Meaghan and Jon's Fall Engagement Session at Lake Newport Wetlands in Mill Creek Park in Youngstown, Ohio

It’s true that I shortened my name to Mae partially in hopes that people would spell it correctly. No one could ever spell my name right for as long as I can remember. When I met Meaghan, I thought to myself, FINALLY! Someone who knows how I feel! Needless to say, I liked her right away because of that, but then got to know her and Jon at their engagement session and seriously felt like I was hanging out with old friends. They’re dog lovers like me and brought along their sweet basset hound puppy, Nellie. I was in complete heaven! They also took me to a location in Mill Creek Park near Lake Newport in Youngstown, Ohio that I’ve never before, and I’m completely over the moon in love with this area….

Emily and Karl's Late Summer Garden Engagement Session at Fellows Riverside Gardens in Mill Creek Park in Youngstown, Ohio

I’ve known Emily’s sister since our college days at Youngstown State University, where we were both studying photography. To be recommended by another photographer is always such an honor, and I was thrilled to get to know Emily, Karl and their little son. They are such a sweet, laid back family!

We navigated our way through the wedding day crowd at Fellows Riverside Garden in Milk Creek Park for their engagement session….

Shelby and Tyler's Winter Engagement Session at the Cinderella Bridge and Lanterman's Mill in Mill Creek Park in Youngstown, Ohio

You guys, 2018 was great on so many levels. Although I ended the year completely exhausted, my heart was so full with gratitude! I shot my record high number of weddings, got to become friends with seriously the coolest, most fun couples and even had the opportunity to live out a dream - travel to a beautiful place to photograph a wedding, which I was so lucky to go to Bar Harbor, Maine in September.

I rang in the new year wondering where 2019 would take me and how I would even begin to top last year. And then I photographed Shelby and Tyler’s engagement session…

Paige and Cale's Formal Winter Engagement Session at The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio

From the second I met Paige, I knew we'd get along well! She has a sophisticated style and we share a love for great wine, so it was super easy to fall in love with her wedding plans and the two of them as a couple! I'm definitely an old soul and love anything classic, vintage and slightly over the top. I think I'll get all of those from Paige and Cale's 1920s glam wedding vibes. There will be ivory, midnight blue, burgundy and gold hues, flowers and lots of candlelight, not to mention the hint of ostrich feathers to really tie everything together and put that little extra wow factor in the details....