Genevieve Nisly Photography Blog – Cleveland Ohio Wedding Photographers

First off is Nicole and Dan’s engagement session in Ohio City. As we walked through the streets near the Great Lakes Brewing company, there was a strong scent of cinnamon and coffee cake in the air which likely came from the brewing of the (in)famous Great Lakes Christmas Ale which was probably in full swing at the time. Dan was a little apprehensive about being in front of the camera at first but unbeknownst to him, he’s a natural, and the session turned out great. We’re looking forward to their wedding which will take place at the new 700 Beta in early September, so keep your eyes on the blog for that when the time comes.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Jen and Justin for their engagement session in Rocky River, Ohio. We started out at the Crocker Park shopping center where Jen admits to spending a little bit TOO much time, then we headed over towards Huntington Beach in hopes of some sunset [...]

Nicole and Adam have a lot of history in Downtown Akron, so it just made sense to do their engagement session there. They met while at work at a local Hospital, they are both fans of the local baseball team, and they often hang out at one of the local bars that happens to be [...]

With their wedding taking place at the end of the year and his football coaching, the session had to happen that day. Their session took place in Chesterland and had to include their other loves: their 4 dogs. We endured some rain to get great images including the last image bellow which is my and the couples favorite. Glad we persevered for that image alone!

Karen loves her dogs, and Don loves the outdoors, so what better setting then a beautifully natural location like Virginia Kendall for an e-session with their dogs? Don and Karen find it very easy to have fun together which makes shooting them together very easy. It was the perfect lead up to their wedding that we shot last month.

Ok, so we’re a little behind on blogging engagement sessions. I admit it, but we’ll try to get caught up, I promise. On the night before we took off for France back in August, Mark and Danielle made the trip up from Columbus for their engagement session near the flats in Cleveland. Mark and Danielle [...]

Wendy and Calvin made the trip up from Cincinnati for their engagement session along the Towpath Trail on a cloudy and unseasonably cool day earlier this summer. They love to read together in their free time when they are able to get away from their jobs at Proctor & Gamble where they both work, and where they met. Keep your eye on the blog next September for the exciting conclusion at Glenmoor Country Club! Can’t wait!

We began Kate and Adam’s engagement session at their beautiful new home where Adam, on the night that they closed on the house, proposed to Kate in the living room. It was fun to see how excited Kate was about doing an engagement session and even more fun when we got to show them the [...]

I got to meet up with Katie and Ryan a few weeks ago for a last minute engagement session at the Brecksville Reservation. I say last minute because they are getting married just a few weeks from now! Emily, the surprisingly well behave lab you see in the photos, joined us for most of the [...]

The original plan for Jen and Kellen’s engagement session was to shoot the whole session at Edgewater Park where they have spent a good bit of time together in the past. About half way into the session, the topic of the abandoned Coast Guard Station on Whiskey Island came up, so we decided to go [...]

When Heidi mentioned wanting an engagement session themed after a period she and her fiancee Aaron hold a fondness for the 1930s, how could I say no? In truth I love doing photo sessions a little out of the ordinary so this was a perfect excuse for me. Both Aaron and Heidi love fixing up old cars including the 1936 Ford you are about to see bellow. Her dress is also from the 30s and I believe the blanket might predate that.

Sarah and Eric have quite a bit of history at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Not only did they both go to school there, but they met there, and quite a bit of their families went to Miami as well. Therefore, even though they both now live in Cleveland, it only seemed fitting to make [...]

Back before spring had started to bloom, I met up with Sarah and Chad for their engagement session. Since they had just flown into town that day and had a short stay in Ohio, we didn’t really have the opportunity to postpone the session when likelihood of rain became clear. They picked Sarah’s old high school as a backdrop for the session and what a lovely place it is. Thankfully we managed to find enough covered areas to get some great images (even I did not stay dry the whole session). If these are the images we get from a short, chilly and rainy session, I can just imagine what we will get on their gorgeous wedding day!

Earlier in this cold Ohio winter (not that weather conditions have really improved) I met up with Aaron and Maura for their engagement session. The first stop was the West Side Market, a local favorite of theirs (and mine too). We tried to stay warm indoors as long as possible before braving the cold outside near the spot of their proposal. I loved their vintage inspired attire which was a great combination with the locations.

