engagement session
And here is part two! We finally landed a bright and sunny Sunday to do the outdoor portion of Christian and Ellens engagement photos. The wind was INTENSE, but we were able to shoot in between gusts and get some marvelous shots that didn't include Ellen being strangled by her own hair haha!
This engagement blog will actually be two parts and I'll explain why. I know Christian and Ellen through the martial arts gym I go to, The Edge. Super fun couple! They are both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blue belts and incredibly skilled in Muay Thai as well, so naturally we had to bring those elements into their engagement photos. We had to split their session to two different days due to rain, one indoor location and one outdoor. They wanted to do some photos inside the edge which is where they met and also where Christian proposed. Best. Idea. Ever. They turned out so unique!
These guys have such style and class. They are both dance instructors and compete in salsa, swing, and bachatta competitions all across the state! I've known Jason for a while, and just recently got to know his beautiful bride to-be while doing their session. We went out to Wood Ridge Farm Brewery, their favorite place to go and grab a nice pint (which I had never been to before and of course got lost trying to find). Who knew you get such killer shots at a brewery?! Instantly sold. I need to take all of my couples to breweries now. Plus, beer. Enough said.
These two were so cuuuuuute!!!!! Also, how can you go wring with a field full of sunflowers? I have yet to find an answer to that question. Danielle and Arron were one of my engagement session give away winners. We decided on Seaman’s Orchard as our location and Danielle showed up in a killer red dress with her man sporting a dapper matching bowtie. PERFECT contrast to all of the yellow. We were sweating our butts off because it was well over 90 degrees, but these guys made it look easy haha.
Allison and I have known each there since we were 13. We have shared so many experiences together and she has been one of my closest friends since we met all those years ago. So, naturally, I was instantly intrigued (and protective and judge of course) when I found out that she was talking to this guy named Phil. All of my worries were laid to rest however when I saw the two of them together. They laughed and joked around whenever they were near each other, and Phil could hardly take his eyes off of Allison for more than a minute or two. Allison was beaming.
So then a while later after they started dating, I get a phone call from Phil telling me about his plans to propose to Allison. I was ecstatic! My Allison was going to get married! She, of course, said yes! The day after that she called me to tell me all about it and asked me to be her bridesmaid. It was so crazy to finally be in that part of our lives that we had always talked and dreamed about!
I offered to do their engagement photos (since I obviously could’t be the wedding photographer. Not THAT talented haha) and a few months later we captured these beautiful images! I asked Phil to tell me a bit about their relationship and he agreed to answer some questions. Totally obvious that he is head over heels in love with her <3
Go take a look at this handsome couple! Totally not even a little biased ;)
How did you guys meet?
“At church”
What was your first thought when you saw Him/Her?
“Wow, she’s kind of intimdating….(As an introvert who takes a while to dive into social settings, I was impressed by how she was always in the thick of whatever was going on)”
How long have you two been together?
“Year and a half”
When/where was your first date?
“Officially: small pizza place in Lynchburg (they’ve since closed shop). Unofficially: I gave her 1on1 2-step lessons at church 😊”
What are some things you like to do together?
“Dance, hike, sit on a blanket at a park, picnic, watch the fireflies, look at the stars, throw a frisbee around…. Lots of things.”
What are somethings you each love about the other person?
“Her smile. That she’s a goofball :p. Her ability to make everyone else smile : ). How much she cares about everyone around her. I’ve never met a girl who can throw a frisbee like she can.”
When did you know Him/Her was the one? How did He pop the question?
“When she told me, with tears rolling down her face, that she couldn’t date until after her birthday (1 month later) because of a promise she had made to the Lord 1 year prior.”
These two were so much fun to work with this past weekend! We did the session on their 20 acre farm out in Evington, VA that was home to Trevors Grandparents. The wind was BITTER but the light was awesome so that made up for it! Also, their pooch Layla did her part to warm our hearts ;)
Cant wait for their wedding next December!
How did you guys meet/start talking?
