Creekside Gahanna and Everal Barn

Alex and Noel’s engagement session took place on a perfect spring evening! The sun glowed beautifully on Noel’s long blonde hair! Fun fact: both Alex and Noel took their senior portraits at Creekside Gahanna, so they thought it’d be fun to use the same location together. We also made a stop at Everal Barn; such a unique and eye-catching barn. We’re all looking forward to their September, 2018 wedding! Congratulations, Alex and Noel!

Lucas and Ashley are looking forward to their August, 2018 wedding! Their early spring session in the country fit them perfectly. Seeing their laughter during the session was evidence of how happy they are together! Happy wedding planning, Lucas and Ashley!

It was great to spend a bit of time with Thaddeus and Cherie for their engagement session! Their choice of location was right up my alley…Downtown Columbus! The session included a few street shots in German Village, beautiful fall foliage in Schiller Park, and then a stroll on the Scioto Mile with the cityscape in the background. Oh, and I can’t forget when we took a few minutes to warm up inside Pistacia Vera! Their macaron’s are scrumptious and nearly too pretty to eat!

How did Thad and Cherie meet? The funny thing is they’ve known each other their whole lives! They attended the same church and were in youth group together, but it wasn’t until a few years ago when Cherie went to a mission training school in Asia for four months that Thad took a new interest in Cherie because of a shared interest in missions. When he asked her out she had no idea it was coming or that he had any interest in her, nonetheless she said “yes” and is so glad she did!

Cherie, tell me a little about Thaddeus and what you love about him.

“Thaddeus is smart, dedicated, and hard working. He is finishing his college degree while working part time and also helping his dad on the farm. I love that he has a strong desire to follow Christ,  and that is evident in the way he loves me so well and takes care of me. He is so selfless and puts my needs and preferences before his own. I’m so thankful for him!”
Thaddeus, how would you describe Cherie?

“Cherie is the sweetest person I know.  She has an incredibly soft and compassionate heart, and she sees the hurt in other peoples’ lives and wants to help.  In this case, the opposite attracts since I am more a logical, emotionless person while she can feel things so deeply. I also love how adventurous she is and how she loves doing out of the ordinary things and blazing a new trail.  She has a solid worldview based on Jesus, and she is not afraid to stick out her neck for what she believes.”

The countdown is on for Zach and Arika…next week is their BIG day! We may even get a little snow on the ground for their wedding, which would be wonderful! For now, enjoy looking through this sweet couples’ engagement pics.

We began their session at Prairie Oaks Metro Park in the exact spot Zach proposed to Arika. In fact, they also went to Prairie Oaks on their first date a little over three years ago, so it only seemed fitting to incorporate this location into their engagement session. Everything went as planned during the session until we couldn’t go any further on the path due to the creek being flooded from a storm the night before. But you know, God had a better plan and we ended up using a “forest-looking” area in a friend’s backyard! We plan to use this same forest wonderland for their wedding pictures next Saturday, so that’s why I mentioned that snow on the ground would be absolutely beautiful!! (Say a prayer for a little snow, will you?! 😉 But not crazy cold! I don’t think God minds if we ask!) Zach, tell me a little about Arika and what you love about her!

“Arika is a very sweet caring lady! She has a quiet personality but is always up for an adventure and likes going to new places! She loves cooking and baking and is really good at it! I love that she takes an interest in my hobbies and some of our most fun times have been while hunting! She cares very much about me and supports me in what I do and is always interested in how my day went! I feel very blessed with the Godly lady who God gave to me!” Arika, what do you love about Zach?

“I always think of Zach as being very wise (he thinks through things before he rushes to do them). He likes to plan things out. He is a very talented carpenter. He is very sweet and cares very much about me. He tends to think positive and not always negative. He is friendly to everyone he is around. He loves me for who I am, and I cant imagine life without him.”

I enjoy seeing engaged couples relate with each other…they’re so in love, spending time anywhere is made complete with the other, and they’re anxiously  planning for such a big day in their lives.  For Aaron and Megan that much anticipated day is in July, 2018! I’m so looking forward to celebrating with them! For now, however, allow me to give you a little glimpse into their lives (and don’t miss what they have to say about each other below…so sweet!) Aaron and Megan met through a mutual friend in high school. Their lives went in different directions, but God had other plans when He reconnected them after about ten years. They love traveling and exploring the beauty of nature. In fact, Aaron proposed to Megan in Ireland!!  Megan shares, “We enjoy spending time with both of our families, singing country music loudly, and taking pictures. We are our goofy selves together and I love that most about us!” Megan, tell me a little about Aaron…