A few weeks ago I got a chance to meet Rachel and Jarod on Chardon’s town center for their engagement session. It was a cold, blustery morning so we thought it would be a good idea to kick off the session at the town coffee shop where we could sit in the warmth and get [...]

Alright, I’m finally getting caught up on blogging e-sessions. Here’s a little taste of Kurtis and Brenna’s session from a few weeks ago in Downtown Cleveland. The Courthouse was Brenna’s first pick for a reception venue but it wasn’t available for her date, so it became an obvious choice for a place to start their [...]

Being a foodie myself, I was beyond thrilled to hear Stephanie was a chef and wanted to incorporate some culinary elements to her and Heath’s engagement session. They picked a favorite restaurant of theirs and one I recommend you try if you have never been: the Spread Eagle Tavern. We made sure to also include their dog Troy in some of the photos since he is very much a part of their family.

From the more formal and classical Italian Cultural Gardens and Wade Lagoon to the whimsical and fun Big Fun toy store in Coventry, Erin and Eren got to hit the two extremes for their engagement session. The timing worked out perfectly with the late afternoon and early evening light adding to the overal ambiance of [...]

Matt and Meghann love to run. Heck, their first date was a five mile run, so when Meghann started thinking about how to personalize their engagement session to their relationship, their running route was at the top of the list. Lucky for us, their route is chock full of really cool places to shoot. The first spot that we went to was actually Matt’s idea when it was all said and done, I think it ended up being everyone’s favorite location for the day. We’ll have to keep that one in our back pockets for future reference.

Amy and Michael’s gentle demeanors came through during their engagement session. It was nice to witness a groom involved in picking the location for the photo session (Chagrin Falls at a restaurant where he worked) and have an active hand in planning the wedding. It’s obvious they are such a good fit together and no [...]

For Ashley and Nick’s engagement session, I got to travel out to a part of Ohio that I don’t end up in very often; Kent, Ohio. Ashley and Nick first met while attending Kent State, so it only made sense to use the campus and downtown area for their engagement session.

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Brandi and Michael had a plan specific idea for their engagement session: a fashion and speakeasy inspired photoshoot around Cleveland. We love trying out new ideas and this was no different. While their engagement session took a little more planning than normal, the results were very much worth it. Wonder how we’re going to top this at their wedding but we’ll think of something.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Scott and Jenni in downtown Cleveland for a very windy engagement session. Luckily, we found just enough breaks in the wind to get some great images of the two of them together. Scott brought along a beautiful Taylor acoustic which I has more than happy to include in the shoot. Thanks guys, and enjoy!

Now enjoy some of Melissa and Jason’s engagement photos taken around Youngstown starting with the restaurant where they met:

Some couples ooze chemistry and pose so naturally in front of the camera. Lucky for us, Carla and Anthony are one of those couples. I’m sure being a photographer herself, Carla has some idea of what looks good in front of the camera. For their colorful engagement session, we headed to little Italy for a fun date night. I’m hoping their wedding this Saturday will be even more fun. See you two very soon!

Matt knew Andrea was hoping for a proposal on an upcoming trip but he wanted to surprise her. Surprise her he did. He led her blindfolded to a nearby park and the rest is detailed here. I love her reaction, dismay and total glee. Job well done Matt! This park actually holds a special place [...]

We first met Kelly and Jay at the Bridal Soiree back in January and we were excited to find out shortly after that we were going to be photographing their wedding! I recently met back up with Kelly and Jay at their home in Chagrin Falls for their engagement session. We started out with a [...]

Some days looks drab in Cleveland Ohio but this was not one of the days. In fact it was quite the opposite and I’m sure it had a lot to do with Lia and Micah. I had a fabulous time photographing their engagement session on a sunny day they came into town. Let’s hope their wedding day ends up this nice.

It’s not often we get to photograph an engagement session at the exact spot where the groom-to-be knelt down and asked the big question “will you marry me?” but this time we were able to. Jeff and Katie were engaged at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania at a location nice enough you would want to plan your wedding there too. Seeing how much I love older architecture, Jeff gets some props from me. Congrats you two!

