Wedding Dress Shop: Lasting Impressions

Hair & Makeup: Bobby Pins & Blushing Brides

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We did their engagement session on the absolutely stunning day of December 31st 2021. From the moment we started I could tell these two were incredibly comfortable in each others company. They laughed, joked, and were incredibly relaxed and playful! Having me there with a camera didn’t phase them at all – it was like it was just the two of them enjoying a day with each other.

They even brought their new tiny puppy Lilly and their Australian Shepherd Oakley to join in on the fun! (and you all know how much I love fur balls!) Funny story – I hadn’t met these 2 in person yet and the week before Christmas I ran into a sweet couple with two dogs in the pet store. We chatted for a bit and talked about puppies and then the day of this engagement the same couple with the 2 dogs shows up – small world!

Thanks so much ya’ll for entrusting me with telling your story! I can’t wait for April!

Venue: Pawleys Plantation

Dress: LuLus

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Reggie and Alissa are so comfortable together which definitely came out on film.  Reggie, in his sweet bow tie, was the quintessential southern gentleman and opened the door for Alissa and was perfectly happy to kiss her every time he was instructed.  Their connection was so easy to photograph I can’t wait for their wedding day June 23rd at Pawleys Plantation!!

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This amazing couple met at Ohio State University where Chris played Football.  After 2 1/2 years on Shanda’s Birthday Chris proposed in front of their families and on the Ohio State football field.  Families and football play a big role in their lives.  I am so excited for their wedding on July 21st this year!  And after this stunning engagement session at Huntington Beach State Park last October, I know July is going to be EPIC!  Can’t wait!!!

Here is what Shanda told The Knot about how Chris Proposed!  Get some tissues before you read on (don’t say I didn’t warn you):

“The best Ohio State Buckeye proposal!!

It was the morning of my birthday and our 2 and a half year anniversary! Little did I know, it would also be marked down as the best day of my life. Chris had boughten me the cutest dress to wear and had told me he was planning my entire day from start to finish! I had no idea what to expect.. I was so excited! We started the day off at the nail salon, where I got my nails done and he got a pedicure for relaxation. He told me the next plan was to go to the “Shoe” where The Ohio State Buckeyes play football. He played football for the buckeyes for 5 years, so it is the most special place to him in Columbus. I was anxious and happy to spend part of my birthday in such a cool atmosphere. As we walked through the tunnel to enter the field, I saw a photographer, my family, and his lined up in the end zone! They were cheering, crying, and so excited because they all were ready to watch him pop the question! He stood in front of our families and expressed his love, promises, and plans for our future. He got down on one knee and asked me to spend forever with him. I was completely shocked and breathless. Our families are so important! His brother is battling brain cancer, so it was so important to Chris that he was able to make it, along with my parents, his parents, our siblings, nieces and nephews, cousins and grandparents. After I said yes, we took full advantage of the photographer and did family photos and a short engagement session! Chris put together the most thoughtful engagement that us and our families will never forget! We get married July 21, 2018!”

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Caroline and Wilder’s ceremony will be held at their local church and the reception will be at Caroline’s family estate in Pawleys Island, South Carolina next month!  Her family home is like something out of Southern Living Magazine and I can’t wait to see it all dolled up for their wedding day!  Both Bride and Groom grew up in the south so what better way to celebrate their coming together than to incorporate the wonderful southern tradition of Bury the Bourbon Bottle!  Tradition says that if you are going to have an outdoor ceremony in the south, you bury a bourbon bottle upside down (in this case, details matter) and then dig it up on your wedding day and it is supposed to ward off rain.  So far the times I have seen this done it’s worked so I’m hoping that for Caroline and Wilder the streak continues!  So for the 1st part of their engagement session we buried a wonderful bottle of Bourbon (They said if you like Bourbon THIS was the bottle to buy) on her families property and they will dig it up on the wedding day!  Then we finished off our time with a few more romantic photographs at stunning Caledonia Plantation.  What could be sweeter.

