The Wilkowski’s. Family.
Still very much in love after many, many years of marriage. They planned this session in their backyard with their three children and their families. Their two sons (and family) traveling in from out of state to meet little Mack, the newest member of the family.
Welcome to the world, Mack.
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Hi, pretty girl. How are you today? 
The happy Wilkowski’s. When discussing what everyone was going to wear, someone joked, PINK. The joke became reality.
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Precious!
What makes a little girl smile from ear to ear? CUPCAKES!
So in love.
This makes me want two little princesses!
Weeeeeeee. Sometimes you have to do whatever you can to distract the children from breakdowns. It worked. Seconds later they were happy as can be.
Rea is feeding her little cousin a cupcake. I love how she has her mouth open trying to show her how to eat it.
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Thank you for a fun afternoon, Wilkowski’s. You were such a pleasure to be with. I’m sure the wine and laughter made for an awesome family filled weekend!
The Southworth Family.
They were cute and fun and up for whatever shenanigans I threw their way. The kinda folks I like! 
You can’t look at this without smiling!
Gavin and Jake. Handsome fellas. I love Gavin’s little beauty mark above his lip and Jake’s big dimple on his cheek. They were a true joy.
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I just love this. Just peaceful.
And then fun.
Cheryl, you rock! Only cool moms wanna jump and have fun with their kids. Rock on, momma!
Possible Christmas card?
Boys will be boys. And they will love their momma.
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Cheryl works out at That Gym on Grandview. Doesn’t she look FAB?! Uh HUH!
The boys had a quick outfit change into some lederhosen. The beer was just a prop. Don’t worry, they didn’t drink it. Oh, and Gavin put his hair in pigtails.
We walked past a cute little cottage with these boots on the front stoop. It inspired me to think outside of the box…err, boot. It made me wanna run home and pull out my green thumb and some red boots. Ah, who am I kidding?! I haven’t planted a seed since Pixie.
Thank you for a great Friday evening, Southworth’s.
Delaney. 9 Months Big.
Check out all of those vintage frames in the background. Mommy and Daddy have been antiquing for months for these. They may just make an appearance at this little girls first birthday party.
Love her little painted piggies that are so far from the ground. This is such a tiny table, too. Mommy found it on the side of the road and painted it. The picnic set came from the Irish Festival. I love it when people put so much thought into a shoot. Thanks Kim!
Tea, anyone? Ha, look how she is holding the teacup. So cute!
This is a vintage carriage that sits near her grandmothers fireplace. And a family dress that has been passed down for generations.
Big girl in her flannel.
She LOVES grass.
Look how cute her nursery is. Lucky girl!
This little girl makes me VERY happy! And she always dresses to the nines!
Pixie came to play!
Houston. Newborn.
A fresh little baby boy.
Houston Russell Sanders III. Born August 7, 2011 at 4:26 PM. 8 pounds, 7 ounces, 20.5 inches.
He was awake for the majority of the session. Little booger.
Grandma was THE baby whisperer. She’d pick him up in whatever we’d put him in. Baskets, wagons, scales, whatever. Swoop him right up and sing lullaby’s in his little ears. Just precious.
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Daww! So precious!
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God Bless America. And this adorable little American boy.
They plan on bringing this HUGE bear to all of Houston’s shoots. Watch him grow.
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Proud parents.
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Aww, Ana and I with the little guy. It was Houston’s (the daddy) idea to pose by the Jo Foto mobile. I LIKE IT.
Chanden. 6 Months Big.
His momma wanted photos in an ice cream parlor. We found a nearby frozen yogurt place with some really bright walls and cool furniture. Orange Leaf, thanks for providing us with yummy yogurt and a cool back drop.
Isn’t he SO ADORABLE?!
I just love his baby blues!
And his long piggies.
Yum, yum, yummy!
Such a happy little fella.
Wat iz yer faboret flaver? Kewd it bee cake batter or coffee lover?
While trying to take a family photograph and get Chanden’s attention, I started shaking the sprinkle container. The lid popped off and hundreds of little bright sugar balls went EVERYWHERE. The reaction…. (ha, Chanden is like, UHHHH, REALLY!)
But it made for a cute picture!
He’s SO loved!
Love his crazy hair.
Shew. The sugar rush is gone.
Or…maybe it’s not. Hehehe.
North, South, East, West…Pixie can tell you which way is best.
She says Saugatuck, Michigan is the place to be! We shall see…
And, seriously, how could you resist those eyes?!
