Kasia + Dino • Maternity Session • New Jersey Photographer

I don’t think I could ever get tired of photographing parents-to-be!
I absolutely LOVE capturing all those special moments and the excitement of awaiting the arrival of their bundle of joy.

I met with Kasia and Dino at The Cross Estate Gardens for their session.
I truly enjoyed spending time getting to know them, hearing their love story {high school sweethearts!} and how excited they were to meet their baby girl who is due in just a couple of weeks!

The golden hour light was simply magical that afternoon!

Merry Christmas!

'May your troubles be less 

and your blessings be more, 

and Christmas brings you happiness

like never before!'

Merry Christmas from The de Myers!

{photos taken by Deborahann Photography/ edited by me}

Happy 5th Birthday, Jack!!!

Another year went by too fast! 

My little man turns 5 today and I am feeling so emotional.
I cannot wrap my head around him not being a baby anymore. Five seems so... big!
That's half a decade!

This year Jack 'came out of his shell' and became more social. He enjoys school and seeing his friends there. Rambunctious at times, he's still a sweet boy and a very good listener.

He loves soccer and gymnastics, riding his scooter and bicycle.
He loves to build! Legos are his favorite! He says she wants to be an architect and builder when he grows up so 'he can build houses for people'.
Blue is still his favorite color, so are his'soft pants' as he calls them. You won't see him wearing jeans very often. Picking outfits and getting dressed on his own are his thing now!
Jack is becoming more independent each day and wants to prove to us that he can do things without anyone's help. It's amazing to watch him grow and flourish.

Jack will be starting Kindergarten in September and I know I am going to be a mess that first week.
I am so proud to be the one he calls momma, and it doesn't matter how old he gets he will always be my baby!

Happy 5th Birthday, Jack!!!

Let's take a look back at his year of fun and adventures 😊

Christmas concert at Goddard 🎄

Jack loves playing outside!

Kathryn + Jacob's Engagement Session • New Jersey Wedding Photographer

It must have been one of the coldest days this fall! 

Kathryn and Jacob braved the cold weather for their engagement session as we met in one of the local parks here in Randolph where Kathryn grew up.
They took a little stroll, danced and giggled, and I was so happy to capture these moments for them.

I cannot wait to photograph Kathryn and Jacob again on their wedding day next October!

Here's their love story!

How They Met 

In the early summer of 2016, my friends and I attended a grand opening of a new hot spot outside of DC! After celebrating the grand opening all day, one of my friends begged us to join her at a birthday party that her boyfriend was attending. Since she clearly didn’t want to be the only girl, I agreed to go to the birthday party with her. 

On the other side, Jacob was also coerced into going to the same birthday party and figured “why not?” because his plans for the night were still not finalized. 

Jacob and I were briefly introduced and quickly realized that this birthday party was going to be far less exciting than everyone thought. Instead of giving up on the fun, everyone decided to dance. I didn’t want to dance alone so I chose Jacob to join me on the dance floor. Jacob is not the biggest fan of dancing, but decided to dance with me anyway. I knew from the moment we danced together that we were going to get married. 

Fast forward a few months and more chance encounters, Jacob asked me to go to a Washington Wizards game with him and after a night of pretending to watch basketball while getting to know each other even more, we’ve been together ever since! 

How He Proposed 

With the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains and the Biltmore House, Asheville, North Carolina became a “bucket list destination” for Jacob and I. We spent July 4 in 2017 exploring Asheville and were completely mesmerized by the beauty of the city. We knew it was a special place, especially the Blue Ridge Parkway where we spent our ride back home in July of 2017 stopping and enjoying the view at all of the scenic overlooks. 

Jacob and I planned another trip to Asheville in May of 2018. After enduring a treacherous trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway with extreme fog and intense rain, the sky opened up and sunlight streamed down. We stopped at the Tanbark Ridge Overlook and enjoyed the gorgeous view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

After a meaningful speech about how much we both love Asheville and how it’s such a special place for us. Jacob explained how it was the best place to start a new chapter of our lives and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I of course said yes! 

Brooke + Alex • The Architects Golf Club Wedding • New Jersey Wedding Photographer

Brooke and Alex's love story began over 20 years ago when they met in first grade!
So the excitement was high when Alex finally proposed! You may remember their engagement session featured here.