B- We actually knew of each other in middle school.. but after middle school my family moved to NH. After HS, a move back to VA and a few years we became friends on Facebook and began talking through that and decided to meet up in person and hang out!
T- She messaged me on Facebook and we started hanging out.
How long have you two been together?
B - 6 years
T - Forever
When/where was your first date?
B - Our first official date was floating the James river with his brother and dad. We had hung out before but not in a date fashion!
T - On the James river.
What are some things you like to do together?
B - We like to have fun outside - go fishing, four wheeling, floating the river. We also like to watch movies, play with our dog and be with family!
T- I don’t know, lots of stuff. We go fishing.
What are somethings you each love about the other person?
B- He is determined and goal oriented. He has an amazing smile and makes me laugh lots! Most importantly he understands me, supports me and pushes me to be the best I can be!
T- I love that she always worries about the things I don’t. We really balance each other out.
When did you know he/she was the one?
B- I knew pretty early on.. I don’t really know exactly when but way before he did! Lol.
T - I don’t know when. Just kind of happened.
When/how did you guys get engaged?
B- we got engaged on the day we moved into our house (his grandparents house). It was at the end of moving day after all our moving help left. He said I want to make this house official with you, I want to make this house a home with you and that he wouldn’t feel right without asking me.. Will you marry me?... of course I said YES!!!!
T- Our first night in our new house.
How did you guys meet?: "We've known each other since middle school but we didn't look at each other in that way until a year after we graduated and he slid into my dms haha!"
When/where was your first date?: "Our first date was June 25, 2016 when I went to visit him on base in North Carolina."
What are some things you like to do together?: Morgan: "We're both kids at heart so we just like to have fun and goof off together." Kameron: "Watching horror movies together, just relaxing, cuddling and talking about everything, basically everything I want to do I want her there to do it with me."
Morgan, what are somethings you love about Kameron?: "I love Kameron's kind heart and how he can instantly make friends with anybody he meets. And I love how he brings out my goofy side and teaches me how to laugh at life."
Kameron, what are somethings you love about Morgan?: "She's kind, she's sweet, she cares more than anyone that I have ever met, she's confident , she's strong and never lets the world push her around, she's passionate and she would do anything for me the same way I would do anything for her. She's even cute when she's mad. She never gives up and puts her whole heart into a relationship and never holds anything back."
When did you know Kameron was the one?: "It didn't take me long at all to realize Kameron was the one. He had every quality I've ever looked for in a man. We had an instant connection and I knew I never wanted to lose that. God blessed me more than I could've ever imagined by giving me Kameron."
When did you know Morgan was the one?: "It was when she wasn't there that I knew she was the one. With her not being there, it felt like there was an emptiness and it was only when she was there that I didn't feel that way. I just couldn't live without her and I couldn't see myself with anybody else."
Who said "I love you" first?: Morgan: "I said I love you first. It was really romantic haha it was one night on topsail beach, the same place he proposed exactly a year later."
These two were SO. STINKING. CUTE! Between Kameron's constant wise cracks and Morgans contagious laugh (largely brought about by Kameron's wise cracks) there was never a dull moment during their engagement session! Plus, they both agreed to get in the creek for me. I was instantly in love with them after that <3
Kameron is in the Marine Corps and so it can be kind of hard to schedule things like engagement sessions, weddings, proposals... SO, while Kameron was away in Japan, he was in cahoots with his mom and Morgans mom to plan a wedding and get everything set BEFORE he came back home to propose... WHAT?!?!? When I was in conversation with Morgan's mom about photographing their wedding, I was slightly shocked when I heard that they weren't even engaged yet. Mom quickly assured me though that Kameron was all that Morgan could talk about and she knew without a doubt that this was the man she wanted to marry. So, in order to be able to have the wedding at a time that was conducive to his life in the Marines, they scheduled the wedding for December and he was due to propose when he came back to the states in August. He popped the question the very night he flew in and of course she said yes!
I am so pumped to shoot their wedding in December!
