It’s August and I’m about to have a baby. (Sidenote: Pregnancy in the summer is no joke!) Technically, I’m officially on maternity leave… but when I heard that Lizzie and Duncan’s dream destination wedding was canceled due to the pandemic and that they were planning a quiet elopement in a nearby park, I had to say yes!!

Say what you will about big weddings, but elopements are simply delightful.

The simplicity, schedule, and stress levels are all completely different, and I love the intimacy that it allows for with your family.

Lizzie and Duncan even got to include their precious fur baby, Bailey! She was thrilled to be there for the first look. ;)

Of course, it ended up being one of the hottest days we’ve seen so far this year, but the heat didn’t melt the smiles off their faces.

LOVED this little bridge in the park!!

The wedding ceremony was performed by one of their closest friends, with only parents in attendance.

With no fuss, no aisle, and no formal fanfare, Lizzie and Duncan said I do. It was perfect.

I can’t express how honored and thankful I am to be trusted so much - by two complete strangers - with such an important piece of their lives!!

And the little baby in my belly didn’t even mind a bit. :)

Lizzie and Duncan - THANK YOU SO MUCH! What a gorgeous day, a gorgeous park, and a gorgeous couple! Praying and wishing all of the best for your marriage, and that you handle each and every challenge with as much grace as you handled this. After a global pandemic, it can only get better from here, right? :)

If you don’t start every shoot in a field with a mandatory 30-second-bug-wave-away… do you even live in the midwest?

If you don’t stick your tongue out at your little brother on a regular basis are you even a big sister?

If you don’t use your long legs to leap over your parents and interrupt their photo… what’s the use in having long legs?

If you don’t try to push your brother over at least once a day… are you even related?

And if you don’t say yes to every suggestion I throw at you about wandering around in fields and snuggling on blankets in random grassy areas… are you even my sister and her family who I’ve been photographing for over ten years?

But seriously though… my first photo shoot with my sister was when her firstborn was a month old. So we’ve been doing this a long time. ;) Thanks so much for being my guinea pigs year after year, and allowing me to force you into all sorts of fun scenarios that you can’t say no to because I’m your sister! :P Love you guys!!