Archive for 'engagement session'
As you might expect, since it’s June in Richmond, we’re in the thick of another busy wedding season. You know Lindsay and I love everything about the wedding day and the events that lead up to it, but sometimes you do like a little bit of something unexpected. When Mike called me up to say that he wanted me to be there when he popped the question to Emily, I was thrilled. I’ve done this a few times before (I want more!!!) and there’s nothing quite like the thrill of his anxiety, followed by her elation, all wrapped up in one of the tenderest moments you’ll see between two people. Mike could not stop smiling nor could Emily stop crying for a very long time.
Now, the funny part of this for me is the acting that Mike and I had to do to set it all up. There were several phone calls, a studio meeting, and then of course the cat and mouse game on the big day as I stayed close, but not too close. Mike was making sure he was giving all the right signs without giving away the game. While I was playing “random duck photographer” he was playing Mr. “this is just a normal date in Byrd Park”. So, I threw in a photograph of my “work” at the beginning. Several duck photographs and what looked like a very cute conversation between them, he stood up and went to one knee. Perfect.
Congratulations to you both, Mike and Emily. Thank you for letting me be a witness to the beginning of a pretty special journey. Enjoy!
Sometimes finding the perfect spot for an engagement session is a bit like a little word association game. I say “Richmond” and you say “historic”. I say “fun” and you say “water”. Of course, your answers certainly vary but when we went through all the things that Kate and Ulf were thinking I got the following: classic Richmond, water, our dog, Tredegar. So, what are we to do? Starting at the studio, down we went to some of the best parts of this wonderful city walking along the canal, traipsing through Shockoe Bottom, and ending up at their eventual ceremony site, the Tredegar museum. Having only chatted with them over the phone, I was so thrilled to find out that no only were they fun and relaxing to talk with, but they were perfect subjects. Thank you Kate and Ulf for making a job I already love that much easier. Enjoy!
Since we just got a great look at Jenni and Bruce on their wedding day AND because I haven’t posted an engagement session in ages, I figure I’d start with this one. The recently Mr. and Mrs. live in Hawaii so getting together for their session was pretty much impossible before they came to town to get hitched. So, here you have it; a decidedly Richmond session for a way out west couple. Jenni and Bruce Ayers…congratulations again and so glad to get to know you both.
Thank you to Jane and Andrew for enjoying with me what turned out to be an amazing February day. Yes, I miss all the beautiful white snow that we had last year, but you can’t argue with being able to run around Belle Isle for an engagement shoot at a time when we should be huddled indoors by a fire. With their dog, Duke, we made the most of the temps and all the variety that the historic river island has to offer. As a little bonus, we headed over to the the University of Richmond for a little more fun at the International Center. Enjoy!
While we had a full session scheduled for the day, the weather had other plans. But, Katie and Adam were willing to go on a short little adventure to take advantage of what may be the only snow we see until next winter. We’ll be posting the follow-up session soon enough and can’t wait to work with these two again (and little Cody). Enjoy a little cold-weather imagination and have a great week!
I thought Sara and Casler (James for the uninitiated) had such a fun story that I’d let them write up a little bit about themselves and how we got where we all are today. So…welcome guest writer Sara Cox 🙂
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“We met in the summer of 1999 while working at the same summer camp in the Blue Ride Mountains. James was one of the few boys who had the privilege of working at girls’ camp, so in general, all the girls knew he he was. He likes to think of himself as a regular ol’ camp celebrity. Anyhow, everyone called James by his last name, Casler, so that’s what I call him today. When we met at camp, Casler was four years older and in college at NC State – I was 15! But don’t get it twisted, we were JUST friends, and I gave him a hard time about trying to date the older counselors. We worked together for three summers, but after we stopped returning to camp, we lost touch over the years.
I went to school in upstate New York, moved to NYC, and decided I wanted to pursue my master’s. I chose to attend Virginia Commonwealth University, and spend some time with my parents since I had lived so far away for over 7 years. Casler was born in raised in Richmond, and this man IS Richmond, VA in every way. We met again when I ran into some fellow camp girls at a movie theater in Richmond, and they still kept in touch with Casler. I told them to have his people call my people; he did, and it turns out we were meant to be more than friends – ten years after we had met at summer camp.
