Rachel Gabrielse Photography

https://rachelgabrielsephotography.com

My new website is here! A huge project and one I can honestly say I am so proud of. Please take a look and thank you for following along and supporting me these past 13 years!

Kicked off busy season with two perfect (and windy) April wedding days. Here are a few from Cam and Sarah's at the Ivy House!

Next up - the updated print store!

Second RGP update! Film!

So excited to finally share my new logo! I've been working through a rebrand for the past few months and am going to start sharing it as I finish up. It has been a ton of work, but also a ton of fun. My goal for the new brand is to convey simplistic elegance and show off so much of the beauty I have had the blessing to capture and create these past thirteen years. Enjoy!

A late August party in the treehouse.

Just realized it has been eight months since posting on here so thought I would pop on and say hi and give a little life update!

In June we had our third baby, sweet Mercy Khea, and this past weekend I had my first wedding back after maternity leave. We had the best 6+ weeks soaking in newborn snuggles and doing all the Michigan summer activities and now I am so ready to be back shooting weddings. Getting to be mom and photographer gives me so much joy and fulfillment and I will never stop being grateful for both.

I'll try to be a little more consistent on here now, but we'll see how often three nap times line up ;)

>>>> http://rachelgabrielsephotography.com/2022-recap/

I have been working on this blog post for a few weeks now because I go through every single photo I delivered in 2022 (tens of thousands) to make a recap from the year. It takes forever, but it is so special to me. It reminds me of the places I got to go, the people I got to meet, the moments I got to be a part of, and just the absolute joy this job brings me.

In 2022 I got to take family pictures for a photography hero of mine, Nathan English Photography and meet his miracle son, Psalm, who we had spent countless hours on our knees for. I got to photograph a wedding on the rainiest August day in Grand Rapids history. I got to take pictures of my baby girl turning one. I got to take my family to Mackinac Island and photograph an anniversary session at the Grand Hotel. I got to go on a 30th birthday trip with my husband to Tulum. I got to photograph two weddings at a new (and now favorite) venue, LEONA ROAD. And I had the privilege to meet sweet baby Reuben Rafa William Hoekwater as he came into this world and was welcomed into the arms of Jesus.

2022 was such a mix of grief and joy and I just don't really have the words to describe it all, so I hope you enjoy seeing this past year through my eyes and my lens.

*Warning - it is a long one.

2022 Recap

Hello friends! So I am finally (almost twelve years later) making a Google business page for Rachel Gabrielse Photography. If I have ever taken pictures for you, it would mean the world to me (and be the best Christmas present) if you could leave a review by clicking the link below. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Review us on Google Post a review to our profile on Google

I still have a few openings for weddings next year and am starting to open my books for 2024! Looking forward to all the stories I get to tell in the coming years! Thank you so much for following along.

Facebook has been giving me some issues when I try to upload all 150+ previews from a wedding, so I am going to try selecting less photos and hope that helps!

Which is nearly impossible to do with Preston and Abby's wedding from this past weekend at Leona Road. Such an incredible day!

I can't believe I am finally saying this. It feels crazy, but also feels very right. I will be making a big transition this coming year in my business. In 2023 I will only be photographing weddings, elopements and couples (proposals, engagement and anniversary sessions). As much as I love photographing everything else, I am so ready to spend more time with my family and be able to give my couples an even better experience by having all of my attention.

I can't imagine I will stay away from photographing families, seniors, maternity, newborn, etc forever so please stay tuned in the future.

As always, if you know of anyone getting married, I would so appreciate you passing my name along. Weddings have always had my heart and I cannot wait to keep living out my childhood dream. Thank you all for your support these past eleven years!

Now to go soak in some extra time with these babes!

Kevin & Anna on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Next time I see them they will be saying their vows at the Bissell treehouse.

Gravel pits will always be one of my favorite places to shoot. Something about the clean, neutral, textured backdrop gets me every time.

Preston and Abby made these Michigan mountains look goooood.

I really need to get better at sharing what I am working on, what better way to start than with Nolan and Nicole.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Black and white images are some of my favorite to create. Growing up I desperately wanted to be an artist but stick people have always been the best I can draw and I dropped out of my college painting class after about a week. But this. This is my art.

I am so far behind on sharing what I have been shooting lately, but let me tell you, it has been a good good spring! May is quite possibly my favorite month to photograph in Michigan - you really cannot beat these blooms.

Here are a few favorites from the Nykamp's maternity session. Renee had me laughing the whole time.

It has been such a sweet winter season over here. I've had some extra time to be present with my two babes, deep cleaned our house (which lasted for about a day because is there really such a thing as a clean house when you have kids?), updated my website, enjoyed coffee dates with friends and photographed a few precious newborns. So grateful for these past few weeks and so grateful to get back to shooting weddings here shortly.