We stayed in the CUTEST little cottage right on the Kalamazoo River. Peterson Mill. An old flour mill. So much character!
Look at her little ballet slippers from Aunt Sherry. Love.
Okay. Let’s just say we were NOT the smartest bunch of beach goers. The first day, we decided to ride our bikes to the beach. We packed the backpack with all of the beach necessities…towels, books, suits and sunscreen. Ya know, what you would normally do if YOU DIDN”T HAVE AN 8 MONTH OLD.
When we got there, we realized two things…
1.) A baby needs shade.
2.) There is no shade at the beach.
We tried VERY hard to create our own little shady nook. First, we tried to camp out as close as we could to the handicap sign near the parking lot. It was casting a shade big enough for Pix’s little body. Ten minutes later, the sun moved and the shade dwindled. DUH. So, we put our bikes in the sand and created a tent with our beach towels. Ten minutes later, the sun moved and the shade dwindled. OH MAN. Yes, we broke down and rented the umbrella from the overpriced concession stand. The joy of the umbrella lasted all of an hour. The strong winds lifted the umbrella and it flew 20 feet behind us and landed IN a carseat where a 3 month old baby had been laying just minutes before. LUCKILY, that family just walked down by the water. It scared us to the point of packing up and heading home to much safer, less windy, shadier location. The next day we bought an umbrella anchor and DROVE to the beach with a trunk full of DIFFERENT beach necessities. The kind appropriate for an 8 month old. Oh, parenthood. How we learn.
Day One…
Day Two….(big difference)
Pixie is not so sure about the sand. She kept face planting into it. Silly girl.
(Shanks fer my onezee, Light Girl.)
Mommy and Daddy love each other.
And our little family.
These were sand dunes that went on for miles. There were lots of brave souls that were riding the dunes in jeeps, four wheelers, and other vehicles that were somehow concocted into a sand buggy. It was kinda crazy watching them. I’d cringe when they headed over the big hills going 30mph. Children were sledding down the sand on what looked like skateboards and snow sleds. Something I never expected to see in Michigan. 
Feeding my girl on top of the dune. A memory I will hold close to my heart forever. So peaceful and beautiful.
Feeding the ducks. The mill owners had duck food for us to use. These ducks would come around everyday waiting for Pix to feed them. 
Douglas Beach. A small public beach that felt very private.
The most kissable cheeks in the world, right here. 
We did LOTS of relaxing. It was so tranquil sitting out by the mill along the stream.
Fenn Valley Winery. 
And a sunset cruise on the Kalamazoo and into Lake Michigan. It was BEAUTIFUL!
We match with our jeggings on!
Every night we would take a stroll along the water. The town of Saugatuck had a fun nightlife. Jason and I enjoyed the music and laughter from the sidewalks. Pix enjoyed her zzzz’s in the stroller.
Jason posing like the bear. Funny boy.
Pix got this Barbie kite for Easter from Gramia. She was SO excited to fly a kite. She talked about it all morning. 
And it was about the windiest day EVER. Which is why Pix is wearing long pants! Needless to say, the Barbie kite didn’t make it home.
On the way back to Ohio, we made a quick stop in St. Joseph, Michigan so Pixie could visit the infamous carousel.
She loved it!
Check out the stork with the hanging baby. 
We love you old Peterson Mill. We’ll miss you everyday! We made some unforgettable memories here. Until next time.
If you would like to see a slideshow of our vacation, click HERE. There’s lots of really cute videos of Pixie Pie.
Jessica and Kyle. Engaged.
It’s such a small world. These two, they were a referral from the fabulous Menchen wedding I shot a couple of years ago. (Thanks Kristen and Rik!) Then they came over to check out wedding albums and saw Lauren Boley (a past bride) and realized they went to school together. Such a small world.
Eskimo your nose real close. Cute kids.
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Happy. And in love.
I may have been saying some really inappropriate things here. Hey, it worked.
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The Japanese Gardens. BEAUTIFUL. REALLY. This is such a serene area artistically created with rocks, sand, hills, ponds, flowing water, trees and shrubs.
A stepping stone path across the reflecting pool. Check out that reflection on the still water. LOVE. 
Tall tree. Shorter tree. Tall guy. Shorter girl. PERFECT.
UM, YES, PLEASE.
Okay, so where are we? Dawes Arboretum.
