I recently had another quick weekend trip to Youngstown for Kerrie & Pete’s engagement session and also her bridal shower. With our birthdays being two weeks apart, Kerrie and I really are friends for life. My grandparents lived next door to Kerrie and her twin sister, Kristie, while we were growing up and needless to say I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ house so I could visit with the girls.

I had originally planned on taking Kerrie and Pete’s engagement photos in May while I was in town, but between Pete’s work schedule and the rain, we had to postpone till I was visiting again in June. For their e-session, we stopped by a few locations in downtown Youngstown on Federal Plaza and Market Street then made our way over to Mill Creek Park. I had a feeling that Fellows Riverside Gardens would be a zoo on a Saturday afternoon and I was right! There were two weddings going on and at least 5 sets of bridal parties having their portraits taken. We did a few shots at Fellows, but spent most of our time around the Lake Glacier area of the park.

Being an on-location photographer, I love the variety of locations in Columbus I can shoot at. But to me, nothing is better than heading to my hometown of Boardman for a session down the road at Mill Creek Park. With over 4,400 acres of land, the park is the perfect playground for photographers with amazing backdrops around every corner. And I’m sure I don’t even know all the hidden treasures the park has to offer.

Here are just a few frames from Kerrie and Pete’s engagement session. It’s always so much fun to photograph friends who I’ve known forever. I’m looking forward to their wedding coming up in August at Avion on the Water in Canfield and I’ll get to share in their big day as a bridesmaid and not the photographer!

There are some great areas of downtown Youngstown that you would never guess make a great location, like this one!

I just love her engagement ring!

One of the few spots not being overtaken by the bridal parties at Fellows Riverside Gardens.

We had to be super quiet for this shot, there was a wedding going on over to our left!

One of my favorite photographs from the day!