engagement session

Deb & Adam // Fall Garden Desert Engagement Session, Scottsdale & Cave Creek, Arizona

Deb & Adam // Fall Garden Desert Engagement Session, Scottsdale & Cave Creek, Arizona

Today felt like the right day to share these, since Deb & Adam get married tomorrow at a gorgeous ranch in North Dakota! It’s my first time in this state and I found myself glued to the plane window as we flew over! To say I’m excited for this wedding would be a massive understatement!

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What the Heck Should We Wear to Our Engagement Session?

You've done everything else: you've scheduled your engagement session, picked the locations, and you're super excited. Only one thing stands in your way. You stand peering into your seemingly endless closet. There are so many options - what in the world will you wear?

1) Your engagement session is meant to capture your love of each other, not your love of your wardrobe. Outfit changes take time away from your shooting time, so I recommend keeping to a two outfit maximum, especially if we are doing a lot of walking for your session. Most couples choose one dressy outfit (think a date to the ballet) and one more casual outfit (something you’d wear on a casual date night). Don’t feel the need to bring two outfits if you don’t want to, one outfit is absolutely fine too!

2) Be yourself. Your engagement photos are an extension of the two of you. I want you to be perfectly comfortable and happy in what you've chosen to wear. If you wear bowties & suspenders every day, feel free to rock those for your session! And if you've never worn heels in your life, don't worry about starting now.

3) Coordinate colors and styles. Wear colors that coordinate, but don't worry about matching specifically. Just because one of you wears a blue shirt does not mean the other must also wear a blue shirt. Also, gone are the days of showing up to your session wearing matching white shirts and khakis. Let's see your STYLE! :) Just make sure you are wearing outfits on the same level of casualness or dressiness.

4) Choose your color palette. As a general rule, neutral and soft tones photograph very well and allow you to stand out from the background. You can then add pops of colors while still keeping the focus on the two of you instead of your wardrobe! If you feel your best in jewel tones though or something bright, feel free to wear that! A statement red dress is absolutely gorgeous too!

5) Bring extra accessories! The quickest way to change up the look of your outfit is to switch out your shoes, add a sweater, ditch the scarf, etc.

6) If you can't decide, talk to me! Text me photos of your ideas. Or bring them to the session and we'll pick what will look best, and you don't have to stress. I’m happy to help and do this all the time!

Kiki & Matt's Eastern Market Engagement Session

With Kiki & Matt's wedding coming up, I thought it was the perfect time for their engagement session to hit the blog!

Okay, can we just talk for a minute about how much I seriously adore these two?! The moment we started talking engagement sessions, the idea of color powder came up! Um, hello, of COURSE!

And it really was as awesome and hilarious as we expected - not just the color powder, but the whole session!

Check it out!

PS - Kiki & Matt - did I MENTION I'm super freaking excited for your wedding?! It's going to be epic. You two are ridiculous amounts of awesome.

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And then it happened...

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Ashley & Dan's Great Falls Engagement Session

These two. Seriously. I adore them. Ashley & Dan are two of my favorite people ever to photograph. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about them! They are totally awesome, super laid-back (my favorite) AND ridiculously cute together. I literally could have dragged them around Great Falls all day long. And needless to say I can't WAIT for their May wedding!

Left: official bling. Right: the real engagement ring.

Left: official bling. Right: the real engagement ring.

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They joked at the beginning of the session that they should have their phones on them for a few photos. We got back to the parking lot and decided to do it! :)

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Engagement Session Giveaway!

Hey! So exciting - I'm giving away an engagement session! Yes! A full engagement session! You can now enter via Instagram (HERE) or Facebook (HERE)! Winner will be announced on January 1st, 2016!

WHAT YOU GET:
- a two-hour engagement session
- an online gallery containing all final, edited photos, sized low-resolution for web/social media use

THINGS TO KNOW/RULES:
- Prints & High-Resolution digital files (along with printing rights) are sold separately.
- One entry per person.
- Session is non-transferrable.
- Entries must be submitted by 11:30pm EST on Thursday, December 31st, 2015.

HOW TO WIN:
- follow me on Instagram
- Tag at least 5 friends in my Instagram post.

Good luck! :)

This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook, instagram, or any other company.

Amber & Cary's Georgetown Engagement Session

Now that my wedding season is winding down, I can catch up on more of my awesome e-sessions from this fall! I met up with Amber & Cary to shoot their e-session in Georgetown on a perfectly beautiful day in October. They even brought their two fur babies with them! Perfect, right?

Amber & Cary - the moment I found out you met playing World of Warcraft, I knew we were going to have a great time! I absolutely loved meeting you guys. It was clear how happy you make each other.

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Melissa & Claire's Engagement Session

When I first met Melissa & Claire, it was for coffee. And when we laughed our way through the entire meeting, I knew I was going to adore these two. I was totally right! We spent an awesome evening wandering around Jerusalem Mill in Maryland, and these two can't be any more cute together! So I thought I'd put them up on the blog and let you sneak a peek at the cuteness!

Melissa & Claire - I can't wait to shoot your wedding! It's going to be so perfect.

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Happy 2nd Anniversary, Laura & Mark! Negril, Jamaica 11.16.2013

Today is the 2nd wedding anniversary of my lovely cousin Laura and her awesome husband Mark. I thought we'd celebrate by reliving their wedding on the blog today! Their wedding was tropical, so think warm thoughts as you peruse further. :) This might help:

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In July of 2013 I photographed a wedding down at Sandals Montego Bay in Jamaica and my awesome cousin Laura came along to assist not only in the carrying of my gear, but also in the drinking of pina coladas. At that point I had no idea that I'd be back to Jamaica that same year to photograph HER wedding.

In September of 2013, while on a family vacation, what started as my Aunt Joyce taking a "few photos of the two of them" turned into an engagement session when I commandeered the two of them for engagement photos on the beach at sunset.

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Then, in November, we arrived at Sandals Negril two days prior to the wedding. Laura & Mark spent their time leading up to the wedding doing what every bride & groom SHOULD be doing before their wedding - lounging on the beach. In fact, up until two hours before the ceremony, they were still there.

It was the most gloriously relaxed wedding I've ever been to, both as a photographer and as a guest.
 

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A friend of Laura's couldn't make it to the wedding but was there in spirit, in the form of a coconut.

A friend of Laura's couldn't make it to the wedding but was there in spirit, in the form of a coconut.

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Not big fans of cake, they opted for the tiniest piece of cake I've ever seen.

Not big fans of cake, they opted for the tiniest piece of cake I've ever seen.

Laura is also not a huge fan of champagne... :)

Laura is also not a huge fan of champagne... :)

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The resort held a very cute little reception for everyone involved.

The resort held a very cute little reception for everyone involved.

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Then we got to play in the water! These are my favorites I think.

Then we got to play in the water! These are my favorites I think.

They even put their wedding attire back on the next morning for more photos.

They even put their wedding attire back on the next morning for more photos.

Laura & Mark, I love you both, and I'm so happy you found each other! Happy Anniversary!