Kalamazoo Engagement :: Tracie & Nathan

When I first sat down with Tracie, I knew that she and Nathan were "my type" of couple. I mean, the man proposed with a jig-saw puzzle (something they've enjoyed doing together). She was glowing as she told the proposal story, and she was bubbly with excitement as she shared her wedding plans with me. You could tell she was excited to be a bride-to-be~ and I loved being a bride-to-be!

But when I met them two weeks ago for their engagement, their "cute" status was further cemented in my mind. They loved each other~ and it was beautifully evident. We met at the Kalamazoo Celery Flats recreational area on an overcast, cold day. Did I mention it was cold? We spent an hour and half outside, and we felt it: toes were cold, fingers had gone white, and noses and ears were starting to turn a lovely blush tone. And then, I knew. He really loved her. He let her put her freezing hands under his shirt to warm them. On his bare skin. *gasp* Men and women of the internet, this is love. :)

Tracie and Nathan were all smiles for their engagement session, and Adam and I are beyond excited to be documenting their wedding day on June 16th at Whitaker Woods. Mmm, warm summer. Bright sun. Golf greens. A beautiful day just waiting to happen.

Oh, them in their giggle fits~ I love these two!

Ow, ow! Tracie, you are GORGEOUS!

Oh, how he loves her...

This may or may not have been one of the times when Nathan let Tracie warm her hands under his shirt. :)

Beautiful sun!

My absolute favorite from the session. *swooooooning.*

I enjoyed our afternoon together so much, Tracie and Nathan! You two are so crazy and fun in your love, and Adam and I wish you the best as you finish preparations for your (we know its going to be beautiful) wedding!

xo,

Adam & Brennigan

[personal] a week in the life of...

My husband left for a business trip (see "stars of the show" for more details) at the beginning of this week, and I was heartbroken. Not only was it the longest we'd been apart in almost four years, but I was scared of the idea of being alone during such a trying time in my personal life.

Rewind a week previous, and my mind was constantly nagging at the man. "Honestly, the hamper is two feet away; you can't put your clothes in there?" "UGH, he is everywhere~ there is no space in this two-bedroom apartment!" "He's doing it again. Stop killing my favorite songs with your parodies." Petty annoyances that should be dismissed with the wave of a hand.

But then, he left. And tears came. And the realizations hit.

I'm in the business of documenting couples make promises to each other all the time: love and cherish. Honor and trust. Good times and bad. But, marriage is hard. Marriage is so much harder than I could have ever imagined. Bringing two people together with emotional pain and baggage and shutting them together in a house forever and there's bound to be explosion (and I'm not talking about fireworks in the bedroom).

But the absence of marriage is much harder than the marriage ever was itself. Maybe not physically, but emotionally. The idea of absence - of getting away, of a new start - might sound invigorating and exciting. But the reality of leaving marriage is heartbreaking. Because it means that promises are lies. And lies never hold trust. And losing trust in the one person who was never supposed to leave? That must be the worst feeling of all.

Thankfully, Adam and I didn't have to experience anything remotely close to that. A business trip separated us physically for a few days while technology kept us together emotionally. But, my heart still ached. But, when he came home, I didn't really care about the dirty socks on the floor. And we didn't even need the two bedrooms of the apartment to keep our space. (We're still working on the parodies thing though ;) ). He is my person. I made him so when I promised him my life. Petty problems or huge, heavy baggage. It was my decision then; why would it not be a daily decision now?

stars of the show:

a nice mash-up of animals, babies, parents and interesting stunt-men at church. i'd say the most noticeable star is that there is one missing. my husband! he left early monday morning and didn't return until friday evening. i had to change lightbulbs and take out the trash BY MYSELF. *pause for reaction* and i couldn't even call on facebook for help for fear of them knowing i was alone and getting jumped and plundered while in his absence. i'm happy to report i am safe. and back to letting my husband take the trash out to the dumpster.

points of interest:

