A huge thank you to all the couples and families who I have worked with since I began this photography business in 2004. It has been wonderful working with all of you and making so many friends through my work.

- This blog is filled with sneak peeks and slideshows from all of my weddings and photo sessions.
- To get a little glimpse into my family life and see some of my personal pictures and what I'm up to lately, visit bykrista.com.

NOTE: I am no longer booking new weddings at this time. I am still booking family photo sessions on a limited basis.
Contact me for more information.

shannon + brett • 4.20.07 | van andel museum wedding photographer

I can’t say enough good things about Shannon + Brett’s wedding Friday in downtown Grand Rapids. I met Shannon over a year ago and when she told me they would be having their reception at the Van Andel Museum, I was so excited. And I have to say, it was an awesome place for a wedding. Very unique, just like Shannon and Brett. These two were a riot. They are so in love and have so much fun together. They’re a great couple. Heidi and I had a blast at this wedding! A perfect way to kick off the 2007 season. 🙂

Here are some pictures from the day ….. a lot of pictures. I just couldn’t narrow them down anymore, I just had too many favorites.

[ This is just after Shannon’s makeup was done and her veil put on. That was the point that she said it was starting to feel real. ]

[ details. love that she taped a penny to her shoe for good luck. ]







[ this is the vehicle that transported the bridal party to and from the church and museum. a big ol’ locomotive. very fun! ]

[ just after seeing each other for the first time ]



[ we walked around the museum and got some fun shots of the couple and the bridal party. there are so many great spots to take pictures there. this was a shot that I conceived a while ago – to have the bridal party walk quickly through the room as I photographed the couple, so it would appear to be a busy bus station. I told Shannon about it and she loved the idea. I really like how it turned out. ]

[ see what I mean … great picture taking opportunities … and it helps that the groom was such a funny guy, too ]

[ shannon chose tiffany blue and shades of brown for her colors. everything turned out really nice. ]

[ this little sweetie wanted to be part of the ceremony, too, and wandered out into the aisle. so many adorable kids at this wedding. ]

[ cakes on every table ]

[ the wedding cake ]

[ the flower girls were so cute ]

[ more great details. their seating chart was a bunch of old vintage postcards with everyone’s name and table letter. ]

[ the tables were all set up on the main level of the museum. nothing like eating dinner with a giant whale skeleton hanging above your head ]

[ another sweetie eyeing the candy table ]

[ making their grand entrance ]

[ dancing the night away. they were such fun to photograph. ]


[ fun on the carousel ]

CONGRATS, you guys! Have fun in the Bahamas!!!

People, places & things:
Church: Wallin Congregational Church, Grand Rapids, MI
Reception: Van Andel Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
Wedding coordinator: Wendy Muller (museum coordinator), 616.456.4663
Caterer: Van Andel Museum Catering, Jim Ackerman, 616.456.3532
Cake: Adeline Leigh Catering, Wyoming MI, 616.452.1403
Florist: Decorations + More – Bonnie Bruursema, 269.751.8942
DJ: Moonlighting Professional Sound + Lighting, Richard Lee Swoveland, 616.447.2019
Videographer: J-Pro Video – Jennifer Van Hill, 847.426.8897

julie + terry • album

Julie & Terry’s coffee table book arrived today! Can’t wait to send it to them. They will love it. The quality of these books is gorgeous! Here are a few quick shots I took before I packed it all up to send.

cutie pie logo

Since the launch of my new site earlier this year, I’ve been working on coming up with a new logo design. I’m so excited to share the new look today!!!!

Hope you like it. I spent many hours trying to get it just right and it finally came together. I love how it turned out.

for my brides

When I meet with potential clients, I usually bring along at least one full set of pictures from a wedding I’ve shot so they can see how I cover the event from start to finish. Some of my weddings have been with couples who live in other states but are marrying in Michigan, so they’ve done all their planning long distance via phone and internet. Some couples I don’t even meet with until the day of the wedding. I’d love to be able to meet with every couple, but I know sometimes this isn’t an option.

So for your convenience, here is a link to the online proof website, where I have posted two full weddings I photographed. Click on “Featured Wedding 1” or “Featured Wedding 2”. I hope these galleries will give you a better idea of how I cover a wedding from start to finish.

Enjoy browsing! 🙂

the museum

Getting excited for wedding season to kick off. My first wedding this spring is next weekend and I’m really looking forward to it. Shannon and I met last fall and got along really well. She’s doing a fun color for her wedding – Tiffany Blue – so I’m looking forward to seeing how she incorporates that into the flowers and details. Should be really nice.

I’m also excited to shoot at the Van Andel Museum in downtown GR. Last summer, my hubby and I spent our anniversary downtown and stopped by the museum for a bit. It’s going to be a fun place for a wedding! Here are a few pics from our anniversary weekend:

happy easter

Hope everyone had a nice Easter weekend! Here are some pics of my kiddos all cleaned up and lookin’ good, hanging out at Grandma’s. 🙂

erinn’s shower • slideshow

Click the picture for a little slideshow from Erinn’s bridal shower last weekend!



The song I used for this particular show, well, it’s a bit of an inside joke. We used it at the shower of a friend several years ago …. remember that, Erinn? 😉

Enjoy the show!

erinn’s bridal shower | hastings michigan event photographer

Erinn’s bridal shower was this weekend here in Hastings. It was a lot of fun and so good to see everyone. Erinn and I have been friends for many years. Her sister and I were the best of friends in our church youth group, so I first knew her as “Michelle’s little sister”, but we have since become good friends. In the late 90’s, I lived in Germany with my husband while he served in the US Army. Erinn was one of my favorite connections to home through our many many emails. I’m so very happy for her and Kevin. One of the best things about my job is that I get to use my talents to do special things like this for my friends. 🙂

Erinn’s mom made all these great finger foods for us. Everything looked great!




It was a lot of fun! Can’t wait for the wedding! 🙂

I don’t shoot many bridal showers, but it’s always fun to do something a little different. So, if anyone is having a fabulous bridal shower with great details and lots of fun planned, contact me and I’ll come and capture it all! 🙂

an afternoon at the gardens

took the kids to Meijer Gardens today to see the butterfly exhibit. thought I’d share a few pictures from the day.

my kiddos • obviously he didn’t want a kiss from his sister 🙂

pretty flowers all around • can’t wait for mine at home to start blooming






a little poll for ya’

I’m always curious who is stopping by my blog. Please take part in the poll.

And feel free to leave me a comment below! I wanna know who you are. 🙂