Kayla and Aaron were married on a beautiful Spring day in April at the Millstone! The week prior had been pretty chilly, for Winter kept lingering and bringing us colder temperatures. Luckily, the sun came out and warmed us all on their wedding day! After lunch, Kayla put on her gorgeous, ivory and lace, Maggie Sottero gown and was ready for the first look. We then headed out to the lawn to meet Aaron, where she would see her husband-to-be for the first time. The two said, "I do," and kissed as husband and wife under the branch arbor! We then headed to the reception for delicious barbecue and cake to celebrate the newlyweds!

Renita and Nate are getting married at one of my favorite venues in northeast Tennessee, The Millstone, this coming June and I couldn't be more excited about it! We chose to meet up at Grayson Highlands for their engagement session, on a gray, cloudy, Sunday afternoon in April. Nate had told me that he and his family had come to Grayson a few times while he was growing up, so it's a special place to him and Renita! These two were absolute troopers and stood like champs up on the high rocks as the wind whipped around us. We didn't get to see any ponies that trip, but the views were gorgeous and these two were so sweet. 

I met up with Whitney at Watauga Lake on a warm Tuesday evening! We walked around the lake and took photos in a gorgeous meadow where the sun had been filtering through the trees. From there, we made it over to the shore where the sun had been setting over the mountains. I had a blast getting to know Whitney and taking her portraits! She is such a sweetheart and has a love for adventure. I'm so glad that she reached out to me and was able to model!

Spring is finally here, which means the grass is turning green, the trees are budding, birds are chirping, and of course, engagement sessions! I absolutely love shooting engagement, anniversary, and couple's sessions with my adventurous couples. It's so fun to explore, hang out, get to know each other and enjoy nature without the added pressure of a timeline on a wedding day!

Since these sessions aren't appointments that we regularly schedule, I know it can sometimes feel awkward to be in front of the lens (I still am). That's what I'm here for- to guide you and help make your session a comfortable and fun experience for both you and your fiancé/significant other! One of the best ways to feel more comfortable at the session is to plan out what you'll be wearing.

Of course, most of the photos you see below are from engagement sessions, but I wanted to note that it translates to anniversary or couple's sessions as well! Any portrait session where there are two of you to coordinate/prepare!

Josh and Lyndsey were married on one of the coldest fall days at the beautiful Old Dairy in Warm Springs, Virginia. They're both nature lovers, and Lyndsey has a deep love for agriculture and the Shenandoah Valley, so it made for the perfect backdrop for their wedding! It may have been a high of 30º, but these two cozied right up for their portraits together. Lyndsey also incorporated her passion for dogs and had her two closest pups as her flower girl and ring bearer! Once the rings were exchanged and vows sealed with the first kiss, we all headed to the reception for dinner, drinks, and casual conversation in the barn!

Daisy and Zach were married at the lodge at Sugar Hollow Retreat in Butler, Tennessee. The original plan had been to have the ceremony on the lawn and reception under the tent, but Mother Nature had other plans! We all kept glancing at the weather radars, silently hoping there would be a break in the rain. The forecast didn't give any sign of it giving up, so Daisy made the decision to go for Plan B and moved the ceremony under the tent. Shortly after, the two said, "I do," to the sound of raindrops pattering on the tent and underneath the twinkling string lights. Talk about a romantic way to become husband and wife!

Matt and Bethany became husband and wife at the beautiful Mount Airy Mansion in Upper Marlboro, Maryland! Bethany is a friend and fellow wedding photographer, so it was an even more special day to be a part of! I loved all of their details of the day, from the bridesmaids' gemstone colored dresses, succulent centerpieces and their Rock, Paper, Scissors game during their ceremony!

Hello, 2018! Nice to see you! If you guys read my Best of 2017 blog you know that I promised my first Behind-the-Scenes blog. Well, today I'm delivering! I know it's not as jam-packed as some behind-the-scenes, but there are still some great (and embarrassing) moments! I'm lucky to have had some awesome second shooters and friends who helped capture me in work-mode and some of the silly moments in between!

Kayla and Aaron are getting married at the Millstone in Limestone, Tennessee this coming Spring! We jumped at the opportunity to catch the last bit of Fall and explored the grounds of the venue for their engagement session. It was unseasonably warm, so we were able to spend the whole evening there just laughing about Aaron's top 5 pizza toppings and chatting about wedding details! When the sun faded, I got on Spotify and played 'Perfect' and let them dance under the patio lights! It was a magical way to end our evening!

I recently visited Staunton, Virginia to shoot Josh and Lyndsey's home engagement session and celebrate! Lyndsey is a dog trainer and photographer, so I thought it was fitting that we incorporate her pups Warden, Josie, and Dot in the photos! We had a great time shooting in Lyndsey's cute little house and chasing the sunset in her backyard! We hiked through a cow pasture where a ginormous tree provides shade and up the hills to a breathtaking view of the Virginia Blue Ridge.