Tory + Stephanie

A few weeks ago, I got to be part of something that I never imagined I'd ever witness: a SURPRISE wedding. Yep, you read that correctly. Tory, with the help of friends and family, planned a proposal AND wedding for Stephanie... without her knowing. Early in the morning, my fiancée Liz and I were camping out in front of a white gazebo overlooking the Schukylkill River in Philadelphia. We waited for Tory + Stephanie to come at 11AM, when Tory was scheduled to propose to her. I honestly think I was more nervous for his proposal than I was for mine! They appeared a few minutes after 11 and Tory dropped to one knee and asked for Stephanie's hand. Of course she said yes! But Tory had much more planned. He walked over to the end of the gazebo, where family and friends were down below. He explained that he had a second ring for her and pointed toward the river. They would be getting married at 1PM! She was shocked, excited, and in a daze. The photos below show it. Her mother had picked out three dresses and three pairs of shoes for her to choose from. I tucked myself inside the restaurant's tiny women's bathroom with Tory, her mother and a handful of friends as they helped her make her selections and get ready for her wedding. One of the most wonderful stories to come from the day was learning that Stephanie's grandfather had been able to be there to marry them. Stephanie was so overjoyed to see him and to have him share this remarkable moment with her. I took Tory + Stephanie for a short walk to take some portraits and Tory shared stories of how the plan was almost ruined. When they arrived, the valet asked "are you here for the wedding?" and Tory quickly hushed him. Stephanie had admitted that she wasn't interested in the idea of planning a wedding, but had a strong desire to just be married! I asked Tory if there was even a sliver of worry in his mind and he quickly said zero. What a day to be a part of and definitely a moment I will never ever forget. It was such a blessing to see this plan work flawlessly and to share it with their families. I can easily admit that I've never seen smiles so big in my entire life. -Jeff


 


Kyle + Danielle

I am so happy to be sharing the beautiful, windy engagement photos of Kyle + Danielle. It was so wonderful getting to meet them and their little dog last week. Both Kyle + Danielle were great in front of the camera and I'm already super excited about their wedding next October. It's going to be awesome! -Brooke

Kyle + Carley

When Carley e-mailed me about the possibility of photographing her engagement photos on her family's farm, I was thrilled! Some of the words used were meadow, overgrown creek and nice big trees. I was sold. Pennsylvania had just been hit hard with a four day rain storm and we were getting worried about the shoot not happening. Magically, the rain stopped and the sun bursted through the gray clouds that kept us all gloomy for days. After some time in the soy bean field, we put on some boots and trekked through the creek to visit some of the beautiful trees. We couldn't stop laughing as the rubber boots proved to be no match for the height of the water. Kyle saved the day and carried Carley through, her knight in shining armor! Afterwards sharing some warm cider, we took a short drive and walked through a peach tree farm that luckily had the sunset peaking from behind. As we headed back to the farm, we shared excitement about celebrating their wedding next Spring! I absolutely cannot wait to photograph it. -Jeff

 

Kevin + Elizabeth

Kevin + Elizabeth tied the knot in Elizabeth's Aunt's backyard on a beautiful September evening. Both Kevin + Elizabeth had been living in South Africa up until the week of their wedding. It was really cool to see their families pull together and put together a beautiful wedding for the lovely couple. I had to laugh when I ran downstairs to grab Elizabeth's flowers just before their first look and upon handing the bouquet to Elizabeth she said, "Oh wow! These are beautiful. I had no idea what they were going to look like, everything is a surprise!" I also loved how Elizabeth wore her beaded ankle cuffs under her dress as a little tribute to South Africa!

Enjoy some of my favorite images! -Brooke


Jordan + Katie

Jordan + Katie have been dating since Middle School! How cool is that? I just love hearing stories like that. The three of us walked around some of my favorite places in town and just shared stories about life and relationships. They drove from over two hours away and I was so honored to hear that. The fact that people will drive from long distances to allow me to photograph them is amazing! It was a pure joy to hang out and get to know Jordan + Katie and I'm so excited to be at their wedding in Gettysburg next year! -Jeff

Geoff + Alysia

Geoff + Alysia recently bought a house in Lancaster City, so they thought it would be the perfect place for their engagement photos. I couldn't have agreed more! We took a walk behind the Fulton Theater, around Central Market and then found ourselves on top of the Prince Street garage! The sun had just started to set, which made for some great light. It was so much fun to spend a beautiful fall evening with them. Here are some of my favorites from our session! -Liz

Joe + Emily

I met Joe + Emily through Emily's mom Lisa, who just so happened to be my favorite fifth grade teacher! When Emily contacted me I knew we would get along so well. Joe + Emily are lots of fun and their chemistry is undeniable. That makes my job super easy! We met at Lisa's house and explored the fields that surrounded it. I had a blast talking about their wedding plans and I am really looking forward to being a part of their big day next September! -Liz

Anthony + Mandy

Anthony + Mandy wanted to throw a party to celebrate their love and thankfulness for having two great families. During the reception, both spoke to every guest and sincerely thanked them for being a part of their day. They were thinking beyond their day being just a wedding and more like a celebration of life. Photographing portraits on the historic battlefields of Gettysburg was an awesome experience and I hope I get to do it again. It was such a pleasure getting to know Anthony + Mandy over the past year and a bigger pleasure to capture their wedding day. -Jeff