MY ORCHID IS ALIVE. Adam bought it for me last summer for some sweet non-occasion, and i let it die because those little buggers are rough & tough (unlike my beautiful succulent garden, which despite the spikes, is pretty easy to tend). i thought all hope was lost and left the stalk to sit in the corner of my living room every now and then giving it water. and finally...BUDS! oh look, my thumb is green.

like most excited brides, i subscribed to a bajillion websites once adam popped the question: the knot being the most popular, i'm sure. the knot has two sister site: the bump (for preggo mamas) and the nest (for those recently married). well, the knot featured lots of timelines for my wedding, but i had no idea they'd have timelines for the rest of my life too because, lo and behold, 6 months after my wedding to the date, they introduce me to the bump. well, theknot.com, let me introduce you to hell-to-the-no (at least for right now. :) ).

blog, meet my crafty-self. winter was drab, and spring needed to make an entrance...at least into my abode. half-off ceramic vase from hobby lobby + re-used flowers from wedding + half-off metal, vintage frame + yarn-wrapped cardboard "b" (craft-astic) = oh.my.land, breath of fresh air.

and just because: holy.blue.bowties. i did not buy them, so i can't attest to their taste, but they remind me of the whole ketchup stint when they manufactured green and purple ketchup. ew.


*(Instagram is a free app for iPhones that features various filters that are easy-to-use and make posting to Twitter, Facebook, and ha, my blog, easy-peasy! You can follow me @ bgilsonburnett)


This week I'll be featuring Tracie and Nathan [engaged!] on the blog with a little dash of sexy later this week from a previous boudoir session.

I've been getting lots of e-mails lately about boudoir, and if you're interested in seeing more, e-mail me (brennigan@bgphotographystudios.com) for details, booking, or to see a full gallery.

Now, if you'd excuse me, I have a date with Earl Grey. And if I miss afternoon tea, well, my friends, that'd just be considered anarchy in the United Kingdom.

Mini-Sessions~ March & April Special!

Visit my website or e-mail me at brennigan@bgphotographystudios.com for details & booking. :)

HAPPY SATURDAY!

Grand Rapids Baby Photographer :: Charlie Sneak Peek

I don't even think this little guy needs an introduction just yet (or maybe its too early in the morning for me to think of one?). But I mean, his name is Charlie (CUUUUTE.) and he's just about the cutest baby of the year. More of him to come later, but this morning, just a little sneak peek.

I think he's so cute I'm contemplating putting a picture of him on the wall. But then I realized that might be considered creepy- him not being remotely related to me and all- but we did spend a fabulous afternoon together. :P

Hope his adorableness made your morning; it sure made mine! Happy Tuesday!

[personal] a week in the life of...

The week always seems different in retrospect. During the moments~ The moment when my favorite teacup broke and I sat on the kitchen floor crying. The moment when I felt like a terrible wife because I couldn't live up to my own expectations of super-wife. The moment of shock when I won $20 off a scratch-off ticket. The moment of relief as my thoughts, doubts, and cares over-spilled to a listening friend. The moment where I tried to check out books on the Holocaust, but felt like I was going to get sick if I stayed in the aisle one more minute.

The moment when I realize all those moments and many more added up to a week, and here I sit once again on the brink of another one. I'm amazed how many moments and emotions are real and relevant and defining, but time doesn't ever stop to honor them. To let them marinate. But maybe its meant to be that way~ God's way of helping us crawl through the rough patches and cleave to the seasons of goodness.

That's been my thinking lately. I normally can logically find peace in the grey areas. But I want so badly to either see black or see white. To find truth in one or the other. I'm begging to discover harmony again.

