H is my little buddy. He’s seriously so stinkin’ adorable!!! I love spending time with him. I love when he giggles. I love when I ask him where his belly button is and he pulls his shirt over his head to show me. I love when he brings a book over to read. Or gets excited about Super Why! He’s basically awesome. Super awesome, actually. And in a few months he becomes a big brother!!! TWO ADORABLE BOYS! For now, I show you some baby H. He turned 1 in August and his mom put up some butcher paper and got out some baby food and he played, played, and played some more. And I snapped photos.

How do I even start this story?

Danae: My ever amazing gorgeous little sister. She is literally one of the most beautiful people I know inside and out. She has dreams of starting a community center to help underprivileged kids. She’s an elementary school teacher who works harder than any teacher I know {no offense, other teachers}. She ALWAYS cares more about everyone else’s feelings and opinions than her own. If you know her, you know what I mean. She has become easily one of my best friends over the years…despite growing up sharing a room and being quite opposite people. She’s just an incredible person and I am humbled to be her sister.

Jeremy: My now fantastic brother-in-law. Danae’s best friend’s older brother. She’s been part of his family for long before he even saw her as the love of his life. And now, lucky us, he’s part of our family. I’ve always liked Jeremy since we met. He typically comes across as quiet and pensive – but, those of us that know Jeremy, we know that’s not really true. He shares the same sense of humor as I do. We both like to read. He created my website. He got me into Franklin & Bash, and I introduced him to HIMYM {How I Met Your Mother, for those not in the loop}. He’s a loyal person who leads a fantastic group of people at the primitive baptist church in Angier, NC. And even though he took my sister away to NC, I love him. Because he is amazing and the perfect other half for her and makes her so happy.

Together: They’re perfection. And their wedding was a day of perfection worthy of them and their love. It was a labor of DIY details and so full of awesome.

I can only finish this by posting photos. I don’t know what else to say. I love you both and I am honored and humbled to be related to you both. xoxoxoxo

{Details…}

{Getting ready…}

{The First Look…}

{Them and their crew…}

{side note: *gasp* my sister is GORG!!!}

{The Ceremony…}

{Just Married…}

I just spent the extended weekend in North Carolina with my family {minus my brother…miss you, Kent!} at my sister and bro-in-law’s. I thought I’d wrap it up with a little blog love since I’ve been way too absent.

I’m going to be blowing up your feeds with new blog posts and all my sessions for the end of summer through present day in the next couple weeks, but before that I was just thinking about “thankfulness”.

Why we only really focus on it once a year is what I don’t get…and so maybe that’s why I don’t really get thanksgiving as a ‘holiday’ because I want to be thankful EVERY day. And just a few things I’m currently thankful for:
-a roof over my head
-a couple jobs that pay the bills and then some
-family that backs my decisions and loves me for me
-friends that are more like family than anything else, help me stay sane, giggle with me about stupid things, get my ridiculous sense of humor {or at least accept my ridiculous sense of humor haha}, and would go to the ends of the earth for me – and getting to feel the same about them
-photography – a passion I feel lucky to have and be good at + clients who agree and have become more than clients…friends!
-and so. much. more…

I hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend full of friends and family and lots of love. And I hope you’re thankful for it EVERY day and not just one weekend a year…because it’s really easy to get caught up on all the CRAP and forget the simple and amazing things in life.

xo
Dawn

Steve Jobs passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer. I feel for his kids and his wife of twenty years. Whether you’re a user of Mac or not, you cannot deny the impact Steve had on an industry and a world. His genius will be sorely missed.

I think about Steve every time I touch my Mac. I couldn’t do what I do so well without the tool he created. So, thanks, Steve.

Jenni is my best friend from my South Bend living days. We live a few hours away from each other now – her: Chicago. me: Indy. – but we somehow find time to see each other every month or two and we Skype a lot! There are days, I’m sure, that I could not get by without her and I am a better person for having her in my life.

This was boudoir shoot #2 for me, and well, WARNING: Jenni is a hottie.

Jenni,
Thanks for being you. Being awesome. And loving me. Best friends forever isn’t a strong enough description for us. We’ll be old and and gray and causing havoc together even then.
I love you!
xoxo
Dawn

I have a brother-in-law! That’s right, kids, my sister got married! August 13th was NOT your typical Indiana August day. Very little humidity. Glorious sun and clouds. Temps ranging from around 70 to 81 at mid-day. It was a perfect for two people that are perfect for each other.

And, yes, you see me in those photos. Photographer+MOH extraordinaire! I, of course, being in both roles, could not do this one on my own, so I have to give a HUGE shout out and thank you to the amazing Amanda Fries. Every wedding she shoots with me is a just easier because we get each other. And this one could, absolutely, have not been done without her assistance. I cannot WAIT to show you this whole wedding. The day and photos are spectacular!

Congrats, Danae and Jeremy! I less than 3 you!

This one was by me. The rest, obviously, are Amanda. I wanted to 1) show off some of her talents because I’m so proud of her! and 2) They’re all group or ceremony photos, so clearly I couldn’t take them.

Tiff and I are basically two peas in a pod. We grew up in neighboring towns. We went to the same university {GO BOILERS!}. We both lived with our college roomies for years afterward. We both work for the same bakery-cafe company. I adore her and I had so much fun with her getting these photos! She was my introductory boudoir shoot, and, well, it didn’t go so bad, if I do say so myself! And I discovered a new way of empowering females that I didn’t even know that I was going to like so much.

