Do you have a favorite place on Earth? A place where you look around and think “Is this what Heaven looks like?” For me, that place is Switzerland. In 2012, David and I spent a few days in Zermatt and it was so perfect. A tiny village at the base of the Matterhorn mountain. We fell in love with that little town and vowed to get back to Switzerland one day. Fast forward to March 2015, when David requested a weekend in Switzerland for his 26th birthday. I happily obliged! On Saturday (David’s birthday), we took a regional train from Milan to Tirano. We had a yummy pizza lunch there and then hopped on the Bernina Express towards Bergün, Switzerland. The Bernina Express is a scenic train ride with panoramic windows through the Swiss Alps. The entire ride was incredible. We were so high up in the snowy mountains. We got off the train in Bergün, a sweet tiny town with a few hotels, restaurants, and homes. The next day, we took the train in reverse order back to Milan and it was just as gorgeous. Here’s our weekend in Switzerland! (Please ignore the window glare in some of the photos. It’s not my favorite thing to shoot through glass.)
Europe Travels: Brussels, Belgium
This past weekend (March 6-8), David and I flew to Brussels, Belgium to spend the weekend with our friends/David’s co-workers. Three other people in David’s program with Nielsen are located in Europe for their last rotation. We are in Milan, Richard is in Brussels, Kevin is in Paris and Stephanie is in London (remember her gorgeous engagement session in NYC?). We landed in Brussels late Friday night and took a train from the airport to Richard’s apartment. On Saturday, we had a delish breakfast near Grand Place and then took a walking tour where we saw the big sights in Brussels. Our tour guide was so sweet and knowledgable. We saw so many great sights and gorgeous architecture! After the tour, we had lunch (waffles and Belgian fries) and then took the train to Atomium. It was HUGE! It was built in 1958 for the World’s Fair. We got to go inside and go up steep stairs to go between the balls. We took an elevator to the very top for a panoramic view of Brussels. On Saturday evening, we had a great traditional Belgian dinner (beef stew in Belgian beer) and then got some homemade Belgian chocolate for dessert. We ended the evening at Brussels’ most famous bar, Delirium, which offers more than 3,000 beers! Such a great day! On Sunday, we woke up early for an hour train ride to Bruges. This is such a romantic little city. It feels very much like Venice with all of the canals. We did a canal tour and got to see some beautiful sights. We spent our day wandering the city and found a great little place for lunch with the sweetest owners. On Sunday evening, we parted ways and headed back to our own European homes. It was a great trip!
Emily and Matthew – Highland Manor, Apopka Wedding
On February 8th, Matthew and Emily became Mr. and Mrs. Fedel at Highland Manor in Apopka, Florida. Their love story is so unique and so sweet. Emily was in Nerja, Spain to work at a conference when she just happened to ask the guy next to her with some help with the wifi. Their conversation flourished and led to an invite to a day trip to Seville. The bus ride there was full of wonderful conversation. On the bus ride back, as the sun was setting, Matthew asked Emily on a date. A few days later, they were officially dating. Three years after their first dates in Spain, these two became husband and wife. All of the details of their wedding day were planned thoroughly and with care. Emily thought of everything and it showed. I LOVED her wedding dress. Handmade and custom designed by her friend, Lisa Trotter. Emily and Lisa worked together to build her perfect dress by purchasing fabrics, sewing buttons, and including the wedding date on the inside hem. The dress fit perfectly. I loved how Emily included her mother’s and grandmother’s wedding gowns. We got to take a few photos with both dresses hanging next to her. I also loved that Emily included her best college girlfriends as her “Girls in Blue” – they helped with welcoming guests, playing music during the ceremony, and helping with the details. So sweet. The outside ceremony was perfect, the family and friends were all so loving, and the reception was so fun! Lots of dancing, laughing, and smiles. This wedding was wonderful. Thank you, Matthew and Emily, for allowing us to document your wedding day. Enjoy your photos!
Thank you to The Knot for featuring this wonderful wedding!
Venue: Highland Manor in Apopka, Florida
Dress: Custom designed by Lisa Trotter
Caterer: Dubsdread Catering
DJ: Grant Hemond and Associates
Flowers: Amy O’Bryan at Thistle and Tulle
Honeymoon: Rome, Italy
Paige and Tim – Orlando Expecting Portraits
Do you have certain friends that are just your “people”? Paige and Tim are my people. Every time I see them, my heart is filled with love and encouragement. I’ve known this sweet couple since my sophomore year at UCF and they’ve been in front of my camera many times. From their dating days, to an anniversary session in St. Augustine, to celebrating buying their first home, and now, their most exciting news of all… they are expecting!! Paige and Tim have had their hearts set on becoming parents for a while and with lots of hope, help, and prayers, they are expecting a sweet little GIRL in August!! SO excited for them! We met at the Kraft Azalea Gardens a few days before Valentine’s Day for a mini session of announcing their big news!
Dating in 2009 – First Wedding Anniversary in 2012 – Bought their first House in 2013 – PREGNANT in 2015VIEW POST
Hiii, my name is Michelle Stoker…
I’ve had this blog for over two years and just realized that I’ve never done a fun “Get to Know Me” blog post! You know my work through my photos but here’s a chance to get to know a little more about the lady behind the camera. Hiii, my name is Michelle Stoker, I am 25 years old. I was born and raised in Orlando and lived there for 21 years. My loved ones call me “Mich” and I love it. I instantly feel like BFFs if you call me by that name. I graduated from UCF with my Elementary Education degree and have taught Kindergarten for 3 years. I started my photography hobby towards the end of 2008 and my official business in 2012.
I purchased my first DSLR camera in May 2008 and the photo on the left was the very first click on the camera. I thought it was so artsy and creative. Ha! I was a sophomore in college and was so excited about using my new Canon Rebel XT to document my world, including lots of selfies with my niece!
VIEW POST
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- …
- 61
- Next Page »