I got to Newark a bit early to do some photo scouting because it’s been a few years since I’ve shot here. I stumble upon the 2,040-foot-long Hedge Lettering, spelling out “Dawes Arboretum.” Well…I see these large letters and I think, hmm, they will soon be “The Blossers”. Wouldn’t it be super cool to put them in the “B” and photograph them from the outlook tower. Yeah. Until I realized a “B” is a seamless letter so they had to TREK THROUGH THOSE THICK BUSHES to get into the center of the “B”. They were TOTALLY up for anything. Okay, you guys get in the B, I’ll go to the top of the tower and call your cell and let you know where to go and what to do. Sounds clever, right? Yeah, until I drive to the tower and climb to the top and look down. And I see this…
Um, you most definitely cannot make out the letter “B”. And they look like ants on a football field. It’s all good. It’s the thought that counts, right?
This place couldn’t be more AWESOME for the perfect backdrop. Swoon. And kiss. Look at that killer sky!
Dude, these guys ROCK. Bug filled, wet field and they were STILL up for laying in it! I love it when people will do ANYTHING to get a great photo.
I just love this. Their legs intertwined like the tree roots. Awesome.
HUGE Reds fans. They travel to a few games a year.
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Congrats on your engagement, Jessica and Kyle. I’m looking forward to your June wedding. Now Jess, go practice your throw so your bouquet toss is a hit out of the park! 🙂
And, I still have no idea how to pronounce “Arboretum”, mmmkkk!
Lara & Jeremy. Meant to be. Since elementary school!
Married. Happy. Together. Forever.
It couldn’t have been a more special day.
I love both of these images SO much! Look at the littles. You’ll see them in both photographs. 🙂
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Time to get ready!
Jeremy. The HANDSOME groom. (Great job with these Ana!)
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And some pretty PRETTY detail shots from Tasha.
Walking down the hill for her first look. Jeremy was waiting on the bridge behind her mother’s house.
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I love First Looks! They make the wedding day so much smoother. We got done with ALL of the pictures before the ceremony. And they got to see each other for the very first time on this special bridge in the backyard of the home where Lara grew up. 
Jeremy is one of those guys, you know, that knows how to make a girl feel special. He loves her very much. And it’s VERY OBVIOUS.
Pretty flowers by Flowers on Orchard Lane
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One of my favorite things about Lara…the joy she brings to everyone around her. She’s just a BEAUTIFUL person.
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Jeremy clearly knows how to make Lara just MELT. 
And giggle.
And dip.
Lara’s mother. Her hat made me think we were at the Royal Wedding. Love it!
Carpe Diem. Sieze the day. Rather appropriate for this day, huh?!
Um, this is AWESOME. You guys are SO perfect for each other. 
A little Yuengling. Anyone and everyone. Time to celebrate!
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Love the purple.
This bridal party was LOADS OF FUN! Yayyyyy!
Love the party in the back!
Uh huh. Fab-you-lus-ness!
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Handsome fellas.
He was flirting with Tasha BIG time.
Jeremy, you ROCK!
Goin’ to the chapel. Gonna get married! (This was Lara’s fathers car.)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Love never fails. (I love this, Light Girl!)
Her brother walked her down the aisle. Very touching.
Lord of Life Lutheran in Dublin.
It’s OFFICIAL!
Lara. I love your braid. I still can’t believe you did your own hair!
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The reception was at St. Charles High School in the Walters Commons. It was AWESOME!
This is probably my FAVE from the day! I love the reflection on the cool floor.
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The cake was a replica of Lara’s wedding gown. Cake by Jan Kish. Cookies by Jeremy’s momma.
This makes me giggle big time. The bridesmaids waiting for the grand entrance into the reception. They look like the children watching the rain in “The Cat in the Hat”. They want to come out and play!
The GRAND entrance.
Speeches from LOTS of siblings.
Love, love, love! (Geek speak…new lens…Canon 135L shot by the lovely Light Girl herself. Uh HUH.)
The Sabering of the champagne bottle.
A unique and enthusiastic way of opening a bottle of champagne, called “the art of sabering.” Jan Kish (cake designer) opens the bottle of champagne by slicing off the top of the bottle with a long saber and toasts the bride and groom. WOW! (Awesome shot, Tash!)
Let’s get this PARTY STARTED!
5 Hour Energy + Champagne = Shirts flying off on the dance floor
See the purple lights. Attention to detail.
Here we are with the lovely bride and groom. Aww. Fun!
Some behind the scenes….
