Michael and Valina are rich with love for each other. Michael is incredibly attentive to the people around him. He pays attention to emotions that are crossing the table, and knows how to make people feel at ease. Valina always speaks with encouragement. Her words are genuine and uplifting. When they are together, they are a beautiful picture of joy. They celebrate, laugh, and play with passionate fire. They spoke often about how much of a surprise their relationship was. It was all an orchestration of God’s love for them, and desire for them to be one.

One of our favorite things about what we do is being able to collaborate with the couples that we meet. Collaboration, for us, means working with people that are willing to share their hearts and stories; couples that offer their creative thoughts and ideas in order for us to capture the honest imagery we long to create. From the very beginning, Michael and Valina were incredibly willing to open up their hearts to us. They went over and above to invite us into their celebration.

Michael & Valina gave themselves as gifts to each other on a colorful day overlooking Lake Travis near Austin, Texas. Surrounded by friends and family that loved them so dearly, there wasn’t a place on earth more warm and inviting.

We are happy that you’ll be able to experience many more sunsets together.
Your hearts are stunning in so many ways.
We are thankful for our newfound friendship in you both.

Together, Austin & Brianna fill in each other’s cracks, bringing out the very best in each other. They are overflowing with so much freedom to laugh, dance, and play. Beaming with joy, they are so much fun to be around. Their hearts are passionate about community and finding ways they can give back.

Austin is a man’s man. He is not afraid to lay down his own wants for Brianna’s and be the man she needs most. He is a deep well of encouragement and love for Brianna. Austin is incredibly wise and thoughtful. He loves discovering the simplest of things in human nature. He listens intently and cares about the words that are said to him.

Brianna is a visionary. She is not afraid to stretch past the “practical” but hones in on the heart, the vision, the big huge dream. While anyone else would say “impossible” she stretches out her hands and embraces it, making it happen. She’s an organizer and a planner, pulling things together so beautifully. With honesty and vulnerability, she is willing to share the deepest places of herself in order to connect with another person.

We were so excited these guys wanted to spend a whole day adventuring for their engagement pictures. We took a short road trip to Breckenridge, had a snow fight, walked around the mountain town, and ended the day in a gorgeous cabin in the woods thanks to our friends at Mountain Log Homes of Colorado.

Thank you Austin & Brianna for sharing yourselves so openly. We loved being able to capture the joyous love that you share.

Today, Christopher and I celebrate three years of creating magic together. Three years of falling in love, and three years of learning a whole lot.

—

My dearest Christopher,
You are the most beautiful man I have met. You have the power and passion inside of you to change the world and I am so blessed that you have chosen me to be your partner in crime. We’ve done a lot of growing up together and I am so proud of the man you are, and the woman God has blessed to come out of me.
We’ve done a lot of story writing together. Accumulating small, special moments, to a number that is three years. It has not been easy to be vulnerable, to grow up with a witness. But your tenderness and strength have been perfectly amounted. Each chapter we have written has become a story now. A story that we are still writing, that is just going to keep being written until we are passed and our story can infinitely live on. But it’s only going to be a good story if we choose. Let’s never stop writing honestly.
I cannot wait for the minutes and hours and days and years that have yet to come. But right now, with newly opened eyes and a newly open heart, I’m in love with you more than ever.

You are my lighthouse in a raging storm on the sea calling me home.

M

//Mary Anne Rodmacher

Talent:
Emily Knurr
Dominick Alonso
Melanie Ochoa
Dan Mancini
Jimmy Gable

Sam and Allison truly have hearts of gold.
Melodie and I have been so touched by them ever since our very first conversation early last year. They are a bright light to be around and do not hesitate to let their love for others manifest itself into acts of kindness. They are a power team and we are so excited to see what kinds of things they will accomplish with their best friend at their side.

Souls like Sam and Allison’s are the reason that Melodie and I have fallen so deeply in love with what we do. Yes, we are passionate about the art of photography and creating incredible images. There is something more deeply rooted in our hearts though. To sit across from another person that is willing to share a story is something that will never fail to end beautifully.

