Category: Engagements

Stephanie + Zach | Colony Pumpkin Patch Engagement || Iowa City Wedding Photographer

Stephanie + Zach met through Facebook. Well, not just Facebook, but through a Facebook app called “Are you Interested?”. Zach clicked “like” before she did, but the feeling was mutual. After she tried looking him up but couldn’t find him, she received a message a few months later asking me if she was the one from “Are you Interested”. Confused at first, it finally hit her that the guy messaging her was Zach, the man she was looking for! It turns out they had tons of mutual friends and decided to go out.

Their first date was memorable; he told her how awkward he was the whole night and when they said their goodbyes, he ended with, “It’s always nice to end a first date with a hug.” Stephanie left the date feeling confused and happy. After a couple more dates they became official and their love grew slow into what their relationship is today.
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I love their love story!!
“Back in the day” Stephanie and I sat next to each other in our college speech class. I’ll never forget how much fun we had back then and I’m so excited for the fun we will have leading up to their 2018 wedding at Celebration Farms!
HUGE thanks to:
Colony Pumpkin Patch for allowing us to photograph out there!
Cult Beauty by Liv for the amazing professional makeup!
Allisha at Adeva Salon for the beautiful hair styling!

xoxo,
Steph

Stephanie Marie Photography – Iowa City Engagement and Wedding Photographer
Emily + Cody | Engagement with a puppy! || Solon, Iowa Wedding Photographer

When Emily showed up to visit Cody and went inside their RV, she was surprised to see the sweetest little puppy waiting for her. Then she found out it was an engagement gift!! The puppy, Loretta, had the most beautiful vintage ring dangling from her collar along with a tag that asked Emily to marry Cody. Take a look at this adorable pup and the ring. I think Cody deserves major props for this one!!
We had a blast last year photographing Emily + Cody’s engagement session. I can’t believe how busy Emily has been with flying back and forth to film Storage Wars PLUS planning her wedding and running her business.
Tomorrow’s their big day! Emily + Cody are getting married in Solon on her parent’s beautiful property, and the weather is supposed to be perfect!

xoxo,
Steph
Erin + Ben Take 2 || Lifestyle Couple’s Session | Iowa City Wedding Photographer

The first time I met Erin + Ben, the vision they had for their engagement sessions were amazing. They flew me and Liv, with Cult Beauty by Liv, up to their family’s cabin in northern Minnesota in December for a few days where we were spoiled rotten with food, wine, and doing what we love!
What I love about this engagement session is the thoughtfulness Erin + Ben put into it. Using their cabin, some hidden heirlooms (like “Only a Farm Boy” – Ben is a farmer), and a well thought out wardrobe made the entire session come together so perfectly. I encourage every bride and groom to stay true to who they are and make their engagement sessions as intimate and unique as this one! To check out another one of their engagement sessions, head HERE.

Erin + Ben’s session has also been published on the Boudoir Collective!

xoxo,

Steph
Chad + Kristen || Surprise Proposal | Iowa City Wedding Photographer

I was contacted by Chad to help plan his surprise proposal for Kristen in Iowa City which, as a wedding photographer, is probably one of my favorite things in the WORLD to do! We met once beforehand to scope out the location and he, along with a team of friends, pulled off this awesome surprise! It was a beautiful fall day and he had a vision of proposing surrounded by freshly fallen leaves. I’m so thrilled the day turned out so beautifully for them. AND SHE SAID YES!! 🙂

xoxo,

Steph
Raichel + Keaton Engagement Session || Park City, Utah | Iowa City Wedding Photographer

These two are one of my favorite couples. We ventured around downtown Park City, Utah for Raichel + Keaton’s engagement session. Not only are they absolutely adorable together (and their style is AMAZING!), they were SO much fun to work with!!!

xoxo,

Steph
Kelly + Peter Engagement || Des Moines Waterbury Neighborhood & Gray’s Lake | Iowa City Wedding Photographer

It’s the best feeling in the world when someone finds you by word-of-mouth from a mutual friend.
Kelly and Peter invited me to his childhood home in the Waterbury neighborhood of Des Moines to take their engagement photos. I love when couples choose such a sentimental location to celebrate their love, and this natural light filled home is full of history. Afterwards, we headed over to Gray’s Lake and braved the cold with a few photos on the bridge. His family paid tribute to his mother with a plaque there, and we were able to tie that into their session. It was wonderful working with you two!!

xoxo,

Steph
Andrea + Kyle in Love || Garden of the Gods, Colorado | Destination Wedding Photographer

It was so awesome connecting with Andrea + Kyle in Colorado Springs. Their Garden of the Gods session session couldn’t have been more fun!! Huge thanks to Honeycomb & Co in Denver for the stunning floral arrangement!!!
Erin + Ben || Snowy Minnesota Engagement | Iowa City Wedding Photographer

When I first met with Erin + Ben, their excitement for planning their wedding was contagious. I absolutely love that our consultation turned into feeling like we formed a friendship!

They flew me and my best makeup artist friend Cult Beauty by Liv up to their family cabin in Northern Minnesota where we spent a few days shooting (and eating and drinking allllll the wine). The airport was so small, it was completely vacant when we flew in. Side note: when we left, a plane had crash landed and the airport was shut down for 24 hours – pilot Bob made sure we took off and made it home. LOVE pilot Bob!

This snowy Minnesota engagement session was just one of a few that I can’t wait to show you. Erin + Ben had some amazing ideas for their engagement session and we were thrilled they all worked out so perfectly. The cabin is absolutely beautiful – it sits on Woman Lake and the view is breathtaking. We woke up to the most amazing sunrises and after spending a few days there it was so hard to leave! Their style and connection with one another made my job so easy. Julie and I can’t wait until May to shoot their wedding at the stunning TPC Deere Run in the Quad Cities!
Mt. Vernon Engagement Session | Cedar Rapids Wedding Photographer

I figure before Emily and Josh’s wedding tomorrow (and my last wedding of the year – NYE!), I should post their engagement photos! We had the best time walking around Mt. Vernon a few months ago. We made sure to stop in front of United Methodist Church where their ceremony will take place. Emily and Josh are so much like my husband and I. Josh is sarcastic and witty – which makes Emily laugh… all the time. Julie and I are excited to be ringing in 2017 with them as husband and wife at the beautiful Cedar Rapids Country Club!
Cozy Venice Beach Engagement | Iowa City Wedding Photographer

I headed to California for a few reasons: Heck Yeah! photo camp in Joshua Tree AND to take engagement photos for Andrea + Matt’s engagement session. So why wouldn’t I shoot a few more while I’m there?
(Before you read much further, this is the engagement session that was featured in The Knot!)

How did they meet?? By chance! Darren left his phone number at a bar (Melyssa admitted she was definitely doing some heavy flirting!) and she called him! After three years of dating, Darren decided to use Melyssa’s daughters dance recital as a way to propose. She says, “We were getting ready to take pictures, and he lowered himself to the ground. It turns out he was getting down on one knee to propose to the both of us. My daughter was jumping up and down, and I was speechless.”