Laura + Scott ~ Mines of Spain Engagement, Dubuque, IA

I could not be more excited to have these two as one of my 2014 weddings.  They are so easy going, fun to hang out with, are so totally in love with each other, and just down right awesome. 

Laura + Scott have known each other for a long time.  They met in grade school and before they ever started dating were in a golf league together and alter servers at St. Joe's...real life grade school sweethearts here people! It’s easy to see why they are such a perfect fit, they both enjoy a love for the outdoors, living an active lifestyle (Scott is currently training for a marathon and Laura is currently training for a half-marathon!), and in the midst of all that both attend school at St. Ambrose University.

Laura + Scott chose the Mines of Spain for the backdrop to their engagement photos, and let me tell you it was amazing.  I could have spent all afternoon at this place with them exploring and finding fun spots for photos had it not decided to downpour on us! All day leading up to the session we were eagerly watching the radar hoping we would be able to get the session in and it looked promising when the time came.  It was beautiful at the beginning of the session and then towards the end on our walk back through the trails the skies opened up and we were stuck in a downpour! Instead of run to the car and take off, these two were totally game to play in the rain to close out the session for some fun photos…did I mention how awesome these two are?!

Laura + Scott, I had a blast hanging out with you last weekend and I cannot wait until your wedding day next year! Hope you enjoy a preview of your photos :)

Playin' in the rain!

Nicole ~ Kewaunee High School Senior Photos

Nicole kicked off my senior photo session season with some amazingness!  She was so fun to work with, and totally rocked every single location we went to.  Nicole if a lover of all things art and will be spending her senior year taking an abundance of art classes to let her creativity shine! 

Check out a sneak peek of her photoshoot below!

My Favorite Place ~ Surf City

Surf City on Long Beach Island in New Jersey is hands down, one of my favorite places to go.  I have been going there since I was young and there's a beach, family and nothing but relaxation...sounds amazing right?! 

This year it was even better because most of my mom's side of the family (my mom is one of 13 children, so lots of family!) was all going to be there at the same time, and when you get that many Stangels in one area, it's nothing but awesome.

We spent a week in Surf City catching up on life, cooking great dinners, shopping, going to the beach and celebrating the lives of those that have left us far too soon. 

My Uncle Bob said it best last week when he said we should all feel lucky to be a part of such a big family and to have so many people that love and care about us, because not a lot of people get to experience having such a big family.  I truly do feel so lucky to be a part of this amazing family, and I look forward to every time we can get this crazy group all in one location. 

Check out a few photos from my favorite place and a slideshow that will give you a sneak peek into my family :) 



Stangel Family - Surf City 2013 from Rachel Dilling on Vimeo.

The Stangel Family ~ Surf City, NJ Family Photos

I also had the pleasure of photographing another Aunt and Uncle and family while out in New Jersey recently, and I was so honored that they had asked me!  Jim and Nan live in Wisconsin and their son Justin is in New York and Griffin is in Florida.  They all lead very crazy busy lives, so it is a rare occurrence that they are all in the same place at the same time so we of course had to commemorate that occurrence with some family photos :)

Here is a preview of their family photoshoot on the beach! 

Chris + Wendy + Family ~ Luxemburg, WI Family Photos



You may recognize a few of these faces from previous blog posts, as I have had the privilege of working with both Abby + Colin + Nora as well as Tara + Dan and their family.  It is such a joy and I feel so privileged when I get to continue to work with families throughout the years and see how much the kids grow and change!

 

I was so excited when Wendy + Chris wanted to do their family photos at Northbrook Country Club in Luxemburg, such a beautiful course!! This first building in the photos Wendy told me was one of the original barns from before there was a golf course, it was such a cool building and I loved the history of it. 

 

Enjoy a sneak peek of my day with their family below!



McCarty Family ~ Surf City Family Photos

I had the pleasure of photography my Aunt and Uncle and cousins while we were out in New Jersey again this year :) I also did family photos for them when I visited 2 years ago and MAN have the kids all changed so much!! We caught a gorgeous sunset for the photoshoot and it was a great way to kick off my time in Surf City, oh how I have missed that place and this family!! 

We were there for a big reunion with my mom's side of the family, so stay tuned for more awesome photos of more of my family and a blog post about the vaca!

Check out a few of my favorites from their photoshoot!! :)