Here is hoping that the rain stays away on April 29th 2017!  Check back soon for what is sure to be a beautiful southern wedding!

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Engagement sessions have always been my favorite type of wedding related shoot.  It’s such a great way for me to get to know how my clients are in front of the camera before the wedding day (which is always pressed for time and chaotic) and a fabulous way to get to create some fun and relaxed images of my couples with no time constraints or tight schedules.  Each Engagement session is as unique as each client.  From where and why they chose the venue, to the mood of the shoot, to the choice of fashion for the future Mr. & Mrs.  Each part requires some planning so I have created for you today some style boards and pairing ideas to help make at least one of these big decisions a little less stressful.  (All of the style guides below are very easily pinned to your Pinterest boards by clicking on the image to enlarge it and the pin-it button is on the bottom or right click them and save them to your computer for access later

One major tip for Engagement session fashion that I ALWAYS tell my clients:  BE COMFORTABLE!  I can not stress this enough.  Comfort always comes across on film and if your uncomfortable we’re going to see it later with the finished images from the session.  So if you are not used to wearing a dress then don’t wear a dress, simple as that.  I’m a jeans and t-shirt girl myself so I would be much more comfortable dressing up a pair of jeans instead of trying to walk around and be all cool in a dress that I am desperately trying to make sure I’m being lady-like in.  Just a tip – now onto the fun stuff!

When I think of Spring and Summer fashion, I think of flowy tops and dresses, sweet spring colors such as petal pinks and baby blues and for the gentlemen, classic polo’s and blue jeans or khaki’s are always classic.  I never recommend trying to match each other exactly, you should each have your own distinct look but be coordinated with each other.

Inevitably the other half of the “What do I wear” question is always “How many outfits should I bring?”  That usually depends on how long your session is.  If you’re doing a full session and not a mini session, then I would say 2 outfits (1 change) is plenty.  This way you can have one dressier outfit and one more casual.

One of my favorite spots for a romantic and fun engagement session is Charleston, SC.  This is truly one of the most romantic places on earth and it’s a great place to do an outfit change.  The city section with all the great architecture and city streets pairs very well with “city” clothes.  Maybe a cute dress and a pair of fabulous heals and he could wear a blazer or button down.  Then there is all the waterfront parks downtown Charleston and those are much more casual.  Kari & Alec are a great example of how to make the perfect outfit change.  Check out their session HERE.

One more tip on looking your best:  Go pamper yourself the day of your session and get your hair and makeup done. Wedding photography is an investment so why not get your money’s worth and look AMAZING for your photo’s!  This will make you feel great on the outside which, in turn, will make you feel great on the inside and confidence is always a great quality to photograph!  I have had the wonderful pleasure of working with some of the best hair and makeup artists in the industry over the years so there is not one person on this list that I wouldn’t trust implicitly:

Charleston Vendors:

Lashes & Lace:  843-568-3625

Paper Dolls:  843-602-6486

Myrtle Beach Vendors:

Maggie Williamson:  843-946-9344

Peggy Boodro:  843-997-2663, [email protected]

Stox & Co.:  843-979-4233

Salon & Spa 18:  843-318-0638, [email protected]

Bobby Pins & Blushing Brides:  843-421-9008, [email protected]

Rock Paper Scissors Salon:  540-420-4535

Anna-Marie Swad:  843-742-2538, [email protected]

There are always specific questions that come up when it comes to planning out your session so I always recommend chatting with your photographer and getting their advice on how they do things.  I’ve put together some more examples for you to help with color coordinating.  Happy Pinning

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Charleston, SC is, in my opinion, one of the most romantic cities on earth!  Every time I’m down there I find a new beautiful backdrop and stunning light.  You just can’t go wrong.  Keri & Alec were not disappointed!  We spent hours just exploring downtown!  My recommendation if you do a photography session in Charleston, to stay south of Market Street where it’s more residential that way you can avoid the majority of the foot traffic.

Looking to have your wedding in Charleston, SC – check out this Governor Thomas Bennett House Wedding we did last year!

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