Their day started with a pop of champagne and a few photos of Brooke and her bridesmaids in their matching PJs. After photographing Brooke's gorgeous details it was time for the bride to slip into her amazing wedding gown by Mikaella Bridal and stunning Christian Louboutin shoes! Not to mention the beautiful flower bouquets by Thistle Bee The Florist that she and her bridal party got to carry.

A few portraits with her ladies followed and we headed to their first look location where Alex and my second photographer Tori were already in place. It was one of Alex's favorite spots- the 13th hole.

It is such a special moment for the bride and groom to see each other for the first time on their wedding day. And it was a privilege to be there to capture such genuine love and admiration for one another, mixed with the excitement of what was to come.
We took a few photos on the bridge, hopped on a golf cart and headed out to a few other spots on the golf course for their portraits.

Brooke and Alex tied the knot in a beautiful outdoor ceremony overlooking the golf course of The Architects Golf Club in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
Their ceremony and pretty much the entire day was one of the most emotional ones I have ever witnessed.

Brooke's father passed away earlier this year and he was so dearly missed especially on a day like this. One of the ways Brooke honored her late father was by sewing a piece of his wardrobe into her dress. As she walked down the aisle with her mom, he was walking down the aisle with Brooke, as well.
There was so much love present as the bride and groom exchange their own written vows that moved  everyone to tears.

Brooke and Alex's ceremony was followed by an evening of memorable toasts, dancing and celebrating the new Mr. & Mrs.

Congratulations to The Newlyweds! Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness!

Brooke + Alex's wedding was featured on Wedding Chicks!

Jessica + Andrew • The Madison Hotel • New Jersey Wedding Photographer

The Madison Hotel in Morristown provided such a beautiful setting for Jessica + Andrew's wedding last year. Both, the ceremony and reception, took place at The Conservatory and I was absolutely in awe of this breathtaking room filled with greenery and so much natural light. 

I had the pleasure of photographing this gorgeous celebration for Photography by Leandra Brown. 

Laura + Michael • Liberty State Park Engagement Session • New Jersey Wedding Photographer

It is probably one of THE BEST views in the world and my definite favorite! 

New York City skyline never disappoints. 

You can imagine my excitement when Laura and Michael chose Liberty State Park for their engagement session. It has the best views of Manhattan!

As they strolled along the waterfront they watched the setting sun reflect on the buildings across The Hudson River. It was just the most perfect backdrop for their engagement photos!

How They Met

Laura and Michael met through friends. One night, Laura decided last minute to meet up for drinks with a few of her coworkers and Michael happened to be there. One of her coworkers grew up with him and even though they had mutual friends, they never crossed paths before that night. It was almost as if they were not meant to meet until the time was right for both of them.
They hardly spoke to each other that night, as Laura recalls, but they both left knowing they wanted to get to know each other more. Their first date was almost a month later and they have been inseparable ever since.

How He Proposed

Laura had always mentioned to Michael that she wanted something low key. She is not a huge fan of attention and would prefer the moment to be just the two of them. But, this is not how it happened.

From Laura: "We went to San Diego to visit my brother during Thanksgiving break. I also have family in LA so I thought it would be a nice trip for us to take. The week leading up to us leaving, Mike started to act a little weird so I had a feeling something was up. My suspicions only grew when my sister surprised me by saying she too was going to be coming on the trip. Of course at this point I assumed this meant Mike was going to propose. On the trip, every time he and I were alone my heart would stop and I would think oh god this is it. However, it never happened.

    The last night my sister was there, we decided to all go out to this beautiful restaurant in Coronado, San Diego. The restaurant was right on the water and had views of the city, it was absolutely gorgeous. Since I had always said I wanted the proposal to be simple, I did not expect it to happen there and since it was my sister’s last night, I figured I was wrong about him proposing on the trip. At this point I really didn’t think it was going to happen so I even made a comment while we were walking to the table that because the place was so beautiful, IF Mike proposed that night I might actually say yes. Little did I know, that was actually his plan.

    After we finished eating dinner, someone mentioned the beautiful view which caused me to turn to look at it. When I turned back around, there was Mike on one knee asking me to marry him. I was completely caught off guard! Looking back I am so happy he did it this way, I love that it was at a moment when I least expected it, it makes the story even more memorable."

Laura and Michael are going to tie the knot this Sunday, October 14th!

Betsy + Matt • Orange Lawn Tennis Club Wedding • New Jersey Wedding Photographer

Back in May I had the pleasure of photographing Betsy and Matt's wedding 

for Jennifer Larsen Photography.
Despite the rain we were able to capture so many beautiful outdoor portraits as well as Betsy + Matt's  first look.