Tiffy,
I am sad to see you move on to that AM position. I mean, it’s awesome that you’re joining my market, but not getting to deal with you all the time for classes and other work things is going to be kind of sad! Expect a call from me just about every time I’m up your way.
xoxo,
Dawn

J, P and L are three of my favorite kids in the whole wide world. Their aunt was my roommate in college and three years after. They lived two houses down from us. And they’re pretty much family. I would have it no other way. I am so happy that I get to photograph them at least once a year and I wish I got to see them more often, because I reallyreallyreally miss them and love them a lot.

On to the photos…of course.

This is so P & J. P is so silly and J is so serious. I love it!

J was trying to be a monkey in the tree. Luckily I am magical and caught a good moment where he wasn’t making monkey noises at me.

P is potty training and his mama asked him a question about poop, I believe. He made such a silly face and I clicked. This photos is P to a T!

And then we spent a lot of time photographing L. She’s the latest addition to the fam. And this was my first chance to shoot her. She’s gorg, no? And she just smiles at everything!!! These three kids could not be any different in personality. It’s amazing. And they’re all AWESOME. On to the baby smiles…

She can be serious, too. I think she gets it from J. And those eyes. Oh man. KILLER!!! She’s gonna be heartbreaker with a protective daddy and two protective big brothers to deal with.

J, P and L -
I love you guys so much!!! I can’t believe the little people you are growing up to be and I can’t wait to see who you become as you grow up. It’s so fun to spend time with you and I hope you never tire of me wanting hugs and kisses, because it’s my favorite.
xoxo,
Dawn

As I mentioned a couple posts ago…this summer has been BUSY! And there are a LOT of posts coming your way to make up for the lack of them in the past couple months. This includes:

Some adorable kiddos….

The gorgeous Tiff…my first boudoir session!…

The gorgeous Jenni…my second boudoir session {I know, I’m lucky to have such amazing ladies to work with, right?!}…

And, oh yeah, my sister got married this weekend!!!!…

Two weekends away from the last of the summer weddings – and, yes, it’s the ever fab Ashley+Daryl and their cowboy boot wedding! {In fact, I still need to show you their AWESOME invitations!!!}

So hold on to your chairs, kids, because SO much photo awesomeness is heading your way that it might blow your mind!!!

What do I even say about Betsy+Jordan… I love them both. So much. They are true high school sweethearts. They survived living a couple hours apart while she was finishing up at Purdue {GO BOILERS!!!}. Her mom and my mom are like two peas in a pod, her brother is a year older than me {AND ALSO A BOILER!!!} and she’s the same age as my brother, so I’ve known her and her family for a loooong time.

Betsy+Jordan had a great day. Every moment was surrounded by family and friends and so filled with love. Palpable love. The kind you want to reach out and grab and cling to yourself. Then it was also filled with personal touches that screamed Betsy+Jordan. And, despite a couple of snafus, kind of like Betsy says in her advice below: What’s going to happen is going to happen, but, in the end, you’re going to be married regardless, and that’s what really matters.

Betsy+Jordan,
You guys know how much I adore you. You’ve provided me with some of my favorite photos EVER between our two super awesome engagement sessions and your fab-tastic wedding. I hope you had a relaxing honeymoon in Florida and that you’re enjoying your brand new apartment TOGETHER. And as you head into Betsy’s final stretch of student teaching, I know Jordan is going to be the rock and that Betsy will touch the lives of so many kiddos in the best way possible. Enjoy so many married firsts in the coming year and tell each other ‘I love you’ every night.
xoxo,
Dawn

P.S. This post is gonna be LOOOONG! But I’m okay with it if you’re okay with it.

{The boys get ready.}

{Don’t you like how boys can get ready fast enough to have time to laugh at QVC?}

{The girls get ready – and there’s no teevee watching – of course!}

{Bridal details make me swoon…*sigh*}

{Oh, yes, if you were questioning it above, the bouts ARE made of feathers…and are AWESOME!!!}

{The doggie was ready to celebrate, too!}

{Some of my favorite posed bridal photos EVER. Like, EVER.}

{Bets, you are G-O-R-G. And there’s no way anyone can disagree. FACT.}

{Those first husband/wife moments + The first kiss = LOVE}

{It was an absoLUTELY fantastically gorgeous day for a wedding!}

{Reception details – could Bets BE any more creative?!}

{I don’t think I need to really preface this with “CANDY CART!”…but I do want to tell you that there were swedish fish AND sour patch kids – two of my favorite candies!!!}

{These timelines of the night are what I’m giving the credit to for almost everyone staying around until the very end of the night. GENIUS!}

{Heartfelt toasts from the BM and MOH}

{And a toast from Dad that made even ME cry!}

{Mmmm…cake…seriously, get cake/cupcakes/cookies from Barb! They’re SO GOOD!}

{The first dance is one of my favorite moments at a wedding.}

{Father/Daughter + Mother/Son – the coolest part? They invited other Fathers/Daughters + Mothers/Sons to join after about 30 seconds of each dance!}

{The Tosses!}

{Reception madness!}

{Oh, yes, this is a Chris Kattan/Will Ferrell/SNL moment to “What Is Love”}

{4 of my favorite people in the world}

{What should MOST DEF be Jordan’s new fbook profile pic!!! RIGHT?!?!}

{Next summer’s Mr. & Mrs. – the bride’s brother and future sister-in-law! I love both of them, too!!!!}

{And the night ended with a BANG!}