Within the past week or so I have had a huge amount of engagement sessions, all amazing in their own way.  I LOVE doing engagement sessions.  It gives me a chance to be a bit more creative and play with light.  It also gives me a chance to really get to know my clients and I feel that is so important before their big day.  By the time their weddings roll around, we are old friends and it’s a blast hanging out with each other all day.  That is why I offer engagement sessions in all of my packages as a complimentary thing.  It’s always in everyone’s best interest to have one done.  I think this post proves why!  I am lucky to always have such an outstanding group of clients, they are always so beautiful on and inside and out!

I wanted to throw a quick few photos up tonight because I absolutely adore them.  Spring is my favorite season of the year and this is why.  All of the gorgeous blooming trees and shrubs (not to mention the PERFECT weather!).   I’m still working on editing this session, but so far, it’s pretty amazing.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve blogged (sorry!) but since I am getting ready to kick back into full swing wedding season in about a month  I thought it would be a good time to post a few of the recent engagement sessions I have shot.  I’ve been pretty busy with newborns and engagements and children to hold over my wedding season fever.  The cold doesn’t stop anyone and it doesn’t stop me from taking beautiful photos!  Though, sometimes I feel like my fingers may just fall off.  All of these 3 sessions were shot at the same location which happens to be one of my favorites.  So, I thought they’d fit well together in a blog post.  Why not, right?

I have some pretty exciting weddings coming up this year including one on the beautiful beaches of Negril, Jamaica!  I absolutely cannot wait and I LOVE LOVE LOVE shooting destination weddings.  I also have a pretty awesome shoot I am working on putting together.  It’s not wedding related, but I still can’t wait to do it and it should be beautiful.  It’s an idea I’ve had for a while, so I can’t wait to put it together and do it!  Keep an eye out for what is to come this year!

One more thing, I wanted to point out that I have added PIN IT buttons to my blog as well as a link to my pinterest board up on the left side of my blog.  Feel free to pin my images.  Brides, I LOVE pinning wedding ideas so feel free to follow my board as well and get some great ideas for your weddings.  I warn you, it’s addicting!

Every year I have made it customary to do more than one “Best of” post.  I photograph so many people and so many types of events that I don’t feel like it’s right to lump it all in together.  2010 was an amazing year and I thought it couldn’t be beat, but I was wrong.  2011 somehow got even better and the people I met and experiences I had were some that I never dreamed I would have, especially living in Iowa.  I want to thank each and every one of you who have touched my life in some way over the last year.  May 2012 exceed my expectations once again!

With that, here are the best of 2011 engagement sessions.  As usual, it was very hard to pick favorites.  I’m learning by looking at these that I tend to love the up close and tender moments between couples the most.

I don’t normally make 2 blog posts in one day, but now that wedding season is over I am going to catch up on all of the engagement sessions I never got a chance to post.  So first up is Allison & Adam.  They were so much fun to work with, I can’t wait for their wedding!