Both the ceremony and reception were held at Orange Lawn Tennis Club. 

Christina + Alex • Parents-To-Be Session • New Jersey Photographer

This past March, Christina and Alex gathered together with their family and friends to reveal the gender of their baby.
One of Christina's friends was given a sealed envelope a few days before and she filled the poppers with the correct color confetti. As their guests made their picks- team boy or team girl, the confetti was shot up to reveal that they were having a boy!!! Team blue won!

It was so much fun to capture the excitement of this special moment for the soon-to-be parents. 

A couple of weeks ago we met for their session, and the timing could not have been more perfect! 

It rained all day the day of Christina and Alex's shoot! But the sky cleared for us as soon as we arrived at Frelinghuysen Arboretum and allowed us to take these photos for the parents-to-be. 

Talk about luck!

We also captured their baby's nursery with all the adorable details, toy and books, and took a few pictures of Christina and Alex there. 

Their baby boy is due this August! 

Happy Father's Day!

"Dads are most ordinary men

turned by love into

heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, 

and singers of songs".

~ Pam Brown ~

Let's celebrate all the wonderful dads out there!

Happy Father's Day to my amazing husband - we are so lucky to have you!
And to my Dad - Tato, Kocham Cię!!

Katie + Clint • The Stone House At Stirling Ridge • New Jersey Wedding Photographer

I am so excited to finally share Katie + Clint's wedding that I had the honor to photograph in March.

Katie + Clint's day was filled with so many beautiful details and many special touches, like writing their own vows or wedding gifts with very personal and sentimental meaning that tied to the history of their love.

HOW THEY MET

Katie has known Clint since she was 12 years old. He was in the grade above her and used to swim competitively across the street from her house. She remembers being a young girl and completely mesmerized by his shaggy hair and cute smile. She has been crushing on him ever since. 

THE PROPOSAL

~ From Katie ~ 
"Clint and I took turns every year surprising one another with anniversary plans. This is why it came as no surprise to me when Clint told me he wanted to take me into New York City for our 8th. I wasn't allowed to know where we were going or what we were doing and that's how we liked it.
 It just so happened that the weekend he had planned was expecting terrible weather. 
On the morning of our engagement I was begging him not to go! 
Who wants to walk around NYC in the rain?! With very little convincing (because I can't say no to his sweet face) I decided to go. Not without some complaining though ;). 
Clint took me to Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. One of our favorite songs by Mumford and Sons is titled 'Tompkins Square Park' and he's always told me that he'd take me there some day (I know.. he's adorable). After some walking around and a break in the rain, he stopped me, grabbed my hand and told me how amazing the last 8 years have been and how much he loves me. Next thing I knew he was on one knee and I completely blacked out everything else he said because all I could think of was YES! Two officer's in the park having lunch sounded their sirens and lit up their lights for us and bystanders quickly caught on and began clapping. It was more perfect than if it had been written for a movie. Clint had his sister and her fiancé take pictures from afar and also planned a surprise engagement celebration that night with some of our closest friends and family. 
The entire day was in true Clint fashion. So romantic and thoughtful. The best thing I ever did was vow to spend the rest of my life with him!"

Ahh, there were so many emotions involved when reading about their proposal!
Don't you all love a good love story?!

WEDDING DAY

Katie + Clint's wedding ceremony and reception took place at The Stone House at Stirling Ridge.

Katie was getting ready at her aunt's house nearby. I was so excited to photograph all of her gorgeous details! Her dress was absolute perfection! And let's talk about those shoes for a moment! Simply exquisite!
Once Katie was in her dress we all headed to The Stone House along with her five sisters and two sisters-in-law who were part of her bridal party.
After the bride-to-be did a first look with her dad, we headed outside for a very emotional bride and groom's first look.
This must be one of the sweetest moments of the day and one that makes me weak at the knees.
I love watching the couple's emotions and facial expressions as they see each other for the first time.
From tears of joy to ear-to-ear grins, Katie and Clint couldn't contain their excitement to soon be marrying each other!

Their first look and portraits were followed by family and wedding party photographs.

We then headed inside for their ceremony and reception.
It was such a beautiful celebration of their love and commitment to one another.

Congratulations to the Newlyweds!
Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness!

Rachel + Dave • Cherry Blossom Engagement Session • New Jersey Wedding Photographer

I am so happy that Rachel and Dave chose to have their engagement session during the cherry blossom season! 

