With pending plans in place and the destined date set in stone, Ryan's next step was to check in with me on how I would play a part in his romantic weekend adventure. Maggie, the love of Ryan's life, was expecting nothing more than a get-a-way weekend in the Florida Keys as she watched the windy city of Chicago grow smaller and smaller from the airplane window... little did she know that her life was about to change forever.

These two met years ago in high school and as dating fate would have it, their "just friends" relationship was only the beginning to what would become a love filled future that no one saw coming. 

Ryan informed me of his scheduled surprise engagement at Palm Island months before which allowed us time to lay out the details for a post engagement shoot in Coral Gables. Well needless to say, I met this amazing couple at the Biltmore Hotel and Maggie was radiating with her infectious smile and warm persona. Ryan was calm + collected yet proud to show off his flower as they were up for anything I threw at them and dove in with both feet.  For the latter part of a gorgeous afternoon, we targeted a few keys spots and found our way around to find some stunning light.  Here are a handful from the day....  

Maggie + Ryan:  Congratulations once again on your engagement and thank you for an action packed day (sorry again about the car situation - looks like it was only a loose battery cable)  :)  I loved hearing about your story and spending the day with you guys as we look forward to watching your lives unfold together.

Some may call it unavoidable fate while others may simply call it destiny. Regardless what label, category and/or definition it may fall under, the undeniable chemistry connection that transpires between two individuals will captivate human interest far beyond any timeline we can imagine.

For Amber and Eddie, it all began with a sports fitness program that led the way to romance. While at first Eddie played his role as a speed coach for Amber's success, it wasn’t long until these two found themselves enjoying time together outside of the gym and bonding on a much more personal level.

With their mutual commitment to family tradition, enthusiasm for sports, and a passion to build a bright future, this gorgeous couple is planned to marry at the Fort Lauderdale W Hotel and we are super excited to shoot there. We met here in our backyard of Palm Beach to hit a few key spots for a casual lifestyle engagement session and walked away with life filled beautiful images of a beautiful couple! Here are a handful of my favorites from the day...

This dynamic duo possesses enough energetic connection to power Time Square while simultaneously expressing their delectable affection for each another. With his strong yet gentle approach, Jeff’s playful sense of humor and comforting presence blend perfectly with the unmistakably contagious life of his bride-to-be, the beautiful April.

With rock solid core values and infectious personalities, these two seem to defy the limits of life as they aspire to live each moment to it’s fullest  and successfully do so. Moved by their expressive connection to music, April and Jeff are turning their heartfelt dreams into an inspired reality while inwardly creating their own epic movie script along the way.  

The lyrics of Marvin come to mind here, "Ain't no mountain high enough, Ain't no valley low enough, Ain't no river wide enough, To keep me from getting to you..."

April and Jeff: To witness the obvious connection between you two as we spent the day together was an absolute pleasure to capture. Thank you for wearing your hearts on your sleeves and being real at all times... you guys are a gift to so many - never forget...the world is watching your movie~ Mike & Gi

The story of "boy meets girl" is as legendary as ancient writings that chronicle all of creation. We witness this captivating story line of love in just about every novel that sits on the bookshelf, every drama that reaches the stages of broadway and in every movie theater across the nation as the hope for a romantic reality carries us through another day.

Brittany and Andrew's encounter simply began on an island. Surrounded by the waters edge, unexpected and unaware of each other, their journey to marriage paralleled their journey of faith while mutually serving on a missions team in the Bahamas.

His alarming sense of humor and wit kept her eyes dancing with laughter as we found ourselves capturing the obvious chemistry of these two throughout our time together. Brittany is pleasantly reserved and yet well defined with a clear understanding of who she is and where she wants to be...in this case, side by side Andrew as he leads them to an adventure of a lifetime!

Brittany and Andrew: We are ever grateful to have connected with you guys. Your sensitivity to each other and the people around you is refreshing making it a joy to spend time with you. Your simple availability to serve and connect is a testimony of your faith while your dedication to purity reflects your strength and commitment to love. Thank you for spending an amazing day with us and sharing your lives!

Long before she detected on her romantic radar, Ricky was in full pursuit of his future bride with his eyes fixed on the prize and his hand to the plow. They established a solid friendship, however, while Ricky was clearly developing feelings, Kelli was unaware of his intentions sensing that friendship was all he had in mind. Needless to say, they continued laughing together, playing together, sharing life together… and consequentially their story began to develop while the door to their hearts unknowingly began to open.

With great anticipation, Kelli and Ricky pulled into our driveway after five-hours of traveling from Gainesville ready to rest and relax in preparation for our early morning photo experience, which would indeed prove to be an absolute blast! With so much in common, it felt as if time slipped from our hands as we swapped stories, ideas, beliefs, and our experiences realizing that we were becoming connected as friends very quickly. Watching these two interact throughout the day only magnified what we already knew to be true of their genuine and sincere love for each other not to mention, their strong romantic connection which we captured with honor.

Kelli and Ricky: thank you for your friendship, your kindness, your laughter and sharing your life with us. We are grateful for your caring hearts and want to express our deep appreciation. We are looking forward to an amazing weekend with you guys… maybe we can fit a little triathlon training in there too…? The competition is on!