For Lindsey and Paul’s engagement session, we hung out at some of their favorite stomping grounds in Olmstead Falls although they could have been taken anywhere and would have turned out amazing. With their laid-back personalities and natural affection I’m sure their wedding will be a piece of cake

With Kim living in New York and Grace in Chicago, Cleveland is not only this couple’s wedding location but the perfect central location. This couple dressed it up for their classy engagement session. That purple dress is stunning on Grace and I might just have to get one for myself. Just because they were wearing more formal attire doesn’t mean that Kim and Grace take themselves seriously. I know we’ll have some good laughs at their wedding and am greatly looking forward to it.

I experienced another first in terms of photography last week: capturing a proposal. For those that know me, I’ve been pretty vocal about wanting to capture a proposal. I just couldn’t find a boyfriend willing to let me in on his proposal plans…until Paul.

We had a great time exploring some familiar as well as some lesser known corners of downtown Cleveland. Rachel is a HUGE LeBron fan (did you see that half court shot on the buzzer yesterday?!!?) so we just had to find a sweet vantage point for the “witness” poster. Stay tuned for what promises to be an amazing conclusion at this Ritz Carlton this August. Can’t wait!

Engagement sessions are a lot of fun. Especially when you get to hang out with people like these two. Kevin and Carolina took a break from their busy NYC life to spend some time with family in Northeast Ohio. Luckily, it just so happened to line up with the best weather we have had for [...]

One of the benefits of doing what we do is that we get to meet a lot of people with some really interesting stories. Pete and Ariel have a very interesting story. I don’t want to get the details wrong, but I did learn they met and fell in love while on African safari, traveled with a circus in an Airstream trailer, and now live in London where Ariel is finishing up her doctorate in geography and Pete works in IT for the London stock exchange.

Angela and Chris came in from San Fransisco to work on some wedding plans, visit family and get some engagement photos. For a couple used to warmer weather they certainly got a lucky break from Cleveland Ohio. It was fun to combine some slightly rustic and urban scenery for their e-session. Can’t wait for the May wedding because I KNOW it will be a blast!

I can’t believe how quickly Anthony and Lauren’s Cleveland wedding is approaching. Since these two live out of town, we finally had a chance to meet up during the holidays and photograph their engagement session in lovely Ohio weather Regardless of the cold, it’s easy to see the chemistry between these two.

These are Aileen and Bobbie’s engagement photos taken right after Thanksgiving in good ol’ Youngstown Ohio. While it was bitter cold, we still managed to visit various areas of Mill Creek Metroparks and downtown itself. I loved the variety of outfits Aileen and Bobbie brought and the color contrast with the bleak winter surroundings.

Summer and Justin’s engagement session represents a first for me: it’s the first session that I’ve ever done that started well after sundown. We’ve finished many sessions after the fall of night, but we have never done an entire session at night, until now. Ask anyone who as ever attempted this, and they will tell [...]

Nathaniel and Valerie gave us carte blanche and were volunteering to be guinea pigs for their engagement session in Cleveland: this is something that is exhilarating and terrifying all at once. We are not used to having this amount of liberty to choose locations and try out new ideas. It was also rewarding to try new things and see the results as well as the couple’s personality come through in the images.

I had an fabulous time photographing Renee and Chad for their engagement session in Akron. Chad wasn’t sure what an engagement photos consist off but I think he did great job.

For Amber and Justin’s engagement session, something happens that hasn’t happened for quite some time; we actually got to shoot an e-session together! We normally shoot e-sessions solo based on who has or hasn’t met the couple yet. Since neither of us had yet had a chance to meet this couple, and we were both [...]

A few weeks ago, I got to meet up with Ashley, Anthony, and Zeus for a fun, relaxing morning engagement session in Canton, Ohio. We started out near the monument to give Zeus some room to stretch his legs and take Ashley and Anthony for a walk, then we headed to downtown Canton to shoot [...]

After having to postpone Ruth and Bryan’s initial engagement session due to weather, we found time on a lovely June morning in Akron. Ruth mentioned she wanted some of our signature images and to be honest, I’m not sure what they are. We are always trying new ideas and really let the couple be the inspiration for our photos. This session was no different: Bryan and Ruth met downtown Akron and are a very lively couple so that set the tone for their engagement session.

