We swiped right to the rest of our lives--Wedding of Derek and Ashlee Rusin
"We swiped right to the rest of our lives.."
In the day and age of social media for everything, even dating, it is inevitable for there to be some tales of happy ever after that start with online dating. And this is one such tale as told to me by the happy couple...
After years of failed relationships and heartache, Derek and Ashlee decided to have a little fun with dating, and they both joined Tinder.
Just a few weeks later and they both "swiped right to the rest of their lives".
The very first date on October 15th, 2015 they describe as "the best date either of us had ever been on". Minutes turned to hours as they talked and talked as if they had known each other their whole lives.
They kept in touch for several weeks before seeing each other a second time. From that time forward they were inseparable.
Fast forward to October 8th, 2016 and Derek and Ashlee moved in together and adopted their cat, Thor.
And from there, their adventures together continued. From zip lining, white water rafting, to the top of a mountain coaster in Gatlinburg. Sking, snorkeling, swimming with dolphins and boating in Cancun. Exploring the streets of Hollywood, whale watching in Laguna, shopping on Venice beach. Playing with monkeys in the Dominican. Banana boating, hiking, and biking in Puerto Vallarta...
And that was only the beginning..on August 6th, 2017 Derek surprised Ashlee with a beach proposal in the Dominican Republic.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
I was honored to be a part of their beautiful wedding on May 19th, 2018 at the gorgeous Sundance Studios. The vintage and eclectic space fit Ashlee and Derek perfectly!
Much love to this wonderful couple that I have the pleasure of calling family.
Love, (Aunt) Nancy Roxanne
(NOTE: WATCH IN FULL SCREEN FOR OPTIMUM EFFECT)
Vendors
Second Shooter: Erica Hawley https://www.facebook.com/CaptureMotionz/
Wedding Venue: https://www.sundancestudiosvintage.com/
Wedding Planner: http://holdenmichaelevents.com/
Wedding Dress: http://www.somethingbluein.com/
Alterations: Naomi at https://www.facebook.com/ThreadDiva/
Tuxes: http://dunhilltuxedos.com/
Hair: https://www.instagram.com/lisaalagno/
Makeup:https://www.instagram.com/aliciamarielange_/
Catering:http://whfcatering.com/
DJ: https://www.facebook.com/djjennefa/
Believe in Magic Unicorn Sessions
-Believe in Magic-
A unicorn themed photo shoot has been on my photo bucket list for awhile. So when a client requested the theme at the same time in my life that my youngest daughter, a 9 year old, was obsessed with unicorns, AND right before my oldest daughter was due to visit from Alaska with my 21 month old granddaughter, I knew it was kismet.
The next order of business was finding a unicorn. As luck would have it, I found two, both on the same day.
After putting out feelers via social media and using Google to find options, it was old fashioned leg work that brought me to Kestral and Teddy.
I spotted Kestral at Paragon Farm Equestrian Center in Ann Arbor on Wagner Road. Teddy I found when I stopped further down the street at a veterinary clinic to inquire if they knew of anyone with a mini white horse. As luck would have I was told that one of their employees did. A few days and a few phone calls later and Kestral and Teddy were on on board thanks to their awesome
owners Sue Weir and Hannah Stalhandske.
From there I put out ads on social media and to my current clientele.
Thank you to everyone that came out and brought their children to experience a little bit of magic. I could not be more happy with the way the images came out and I cannot wait to do my next themed session--stay tuned!
Special thanks to Sue Mercer, owner of Paragon Farms Equestrian Center and horse handler Jan Vaughn!
Age does not protect you from love, but love, to some extent, protects you from age
"Age does not protect you from love, but love, to some extent, protects you from age." ― Anais Nin
I am a firm believer in long engagements (been with my significant other for 10 years) especially when you fall in love young. Amber and Christopher have been together for 14 years and were high school sweethearts. Next March they will tie the knot in Jamaica!
I met Christopher and Amber and their adorable, personable daughter Natalie on a beautiful day in May after being in contact with Amber for months leading up to our session.
It was awesome to finally meet them all in person. They were fun and super sweet. And Amber has to be one of the most photogenic people I've ever met!
I wish them all the best and I hope they have a future filled with love, laughter and the ever after happiness they've had for the past 14 years.
Much love, Nancy Roxanne
“O Innocence, with laughing eyes! Thou art a cherub from the skies, A wanderer from heaven.”
“O Innocence, with laughing eyes! Thou art a cherub from the skies, A wanderer from heaven.”
When I look at beautiful little Raegan the word 'cherub' can't help but come to mind. She is just as adorable as any little angel could be!
Raegan Mae came down from heaven to earth on June 15th, 2017 weighing in at 10lbs and 6 oz and was 22 inches long.
She was sweetly quiet and a little shy with me during our session but her love for her mommy and daddy was so sweet to witness.
I look forward to seeing her grow and grow. But not too quick little Raegan, not too quick :)
Much love, Nancy Roxanne
True love stories never have endings
True love stories never have endings.
Direoce and Micheal have known each other for 30 years and have been married for 3, a love story that evolved over time.
The married couple were cute and comfortable together during our session, both filled with an ease that comes from having known your partner for years. Direoce was laid back allowing Michael to take the lead in choosing our awesome location and even letting Michael give posing ideas. Their dynamic definitely reminded me of my fiance and I-- I am the Type A one to my guy's easy going style. I tend to think those kind of personality differences compliment each other perfectly.
This was my first time at Osaka Garden in Chicago. Built on an artificial island for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago’s Osaka Garden is definitely a little hidden gem located just west of the Museum of Science and Industry. The area was mostly swampland before being transformed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Daniel Burnham into a lagoon and island. It was deliberately created to give people a place to go and rest; a reprieve from the hubbub of the world’s fair.
It was an awesome spot for a relaxed photoshoot and Direoce and Micheal did not disappoint with their ability to make the most of the space.
I hope to see them at LEAST every year from here on out for their annual photoshoot and I can't wait to see where we go next!
Much love, Nancy Roxanne
