn and Adam.

Brittany & Phil – A Well-Documented Love Affair

After receiving Brittany’s email, I was left with a feeling of familiarity. Something about her message left me curious with a sense of Déjà vu. I started a quick hunt through my email archive and it didn’t take long to identify the familiar source. I had chatted with Brittany previously when she was planning her wedding. While I didn’t end up capturing her wedding, she had reached out to me once more to capture her first anniversary photos with, now husband, Phil.

I think Brittany & Phil have a truly brilliant plan for their life together. They intend to get professional photographs every year on or around their wedding anniversary. I’m thrilled just to be included as the first photographer in this plan. Honestly, my wife and I believe the same, but are rather lacking with our actual execution. Something tells me this won’t be the case for Brittany & Phil.

So why does this plan make so much sense to me? We say “love affair” when we speak of couples whose connection seems transient. Instead, I like to believe “love affair” should refer to life-long passions tied to your most dear partner. Rather than speaking of a transient connection, “love affair” should speak of deep, smoldering, lasting lives together. “Love affairs” should be the kind of relationship we tell out children about. It shouldn’t be transient or temporary, but instead documented and savored.

So here is a salute to Brittany & Phil’s well-documented love affair. I certainly hope you enjoy the little highlights below from this life well-lived – together.

A summer anniversary session in Cleveland for Brittany and Phil. A summer anniversary session in Cleveland for Brittany and Phil.

Tagged: Superior Viaduct