The Wilson Family

It’s always a little nerve-wracking meeting a family on the same day you’re taking their photos. But this beautiful family was referred to me by one of my most favorite couples, ever. And since amazing people tend to be related to other amazing people, I had a small feeling the Wilson’s were going to be pretty great. When I met the these sweet people at Black Butte Ranch and discovered their home was full of Oregon State Alumni, I knew we would get along just fine! With children traveling from New York City and Hong Kong, January marked the perfect opportunity for a family portrait session. After grabbing a few group photos inside, we bundled up and braved the chilly weather for a collection of pictures in the snow. Here are just a few of my favorites from my time with the Wilson family...

Ty + Gina

Here’s the thing about Gina – she’s the type of bride a photographer can only dream of having. She’s the girl who lets you be a part of her big, big plans as she tells you her colors and her bridesmaids and all of her gorgeous little details. She’s the girl who, at her engagement session, asks when would be the best time to take pictures on her wedding day (I almost died and kissed her, all at the same time). But most of all she’s the girl who loves her boy more than anything else in the entire world. And her boy? Well, I only met Ty for the first time at the engagement session but it was easy to tell he is equally as wonderful as Gina. Which means that I am the luckiest photographer in the universe to get to photograph these two when they say I Do come August.

There’s one other thing about Ty + Gina that I think is important to know. We met at Bend’s Shevlin Park on New Year’s Day for their engagement session and while it was the most beautifully crisp and clear day we could possibly ask for, it was also one of the coldest days I’ve ever had the joy of photographing. The sun was doing that dewy, glowy thing it does and the snow seemed even more stunning and sparkly than normal. But along with our absolutely perfect day came a thermostat that read 19. Nineteen!! Nineteen degrees!! As in one-nine. And here comes Gina, happy as can be, in a stunning little dress and tights.

It was far below freezing for their entire session but Ty + Gina were such troopers. They smiled and laughed and had I not been there to see (and feel!) it myself, I’d never have believed the air was chilling them to the bone. Things like this leave me knowing that come rain or shine, nothing can keep Ty + Gina from sporting those gorgeous smiles of theirs come the wedding day.

A little blingbling...

...and some fun in the snow to end our session!

Cody + Kelly

I’m not entirely sure how to introduce you to Cody + Kelly. Colton and I have known these two for years and have always hoped (but really kind of knew) that that they were in it forever. When said together, they’re names are most often followed with an ‘aww, I love those two!’ – or some similar sort of cooing and swooning. They’re the type of couple that makes you especially angry because you cannot possibly find one bad thing to say about them. This, in turn, is annoying to the umpteenth degree. Furthermore, they’re the type of couple that insists they take you out for dinner after their engagement session and absolutely, positively will not take no for an answer (thankyouforthebestsushiever!). So yes, we love them.

Cody + Kelly are getting married next September and while I’m a little miffed I have to wait nine months until their big day, I couldn’t possibly be any more excited for them and this crazy wonderful season of life that they’re in. A few days after Christmas we bundled up and met at downtown Bend’s Drake Park for an afternoon of fun pictures and lots of laughs. And fortunately for me they invited the world’s second cutest puppy…

Enjoy just a little taste of Cody + Kelly’s Bend engagement session!

Don't you just LOVE Charli?! I want her and Conway to be best best friends.

At the end of our session we hopped into the nearby coffee shop, Bellatazza, where Kelly used to work. It was the perfect timing for a warm cup of coffee and a little cozying up in the corner.