This ridiculously cute couple is one of my 2020 wedding couples and I couldn't be more excited! They were so sweet and fun as we explored some downtown alleys and played in a tall grassy field. I'm looking forward to photographing them again next June!! 

This session is extra special friends <3 Austin is my husband's cousin, and I am so excited for him and Jocelyn as they prepare for their wedding next year! I was so happy when they invited us down to visit them at their home in German Village. It is so nice to get out of little old Lima and explore. I literally walked one block from their porch and was like "we could do the whole session right here" lol. We didn't, we did walk around a bit, but boooooyyyyy was it hot and humid, we were all dripping (well except Jocelyn, she was perfect) so we opted to not walk all the way to the park as planned. But honestly we didn't need to, German Village is AMAZING <3 

A little backstory to the lightbulb image above; about two years ago Jocelyn had given Austin the lightbulb jar as a random gift and told him he could write all his brilliant ideas down on the scroll inside.  He was thinking about how he knew he wanted to marry her one day, so he decided to write it down and see how it felt..  he kept it in his drawer for the next two years. This past February they we were listening to "Harvest Moon" in their kitchen with their cats while drinking wine and he pulled the light bulb out. He explained to her how he’s always known. When she opened the lightbulb to see what it said inside, he got down on one knee with the ring.

OH. MY. GOSH!! Isn't that the sweetest story!!!! <3 <3 I am such a sucker for good love stories.

Let me introduce one of my 2020 couples!!! Kirstin and Zach hung out with me last month and have been super patient rock stars allowing my current weddings to cut the "Blog line" :) I tell you these two... once we got past that first weird 15-20 minutes, and when I say weird, it's not them being weird, it just takes some time to get used to snuggling and kissing in front of the camera on random public streets. Anyway once we got past that, these two were snuggling pros! Excited to see them tie the knot next June! 

These high school sweethearts were sent to me by Ruby's cousin (THANKS Shea!!) They traveled down to me from Toledo and boy did we have fun! I love how they laugh together, act goofy together, make random silly faces, and are just dang cute <3 They were seriously down for anything and even followed me into a field of waist high grass as I was having minor panic attacks lol. I didn't used to be this way but it felt the same as when I am in water that I can't see my feet in! I think if I had worn more than shorts and flip flops it may have been different, but every step and every time my bag rustled the grass behind me I thought I was about to be eaten lol. I am so excited for this couple to get married this October! It's going to be such a fun time <3 

Have I mentioned that I love my job??? Dakota & Marcus are another one of my sweet and amazing bridal couples. They invited me up to Wildwood for their session and I was super excited since I had just photographed a wedding there a couple of months prior. Listen, this is a beautiful park, but the love these two have and how sweet they are to each other was all we needed for their awesome session <3 I can't wait for July to join them for their big day!! 

Y'all!!!! I am getting so excited for this wedding season that is coming up! We are only about a month out from my first wedding related photography and I am itching to get back at it! 

This is Kylie & Ryan one of my August couples for this year. Guys they are seriously the sweetest! We were struggling to find some fall color for their session. I swear the fall colors have been so unpredictable these last couple years. Thankfully Kylie had spotted some amazing reds while on a walk at Heritage park earlier that week! So we started downtown and then rushed over to the park to catch the sun kissing the tops of the trees. I had so much fun with these two and I can't wait to capture more of their sweetness on their wedding day <3 

Who's cold??? Silly question right? Ohmergersh it is ridiculous out there. I am currently cuddled under my heated blanket at my desk longing for the warmth we had during this October session. Yes, they have had their pictures for a long time :) I've just been backed up on the blog end... sorry guys!!

​I cannot tell you enough how FUN this couple is!!!! I was laughing the whole time! Veronica can go from a stunning serious model look to hilarious silly faces in 1 second flat! These two flow together so naturally you would think I hired some models for a styled shoot. Loved every second of their session and literally cannot wait till their wedding this fall!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 

Kelsey & Clark are another Captured by Lydia Wedding couple that I got to hang out with this past fall. They wanted to visit their old college stomping grounds for the engagement session and I was 100% down, I LOVE when couples have a story behind the location. We definitely picked a cold and WINDY day but the sun decided to come out to play towards the end of the session...and I always tell my couples that the cold makes engagement sessions easier because it makes cuddling all that more enjoyable. These two were so sweet and I can't wait for their Nazareth Hall wedding in August! <3 

What better place for an engagement session than the place you are going to get married at a year later? I met Kaytlynn, Wyatt, & their sweet pups out at Lincoln Ridge Farms, where their ceremony will be held in the chapel. I had so much fun exploring, chatting, and laughing with these two. I can't wait to watch them tie the knot this year! 

