full service
Portrait Experience
The days are full.
The years move quickly.
Let’s make room to remember them.
You don’t need another project to manage. From planning what to wear to choosing how your photographs will live in your home, I’ll guide you through each step—so you can be present with your family while we preserve this season.
From planning to prints, and everything in between.
I’m here to guide the way, making it easy and enjoyable.
From start to finish, we carefully attend to every detail to ensure a stress-free experience for everyone. You’ll be styled with glamorous pieces from the exclusive client wardrobe, pampered by one of Cedar Valley’s best-licensed hair and makeup artists, and left with custom art designed for your home so you’ll never have to worry about what to do with those digital files. I’m here to make your life a little easier so you can keep doing what you do best – being their mom. I’ll take care of the rest.
Start with what you want to remember
Every family comes to portraits with a reason. Maybe your baby has changed overnight. Maybe you want to see yourself in the family photographs, too. Maybe you simply want to hold onto the way life feels right now.
We’ll start with a conversation about your family and what matters to you. It can be a phone call or email—whatever fits your day best. From there, I’ll help shape the session around the people and moments you want to remember.
We’ll take the guesswork out of getting ready
“What will everyone wear?” can turn into hours of shopping, second-guessing, and trying to coordinate the whole family.
I’ll help you choose a look for your family, starting with what feels like you. You can borrow from the client wardrobe or wear your own clothes, and I’ll help coordinate the rest. You won’t have to solve every outfit on your own.
You can feel cared for, too
Getting ready for photographs with a new baby or a busy family can feel like one more thing to squeeze in. For sessions that include it, professional hair and makeup gives you time to settle in and feel like yourself before the portraits begin.
And once we’re together, you don’t need to know how to pose or keep everyone perfectly behaved. I’ll guide you through the session and help your family feel comfortable. Your job is to love on them. I’ll take care of the rest.
We’ll help you decide what to do with your photographs
Choosing favorites can be hard when you love so many of them. You don’t have to sort through the options alone or leave your images sitting in a digital folder.
At your design appointment, we’ll look at your portraits together and talk about how you want to enjoy them. That might mean an album you can open together, framed artwork for your home, a commissioned portrait painting, or a combination that fits your family. I’ll help you see the possibilities and choose what feels right.
We’ll help bring your artwork home
When your finished pieces are ready, I’ll make sure they’re ready to enjoy. Albums can be picked up at the studio, and I can install your framed artwork in your home.
You won’t be left with a stack of frames wondering where to hang them or how to get them on the wall. The experience continues until your portraits are where you can see them.
You don’t have to do it all yourself.
The photographs begin with a season you don’t want to forget. I’ll help with the details around them, so you can be in the story—and enjoy the finished portraits long after this season has passed.
Wardrobe and styling
What if you could just show up for photos? You can.
Whether you are a first-time mom or a mother of multiples, getting your entire family ready for photos can be extremely stressful and can set the mood for your portrait experience. Plus who really enjoys taking kids to the store or sitting online for hours shopping?
We partner with you to select clothing that you and your family will love wearing. Before your session, we will work together to select your family’s wardrobe by coordinating pieces from the exclusive client wardrobe. And best of all, it means not buying something you’ll never wear again.
Our wardrobe room has been carefully curated with a selection of gorgeous dresses in a variety of soft colors chosen to flatter all mothers. Whether you prefer something simple or something with a little more detail, I'm confident we have the dress for you. You'll also find clothes for your kiddos up to size 6x. For husbands and older children, I'll send you a list of recommendations that can easily be picked up locally.
Hair and Makeup
You deserve to feel beautiful for your photos.
Incorporating professional hair and makeup for your session is one of the best things you can do to ensure your photos look flawless. Our licensed hair and makeup artist knows exactly how to create a naturally stunning look where you’ll beam with confidence and your photos will show it. You will feel more confident and that will show through in your photos. Plus, it’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about on the day of your photos.
Hair and makeup are included in all Signature Sessions and The First Year Collective.
Getting my hair and makeup done by Gabby for the pictures that Meghan took made me feel like a whole new person.
I’m not one that does hair and makeup everyday because I never seem to have the time to focus that much time and attention on myself rather than my kids/family, so getting it done made me feel absolutely amazing. I actually felt pretty for the first time in a long time. I felt a smile on my face that was genuine because I felt good in those moments. It really boosted my confidence and I’m so thrilled to have these moments pictured and look and feel good in them at the same time.
Brittany Muehling
Getting my hair and makeup done by Gabby for the pictures that Meghan took made me feel like a whole new person.
I’m not one that does hair and makeup everyday because I never seem to have the time to focus that much time and attention on myself rather than my kids/family, so getting it done made me feel absolutely amazing. I actually felt pretty for the first time in a long time. I felt a smile on my face that was genuine because I felt good in those moments. It really boosted my confidence and I’m so thrilled to have these moments pictured and look and feel good in them at the same time.
Brittany Muehling
About the studio
Our photography studio is conveniently located on University Ave in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The studio is designed to make you feel at home so you are completely comfortable and relaxed for your session. In our wardrobe room, you'll find plenty of space to unpack all your belongings so you feel settled. If you need to change or feed your baby, we've got a changing table and boppy so you can take care of them comfortably. We also have refreshments and snacks for everyone.
In our main natural light shooting area, we use simple white walls as the backdrop to ensure the focus of your images is on your face - not the props or the background. Our floors are a beautiful lighter tone with both cool and warm colors. My primary focus is to utilize natural lighting but because we live in Iowa, sometimes rainy days require studio lighting. However, with my previous training, you can be confident that your studio-lit images will be just as beautiful as natural light images.
Our main shooting space has a separate comfortable seating area with a television. This space is where you'll see your images for the very first time during the reveal at your design and ordering appointment. We can also use the TV during a session if a toddler needs a break from all the smiles.