On a recent trip back to Ohio, Caroline and Andrew took some time to meet up with me at the scenic Brandywine Falls for their engagement session. Both Caroline and Andrew love spending time hiking and being outdoors near their home in Blacksburg, VA, so the Falls made a perfect setting to capture the two [...]

Rachel and Jared met at the University of Akron where they both graduated from a few years ago so it made for a perfect place to get together, hang out, and capture a few images of the two of them. We had an absolutely beautiful day with a relaxed time schedule which also made it [...]

I met both of them for the first time in Sandusky Ohio, Gary’s hometown, for their engagement session. I was pleasantly surprised to see how comfortable they are with eachother and in front of the camera. Their romantic and light-hearted nature came out very easily.

On Monday, I had a chance to meet up with Becci and Jimmy for their engagement session. We started off near Hinkley lake which is where Jimmy proposed to Becci which made the location especially significant for them. We even went to the very bench where Jimmy popped the question. The weather was gorgeous and [...]

Brianna and Coleman spent three years of their dating life living on the John Carroll University campus so as you could probably imagine, there is a lot of history here for these two. Thankfully, there were no classes going on that day, so we pretty much had the whole campus to ourselves. There’s a great [...]

A few months…okay several months ago, we did a fabulous trip to Napa Valley. While there we took the opportunity to do an engagement session in wine country. I keep hoping we’ll get to photograph a wedding in or around Napa California but this will have to make do for now!

I had a great time meeting up with Erika and Michael for their engagement session at the Glidden House in Cleveland. It nice to see them relax so quickly in front of the camera. The best part was witnessing how they bring out the best in each other. Michael has the ability to make her smile at the drop of a hat!

The Glidden House is a great backdrop for photos but they chose it for another reason: they got engaged there. How fun is it to be able to return to the place were the proposal happened?

A few days ago I met up with Anita and Amar to shoot their engagement session in downtown Cleveland. After talking with them and learning a bit about their history, it was obvious that the downtown area near the Q and Jaco…uh..Progressive Field would be the perfect place to start.   Anita and Amar share season [...]

Most of the time, we hope for ideal weather conditions when planning an engagement session. Of course when we do a session in January in Cleveland, we are pretty much guaranteed chilly and gray weather. Thankfully Grace and Leon were game for it and we started off with some inside stuff before moving to the frozzzzzen outdoor. With the winds off lake Erie, I think it was about -10 degrees but we got some fun yet elegant photos.

Not too many people are wanting to do engagement photos in the winter due to the lovely weather we get in Ohio. Yet I love the feel winter photos have that are unlike any other.

Ed and Noelle were daring to face the weather but of course we were hoping for pretty snow when we did their photos behind the Cleveland Art Museum. Alas the wind blew the snow away. We moved quickly to avoid freezing our noses and fingers but it that short time, we got some great stuff.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting up with Tim and Laura for their engagement session in Akron, Ohio. Both Tim and Laura are very involved in the local acting community and have shared many hours at a small, community theater in downtown Akron. This theater has played a significant part in their relationship to this point, so meeting up there for the e-session was an obvious choice.

It’s so nice to get a chance to photograph an engagement session so close to home. When I say close, the garden Center at Stadium Park is maybe 3 minutes from our home. Even with doing the photos in November, we had enough foliage and colors to make the session worthwhile.

Things are starting to slow down a little for us now (a little) so I’m going to continue to try to get caught up on blogging the engagement sessions I have done over the last few weeks. Brock and Jenny first met us only about a month or so ago about their wedding this December 27th. In this very short period of time, it’s been great to get to know Brock and Jenny through the engagement session and subsequent viewing session. When brainstorming about where to go or what to do, Jenny mentioned that she grew up in the historic Zoar village and it was immediately obvious that the village would be a perfect location for them. It offers a great deal of beatiful period architecture and the time of year was perfect for fall colors.

Keri and Sean were one of the first couples to book us for 2010. We are surprised to see how quickly that year is booking up before 2009 has even started. Their engagement session was my first time meeting them but James warned me I would have an easy time photographing them. Sure enough, once we got over the first 5 minutes, they relaxed and I am thrilled with the photos I captured.

