candid event photographer – Milli Stephania Photo

Moving into a new neighborhood is always a gamble. You hope for friendly faces, maybe a neighbor who’ll wave hello… but finding people who feel like family? That’s rare. Lucky for me, my family hit the neighbor jackpot.

In the short year we’ve lived here, these neighbors have become our honorary family. The kind of people who invite you in, offer you food (multiple times, whether you’re hungry or not), and make your kids feel like their backyard is a second home. So, when their oldest was graduating high school, there was no way I wasn’t showing up to help document their celebration.

It was everything a graduation party should be: a backyard BBQ, a pool full of happy, splashing kids, and a grill that didn’t quit. And let me tell you about the food. There were bacon-wrapped mushrooms that quite literally stole my heart. I mean, if you didn’t strategically position yourself near the appetizer table, were you even at a party?

While I worked my camera, capturing every laugh, cannonball, and plate piled high, my own kids were just living their best lives. One was running wild in the backyard like it was her personal kingdom, while the other got passed from relative to relative, collecting kisses and snacks along the way. It was chaos, the sweet, heartwarming kind that fills a home with life.

As a photographer, these are my favorite kinds of events. Not the ones where everything’s staged and stiff, but the ones where life is just happening, and I get to freeze those little in-between moments that people don’t even realize they’ll miss.

It’s wild how life surprises you sometimes. I never expected to have a Ukrainian family that feels like my own, but here we are. And I’m so grateful.

If you’ve got a milestone coming up and you want someone who’ll show up not just with a camera, but with heart (and an extra appetite), I’d be honored to be there. These moments are fleeting—but the memories don’t have to be.

✨ Ready to make your own backyard memories unforgettable?
Whether it’s a graduation, a family BBQ, or just an excuse to gather your favorite people, I’d love to be there to document it all—cannonballs, chaos, and bacon-wrapped goodness included. Let’s make those everyday moments into forever memories.

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Doljabi, korean first birthday for baby Gemma, where she chooses her future, she chooses a stethoscope for physican. Mom holds her in her traditional korean dress.

Ever wondered what tradition, adorable baby giggles, and a dash of destiny look like? Let me take you behind the scenes of Gemma’s first birthday doljabi. It was a vibrant celebration rooted in Korean culture and bursting with love.
Spoiler alert: It involves tiny hands choosing their future career path, squishy baby cheeks, and some of the best food I’ve ever tasted.

In Korean culture, a doljabi is more than just a birthday—it’s a cherished tradition that celebrates a baby’s milestone first year while offering a peek into their future. During this event, various symbolic items are placed before the birthday child. The baby then picks one, and each item hints at their potential path in life: a gavel for a future judge, a paintbrush for an artist, a microphone for a musician, a stethoscope for a doctor, and even thread for longevity. Watching little Gemma reach out with her tiny fingers was the cutest—and possibly most suspenseful—moment of the day, especially since there was a raffle to make it extra fun. And guess what? Little Miss Gemma—with her squishable cheeks and gummy smile—reached straight for the stethoscope. Future doctor in the making? We’ll have to wait and see, but the room erupted in cheers and laughter when she made her pick.

Stephanie and Robert hosted Gemma’s doljabi at The East Norwalk Association Library. The venue was intimate yet lively, filled with family, friends, and the warmth of celebration. Gemma, dressed in a stunning traditional Hanbok, looked like a little princess. Her parents, also dressed in Hanboks, radiated grace and pride as they shared this special day with their loved ones.

Gemma’s at the perfect age where everything is fascinating, and is full of personality. She lit up every time I sang “Wheels on the Bus” to catch her attention.