“Aaron is God’s good gift to me and my very best friend. He is the most gentle voice of reason when I need advice or when I’m being irrational. He reassures me when I feel insecure and gives me the confidence to make me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world. He inspires me to do the things I think I cannot. When we are together I feel inexpressible joy and security in comfort. I love that Aaron adores his family, and is a mentor to so many other young men. I love that he can get me to belly laugh even when I am being grumpy. I love that he shows me through his words and actions that I am valuable and worthy of respect. Most importantly, Aaron is a follower of Christ and displays that through his interactions with the world around him.”
Aaron, what do you love about Megan?

“I love Meg because of her caring, open, loving heart.  She’s patient with my “occasional” immaturity, and allows me the freedom to not act my age.  She’s amazing with children and will be a great mother.  I love how much she invests herself for the good of others.  I love her loyalty to her family.  I love how much she enjoys my family.  I love her ability to make friends with everyone around her.  I love her adventurous spirit and how excited she gets to go somewhere new or unique.  I love how intelligent she is and how she challenges my thought processes.  She’s my best friend, a bright ray of sunshine and I can’t imagine a life without her in it.”

Even though Logan and Erin attended different colleges, Logan the University of Toledo and Erin at Bowling Green State University, their paths crossed through an evening with friends.  That evening they had a great time together and as they say…”one thing led to another” and here we are looking forward to their June, 2018 wedding!

Logan and Erin’s interests mesh really well. They enjoy spending time with family, playing with their dogs Archie and Bentley, hiking, and watching Ohio State football games together.  They also love to take trips and explore new places.

For their engagement session Logan and Erin decided to use a couple locations that hold significance to the Hostetler family. We started at the house Logan’s parents are remodeling. Talk about a house with character! It was built in 1863 and up until just recently didn’t even have electricity! In the pictures you’ll notice the tall ceilings and windows, brick, and original stairs/banister.  Love, love, love it! We then drove just a few miles to wrap up the session in Logan’s grandparent’s pasture. Such a pretty setting.

The bricks with the writing on them were actually from a wall inside the house! When Logan was asked to share a little about Erin, this is what he had to say, “If I had to describe Erin in one word, it would be caring. No matter what, she is always willing to drop everything to help anyone out at anytime and that is what made me fall in love with her. She is truly the most loving person I know. She asks me how my day was everyday, and she always knows how to make me smile. Nothing makes me smile more than the little random notes she leaves laying around for me to find. Erin and I are both very motivated people and we are always pushing each other to be our best. I knew from the moment she was willing to watch sports with me that she was the girl for me. Erin and I are very lucky to have each other and I couldn’t be more excited to marry her in June.”

Erin shared these sweet words about Logan. “Logan is loving, motivated, and supportive.  From the beginning of our relationship, he has helped me grow as a person.  Logan always believes in my ability to accomplish anything I set my mind to.  He has helped me learn to believe in myself.  I love that Logan is motivated, as he is always willing to put forth his best effort.  He loves me for who I am and encourages me to continue to strengthen my relationship with God.  I fell in love with Logan for the person he is.  We help each other be the best version of ourselves.  We are truly blessed with the love we have for each other.  I am excited to see our relationship strengthen and develop over the years.” Meet Archie and Bentley! I love how they both tilted their heads at the same time! 🙂

I love engagement sessions! There’s love, sweet romance, happiness, and an anticipation of their wedding day knowing that taking these pictures are another step closer to their big day! I often tell couples I want them to feel like they’re on a date, and I encourage them to relate with each other and feel free to move in the moment. From my vantage point behind the camera this seemed easy for Brock and Katie…it was sweet to watch them together!

Brock and Katie chose to use a country setting for their engagement session, which was gorgeous as the sun shone brightly throughout most of the evening!  In some of the pictures you’ll see an antique Model D John Deere tractor.  This tractor is from Brock’s grandpa Yutzy’s collection and hold a special significance to them, because after they get married they will be living on the family farm where Brock grew up and will continue farming.

Now for a bit of Brock and Katie’s story….

