Las Vegas, Nevada | Desert Maternity Session
One of the greatest things about having lived in different cities across the U.S. is that we have friends we love spread out across America. This means when close friends get married in Washington, we go! And while we're traveling, we see as many people as possible on the way there and the way back...
One of the greatest things about having lived in different cities across the U.S. is that we have friends we love spread out across America. This means when close friends get married in Washington, we go! And while we're traveling, we see as many people as possible on the way there and the way back. That's exactly how February started out and then it snuck it's way into our lives as a travel month as we found ourselves skipping time zones and missing our bed from Seattle to Las Vegas to Virginia, to Georgia. In Las Vegas, we grabbed at the opportunity to meet up with Sara and her husband Ben to document this time in their lives before they bring their sweet baby girl into the world later this month!
Sara and I met while we were working for the same church in Las Vegas - while playing on the worship team together. Aside from being a dear friend and an incredible musician, she walked through my entire dating relationship with Nate and was there to prompt me to get my nails done when we thought Nate was going to propose. Even more, she went back with me when Nate didn't propose that weekend. (Spoiler alert, we got engaged. More on that later.) Eventually, we got our nails redone at the right time and that big apple red sure made my ring shine!
This month is full of exciting things for Sara - besides carrying sweet baby Harvest, her birthday was yesterday! And speaking of birthdays, mine is this next Monday. And speaking of National Holidays, I'm working on my Elfster Wishlist for my birthday. (As long as Nate knows, we're all good.)
Sara and Ben, we are so thankful for our friendship and can't wait to meet your little girl - you two are going to be incredible parents!
Sweet Briar College | Sweet Briar, Virginia | Engagement Session
We always tell couples that the first 10 minutes of a session might feel a little awkward as we ask them to be basically be on a date with us and our cameras. No big deal, right?
When you can relax when having photos taken, magic happens. We want to capture your reactions to each other - how you interact and communicate. The moments and feelings that you want to treasure and share with each other well, forever.
We always tell couples that the first 10 minutes of a session might feel a little awkward as we ask them to be basically be on a date with us and our cameras. No big deal, right?
When you can relax when having photos taken, magic happens. We want to capture your reactions to each other - how you interact and communicate. The moments and feelings that you want to treasure and share with each other well, forever. Because we want that for you too, we’ll give you some direction and guidance so that you can get comfortable on the other side of the camera. Relaxing in front of the camera is basically a super power and Emily and Zack have it.
For their engagement session, we headed out of Lynchburg to Sweet Briar College so we could get the glorious view of the blue ridge mountains in the background right at sunset. It was completely worth it.
We also loved getting to know Emily and Zack and their love story - how they met, got engaged, and everything they’re cooking up for their wedding later this year. This adds to the long list of reasons why I love doing engagement photos - it’s right before wedding season is in full swing and we get the opportunity to connect with couples during their shoot.
So let’s kick this weekend off with these stunning images and a toast to these two. Emily and Zack, we can’t wait to celebrate with you later this year!
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Jackie & Dan | Sierra Vista Engagement | Forest, Virginia
It was just a week ago that we were traveling across the country to Seattle and Vegas for weddings and babies. While my body is still adjusting to the gloriousness of switching time zones, I am beyond thrilled to share this engagement session today.
It was just a week ago that we were traveling across the country to Seattle and Vegas for weddings and babies. While my body is still adjusting to the gloriousness of switching time zones, I am beyond thrilled to share this engagement session today.
The night before we flew out of town, Jackie and Dan brought their A-game to Forest, Virginia and let me tell you, this shoot made me want to do every single engagement session at Sierra Vista. The evening was relaxed, the sunset was amazing, and these guys were so incredibly joyful. Wrap that up in a cozy yellow blanket, and you’ve got a major win.
Jackie and Dan, hanging out with you two felt like catching up with friends and we can’t wait to celebrate with you in New Jersey later this year!
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Unity Candle Alternatives
My heart was set on a destination beach wedding on the sands where I grew up in Florida but my budget was set on no. Still, there were some traditions we knew we wanted to make our own – one of those was the unity candle. So we decided to give the unity candle a makeover by making our own!
In planning our whirlwind wedding, we wanted our day to reflect us and the things we loved – including the people we invited to celebrate with us. My heart was set on a destination beach wedding on the sands where I grew up in Florida but my budget was set on no. We knew even if we traveled for an intimate dream wedding, we wouldn’t be able to celebrate with all the people who had invested in us and our relationship. So Idaho it was.
While much of the credit goes to my sister for finding my venue and my dress while I was in Vegas, there were some traditions we knew we wanted to make our own – one of those was the unity candle. Though I Pinterested “Unity Candle Alternatives” for a week, nothing we loved came up. So we decided to give the unity candle a makeover by making our own!
In a nutshell, we bought a container we liked, a wick, and two mild-scented candles. We melted the candles beforehand and transferred them to mason jars which were placed on candle warmers for the wedding. Putting greenery in front and around them helped camouflage the warmers and cords.
Then during the ceremony, we poured the wax together to create our very own unity candle. While we’re not hating on the traditional candle, we love the symbolism our candle holds and the depth of our commitment it reminds us of as it sits in our family room. I also love the tradition we’ve created around it - on our anniversary, we light the candle while we re-read our vows to each other. And every year without fail, I tear up.
So if you’re looking for an alternative to the traditional unity candle, feel free to use this idea like Keren did! And, if you’re looking to have an intimate destination wedding on a beach, we will totally come capture it!
