Real Couples // A Military Homecoming Engagement: Manny + Neiba

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Real Couples // A Military Homecoming Engagement: Manny + Neiba

What a pair! Manny and Neiba met one night at an ugly sweater party. His first impression was not the greatest, but Neiba gave him the benefit of the doubt and eventually the two began dating. Shortly after, Manny deployed to Afghanistan, and it was during their time spent apart that their relationship blossomed. He told me, “It was hard to think about life without her.” Soon after returning from deployment Manny decided to propose. He wanted to ask her to marry him in front of the one who brought them together, so after a Wednesday night service at River of Life Church, Manny got down on one knee and proposed. Neiba was completely surprised, and with tears running down her face she said "DUH!"

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Real Couples // A Microbrewery Engagement: Jess + Jessica

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Real Couples // A Microbrewery Engagement: Jess + Jessica

For starters, aren't these two the cutest? We started at a hole-in-the-wall pub called The Anchor and ended up in the heart of Wichita, Kansas. From the moment I met these two, I felt like I was hanging out with a couple of old friends. It was a nice summer Saturday filled with laughter (and lots of it) and love. We incorporated the little aspects of their relationship like imported beer, handwritten notes, and unique architecture. I would celebrate Jess and Jessica's love for each other every day of the week if I could. The passion and love they have for each other shows in every image that I took. I am overjoyed that I get to openly share their story and their soulful love for each other. 

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Real Couples // A Weekend Campout: PK + Korel

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Real Couples // A Weekend Campout: PK + Korel

We are a queer couple with a transgender husband, who met five years ago through mutual friends at a dance night at a local bar. We lived in the same small town for over a decade, knowing some of the same people, and we managed to miss each other for all those years. When marriage equality passed, we discussed getting married, and it was an easy yes! Our wedding was one year later on the weekend of the anniversary of marriage becoming federally legal. Because both of us never thought we were ever going to get married we never thought about what we would want for a wedding.

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Real Couples // A Tinder Love Story: Kayla + Kaylen

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Kaylen and I actually met through Tinder. I was living in College Station, and she was stationed at Fort Hood. We talked for a few months, every day all day, before Kaylen drove two hours to come meet me back in the summer of 2014. We hit it off right away. She was different from anyone I had ever met and I was surely different for her. Kaylen was so unique, and I had never met anyone who was so grounded yet so beautiful inside and out. She was serious most of the time, and most of my friends didn't understand what I saw in her, but they didn't see what I saw under that tough skin. Now, all of our friends say they don't know a more perfect and lovable couple.

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Real Couples // Equinox Engagement: Spring + Jayni

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Real Couples // Equinox Engagement: Spring + Jayni

Spring and Jayni have been together six years and just recently got engaged. They met in Silverlake, so the nearby Echo Park Lake seemed like the perfect fit for their photo shoot. Spring proposed to Jayni by orchestrating a choreographed "dance" to try together, starting with them facing opposite directions and when Jayni turned around, Spring was down on one knee. We met for their shoot in Echo Park the day before the Spring Equinox, so the days were getting longer and the sun didn't set 'til 7pm. Spring is a musician, but rather than bring along her guitar, she opted for an adorable (and more portable) red ukulele for a serenade in the park.

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Real Couples // Elopement at the Rocks: Leonor + Katryna

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Real Couples // Elopement at the Rocks: Leonor + Katryna

Leonor and Katryna have a soft, quiet, comfortable but strong love. I could see it in the way that Leonor's eyes sparkled when she looked at Katryna when she was getting animated over talking about some adventure, or the way Katryna's hand held onto Leo's. They cheer each other on through challenges and hardships -- through graduate school life and military life and everything else. Katryna, a pilot instructor, volunteers to fly dogs from overcrowded shelters across the country with Leonor happily keeping the dogs comfortable in-flight. They have five dogs between the two of them and are more adventurous than even these elopement photos would suggest. Katryna is the live-life-to-the-fullest, no-holds-barred type of soul, with Leonor, her strong champion and companion, quietly but equally as passionate for life. 

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Real Couples // A Sweater Weather Engagement: Jeremy + Sean

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Real Couples // A Sweater Weather Engagement: Jeremy + Sean

Jeremy and Sean’s friendship began in college. Actually, Sean took Jeremy to his audition room when he auditioned to get into The University of the Arts. They became friends during Jeremy’s freshman year, and their relationship began the next year. They fell in love with each other and became an inseparable pair. Jeremy brought Sean home to his family not too far away from school and Sean brought Jeremy home to Georgia. On the day they moved into their first apartment together, Sean popped the question surrounded by candles, rose petals, flowers, and with a ring in his hand. A few months later, Jeremy popped the question and gave Sean his ring. Since then, they have been very much enjoying their engagement and loving planning their wedding. The big day is this October and they could not be more excited. They fall more in love with each other every day and are lucky to call each other their best friends.