But for today, I live intentionally. Recognizing that grey does still exist. And it too can be beautiful. It has to be.

stars of the show:

my nephews. cute and cuddly~ and imaginative to boot. i feature them just about every week, and i think that a random visitor might think they're mine. not that i wouldn't claim them. because i have. and i do. everytime. and proudly.

steph~ she might only be in just the one picture because we met for maybe one hour one day this week, but was my friend. and i find true friendship such a rarity lately. she listened. intentionally listened as i fell apart in front of her. and her acceptance that this was okay was what i needed during the Sadness. i still feel the sunbeams from that day.

hubby looking all fine in his cardigan. and just being him. we'll be married 6 months this tuesday, and it feels like forever already. not a bad thing, folks. i picked a good one. you know how i know? i convinced him to take a nap with me on the floor in front of the slider so i could feel the sunshine on my face (last row, third picture from left). he asked no questions, just snuggled me under the sun.

points of interest:

i saw The Vow a week ago, and it was aaaall-right (i really only had a problem with the title...expecting vows to be kept and all, but that's another point... ;) ), but the preview for The Lucky One showed before the movie, and i'm all like, "zac efron!" "nicholas sparks!" "make-out scene!" i'm a book worm, so yes, i walked out of the library with book in hand (amongst others).

every now and then, adam and i purchase a couple scratch-off tickets, and adam offered to buy me a few to cheer me up after losing a potential client that i was really excited about. you never really expect to win, but WE TOTALLY DID. i'm rich(er)~ $20 dolla holla!

*(Instagram is a free app for iPhones that features various filters that are easy-to-use and make posting to Twitter, Facebook, and ha, my blog, easy-peasy! You can follow me @ bgilsonburnett)

I'm really, really excited for these next few weeks because I get to feature a boudoir session, baby Charlie, and Tracie and Nathan on the blog! I'll be stretching out the sessions with sneak peeks and all though, because all the excitement can't be over in one week (and I can't finish editing it all by then anyways ;P).

Books are calling me and I'm so nerdy that I'm going to go buy a notebook to take notes of my favorite quotes (I miss college.). I leave you with this by one of my favorites...

Kalamazoo Engagement :: Tracie & Nathan Sneak Peek

I absolutely cannot wait to share more of Tracie and Nathan's engagement session. Their photographs, for sure. But also their love for laughter and for each other. How I instantly fell in love with this bride-to-be as she beemed while telling their engagement story. How he warmed her hands on this cold, wintry day. They are beautiful...together.

But for now ~

---

It's Friday, and I couldn't be happier. Lunch with a good friend and a baby session later today. Happy Friday...happy WEEKEND! :)

[personal] a week in the life of...

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P.S. 1AM still constitutes as Sunday in my crazy sleep schedule, so we're marking this blog post as "on time."

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Ebb and flow. Its normal, I'm sure, as we go on with our lives while cultivating relationships, pursing hobbies, making choices on the whim. But, lately, I've felt the ebb. The pull. This gripping sense of urgency and an overwhelming realization of wow~ so this is life right now. So, I did what any sensible person would do. I dug my feet in, held my ground, and pulled right back. In fact, I ended up pulling my husband along too...and we packed our bags, drove away, and prayed for the flow.

stars of the show:

hubby&myself. this week's pictures features us. nurturing us, feeding our relationship. arguing with fierce emotion. making up with just the same. taking naps and tickling fights. laughing so hard our bellies ache. learning to just be together...and that is always enough.

points of interest:

CHICAGO. if you couldn't gather that from the sky scrapers. night lights. downtown apartments a vintage gal like me could only dream of. groupon featured a coupon last october for a king suite, and we jumped on the opportunity for a deluxe stay in the windy city. we felt the ebb and ran like hell to get away to feel the flow. and it.was.wonderful.

my quilt! 4 months later, and i feel officially domesticated. and the SHIIIIZ! it totally didn't turn out how i envisioned it, and i'm sure an expert quilter (word? yes?) would say its completely wrong (in fact, the lady at joann's did). but, obviously from the way they cuddle with this quilt~ the babies approve. and i sure do too.

