Jimmy + Ashley | A Pere Marquette State Park Engagement Session

People ask me all the time why I don’t go to bridal shows to advertise my business. My reason, and only reason, is that I want to book couples on a personal level. When you go to a bridal show, brides aren’t exactly looking to get to know you that day LOL. It’s all rushed and there are usually deals that booths give out for booking them. In my experience, booking a couple who knows you and your work is a way better fit. When a bride contacts me to shoot her weddings, it’s usually because she was 1.) she was a bridesmaid in a previous wedding of mine 2.) she has attended weddings that I’ve shot before or 3.) she’s a family member or friend of a previous bride of mine. When we talk, it’s like we already know each other and she knows my work as well as personality. In the end, I become friends with my brides and when I show up to one of the biggest days of her life, I’m not a complete stranger. I hope that makes sense LOL.

I’m sure you’re all wondering why I just wrote all that. It’s because that’s exactly how I met Ashley and Jimmy. Ashley is a relative of a couple who’s wedding was just this past April. When I took the engagement pictures for her cousin, that’s how she saw my work and my blog. She contacted me and we started talking about her wedding and the rest is history.

I met them for the first time in person last weekend in Grafton, Illinois, a small town just past Alton. Grafton is a charming little town with the Pere Marquette State Park. That was the setting for their engagement session and it was such a great idea. I had never been there before but Ashley told me how beautiful it was and she was definitely right. I’m so excited with how these photos turned out and I’m even more excited that I now have two new friends.

Enjoy looking through some of my favorites from their session. Hope you all are having a wonderful week so far.