Recent Shoots

Brittany and Michael. Engaged.

Brittany, you are beautiful.  And that love you have for Michael is definitely written all over your face.

Session fave… I can’t decide which one.  🙂

Purple = wedding color.  And you’ll see her lace shirt.  Wedding texture.  It’s all in the details.

Michael was a groomsmen in Roberta and Steve’s wedding in 2009.  He said he remembers how much fun we had taking pictures and how I kept yelling at him.  Throughout their engagment session, I had to stay true to my actions from 2009.  “Michael, run, hurry, goooooooooo!” I had a great time with you guys.  Can’t wait for the wedding!

Dreamy…

Aren’t they cute?!

We had a contest.  “Go see who can find the prettiest leaves!”  I added the diamond on top soooooo.. I win.

A stack of pallets.  Awesome!

They both work and met at Honda.  I love it when folks personalize a session with something that means so much to them.

I’m cool and Michael knows it.  🙂

When and where is your wedding?
Brittany & Michael: Our wedding is October 4th, 2014. It is at St. John’s Lutheran church in Grove City and our reception will be at
the Blackwell Hotel on the OSU campus.

How did you meet?
Brittany: We met at work, Honda, and started talking after Michael had scoped me out on Facebook.
Michael: I met Brittany at work. I saw her walking around from time to time, and one day decided to start talking to her. Best decision
I’ve ever made.

Tell us about your proposal!
Brittany: Our proposal was very unique. We did the Color Me Rad 5k and he ran with the ring in his pocket the entire time! Not in the box, just the ring! And while taking pictures afterwards he got done one knee!
Michael: I proposed after a 5K color run we ran together, I thought it would be a good time, and it made for some fun pictures too!

What’s your favorite thing about your significant other?

Brittany: My favorite thing about Michael would be his big heart. He would do anything possible to make everyone happy. And I can always be myself, no matter what mood I’m in.
Michael: I love that I can talk about car stuff with her, and she actually knows what I am saying.

What makes you guys unique?
Brittany: What makes us unique is that we’re so much alike but yet so different at the same time. We love our alone time and accept that it’s needed for the both of us!
Michael: I think just the level of understanding we have. We just know each other so well and are very in sync with each other.

How did you find Crystal Jo?
Brittany: We found crystal Jo via a family member 🙂
Michael: She was the photographer at my brother’s wedding, and I have always thought he was very talented, and lots of fun to
work with.

Jillian and Justin. Engaged.

Justin you have quite the distinct jaw line.  No wonder Jillian is back there giving you those eyes you love so much.  🙂

Jillian and Justin just bought their first home.  He proposed in their driveway.  Which so happens to be these really cool, old bricks.

And meet their little baby, Benny.  Bow tie and all.

A special request from Jillian.  This is a photo of her grandparents.  I looooove love.  And people who admire their family.

A walk around the block…

Congrats, beautiful people.  On your beautiful home, your beautiful engagement but most importantly on the strong love you both have for each other.  XO!

More on this happy couple…

When and where is your wedding?
October 11, 2014 at Ariel International Center in Cleveland, OH.

How did you meet?
Jillian: Justin and I actually went to the same high school but he was two years older than me. I didn’t really know him but met him in college because of a mutual friend. As freshmen we used to go to his house for parties and leave lipstick kisses on his bathroom mirror. I guess he must have really liked that, but he would kill me if I did anything like that now (clean freak)!
Justin: She was a friend of a friend, and we met at my college house when we were having a party. I always remember her and one of her friends leaving their lipstick on my bathroom mirror. She gets embarrassed when I bring it up, but I loved it.

Tell us about your proposal!
Jillian: Well, it was a pretty normal Sunday. We went to Target and took our pup Benny on a walk. Our life had been on a pretty crazy roller coaster the few weeks prior, so it was a well deserved relaxing day. We decided to walk to our new house that we just went in contract on. In front of our new house, with Ben of course, he got down on one knee. I had absolutely no idea and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Justin: I proposed to her on our normal Sunday walk with our dog, Benny. This Sunday walk was special because we had just went into contract on our first house the Thursday prior, and I knew she would want to walk by it. We were standing in the driveway just letting the reality set in, and I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. I knew she would have absolutely no idea. That was really important to me because I knew that she did not want to know. It was the perfect moment, a very exciting and special place/moment for us, but not something that would spoil the surprise!

What’s your favorite thing about your significant other?
Jillian: Justin is the most caring human being I’ve ever met. He is so kind and loving and would do anything for me. He makes me so happy it makes me crazy!
Justin: My favorite thing about Jillian is how caring she is. I tend to get stressed out pretty easily and she brings me back down to earth. I don’t know what I’d do without her. And, I have to say my other favorite thing is her eyes. I’ve told her that I saw her once, years before we were formally introduced, and that I was stunned by how beautiful she was (she doesn’t believe this story to this day). I’ve come to the conclusion it has to be those eyes!

What makes you guys unique?
Jillian: Neither Justin nor I make anything about us. We devote our energy into our relationship and let life happen around us. Life is way easier that way.
Justin: I think what makes us unique is our true appreciation for each other’s company. We truly enjoy the simplest of things more than anything else, whether it is walking the dog after work, or cooking breakfast together on a Saturday morning. We have spent our fair share of time living in different cities, and I believe that is what gives us this appreciation. It has done great things for our relationship, but if it were up to me, we would never spend another day apart :).

How did you find Crystal Jo?
Jillian: A friend from work went to school with Crystal Jo. She gave me some different photographers to look at and I instantly loved Crystal Jo’s work!

