Lissa and Bryan- Ada Covered Bridge Engagement Photos

Thornapple River, Ada, MI
Covered Bridge

Congratulations to Lissa and Bryan! I’m so excited for my old friend, Lissa, and Bryan, on their new adventure. These two met sophomore year at Grand Valley State University, locked eyes across the room at a mutual friend’s house (who is now officiating the wedding) and quickly became friends. The first date was supposed to be the classic dinner and a movie, which never actually manifested. Instead, they went to the wooden bridge over the Thornapple River, in Ada. Lissa brought a disposable camera, and they spent the night taking pictures and hanging out around the water.

Fast forward 14ish years later, when the friendship started up again, spending nights walking through the woods, hiking trails, conversing on train bridges, and the occasional Mario Party and wine session. Lissa and Bryan quickly realized that they couldn’t just be friends any longer…

…Since then, they’ve loved each other, became a family, and made it through a pandemic with a newborn. They now often confide in one another that “it was always you” from the moment they first locked eyes.

They have been together for 2-1/2 years with a proposal just before midnight on 12/31/2021 at the park where they first rekindled their “friendship.”

Lissa and Bryan share a love for the outdoors, conversing about anything and everything while walking on a trail, Mario Party (especially Mario Party 2), the water, our children, adventure, and champagne.

So excited for their wedding in July! Please check out some of my favorites from the engagement session, at one of their favorite spots…


Old Stonegate Farms - Sarah and Nathaniel

Old Stonegate Farms
Nunica, MI

Congratulations to Sarah and Nathaniel! What a beautiful, relaxing and fun celebration. These two are so perfect for each other! You can feel the laughter and love all over the place. Many happy tears flowed throughout the day, broken up by yard games and dancing!

There was not a dry eye in the house when Sarah’s dad surprised her and sang “Blackbird”, accompanied by her brother on guitar. He used to sing that to her to get her to sleep as a little girl.

Sarah and Nathaniel met ten years ago on the pool deck at GVSU as freshmen. They were both there with their roommates to practice and decided to go get dinner afterwards. WThey ended up back at the boys’ apartment to watch a movie but ended up talking until about 3am. The couple officially got together after a Labor Day party, which will make the wedding day their 10 year anniversary! They stayed together through college, long distance, back to school, and a house flip. They ended up moving in together on the north end of Grand Rapids and getting a dog, Ragnar. On June 7, 2020, they took Ragnar for a walk at sunset at Riverside Park. They stopped and sat to look at the river. It was beautiful, and the end of a really great day. Right when Nathaniel started to take the ring out of his pocket, Ragnar squatted and took a big poop right in front of them! Both of them were laughing so hard but Nathaniel asked if Sarah would marry him and it was, honestly, perfect.

Both of them enjoy staying active. They work on flipping their home together. They also like to go canoeing, hiking, and camping. Both of them are “big science nerds”, like dorky movies and tv shows, and they can still talk for hours.

Sarah and Nathaniel, thank you for trusting me with your story and for choosing me to document the beautiful day. Please enjoy the preview of their big day!