Thanks for all of your help with the sameday slideshow, h-band. I love you bunches!
Gettin’ jiggy wit it.
Rock it out, ladies. You guys were SUCH a HUGE part of making this day successful. I can’t thank you enough. For the fun. The photos. And for knocking over my light stand for the umpteenth time, ha. I play. I play.
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Um, I thought I had TWO assistants today?!
Y’all musta been off somewhere playing!
Lara & Jeremy ,
Thank you SO VERY MUCH for trusting us with your wedding photography. I know this is such a special day for you both. We were VERY honored to be there and everyone made us feel so welcome. Thank you for making us feel like we are the best of the best. We adore you SO. Good luck in your future journey. Together. Forever. Big BIG hugs to you and all of your lovely family.
Vendors…
Reception and Ceremony Site – Lord of Lutheran Church and St Charles Preparatory – The Walter Commons
Video – Family Video Treasurer
Caterer – Berwick Manor
Cake – Jan Kish
Flowers – Flowers on Orchard Lane
DJ/Band – Tommy Nutter
Ceremony Music – Mr. David Parkes- Singer, Mr. David Robinson- organ
Hair and Make up – Waldo’s on High (Short North)
Wedding Planner – JLauren Events
Invitations – Peabody Papers (Grandview)
Jewelry – Bridal & Formal (Cincinnati)
Rehearsal dinner – Brio
Wedding gown designer- Monique Lhuillier
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The JAMS…
processional – Pachabel Canon in D / Bridal March (Jonathan Cain Version)
grand entrance – Black and Yellow by Wiz Khalifa
first dance – Making Memories of Us by Keith Urban
cake cutting – The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson
mother/son – What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
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Fun questions…
What was the most memorable moment of your day?
Bride – Seeing each other for the first time on the bridge! 🙂
Groom – Definitely seeing each other for the first time. I always knew Lara to be beautiful, but she truly looked like a princess that day!
What was your favorite detail?
Bride – Wearing that DRESS!!!
Groom – The song Lara walked down the aisle to. It was perfect.
Any advice for future bride/grooms?
Bride – Try to avoid sitting near the buffet…everyone walking by stops to say “congratulations”
Groom – Other than hire Crystal Jo, I would say make sure you take a moment that day just for the two of you. Take a step back and breathe in everything you spent so much time putting together.
If you could do it all over, would you change anything?
Lara – Nope. It was AWESOME!!!
Jeremy – I agree, it was perfect. So amazing.
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Both – Montego Bay, Jamaica – Secrets Wild Orchid & it was AMAZING!!!
How was your experience with Crystal Jo Foto?
Bride – Crystal was by far our favorite & most important vendor! I would recommend her to anyone and everyone!!! She made the day so easy & comfortable…as she did for our engagement shoot!! Crystal is the BEST & we are so happy we chose her!!!
Groom – Ditto that. She was amazing and did an extraordinary job with not only us, but the bridal party.
Wanna see more? Click HERE to see the video slideshow. WEeeeeeeeeee!
Aubsfest.
Aubrey’s First Birthday Party.
I love the theme. 1st Annual Aubsfest. How genius! Daddy created this logo himself. LOVE!
Cutest tutu EVER!
Goin’ fishin’.
A cold beverage in a cool pool. Now this is the life.
Aubrey playing with her big sister.
Candy table!
Hello, beautiful baby. Can I hold you all day?
Gotta love the sucker in her mouth.
Isn’t this cake adorable?! Momma whipped it up at the last minute. With a quick stop at the local Walmart.
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Fun had by all.
From sad…
to happy. With the taste of sugar! Ha. Look at her hair!
Gotta love a smash cake!
Time to get all of that pink frosting out from those earlobes and pretty curls. Baby bath time is always FUN!
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I love this so much. When I was taking this shot, I just kept thinking about when I dress my daughter. She loves it. She just looks up at me and smiles really big. Little moments that will be cherished forever. And…captured right here…
Baby Toms. You have to be kidding me!
A is for Aubrey. B is for Book.
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Aubs and her new ride.
Happy 1st Birthday, Aubrey. To many, many more happy ones!
Ella’s Lemonade Stand.
She REALLY is AAAAADORRRRRABLE! I can’t even stand how cute these are!
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Look at the middle one…awesome!
Here. I’ll make it a little bigger so you can see how fabulous this is…
Made by Ella!
Love these!
Haha, she wanted to use ALL the straws! Look at those painted toezers!
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