I'm so excited to photograph Jessica + Jeff's wedding in a little over a month! We met up for their engagement session a few weeks back and their little guy joined us for the first part of the session....Oh. My. Gosh folks...I could eat that little boy up he is so dang cuuuute!! 

Jessica + Jeff were a dream to photograph and Jeff even had the opportunity to save my life....ok not really, but he did help my dumb self out tremendously!!! When we got out to the field part of the session the bugs were BAD. Like eating my face off bad. So I said, "hey guys hold on just two seconds while I spray this bug spray on...especially around my head area because they are really biting my face" Well this spray was a pump, not an aerosol, and it didn't come out right away. Have no fear though, it did come out..right into my EYES when my seriously dumb self pointed it at my face to see why it wasn't working (SMH...WOW, just WOW) which is why you should never point things at your face as my 7 year old pointed out to me as I reported the evening events to my husband when I got home. Immediately my eyes felt like there was molten lava under my eyelids. Jeff ran to my rescue by retrieving water out of his vehicle which he handed to me and quickly realized he would have to assist me while I held my eyes open and he poured it all over my face bahahaha…. Oh I can only imagine what they were thinking and probably said to each other after the session was over lol. Anyway I recovered quickly, because we were losing the best light and the show must go on!! I continued on in my wet t-shirt and with black eyeliner smeared all over my face.... I'm glad I can laugh at myself and share this lovely story with you all. Thank you Jessica & Jeff for having my back and continuing on after my traumatic event bahahah. I think I will stay away from any sprays on your wedding day...maybe I should invest in one of those deodorant stick looking repellents! 

Oh Spring I thought you would never get here....but I am so glad you were late!!! This session is seriously the only reason I would ever utter that statement. I don't think that I have had an engagement session line up with flowering trees before, I AM IN LOVE!!!!!

I wish Mother Nature was more predictable because I would be packing my schedule full during the couple of weeks that we get to witness this beauty! I have photographic proof in my phone that spring was almost a whole month late this year, but if she would have shown up in April like she did last year we would have totally miss out on these jaw dropping beautiful images of my friend Deena and her soon to be husband Don. I am excited to show them off and even more excited that they have selected me to be their wedding photographer this August!! Love you guys and this session <3 

These lovebirds are going to be getting married in St. Pete Beach, Florida this April and I know it is going to be absolutely gorgeous!  I had a wonderful time with these two and I am in LOVE with the intimate moments we were able to capture, I love when a couple can let their guard down and kind of forget I'm there for a second :)  

 Adriana + Matt
 
Ada Ohio
Together: August 10, 2012 
Engaged: October 19, 2014
Wedding date: April 14, 2017

Adriana 
Hometown: Woodland CA
Favorite food: anything Mexican/Italian 
Described by Matt: beautiful, intelligent, hard headed hahahaha. 

Matt 
Hometown: Ada, OH 
Favorite food: Pizza/Mexican 
Described by Adriana: Hard working, stubborn, life of the party, beyond amazing. 

How did you meet:
Have been friends for many years but decided to take a chance
with our feelings and ran with it. Best decision we ever made. 

How did he pop the question:
He asked me at a pumpkin patch. It was our first time going together
​and it was even more special because we had our son Maverick with us.

Eric, Abby, and Ashtyn came to visit me for a family/e-session combo! We decided on the Ottawa Metro Park for our location. They have a neat pine tree area and lots of tall flowy grass (my favorite!) When we arrived at our location Miss Ashtyn was taking a nap in the car...I get it girl, I love car naps!! We decided to let sleeping beauty get a few more zzzz's in the car with Grandma & Grandpa while Mommy & Daddy started their part of the session. Ashtyn joined us after about 15 minutes and she is cute as a button! However....this cutie pie wanted nothing to do with the crazy lady behind the camera. That little stinker would wave at anybody that walked by, but wouldn't even glance my way!! She was killing me lol. Regardless, I had fun trying to convince her I wasn't that bad, and we got several beautiful shots! Eric & Abby thank you for sharing your sweet family with me and I hope your destination wedding is as beautiful as you ♥ 