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Real Couples // 50 Years Together: Alva + Alvin

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Real Couples // 50 Years Together: Alva + Alvin

My grandparents really are my role models for love. They have taught me that no matter what, love will always win. My grandparents have been together for over 50 years! They married, separated for a few years, and remarried again. Even with their separation they still stood by each other's side and continued to love deeply. Ever since they met, they knew they were each other's person. No matter what, they have to be with each other. They really are a cute couple too. They accidentally dress alike...almost everyday. They will say it's an accident, although I'm sure my grandpa plans his outfits after my grandma has laid hers out and goes to shower. He will swear he got dressed first though. When my grandma is out of town, we have to force my grandpa to eat because he forgets without her around. Their need for each other strengthens my belief in the gift of love and how it can truly empower us all. The way they still always hold hands and steal quick kisses from each other when they think no one is looking gives me life. They are a couple to look up to. :)

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Real Couples // A Desert-Fabulous Wedding: Jenny + Chris

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Real Couples // A Desert-Fabulous Wedding: Jenny + Chris

Jenny and Chris follow their own rules. She works in theater and both of them are whiskey loving, desert obsessed, and all around fun-lovin' folk that aren't afraid to "get a little weird." They DIY'd their entire wedding and used an online calculator to figure out how much booze they need, which they ended up doubling out of fear of running out! Their wedding was a little bit Rock n Roll mixed with desert fabulous. A bunch of guests stayed on site in the cabins (this is where the film crew for old westerns that were filmed at the fake town next door would stay) and partied the night away. Chris constructed the photo booth, they had BBQ ribs and pulled pork, whiskey and lemonade, and some kegs followed by an epic dance party.

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Real Couples // I'll Give You the World: Camaro + Cameron

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Real Couples // I'll Give You the World: Camaro + Cameron

We are really glad we stayed through the failed sparkler send-off at the end of the night. We were able to take in every last possible minute with our people and soak up all the love and light. Everyone says the wedding day is a blur for the people getting married but we were truly present for the entire celebration and enjoyed every minute of it.

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Real Couples // Minneapolis Romance: Theresa + Brenda

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Real Couples // Minneapolis Romance: Theresa + Brenda

Theresa and Brenda are examples of strong, modern individuals who do great work in the world: Theresa has a PhD in Child Psychology and is a university professor, and Brenda is an MD who practices medicine. This couple lives in Portland (OR) but traveled back home to Minneapolis to get married and celebrate amidst their loved ones. They are the kind of couple that is not only so happy and in love, but they are also incredibly deserving of the happiness and love they have found. They are kind and gentle, and their joy is truly contagious.

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Real Couples // River Romance: Felisity + Laine

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Real Couples // River Romance: Felisity + Laine

When Felisity saw Laine for the very first time, the word "home" immediately came to mind. There was something that felt familiar about this vivacious actress with the killer smile and fun-loving spirit. And for Laine, Felisity's sense of adventure and affectionate personality inspired her to chase new experiences. During hiking trips and romantic in-home dates, Laine and Felisity fell in love without thinking twice. The way that they look at one another says everything about their relationship. Their engagement session on Missouri's Eleven Point River was the perfect fit for their personalities and created some of the most emotional images I have ever shot. 

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Real Couples // A New York City Adventure: Leonard + Michelle

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Real Couples // A New York City Adventure: Leonard + Michelle

Leonard and Michelle had a full wedding in Korea and then a wedding party in NYC at the Norwood Club, but they wanted to do a portrait session of just the two of them at some of their fave places in NYC doing a few of their favorite things. We hit up the High Line Park and wandered all around their old neighborhood of the West Village. We did some sunset rooftop photos at Leonard’s old apartment (where the kind doorman he used to know let us in!) and finished by getting cocktails at Cafe Gitane in the Jane Hotel.

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Real Couples // Cincinnati Sign Museum Wedding: Megan+Dustin

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Real Couples // Cincinnati Sign Museum Wedding: Megan+Dustin

Having your wedding in an Electric Sign Museum in the heart of Cincinnati and your portraits taken in the middle of a cemetery are some bold moves, but that's just what Megan and Dustin did with their day. Their whole day was cool, creative, and reflected the things they love. They had a small wedding party with just their best friends and kept everything as simple as it should be. I explained to Megan that fighting against the lighting inside of a neon sign museum would be pretty much worthless, and we might as well just embrace the warm glow of the lights — and she was all for it! The whole day was full of positive energy, laughter, and amazingly bright neon lights.

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Real Couples // Summer Evening Engagement: Aisha + Rachel

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Real Couples // Summer Evening Engagement: Aisha + Rachel

We met at a bar. Rachel's friend bailed but she decided to go out anyways so she was standing by the wall. I walked past her at first but stopped and turned around to talk to her for some reason. Neither of us were expecting to meet anyone that night; neither of us were looking for a relationship at that point actually, but we started hanging out constantly after that night and we've basically been together ever since.

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Real Couples // Spring Frost Engagement: Sally + Sophia

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Real Couples // Spring Frost Engagement: Sally + Sophia

Sally and Sophia are two incredibly fun and in-love individuals who made the trek [twice] to Charlottesville from their home in Washington, DC. Due to some crazy winter temperatures (10 degrees, plus 20 mph wind chill) we ended up postponing the original session date and, instead, met up for a delicious brunch at The Clifton Inn. Many amusing stories were told, along with much discussion over some recent movie theater experiences.

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Real Couples in Video // 18 Years in the Making: Markus + Carl

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Real Couples in Video // 18 Years in the Making: Markus + Carl

When I first spoke with Carl late last year to learn about his marriage to Markus, I knew I was in for a good story. Markus and Carl have been together for 18 years and engaged for 15 of those years. Their love for one another is an absolutely incredible thing to witness in person, and it was hard for us to hold back the tears as they gave their vows to one another.

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Real Couples // A Pacific Northwest Beach Wedding: Geoff + Ederlyn

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Real Couples // A Pacific Northwest Beach Wedding: Geoff + Ederlyn

We became friends again through the power of Facebook (breaking and making relationships since 2004!) and managed a reunion in Las Vegas. Geoff says it was love at first sight. I am a much more emotionally oblivious person, so Geoff took another trip to Seattle where I inadvertently set up the perfect first date. It took a subsequent trip together to Vancouver for me to catch on. 

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