Ethan’s Senior Portrait Session

April 1, 2022

We recently drove out to the beautiful Christensen’s Nursery, nestled in the heart of farm country in the gorgeous Skagit Valley. We arrived just in time for this golden hour senior portrait session with a young man we have known for many years and who is a very special part of our lives.

Graduation from high school and senior portrait sessions are incredible milestones and we ask each family to share a few details about their senior to highlight in their personal blog post.

Introducing Ethan

Family and Church:

Ethan has 9 brothers and 2 sisters to share
life with. He is actively involved with the youth group at his church,
serving in AWANA and participating in choir and family orchestra.

Hobbies and Sports:

He has spent several seasons on roller hockey teams and enjoyed
the competitive, fast paced challenge of the sport. His interests over the
years have shifted toward cars and engines, as well as learning more about how
our government and current global structures work, researching
historical and current events and learning everything he can about
Electric Vehicle mechanics.

Volunteer Work:

In addition, Ethan volunteers with Students for
Life, an organization that helps support mothers who are in crisis
pregnancy and educates those who are thinking about terminating their
pregnancies, of the options afforded to them.

Education:

Ethan has pursued his education carefully and enjoys math classes with Mrs. South at
Hill Creek Christian School and using Gather ‘Round Homeschool with his family.

Work Experience:

Ethan has worked for Pointer Electric as an electrical trainee over the summers
between school and is now looking into work related to his interests in
mechanics and engineering.

Future Plans:

Ethan is considering attending Pensacola Christian
College or Cedarville University to study Mechanical Engineering or Civil
Engineering.

Congratulations, Ethan! You have worked hard, and we are excited
for you as you prepare to enter a brand new season in life.

Rylie’s Senior Portrait Session

March 22, 2022

Congratulations to Rylie, Class of 2022!

We met up with Rylie, her mom, and Chip, on a gorgeous winter afternoon and shot a golden hour senior portrait session. Not only was the afternoon golden light simply beautiful, but Rylie rocked her session with laughter and an easy going nature that made the time we had together smooth and fun. Rylie is a beautiful girl with a kind disposition, fun sense of humor, and a love for animals. She grew up with her Mom, Dad, and older sister, on a farm where not only has she enjoyed her family, but she also spent her growing up years with a balance of enjoyment and the responsibilities of caring for the many animals residing on their property. In addition to horses, Rylie has experience with the care of goats, chickens, alpacas, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and fish. She is a conscientious student, who has worked hard and is college bound with a plan to major in Equine Science and Management. Ryle is an honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society. We are really happy for her and excited to see what the future holds for this beautiful girl.

Sky and Donna

March 8, 2022

The Bride and Groom

I have known Donna and her family since we were kids. I actually spent some time living with her grandparents when I was young and single, and needed to rent a room, so imagine the honor it was, to be asked to photograph her wedding day! Donna has spent her adult life teaching children in the elementary schools, as an elementary computer science teacher. She also volunteers in children’s ministry at her church and has enjoyed a close relationship with her family. She has a very special relationship with her mother and considers her mom to be her best friend. Consequently she asked her mom to be her matron of honor. Sky ,served our country as a Marine, and he is currently working as a Paraprofessional. He loves to serve people, cook, dabble in photography, and genuinely adores Donna. Donna has lived her life serving and caring for others and has enjoyed many years as a single lady. She finally met the love of her life and she attests to the fact that it was worth the wait.

The Proposal

Sky and Donna were visiting the lovely little town of Leavenworth, Washington in the fall of 2020, which is nestled in the Cascade foothills. Leavenworth is often referred to as the little Bavarian style town in the American Alps. Always bustling with activity, the shops are quaint, the atmosphere joyful, and the overall feel to the town is one of happiness and romance. The couple spent some time in one of the town’s quaint little Christmas shops; The Kris Kringle store. They had been admiring the colorful Christmas ornaments, and Donna ready to move on to look at something else, said she started to walk away from them when Sky asked her to come back. At that point he dropped down to one knee, proposed to her, and she said YES!!!

Venue

The couple set the wedding date for July 10, 2021, and planned a Hawaiian Honeymoon. Sadly, their honeymoon plans were botched, but they made the best of it and had a Hawaiian themed reception, which Donna did an amazing job of planning and decorating for, complete with a Tiki Bar and each table adorned Hawaiian style. Donna and Sky selected the church that Donna grew up in, for their wedding venue. The wedding was held on a sweet summer day, and the weather was perfect. The outdoor surroundings were radiant in their summer beauty, with lovely towering trees to provide shade from the warm sun. The grounds are beautifully manicured including a bridged walkway over a small stream which provided the perfect backdrop for their couple portrait session.

Wedding Day

We have rarely worked with such a relaxed bride and groom! Wedding days can be stressful. There’s a lot going on, and everything is on a strict timeline, so it’s not surprising that there can be some anxiety and tension present on the big day, but that wasn’t the case with this couple. They were cool as cucumbers, and they trusted us completely with the timeline, the backdrops, and all of the details that come with providing portraits that will prove to be enjoyable lifelong keepsakes as they look back on this day for years to come. It’s always an honor and relief to be entrusted with the responsibility of making the right decisions for all of the crucial details that are involved in capturing the beauty of such an important event. Sky and Donna were shining stars in their ability to relax and enjoy their big day, and enjoy it, they did!

First Look

The first look was just beautiful as Donna came down the aisle just for Sky before the ceremony. It was a beautiful moment for the two of them, and they relished in some time alone together admiring each other and relaxing together before we headed outside for their portraits.

Ceremony

The candlelight ceremony provided a lovely ambiance, with elegant isle decorations of simple white flowers, and red, white, and blue tulle to compliment the groom’s Marine uniform. The wedding party came down the aisle through a beautiful white, wooden, arch that was hand crafted by the bride’s grandfather and decorated with white flowers and greens, and accents of red, white, and blue tulle. Floral arrangements of lilies, delphinium, ferns and lemon leaf greenery were perfectly placed beside the candelabras near the podium. Donna’s Dad waited a long time to walk his daughter down the aisle, and that special moment was a sweet and beautiful time to witness between the two of them.

Music

The piano and cello music created a sacred and romantic atmosphere as guests arrived and the bride walked down the aisle to her groom. Beautifully performed classic wedding music provided the exemplary touch that tied everything together for an elegant afternoon ceremony.