*(Instagram is a free app for iPhones that features various filters that are easy-to-use and make posting to Twitter, Facebook, and ha, my blog, easy-peasy! You can follow me @ bgilsonburnett)

If the snow will stay (please, please, please!), an engaged couple will be very happy (fingers crossed this Thursday)~ and baby Charlie may just be making a debut later this week too. :)

New week. New start. I can already envision the explosion of pink streamers, red balloons, heart balloons, uncorked wine. Basically an explosion of love. I'm playing for the love team this year (phew!), so I'm not minding it too much. But you know, it's not too hard to get on this love team. Because tomorrow, I'm lovin' on my husband. My nephews. My mama. and my daddy. And you better believe ~all you "you post too many pictures of your cats" people~ I'll be lovin' on my kitty-cats. :)

Grand Rapids Boudoir Photographer

Here's just a little sneak peek of one of my recent boudoir sessions. Each of my lovely clients can either accept or decline a blog post, and I'm so excited that she's allowing me to display a few of her gorgeous images!

Let me tell you~ the recipient of this little book of images is one lucky man! :)

If you're interested in booking a boudoir session or finding out more information, you can see my blog post or my website...and just send me an e-mail. I don't think you're special someone would care if it was a belated Valentine's Day present. ;)

Happy Saturday!

[personal] a week in the life of...

In light of the Superbowl (the food did not disappoint...ohhh, food coma how I love you), I post-poned my personal weekly blog 'til this morning. But the Monday Blues hit hard today, and the sky is an especially dreary shade of grey today. I'm sipping my earl grey tea (did I mention it's cold already?) and praying for an afternoon pick-me-up.

Let's jump right in, shall we?

stars of the show:

snuggly nephews. nothing's quite as sweet as my one year old falling asleep in my arms as i rock him to sleep. hearing his deep breaths as he snuggles into the crook of my neck. precious moments.

toad the black cat. we rescued him almost a year ago, and he only has one baby tooth on his bottom jaw, so his tongue sticks out all the time. makes him looks so dumb. and lovable. and makes me imagine his voice being like this.

points of interest:

VEGGIE PIZZA. holy cow, i made it for adam and myself to take to the superbowl party, but we ate 4/5 of it before the game even got here on sunday. want the recipe? comment with your e-mail, and i'll gladly share (healthy+ addictive = totally.sold)

disney stamps. even though they aren't my most favoritist (made-up word copyright me) movies, i absolutely love Up! and will only put those stamps on the most sacred of envelopes.

*(Instagram is a free app for iPhones that features various filters that are easy-to-use and make posting to Twitter, Facebook, and ha, my blog, easy-peasy! You can follow me @ bgilsonburnett) P.S. Thank you, Kelly, for sending me your copy of J*'s Exposed magazine...you are wonderful! :)

Normally, I'd be enjoying this mild of a winter, but I have couples, seniors, and mamas with babies who are desperate for snow pictures. I'd be happy with a snow storm for one whole week, get all the sessions completed, and then turn on the sunshine and 50 degree weather. Pretty please.

I'll be finishing up a few boudoir sessions this week and depending on permission purposes, I'm hoping to blog a sneak collaborative peek this week so all you ladies can see just how fabulous they are.

Happy Monday!

Sidenote: Yes, my tea is still cold. But my spirits after writing about the good things from the past week raised my spirits...even just a tad (my hubby massaging my shoulders while I wrote this might be helping too. Maybe. ;) ).

Grand Rapids Wedding Lifestyle Photographer

Grand Rapids Wedding Lifestyle Photographer. It's legit.

I was all like, "Adam, should I take these to stores and casually drop them on the ground throughout every aisle?" He didn't respond. I'm pretty sure that's code for "Babe. You've freakin' lost your mind. And I love you."

Since the weather didn't cooperate for sessions this week, a little business lovin' will have to do for tonight. The Superbowl is tomorrow, and to be honest, I'm more excited about decorating my football cupcakes than I am for the actual game.

Who's playing again? Did I just lose some subscribers with my lack of sports knowledge? Folks, I was the girl in junior high basketball that DRIBBLED IN FROM OUT OF BOUNDS. And my dad captured the whole thing on tape. (Not to mention attended a school so small there was no football team.) So no, I don't know who's playing in the Superbowl. But I can make a mean a Superbowl cupcake. Pictures of THOSE to come. :)