When asked where they met this is what I found out… “Good question,” said Brock. “I don’t know. Just mutual friends I guess. Church, school? It just kind of happened.”
Katie shared, “We met because of mutual friends I think, but I remember just knowing of him for a while. He went to Shekinah Christian School where some of my youth group friends went and he coached my little brother, Sam, in Junior High basketball. But it wasn’t until our mutual friend talked to us both about each other that I really considered liking him. He got my number and we had our first real conversation at a graduation party a couple days later, and the rest is history!” Brock, how would you describe Katie? “Katie is fun going, on fire for the Lord in a way I can only dream to be, very artistic, and has a compassion for others.” Katie, how would you describe Brock? “Brock is one of the hardest workers I know. He is patient (which is why he drives so slow, like a grandpa), has a passion for what he loves, and is great at mentoring younger guys.” Brock and Katie are planing a July, 2018 wedding! I so happy for them, and am looking forward to photographing the memories of their wedding day!

Sam and Lindsay met at Cedarville University through mutual friends, but got to know each other better through playing sand volleyball together.  These two are great for each other because they both love traveling and adventure!  And when I say adventure, I mean ADVENTURE!  For example… exploring Abu Dhabi and Dubai, enjoying the beautiful view in the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world), riding camels on a desert safari, parasailing in Florida, and tandem-biking around Mackinac Island, just to name a few!!  I have a feeling the adventures will continue after they tie the knot in September!

When Lindsay was asked to describe Sam she shared, “Sam is the decisive one in the relationship. He is passionate and loves to learn. He is the type of person that doesn’t settle with mediocre and strives for the best, and encourages others to do the same. He is always so thoughtful, caring, and encouraging towards me.”

Sam sweetly shared about Lindsay, “Lindsay is one of the most sweet, kind, and compassionate woman you will ever meet. She has a beautiful heartwarming smile and adorable laugh. She has a huge heart and loves to share her joy and enthusiasm with others.”

Sam and Lindsay, it was so much fun to spend the evening with you!  Looking forward to your big day!

Rich and Bethany’s engagement session took place on a foggy morning, which added a unique and romantic aspect to their pictures…kind of like their love story, which is also unique and God-designed!

Here’s a glimpse into their love story…

Rich and Bethany will be the first to admit that while at times in their lives they desired being married, after years of waiting and God not leading in that direction they were content and happy living life as singles.  Rich is from Pennsylvania and Bethany has called Ohio home for over 10 years.  They first met the summer of 2005, when Bethany was reporting to her new job in Ohio at Rosedale Bible College.  Rich was visiting for a week donating his time to help with various website and database projects at the college.  She recalls the first time they met he was sitting at her new desk, working on her computer. Little did they know God would bring them together in a very special way 11 years after they met for the first time! During the next decade, they became casual friends but never anything more.  If completely honest, Bethany will tell you she wasn’t sure how to take Rich during this decade. Perhaps it was his quirky sense of humor, or his geeky nature, or maybe he just needed to grow up…he simply wasn’t somebody she would have considered dating. If completely honest, Rich will tell you he never seriously considered dating Bethany during that time either but mostly because of the distance between them. Secretly, he did use her as a standard by which he measured the handful of women his friends tried setting him up with over the years! Through a collection of seemingly unrelated events in 2015, God prompted Rich to begin freeing up a lot of his time outside of work which opened up the door for him to consider a long distance relationship should one come his way.  Also in 2015, Bethany included Rich on the list of people to whom she sent her Christmas letter, just as she had done in the past. Rich reached out on Facebook to thank her for sending the letter and to catch up a bit, as he had done in the past, but unlike the past, they kept talking on Facebook over the holidays and haven’t stopped since! They grew together pretty quickly, even though the distance made it difficult to spend much time together.  In hindsight, both were pretty confident their relationship would eventually lead to marriage. In faith, Rich had written Bethany a love letter on the back of a jigsaw puzzle. He slowly delivered pieces of that puzzle each passing week throughout the summer, with the plan of using the final piece as part of the proposal. Bethany quickly realized the puzzle had significance and looked forward to checking her mailbox each week for more pieces. She enjoyed special weeks when Rich gave friends and family extra pieces to hand-deliver to her. Since Rich wanted the ring and the final puzzle piece to be in the ring box, he had to think of a good way to hide the box during a morning hike and brunch he’d planned the morning after Thanksgiving to pop the question! As they were wrapping up brunch, it was impossible for her not to notice Rich reaching into his backpack to locate the ring box. After some prepared thoughts he got down on his knee, told Bethany he wanted his world to be with her, and asked her to marry him.

She didn’t say “yes” though; she said “of course I will!”  And as they say, “The rest is history!”  They are now anxiously awaiting and hurriedly planning for their wedding in April, 2017! Congratulations, Rich and Bethany!  Many blessings to you as you prepare for your wedding and new life together!