Amy Straka Photography »

Oh, Valerie and Brian, you are gorgeous.  Not only did we meet on an unbelievably gorgeous autumn day, but you are just an unbelievable gorgeous couple!  It was wonderful to finally meet these two, but best yet, we started our day at one of my favorite locations in Southwest Michigan, The Journeyman Distillery.  The fine whiskey and spirits aside, this organic distillery is nestled in an adorable industrial stretch of quaint downtown Three Oaks.  Located in the historic Featherbone Factory, the raw and perfect beauty of this historical space was the cherry on top of this wonderful session.  Imagine my delight when my friend Tiffany, who organizes events at the distillery, filled me in on their plans to host events.  Such a stunning compliment to the culture of the area, and oh my, I cannot wait to photograph weddings here.

So why did I wait so long to share these stunning images?  Valerie and Brian wanted their Save-the-Date cards to debut their engagement photography, fresh out of the envelope.  And such lovely cards they are!  Allow me to share the design, though it could never do justice to the gorgeous paper likely hanging on the bulletin boards and fridges of their family and friends.

Jessi and Tony had just one wonderful week to spend together, with academic pursuits putting miles and miles between them.  How lucky that during this week, which shuffled between snow and sunshine, we could find a beautiful evening for their engagement photography.  When I asked these two to meet me at a Taco Bell parking lot in little Watervliet, they didn’t even flinch.  We drove along county roads, pulling on the shoulder at the sight of a stunning tree or clever group of apple crates.  Through mud and slush, they were adorable, and gave me no guff.  Such a beautiful, simply beautiful result!  Their upcoming autumn wedding should prove just as lovely an adventure through the rural Michigan countryside, starting at a barn, ending anywhere.