Nothing says romance quite like these gorgeous pink blooms! They are simply magical!
Rachel and Dave's pup, Stanley, joined them for a few photos!

How They Met

Rachel and Dave met on match.com in 2013. They were both about to cancel their subscription but found each other just in time. They chatted back and then one date turned to two and many more. 

The Proposal

'Dave proposed in October 2017 on Friday the 13th. He was home and prepping for the big moment. I worked later than expected and it had been a long week. I called Dave to discuss plans for dinner and he told me he wasn't in the mood to do anything. I was pretty frustrated when I got home because I was looking forward to going out and relaxing. 

As soon as I got home he greeted me at the door and told me he had put some mums he had purchased from a work fundraiser in the back on the house. I looked at him confused and rolled my eyes, thinking why in the world would you put them in the back where no one would see them?!

We headed to our sunroom and out to our deck that overlooks a beautiful golf course. 

Dave then got down on one knee and proposed.' 

Rachel and Dave are getting married this June and I am super excited to capture their wedding day! 

Happy Mother's Day!

"Motherhood:

All love begins and ends there".

~Robert Browning~

Happy Mother's Day to all the Supermoms! 

To My Dearest Mom:

"Spośród wszystkich mam na świecie, tak się cieszę, że jesteś moją."

Kocham Cię, Mamo!

Crate & Barrel Private Registry Event • Bridgewater Commons • New Jersey Wedding Photographer

It was such a treat to be part of Crate & Barrel Private Registry Event back in February.
When Stacey Sainato of Peony Events reached out to me I could not contain my excitement!

I remember when my husband and I were putting together our wedding registry over a decade ago, with Crate & Barrel, and I wish we had participated in an event such as this. It is an amazing opportunity to meet the wedding professionals, ask any wedding planning related questions, get to know the latest trends, and to get inspired!

Crate & Barrel at Bridgewater Commons was sure to be filled with inspiration! From the gorgeous floral installation and center pieces by Jardiniere Fine Flowers, hand lettered menus by Little Black Dress Paperie, to place settings hand picked and styled by Stacey of Peony Events, and the delicious desserts by Montclair Bread.
 Let us not forget the stunning makeup and hair by Amy and Jessica of Beauty On Location NJ, along with the latest wedding fashion from I do I do and Bella Bridesmaids.

Elegant Music Group provided entertainment and a photo booth for the event.

Head over to Crate & Barrel blog to read more about the event.

Other Vendors:
Catering ~ Mangia Organica
Sampling ~ Nespresso || KitchenAid || Cuisinart || Coravin

Photography ~ Monika de Myer

Brielle + John • Parents-to-be session • New Jersey Photographer

Boy, oh boy! 

I was so excited to photograph Brielle and John's parents-to-be session at The Waterloo Village a couple of weeks ago. 

I met Brielle at a local college while taking photography classes a few years back. Later on I was honored to photograph their wedding which happened to be my very first. 

So, needless to say, I was over the moon when they asked me to be part of yet another special time in their life! 

Brielle and John are expecting their first baby this May! A little baby boy! 

And I could not be happier for them! 

Chloe + Gavin • Pleasantdale Chateau Wedding • New Jersey Wedding Photographer

I am not exactly sure whether it was their love story or the incredible amount of love they had for each other that truly touched my heart. 

Chloe and Gavin tied the knot on the 9th anniversary of their first kiss!

Their ceremony and reception were held at the magnificent Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, New Jersey.

Chloe and Gavin invited their family and closest friends to be a part of their first look. It was such a special and emotional moment.

After family formals and newlywed portraits we headed to ceremony hall.
Chloe and Gavin glowed with happiness as they recited their own thoughtfully written vows.
I don't think there was a dry eye in the room.

They celebrated the beginning of their life together surrounded by family and friends.

Shot for Brielle Kaschak Photography

Happy Easter!

May your Easter basket be full of Joy, Peace and Happiness! 

Today and Always!

Happy Easter! 

Other Easter stories:

EASTER 2017 | EASTER 2015 | EASTER 2014 | EASTER 2013 | EASTER BRUNCH

Lake Valhalla Club Family Sessions • New Jersey Photographer

I am so pleased to share these family sessions
I had the pleasure of doing last fall at The Lake Valhalla Club in Montville, New Jersey.
The lake provided such a beautiful backdrop! There was no shortage of great spots
and gorgeous fall colors, and super cute outfits!

Meet the families! 

The Naveendra Family