Allison is the perfect balance of soft and gentle mixed with passionate confidence. She has a fearless soul and travels all around the world organizing and leading short-term mission trips for a organization called Global Passion. When she is with Sam you can see it in her eyes just how much she loves and trusts him. She laughs at every one of his jokes and fits perfectly at his side.

Sam is a diligent and loving man that is filled to his brim with vivacious joy and laughter.
I remember talking with Sam in his truck on one of our trips out there. He was quiet for a moment and then spoke. “You know, when you really understand just how precious and tender a woman is, and you cultivate a safe place in your heart for theirs, they grow, they bloom. When you speak softly, slowly, and encourage them, they burst open with beauty and start to see themselves the way God himself sees them, beautiful.” I’ve taken those words with me and held them close to my heart.

Every detail came together perfectly to celebrate Sam and Allison’s story on their wedding day. Underneath an old oak tree they made their vows, giving themselves as gifts to each other.
We could simply not stop smiling.

It is hard to be brave. There is a war inside all of us that constantly begs for “simple comfort and security”. But when seeking a life completely driven by the need for basic normalcy (however one may describe such a generalized word) I will always fall short. Mistakes are real. Falling on my face is real. The well of my creative soul running dry- it’s very real. And there is nothing wrong with feeling these things. Chris reminds me often that it is okay to feel stuck and afraid- it is not okay when the choice is made to sit stagnant. Stagnancy causes these feelings only to rot. And when I think I’ve finally reached this place of “enough”, I will find mold deep inside me because I have chosen stagnancy in my fears.
It is more comfortable to do nothing than to risk failure. But choosing to do nothing never brings learning or growth. Bravery is making the choice to jump off the edge, into the deep water below. Bravery is knowing, no matter what, you are loved and you are taken care of. Bravery is finding confident peace within your soul- the kind that allows you to create from the inside out.
I am not, by nature, brave.
But I challenge you and I to make the choice to be brave anyway.

—

Glorie is alive with bravery. She contacted me a few months ago to have some portraits done for her husband. She chose truth in knowing she is lovely and beautiful, rather than believing lies and insecurities. Glorie shines with class, always choosing to be a genuine lady. So thankful to be a part of memory making with Glorie once again.

Hayden and Kate have been each other’s best friend for a long time.
These two love tattoos, good music, and digging into a creative lifestyle. Kate loves kids and is a master cook. Hayden loves to make music and has a passion for connecting with people on a level that most fail to understand. We had such a fun time shooting them. They were open with us and really invited us into who they are. It is such a blessing to Melodie and I to have a couple let us see their story fully and really open up their hearts. We rode bikes, explored art buildings, and had an all around great time.

We just love the way that Hayden decided to propose to Kate. Hayden is a musician in a local band called Eyes and has been a maker of great music for years. Back in September Hayden brought together all of their friends and family at a local venue to propose and told Kate that he was just playing a small solo show. When Kate showed up everyone was already gathered and Hayden had already started to play. During the last song the whole crowed joined in loudly and Kate began to cry as Hayden put down his guitar, found his way to her, and asked his best friend to spend eternity with him.

We can’t wait to see what this incredible couple pulls together for their wedding day next year, we’re sure that our minds will be blown.

Last week some of our closest friends gathered together for an evening to celebrate the joy of Melodie’s birthday. We got Mel out of town for the day and transformed her backyard into pure magic. Thank you to all of our incredible friends that helped pull this off. I am so happy to have this community in my life.

—

Melodie,
You have caused the deepest parts of my heart to be inspired and driven. You chase after your dreams and fight to be most authentic and genuine woman you can be. Thank you for never settling for what’s easiest but always pushing to raise the bar high. I am forever blessed that my desire to be a witness to your life and story would also be God’s will. Thank you for inviting me in and helping me to dream.

From the ends of your hair to the tips of your toes and through the righteousness rooted deep in your heart, you are truly beautiful and take my breath away. Happy birthday.