Love is in the air friends! I have another stellar engagement session to share with y'all.  Mallory and Jacob are going to be getting married June 2017 at Nazareth Hall in Grand Rapids, Ohio and I can't wait! When Mallory suggested doing the engagement session at the Toledo Botanical Gardens I was so excited! I had never been there before, but...I mean it's the botanical gardens...how could we go wrong?? AND it did not disappoint! Oh how I wish I lived closer to that location. The light fluttering through the trees was absolutely dreamy, and all the paths and nooks and crannies gave me an endless supply of opportunities. In fact it was so vast it was slightly overwhelming at first. I am thrilled with how these turned out. You can see how much fun we had in these pictures. Jacob is a complete crack up. And on a side note, I'd like to take a moment to express how difficult it is to say the name Jacob, since I am married to one but he goes by Jake...seriously the struggle is real lol. Here are just a few from their session, if you'd like to see more check out their slideshow.

I just need to comment on this one ^^ ha ha... sometimes I will ask clients to make funny faces at each other...it's not so much that I want that funny face, I want the laugh after....but Jacob can hold a face for a ridiculously long time bahahaha. I just love this picture...

In this one they are losing it because of my creeper voice...If you have ever been my client, you probably know what I'm talking about...if you haven't been my client...well you'll just have to book me to find out :) 

Last one of the Mallory + Jacob "pop up addition" ;) This little lady was creepin' on our session and after we walked away was going absolutely nuts splashing and jumping in the creek with a duck. She looked a little crazy...I was slightly concerned that she would come running out of the grass and bulldoze us... she didn't...we are fine :) 

These two are already my friends...so of course we were going to have fun, and this session did not disappoint! Roger is an officer for the Lima Police Department, and I love that they wanted to include that in their images. You can only see bits of Sami's shirt but it says "I am the ♥ behind this blue line" ughhh they are so cute. After our downtown session we headed out to the park to catch the sunset and the images there are breathtaking. The tall grass was swaying in the breeze with the slightest hint of purple on the tops...it was dreamy. All I know is I was doing happy dances around my office (aka kitchen) during the editing of their session ♥ I am stupid excited to see what we can do in the beautiful Hocking Hills for their intimate wedding on the waterfront of Old Man Cave..EEEEEEEE!!!!

Here are a few of the highlights from their session...if you want to see them all check out their slideshow

What a fun session! We drove out to a farm that Neil works. We squished into a gator and started exploring the wooded area. I always love going to new places :) We tromped through the mud, and I waded into water half way up my shins in  a creek, or crick if you prefer ;) I had my rain boots on and I nearly lost one in the mud.  I also discovered a tiny leak in my left boot while I was trying to escape. But the fearless photog that I am, I braved the elements and went in for a second time to capture the reflection image. BTW I love how the yellow leaf in the middle kinda looks like a heart <3 After that, we stomped through some tall grass to a location only to discover MANY blackberry canes that poked me in the tush every time I bent over to take a photo! OUCH!! Through the entire session this couple  was often laughing in the pictures and at one point Neil snapped a flower off and presented it to Jen. I love when clients can be themselves with me and give me so many candid moments to capture! This couple was a joy and and the pain was worth it. Congrats on your engagement! I wish you many years of happiness!! 

What an adorable couple! Bobbi contacted me about doing their photos and told me her future sister in law, Michelle, had referred them.  Turns out I went to school with her sister in law and even photographed her wedding a few years ago (no I don’t do weddings…yet. This was long before I ever considered having a business and would just help out friends and family) I have to admit though that I didn't realize Michelle even had a brother… SORRY Matthew I’m a little too *cough* old to have met you in school.

From the get go I explained that this is to be fun and natural with a few posed shots, but mainly wanted it to look like I wasn't even there. I told Matthew to whisper sweet nothings, or funny stories about farts, as long as they were smiling and laughing. He was a pro and did just that. Sometimes it can be super hard to keep kissing and kissing and kissing… in front of someone you don’t know well, but they did great!! Right at the end of the session we ran into a little kitty that decided he wanted to be friends. Bobbi who adores kitties was right at home with the little guy but Matthew and I felt differently. Don’t get me wrong folks I don’t wish harm on animals but I am allergic to anything with fur and this little guy thought he should be in the remaining pictures. I had to pose Matthew and Bobbi, then pick up the kitty drop him off half way across the yard, sprint back and try to snap the picture. Thankfully we were pretty much done so the shoot was a success even with the kitty photo bombs.  I absolutely adore their session.  Congratulations on your engagement you two! May you have many years of wedded bliss <3