We go downtown Cleveland frequently for wedding and engagement photos but I pushed myself to view familiar surroundings with fresh eyes. Not always an easy task

I got a chance to meet up with Kim and Tim at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens a few weeks ago for their engagement session. It was my first time meeting Tim and I was instantly very excited to see how much fun these two have together and how un-inhibited they are about showing their affection. I can tell already that Genevieve and I are going to have a really good time at their wedding.

C.C. and Kevin chose the very beautiful Walden Inn for their October engagement session.  We knew to expect a lot of very nice landscaping, and some fall colors, but sometimes the best images come from when you stumble upon something that you weren’t expecting at all.  Like a culvert, a weed infested field, or a [...]

Shortly following Ben and Kiera’s e-session, I met up with Andrea and Travis near their home in Hartville, Ohio. We headed over to Quail Hollow park which offered some very nice fall color palettes and features to shoot with, and it was kinda fun to walk through and point out the very spot where Genevieve and I said our weddings vows a little over six years ago.

Hey guys, James here. Well, we survived our October, but at times it felt like it was by the skin of our teeth.  Last month was packed with portraits, engagement sessions and a full month’s worth of weddings and, as you can see below, we brought on our first staff member.  One of the byproducts [...]

James seems to do most engagement sessions but we are switching things up a little. I love getting to know our couples and the engagement session is a great opportunity to do that. Since James met Katie and Joe at the first meeting, I got to shoot their e-session in Cuyahoga Falls. Good thing I know that area because rain started pouring right before we started. We found some covered areas and still managed to get some great stuff.

I love taking photos. I love to travel. I love Chicago. I love meeting couples and finding out more about who they are and how they click together. I love couples who let their guard down so I capture “them”. So by association I love Brian and Kelly since they embodied everything I just mentioned.

I recently met up with Rhonda and Tom at Huntington Beach near Rocky River for their engagement shoot. We started off near the beach where we found a few isolated corners that weren’t run over by busy beach-goes on a hot summer evening. That was all well and good until Rhonda and Tom hit the jackpot with a nicely hidden grassy medow near by that was surrounded by trees. Great find, guys! Stay tuned for the conclusion next July!

It doesn’t happen vary often, but it’s nice when you get to do a session in your own back yard (well, almost).  We met Karri and Steve at a small bridal show in Canton, and we hit it off right away.  So far, they have been an absolute pleasure to work with and shooting their [...]

Earlier this week, a group of photographers got together to hang out, enjoy a campfire, and share old war stories.  Our friends, Ted and Rachel Linczak, wanted some fresh photos of the two of them, so we thought we’d make a thing of it.  Kind of a party shoot, if you will.  We had a [...]

I got to try a completely new location for Brian and Kim’s engagement session – Virginia Kendall Park.  I’ve been there many times with friends and family, but I had never shot there.  It was a lot of fun!  There are lots of cool textures and natural features to play with and climbing around on [...]

Jeff and Natalie’s relationship stretches back to their high school days at Chagrin Falls where they met and fell in love. The football field, her locker where Jeff had scribbled some “Jeff loves Natalie” graffiti and the band room all played especially significant roles in the formative years of their relationship. The two were back [...]

When we were working with Al and Jodi to figure out where to do their engagement session, they mentioned that they loved movies, and often went to the Canton Palace Theatre together to see them.  Perfect!  We both new that’s exactly where we should do their session. Congrats Al and Jodi, we’re looking forward to [...]

I met Kari a couple years ago when she had me photograph her Aunt and Mom as a birthday present. Back then, I already knew she was a fun and caring person. Chad is such an amazing complement to her. If I’ve ever fallen in love with a couple, this would probably be them. I’m [...]

Both Genevieve and I have really come to enjoy urban engagement sessions, so we were quite happy to hear that we would be shooting Brent and Beth’s engagement session in our very own little downtown Canton.  The idea of downtown Canton probably doesn’t conjure up grand, romantic images and themes in most people’s minds, but [...]

