quarantine baby shower parade Poland OH

Surprise Baby Shower Parade + Spring Maternity Portraits| Poland OH | Katie + Matthew

The recent coronavirus pandemic has resulted in so many disappointments, including canceled events and celebrations that people have been planning for and anticipating for months. Katie and Matthew are expecting a little boy this July, and were so excited for their spring baby shower to gather with their family and friends for a celebratory brunch. The canceled event was disappointing to say the least, but the couple’s families were determined to celebrate this pregnancy! Their parents came up with the plan to have a drive-by baby shower parade for Katie and Matthew at their home, following social distancing guidelines to celebrate safely, while still spoiling the new parents with gifts for their babe! Katie’s sister Tara reached out to ask if I’d be in on the surprise, and of course my answer was YES! You might remember a few years ago when I got to photograph Matthew’s surprise proposal to Katie. I feel so lucky to get to be a little part of these milestones for these two, and am just so excited for them to welcome their son!

Sunday turned out to be the most beautiful spring day, with the sun shining and blue skies. I met Katie and Matthew at her sister’s farm, where beautiful blossoms were budding on the trees in the backyard and the woods are slowly coming to life. Doing a photoshoot with a face mask and a zoom lens at high noon was a creative challenge, but I was totally up for it! Katie is an absolute beauty, and so easy to photograph. She and Matthew brought along their pups Scout and Ruger, and we did a quick little mini shoot to capture that beautiful bump. As we were wrapping up, I suggested heading back to their house to snap a photo of them on their porch to forever remember this crazy season of time at home. Which of course, was just a ploy to get them home for their surprise baby shower parade!! Cars filled with their family members and friends wrapped around the block to drive by and wave to Katie and Matthew, and deliver gifts and diapers and well wishes. For a couple who has had more than their fair share of trials over the past year, it was an overwhelming display of love from their community of support. There were tears all around, and so much gratitude as Katie and Matthew watched their very own baby shower parade.

For every negative thing that has resulted from COVID-19, there has been a display of positive showcasing the resiliency of the human spirit. Katie and Matthew’s surprise baby shower parade was an honor to capture for them, and I know they will remember this day for the rest of their lives! Baby McGahagan, you are one loved little guy! Congratulations Katie and Matthew!

P.S. See the local news coverage of the parade here!

Surprise Baby Shower Parade + Spring Maternity Portraits| Poland OH | Katie + Matthew

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