We dated in Richmond, but I moved to Seattle shortly after we began dating to take a three-month internship between grad school semesters. While we didn’t intend to, we talked every day and that’s how we fell in love. We reunited in Richmond and spent one more year there until Casler was unexpectedly asked to relocate to Nebraska for work. And that’s not a typo, yes, Nebraska.
Even though it was a tough decision, with our families both conveniently located in Richmond, we decided to go for it, I tagged along, and we’ve lived in Nebraska for a year and a half now. We’ve made incredible friends, we both love our jobs, and after Casler proposed, we even bought a house! As it turns out, Nebraska was the best choice for us, and it really opened our eyes to the idea that Home is Where the Heart Is, and for us, our home is wherever we are together.
We wanted to bring that concept into the details of our wedding, to honor our relationships with friends and family all over the country, and our relationship which blossomed even in the face of great geographical separations. The concept will be reflected in things like “luggage tag favors,” “Virginia/Nebraska themed welcome baskets,” and even our Save-The-Date, which is a map to home explaining the story of how we met through various direction checkpoints on the map.
Photography plays a huge part of our lives; I am always the one taking a million photos at other people’s weddings, trying to capture the most intimate and candid expressions. I knew that one day at my own wedding, I wanted a photographer who could bring life to our photographs through color and creative perspective, but also to find a way to catch the very real moments that happen when no one else is looking. In my first conversation with Don, he explained that at our wedding, he would capture all the things I never knew were happening, and that his goal is to capture moments as they actually happen. I had initially contacted Don through referral of friend and fellow Richmond bride, but after our first conversation, I knew I wanted to look no further.
This shoot down by the James River reflects both of our personalities, and our connection to Richmond, where pieces of our heart will always lie.”
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Thank you Sara and thank you Casler. Great images are a team effort. Lindsay and I are so happy to be a part of your team and can’t wait for all our future fun conversations and planning your wedding day.
Everyone else, enjoy!
Not only did we have a fantastic time in Dee’s hometown, but their lovely Warrenton engagement session was picked up by The Washingtonian and they’re getting married tomorrow! Not bad at all. Enjoy the link, their slideshow, and have a wonderful weekend!
Sabina and Cliff contacted us a while ago to say they were looking for a special session, something they could bring back to their families in Macau, China where they plan to get married later this year. Well, we were more than happy to help them in that cause. I love how they simply melted in to a very intimate couple in front of my lens and the combination of their formal attire and two very classic Richmond locations. Thank you, you two. May you travel safely and hope these images bring joy to your families. Enjoy.
Now, we’re off to a quaint little corner of Northern Virginia called Warrenton. I think the downtown is the epitome of old Virginia. Great little main street, tons of local businesses that thrive and easy access to some of the natural trails and scenery that make this part of the state special. When Dee asked if it was OK to drive up there for the session of course I said yes. Hopefully, when you view the images below, you can see why. Everything we needed was within six square block. Try doing that in a suburb 🙂
Thank you, Dee and Patrick. You made the drive worthwhile, you warmed up so easily for the camera, and we’re so glad you’re loving them. The rest of you…enjoy a little old town VA.
I’d like to introduce you to Loren and Ryan, a fantastic couple that I met at a recent Choice Entertainment “Meet the DJ” night. From the minute the three of us started to chat I could tell there was a connection and I can’t explain how important Lindsay and I feel about making that connection. We so often stress the experience of working with your photographer as being as important as the images. After all, we spend more time with you than any other vendor throughout the entire wedding process. As we end each wedding season (when does it end, actually?), Lindsay and I reflect back on not only what we’ve created, but also the number of great people that we’ve had the pleasure of spending time with. Being a full-time wedding photographer with a studio to maintain is tough, filled with long days of editing, business, and shooting. The people we meet are the payoff. They are what makes it worthwhile.
Well, these two are definitely a part of the payoff. We had a blast at the engagement session as we walked through the Canal Walk and Church Hill. There was plenty of laughter and some great tender moments between them. I hope you enjoy the session and look forward to their wedding day. Thank you Loren and Ryan!
