Dana and Chris in Philadelphia (Engagement)

I'm not sure that I've ever had so much trouble writing a blurb for a blog.  There's so much I could say about this couple, but I am afraid that if I write it all, you'll still be reading this tomorrow morning.

Dana came into my life as a young, fiery red-headed girl in youth group when I was just getting my feet wet as a leader.  She somehow became the first student to confide in me, trust me and want to hear what I had to say because she thought I had something to offer her (even if it wasn't very much).  I can't remember how or when we clicked, but I do remember that she was "my girl" and I became hers.  Over the years I've watched her face the good stuff and bad with that same fiery spirit and trust in the Lord that she had when she first marched her way into the Upper Room, and now, seeing her prepare to be a bride, I couldn't be more proud of the vibrant, (still) fiery, comical, sincere, tender-hearted, passionate young woman that she has become. 

And we certainly can't forget about her "boothang".  He's kind, super sweet, a strong leader, devoted Christ-follower and completely in love with his woman!  I don't think it will take too long to recognize "that look" beaming right out of his eyeballs.  As they prepare to join in marriage on Valentine's Day, I can't wait to see God's plan unfold in their life as one.

Please enjoy a few of my favorite morning snuggles and silly giggles from their sunrise session on Sunday! 

"So, we should commit to tickling for five seconds too, right?!"

Dang girl.

Meredith and Rob in Wayne (Engagement)

As this week kicks off our wedding week celebration, what better way than to showcase the love between these two!

In all honesty, it was impossible to not feel completely overcome with joy by being around Meredith and Rob.  They were ADORABLE.  Both of them!  Now again, I'll be completely honest.  Normally, I find myself catering a bit more to making the men of Aaren Lee Photography feel comfortable, but not this guy.  Rob was a total goof- full of laughter and love for his woman from the second I lifted my lens in their direction.  Meredith too!  What a blast it was to follow them around for a few hours with my camera.  And in just a few short weeks, I'll be able to do it AGAIN!  Yes please!

I hope you enjoy a few of my favorites from their charming excursions in Wayne.

Favorite.

An elephant bracelet?!  Be still my heart.

And then there's always that ring….WHOA.

Adorable.

So. Much. Fun.

Jackson Burdett Thomas (Birth Day)

Over the past three days, I've been asked so many questions and have been approached by so many people with their thoughts on my most recent previews on Facebook.  Chances are, you've seen them too, and they've brought you here.  My common answers have been "Yes, I photographed a live birth", "No, it wasn't scary (for me at least)",  "No, it wasn't gross", and "No, I didn't pass out".  I also couldn't have predicted the emotional impact those images would have on my viewers as they remembered their own birth stories.

Now, to be completely honest, I was scared of all of those things.  And when I saw Julie in pain, I struggled to fight off tears.  I even assumed the traditional crouch pose of photographers at first, with my knees slightly bent to avoid the silent, but rapid light-headedness, followed by a nice session of sucking the hospital floor that I feared (I mean, seriously…who wants to tend to the unrelated photographer who can't keep it together while there's a woman in labor in the room?).  But as soon as Julie said it was "go time", I couldn't think of anything other than how amazing this moment actually was.

That brings me to the stars of this show.  I still can't believe that from when I arrived at 5:00 p.m. to when Jackson made his debut at 6:13 p.m. the amount of peeps that came from Julie could be counted on one hand.  And after less than 30 minutes of formal pushing, Jackson was born.  Now, I'm certainly no expert, but from what I hear of first time birth stories, Julie was an absolute ROCKSTAR!  And who could forget her steady support system, breathing coach, encourager and hand-holder?  James handled the stress and fear of the moment like a champ and never faltered by his wife's side.  Last, but certainly not least, I must mention Jackson.  He arrived exactly when he was good and ready (despite the dancing antics of his mother), and once he was here, was seriously the sweetest newborn I've ever laid eyes on as he quietly looked around and curled into his Mama's chest.

Julie and James- THANK YOU for trusting and allowing me to share in the moments of your lives and for letting me share them with the world.  This was an absolute honor and one of the most incredible moments that I've ever experienced.  And Jackson, welcome to Aaren Lee Photography little buddy, I look forward to having my lens pointed in your direction again soon. :)

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves on this one, friends.  

Isis and Jeremy in Schwenksville (Engagement)

Before and after every new client meeting, I pray for favor with them if I'm supposed to be their photographer.  When I first met Isis and Jeremy, I knew instantly that I wanted to be a a part of this journey with them.  Their charm, kindness, love and respect for one another was evident in our first few words.  Needless to say, I prayed a little extra hard that God would allow me the privilege of being their photographer. :)  

It wasn't long before I received a call inviting me along to document their love story.  On a Saturday in September, I headed out to Schwenksville, PA to take a few engagement photos before they say "I Do" in a few short months. Believe me when I say that this was FUN.  From chickens and eggs, to pups and goats, this home-grown, down-on-the-farm session was nothing short of incredible. (I was even able to head to their venue for the big day, and folks, let me just say that you'll want to see what's coming your way from their wedding!)  

Isis and Jeremy - thank you for being YOU and for allowing me in to your lives for such a special time. Please enjoy a few of my favorites from their day.

Julie and James in Chadds Ford (Engagement)

I’ve known Julie for her entire life.  Her wit, humor, attention to detail and smile will captivate you in an instant! When I found out that she was engaged and met her wonderful beau, James, it was obvious that they were perfectly complimentary to one another. Goofballs, loving, kind and tons of fun are just scratching the surface of the depth of these two love birds.

In hopes to rekindle some first-date romance, our journey together began at a Theater to help recreate that special moment for them, but there was just too much affection to photograph in just one day! I hope you enjoy their three part engagement session as much as I enjoyed being included in their journey.