As soon as Jenni got engaged, she reached out to me and I was so excited to sit down over coffee and chat with her. I shot her sisters wedding back in May and their family is seriously the sweetest. I loved talking wedding plans, listening to the proposal story and just talking with Jenni. Even though I can't shoot their wedding next May (which I am super bummed about)...I still got to capture a part of their love story.

O'Neil was a pilot and Jenni thought it would be a neat idea to take a few shots with a plane...um, yes please! Luckily it worked out that we got to go out on the tarmac at the Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport. After our fun with the planes...we headed over to enjoy some time at the Virginia Tech Duck Pond. The fall colors were perfect for their session and it was a beautiful day out.

I mean just take a look at the picture to the right...gah! I'm in love with that shot. And let's be honest,  I loved this whole session with Jenni and O'Neil. I can't wait to see what their big day holds for them. 

​They met playing co-ed basketball during their time as students at Virginia Tech and now they are planning their wedding.  

We picked a perfect day to go out and shoot engagement portraits at Heritage Park in Blacksburg, VA. Cassidy and Cam really wanted mountain views and I love that this park has this beautiful open fields with an mountainous backdrop. Their Australian Shepherd, named Luke, even got to join us for a few photos (and you guys know how much I love Aussies)

Not only did we get to hang out in fields, Cassidy also wanted to go to the Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech and take pictures with the "twinkly lights". And boy did we. Cam actually helped build part of the walk ways in the garden and these two VT alums danced in the rain under the lights in the garden.

I take wait to celebrate with them at Sinkland Farms for their wedding this fall. 

I had been wanting to visit Beliveau Estate for sometime and then I met Lauren and John. They love spending time together at Beliveau, so what better way to spend time shooting their engagement portraits. We walked around the lavender field, the pond and the fields surrounding the estate. 


These two were so much fun to hang out with! Lauren works in a veterinarian office and he works at my alma-mater in the athletics department. I'm looking forward to their wedding next year at Virginia Tech and celebrating afterwards at the German Club in Blacksburg.  


They walked around fields and through tall grass, through the vineyards, and around the pond...and it was so worth it. I could have shoot here all day long, especially with these two. And Lauren's ring is absolutely stunning and I can't wait to photograph it again at their wedding in June. 


​

Oh you guys! I had so much fun hanging out with these two and I already know that their wedding next year is going to be amazing! There was no shortage of laughter throughout their session at Pandapas Pond or Heritage Park in Blacksburg,VA. They brought along their pups for some of the photos and they had cute little bandannas. 

Fall is seriously my favorite season to shoot engagements. I mean fun cozy outfits, plaid, scarfs and boots... I just love it all and this session is no different.

I love shooting at new locations, especially when that location means something to my brides and grooms. For Amanda and Michael's engagement session, they decided to use Michael's family farm in Radford, VA. Rolling fields as far as the eye could see, a grove of trees perfect for portraits, complete with a barn. 

They also brought their fur baby and let me tell you she had a blast. She was running through the grass that was taller than she was and I was getting a kick out of it! 

A while back I saw a post from another photographer with horses...and being a girl whose mother had horses most of her life, I too wanted to shoot a couple with their horses. Then I met these two and as we were talking at their consultation, the mentioned that they wanted to incorporate their horses in their shoot. They probably thought I was crazy y'all...I about shot out of my seat. 

Ashley and Dusty were originally planning their wedding for later this year, but an opportunity to move out west to Wyoming presented itself and they took it. The following their May wedding, they are loading up everything they have (including the horses) and traveling across the country to start their new life together as husband and wife.

Their engagement session was a dream! Dusty came with so many ideas and was so excited to shoot portraits. And Ashley, well she's gorgeous and one of the sweetest people you've ever met. We got to walk around Ashley parents' home, where in just a few short weeks they will say 
​"I do". 

Oh where to start. 

Sam and I have known each other since elementary school...I swear at one point in our lives we one of us was always at the other house. Or at least back then, it felt that way. I'm so excited to be able to celebrate this season of life with her and Justin!

We met up at Bisset Park for a few shots before heading to Justin's farm in Pulaski. We even got to hang out with a couple horses and a few cows...and the cows may or may not have gotten their picture taken too. 

One thing that I say at every consultation is that I love engagement sessions. Not because I get to shoot but because it gives me a chance to get to my couples. I've known Sam for years, but I hadn't met Justin. And like most of my grooms, only Sam and I met up for our consultation. Engagement sessions give me a chance to see how my couples interact with one another and with me. They get to see that, yes I'm slightly goofy (or as my best friends little boy says "BOOFY") and that I make really silly jokes, I love laughing shots, I say a million "Just one more, don't 

Day 3 of "proposal week" is Maegan and James. I put out a model call for a styled wedding shoot that I was planning for December. James happened to tag Maegan in my post and since James and I graduated together...I thought they would be a perfect fit. 

About a week before the shoot James messaged me and he said he wanted to propose while they were all dressed up in wedding attire. He wanted to know if that was okay...UM YES! Of course it was okay...and now I was even more excited about this styled shoot.

So James planned for his family to bring Maegan's daughter to the shoot and they hid in a little building. As we were walking towards them, her two year old walked out with a sign...cue melting heart! Seriously she was the cutest thing and when Maegan turned back around, she found James kneeling on one knee. 

It was so sweet that James included Skyler in their proposal...! Plus some of James' family got to be there for the shoot. 

To seeDay 1 of Proposal Week or Day 2 click here. 

Yesterday I shared that this week on the HGP blog is going to be called "PROPOSAL WEEK", to kick off Day 2...I'm sharing my best friend's engagement (Click here to see Day 1 of proposal week). 

I've known Sarah for a little over 5 years. We met in college and have been friends ever since. I was so excited for Sarah when she started telling me she'd been "talking to this guy". It was no surprise when Daniel messaged me to set up a "girls day" with Sarah because he wanted to surprise her. 

Sarah and I headed out for a "Sunday Drive" down the Blue Ridge Parkway, we talked and laughed and joked about weddings...which was hard y'all. I was literally taking her to her proposal and it was all I could do to keep from laughing or smiling and giving it away. 

Daniel got to Mabry Mill before us and was hiding down the path. Me being the photographer friend that I am, asked Sarah to "pose" in front of the mill so I could see how it looked. The next thing she knows her Daniel is behind her. 

By the time she said "YES", I was holding back tears! It was so exciting to be a witness to her proposal and Daniel she's lucky to have you and you her. I wish you guys the very very best and I can't wait to stand beside Sarah in August and watch as you two commit your lives to each other.