Family: Svetleachni

If there's any set of pictures to convince you to book a fall mini session, this is the one. Granted, we were given absolutely PERFECT Seattle fall weather that day - crisp air, crunchy leaves, golden sunshine... but weather aside, I think this shows just how fabulous fall can be in our gorgeous city. We spent our time wandering about Volunteer Park's giant trees and soaking up the last sun rays of the afternoon, while Emmy giggled as she shuffled through the large orange leaves.

Yelena is also a total superstar at planning the most beautiful outfits for her family. I need to take tips from her when I plan outfits for my own family photos! I might have to do a roundup of all their mini sessions over the years at some point - they're all seriously so gorgeous, and they show off Yelena's fashion skills!

Enjoy these perfectly golden family pictures!

Married: Ben & Sophia

I'll begin this to say that I am not the most emotional of women. In fact, I can be downright robotic at times. But sometimes the love that I capture is so genuine, so sacrificial and so unwavering that I am totally caught up in it and get lost in the beauty of a celebration. Ben and Sophia's wedding was definitely one of those days. Their fierce care for each other spills out for the world to see, and challenges those around them to pursue our own spouses wholeheartedly.

In addition to the guts of the wedding being beautiful, the external beauty of the day was also radiant. Deep navy and soft grey were their colors, which played off the foresty greens of the gardens just perfectly. There were also little hints of the couple's diverse interests hidden throughout their details. The table names were all planets from the Star Wars universe - going back to Ben's love for sci-fi - and the ceremony programs came accompanied with folding Spanish fans for the guests - going back to Sophia's cultural roots.

This wedding also was close to my heart because Sophia is my sister's best friend. Getting to witness their friendship throughout the day, as well as my sister's emotion toward to whole celebration, made my heart swell and had me fist pumping at the culmination of their ceremony!

Above all, Ben and Sophia's love for Jesus was center stage of their celebration, and I am sure that if He remains center stage in their marriage, their union will be more than successful. Congratulations to these two amazing people - continue to fight the good fight for and with each other!!

Venue: Evergreen Gardens || Coordinator: Alicia Adams || Gown: Jenny Yoo || Hair: _______ || Makeup: _________ || Florist: Triple Wren Farms || Catering: Barb Groen & Bill Maier (friends of couple) || Bakery: Safeway || Menswear: JCPenny || DJ: Audio Innovations

Family: Hawkins

What can I say? I adore this family! Kristina and I met before our oldest boys were even walking, and we have walked through numerous ups and downs since our friendship began, until they moved across the country a few years ago. Our similarities help us navigate tricky circumstances together, and our differences help us grow stronger. And she has the most beautiful family!!

Meet Tristan, Izak, Sylas and Jasper. Four of the most charming boys you'll ever meet, with incredible parents shepherding them each step of the way. Tristan is thoughtful, intelligent and a caring older brother, Izak is loving, sensitive and empathetic, Sylas is silly, sweet and active, and Jasper has all the attitude a red-headed two year old should have!

Kristina and I were dreaming up this shoot many months before it happened, and spent way too much time scouring Etsy and messaging each other on Facebook about accessories before we narrowed down the perfect attire for everyone. This session also happened the day after Kristina and Ricky's vow renewal ceremony, so it made for an incredibly busy weekend for everyone! This little collection of photos didn't take too long for us to shoot, since it was 90˚ in the shade and corralling four boys, no matter what the weather, left us all sweating by the end of it.

I am so excited to show you the product of all our dreaming, and this beautiful Mama Hen with all her boys. She and her husband have been greatly blessed and it was a blessing to ME to capture this snippet of their lives!