Jill and Jake.  Engaged. Jake’s guitar and Jill’s ring.. now that’s a love song.
A little behind the scenes… I was taking this photo of their ring and I asked Jill to take a photo of me taking a photo.  When she walked by I caught her reflection on the base of the guitar and just knew I had to capture this next shot…
This right here… my session fave! I love their adoration, the reflection, the guitar.. ALL OF IT! Jill and Jake, I can’t wait for next October. I’m honored to be apart of your special day!
“We’re getting married! Yippee!”

More on this cute couple… When and where is your wedding?
Our wedding is on October 11, 2014 in Grove City, OH. Our ceremony will take place at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and our reception will be at the Pinnacle Golf Club.

How did you meet?
Jake: We met at Uncle Bucks (a local college bar) on a Wednesday night and a mutual friend introduced us.
Jill: The kid/grandma version is we met at the University of Findlay through a mutual friend. The real version is we met at a local college bar on a Wednesday night.

Tell us about your proposal!
Jake: It was at a state park on a nice spot overlooking the lake. It was a cold day in March and I had the ring for a total of 4 hours before I gave it to her. I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me and she was completely surprised! The look on her face is something I’ll never forget!
Jill: He proposed at a local state park. He had told me we should go because there had been bald eagles nesting. We had been walking around for awhile and I was getting impatient with all the standing and he finally got down on one knee with the ring box in his hand and said “Will you marry me?” I was completely shocked and speechless! It took a moment to get the word “yes” out of my mouth.

What’s your favorite thing about your significant other?
Jake: Jill has the biggest heart and she thinks about others before herself. Her charismatic personality always makes me feel comfortable around her. I can totally be myself when I am with her.
Jill: There are many things I love about Jake, but my favorite thing is how he lives everyday to the fullest. He looks for the positive in everything and he is so full of life. Jake has taught me how to view the beauty in everyday life and never take anything for granted. And he also makes me laugh a lot! 🙂

What makes you guys unique?
Jake: The thing that makes us unique is we are an example of how a long distance relationship can be successful. We knew long distance wouldn’t be forever, but we had to be patient and have a lot of trust in one another.
Jill: We are a lot alike, but different at the same time and it keeps things interesting. Our relationship is the type where we can do our own thing sometimes, but still enjoy doing things as a couple. And we have a lot of fun joking and playing around together!

How did you find Crystal Jo?
Jill: My mom used to work with the mom of a client of Crystal Jo’s and she recommended her to us. Once I looked at her website and met her in person I knew I wanted her to be a part of our special day!
Jake: Jill found her website and she knew she was the right photographer even before we met her. Once I met Crystal I completely supported Jill’s decision.

Marisa and Greg.  Engaged.

Marisa, I know you aren’t sure if you like photos of yourself not smiling.  Let me just tell you… I do.  I think you pull it off.

Oh so well.

Soon they will be “Mr. & Mrs.”

I love how Marisa cuddling Greg so tight.

Where it all started…  Lazenby Hall at Ohio State.

Drumroll please… session fave…

I can’t get over how much I love the below sequence of photos.  So fun.  So cute.  So them.

What a stylin pooch!

When and where is your wedding?
Our wedding is on June 28, 2013. The ceremony is at the Liberty Presbyterian and the reception is at the NorthPointe Hotel and Conference Center.

How did you meet?

Marisa: We met the very first day of college! It was fall 2004 and we were freshmen at The Ohio State University. I sat right behind Greg in psychology! We reconnected 7 years later on match.com and yes, it really works!
Greg: Greg: Our very first class of college at THE Ohio State University in Psychology class. We didn’t reconnect until later, but crazy to think back that the cute blonde girl that sat behind me that quarter would some day be my wife.

Tell us about your proposal!
Marisa: I planned a date for us to make wine at Camelot Cellars in the Short North. I was rather grumpy after a bad day at work but we went to make the wine anyway. After sampling a few wines, the server asked if we wanted a bottle to share. She set the bottle down and I stared it for what seemed like an eternity! The bottle read “Marisa, will you marry me?” I was immediately flooded with emotions and of course said, “yes!” Our families helped us celebrate that weekend!
Greg: ! I wanted to do something creative and incorporate Wine (which she loves) so I decided to customize a wine label that would ask her to marry me. For our anniversary, she bought us this wine making experience at Camelot Cellars in the short north which she planned by herself and we had a date set to do that September 28th. I decided to flip the script and jump in on her planned event and ask her to marry me there. The day of comes and she was in a terrible mood from challenges at work and such. (I didn’t think we were even going to go) This made me extremely nervous and it was one of the longest car rides down there ever! Earlier that week I dropped off the wine label in preparation for Friday. When Marisa and I casually decided to order a bottle of wine to complement our wine making experience, that was the bottle they were going to slap the label on and bring out. The bottles comes out to me first and I check it to make sure all is well and set the bottle down in front of her………..and its all history. She said yes and went through many stages of crying, shock, excitement and joy!

What’s your favorite thing about your significant other?

Marisa: I love everything about Greg but I especially love how caring and thoughtful he is. He always thinks of others and makes me feel so special. I also love his kisses!
Greg: Her caring nature and her smile.

What makes you guys unique?

Marisa: We are very playful and love to travel and experience new things!
Greg: I think its unique how much we are alike, we would do anything for our family and friends.

How did you find Crystal Jo?

Through recommendations by Greg’s friends. Thanks, Margaux and Ellen!

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Marisa and Greg, thank you so very much for thinking of my little girl and getting her a gift.  Very sweet of you!  XO!