Last week, I had the pleasure of spending an evening with Chuck and Kelly for their engagement session in downtown Cleveland. Kelly is gearing up for her bar exam, so the library, where she has spent countless hours studying, was a great place to take them. Once we got kicked out of the library, we [...]

James has been photographing all the engagement sessions in the past several months and has done a fantastic job. I decided to do Debbie and Bill’s engagement session to prove to myself that I still had what it takes. Thankfully they seemed really comfortable around me making it easy for me to capture tender moments. [...]

Mary and Erik braved some blustery downtown Cleveland weather for their engagement session this past Tuesday. Erik used to live and work in the area so he was able to point out some cool places to go to that I might not have found on my own. Stay tuned come April if you would to [...]

About an hour after I finished the session with Ashley and Brandon, I met up with Becky and Nick for their engagement session. There was a temptation to go back to all the same places and do all the same things I had done with Ashley and Brandon two hours earlier, but we ended up [...]

Yeah, it’s a little risky planning engagement sessions this late in the year, but Ashley and Brandon lucked out with clear weather, bareable temperatures, and a TON of wind. I had some indoor and covered locations in mind just in case, but thankfully, we didn’t have to rely on them. Stay tuned for their wedding [...]

Well, we didn’t hear anything from the ghost of Squire’s wife, but I had a great time with Ed and Lisa at the famously haunted Squire’s Castle in Willoughby. The forest directly behind the castle had just turned a golden yellow days before which made for a fantastic backdrop. The weather didn’t much cooperate, but [...]

Last week I had the opportunity to meet up with Matt and Megan in the quaint little downtown district of Chagrin Falls for their engagement session. The weather was perfect, the light was gorgeous, and Matt and Megan were a lot of fun to hang out with. What more could I want?

I love it when people know when not to take themselves too seriously, and that is exactly what Akhila and Justin did for our engagement session in downtown Cleveland. They’re goofy, carefree moods seemed to infect each other and it became clear that they have a really good time together. I’m pretty sure we were [...]

After a little back and forth with Katie about a fun place to do an engagement session, we finally settled on a slightly less than orthodox but perfect setting: the Cleveland Zoo. We had a great time roaming around looking at the animals and finding interesting little corners, walls, textures, and environments to take photos [...]

This past Sunday, we met up with Kara and Tony at their Alma Mater, Mount Union College, for some engagement photos. We got a chance to talk to them about their wedding coming up which is starting to sound pretty fantastic. Can’t wait! Congrats, guys, and we’ll see you in May!

Meredith booked us a couple months ago but we didn’t get chance to meet Greg until now for the engagement session. Poor guy had just had a job interview and very little sleep so we did our best to keep the session short. We can’t wait to photograph your wedding in August!

The beautiful and historic Stan Hywet hall and gardens provided a fantastic environment for Jennifer and Grant to relax, have fun, and have me photograph them doing it. Lucky for us, Jennifer used to conduct tours of the grounds so she knew the place very well and knew where all the cools spots are. Congrats [...]

We had the pleasure of spending a relaxed evening with Matt and Christina as we wondered around downtown Cleveland photographing anything and everything that struck our fancy. They have an awesome wedding planned for October that we can’t wait to shoot, so keep an eye on this blog to see the conclusion around the middle [...]

The sun seemed the brighten things up but the temperatures did not cooperate. Libby and Steve braved the cold on one of our free Saturdays to do their engagement photos in Little Italy. They picked this place which is significant to them. We had a great time with Libby and Steve and had to incorporate [...]

Amy and Greg have yet to set a wedding date but they wanted to schedule an engagement session before our gorgeous Ohio Fall disappeared. I met them for the first time this past Sunday at the Canton Garden Center. Greg is pretty funny and I’m not surprised he won Amy over partially due to his [...]

We had a great time this past Sunday capturing 2 different couples that are to be married next year. Ollenger and Jennifer smile easily. His smile is whole hearted while hers is more shy and sweet. That will make our job easy come the wedding day. The backdrop they chose for their photos was a [...]

We started Erin and Ja’s session near our place with a “cash advance” place. Yes, they can make for interesting background. Then we went downtown Canton for some more urban stuff. Ja wanted some artsy photos so I hope these are to his liking. I’m glad he asked. We had a great time and were [...]