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2019: Second Shooting Year in Review

1/5/2020

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I used to book 10-13 weddings a year while working a full time job. After a few years I realized that I was getting burnt out. I still loved the wedding industry and serving my clients, but I was balancing a lot. 

Since then I decided that while I love shooting weddings, I didn't love the stress of working full time and shooting weddings as HGP. Through the years, I've always been a second shooter. I came to realize that I don't need to be the primary shooter. I love being able to serve other photographers on wedding days! I strive to make the wedding day easier for the primary shooter; carrying bags, keeping track of the timeline, calling out family names during family formal time, fluffing dresses, you name it...​I've probably done it.
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I've been blessed to shoot with so many photographers over the years. I've tagged each of the main photographers from each wedding, so please make sure you head over to their pages and check out each wedding. 

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Meredith & Zack | Sierra Vista Wedding

6/20/2017

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Both the bride and groom(and some of their amazing bridal party) are Radford University alumni and actually met on campus, so y'all know that I was definitely a fan since I'm an RU alum too. Turns out we all graduated the same year. Small world!

Meredith had two "first looks" for her wedding day, one with her bridesmaids and one with her dad. Both were so sweet and full of happy tears.

Now this next highlight is calling out my grooms. Zack and his mom had the best mother/son dance to date. HGP Grooms you gotta step it up. Seriously they were amazing.

I've been dying to shoot a wedding at Sierra Vista and I was lucky enough to second shoot one with Jared of Jared Ladia Photography in May. Make sure you check out his blog post of the wedding (click here).

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Hannah & Owen | A Fall Wedding at Big Spring Farm

3/14/2017

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Last summer, my friend Karyn asked if I wanted to shoot a fall wedding with her at Big Spring Farm in Lexington,VA. Yes please, sign me up! 

It was the perfect fall day you guys... no clouds, the temperature was ideal and there was a beautiful pop of color coming from the trees. Hannah and Owen were married next to the pond surrounded by their family and friends, and their pastor sporting a unicorn t-shirt under his sports jacket. 

I loved their sense of style, the mountain-themed wedding invitations, the long dresses the bridal party wore, and most of all... I loved all the fun and excitement that they shared with the people that mean the most to them. They shared communion not just between the two of them, but with anyone who wanted to come up and take part. It was such a special part to their ceremony.

My favorite part of the day though would have to be couples portraits. I mean just look at that photo to the left, see how they are looking at each other? Swoon! They walked through fields of tall grass for us, stood on top of rocks only a step away from being in the pond for us, and they threw leaves in the air for us.  Hannah and Owen definitely were a dream to work with. 

To see more of their beautiful mountain wedding, head over to Karyn Johnson Photography's blog.


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Sarah & Daniel | Purple Wildflower Wedding in Riner, VA

1/17/2017

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 Guys! One of my best friends got married and I played photographer and maid of honor. It was a beautiful whirlwind of a day and I was honored to not only stand beside her but also be able to capture their day. I could not have done this without Lindsey of Lindsey Rickards Photography...she was there to help me capture the things that I couldn't. You know, like bridal party portraits and the ceremony, since I was a little busy.

Sarah and Daniel had the sweetest first look and his reaction to seeing his bride was perfect. I love when my couples share a first look and they can spend time together before the ceremony without anyone else around. It was especially sweet since it was Sarah.

I won't lie, I cried through parts of the ceremony (okay, fine all of the ceremony) but everything was perfect. They read their handwritten vows out little notebooks that they can keep forever, their parents stood and prayed for them and we all celebrated the start of their marriage.

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Smithfield Plantation, Blacksburg VA Winter Wedding 

6/29/2016

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​To some snow is a joy, but not it's not a necessity to everyone. We'll take a 60 degree day and sunshine for this gorgeous styled shoot complete with rosemary pear champagne, a cookie display and personalized place settings for each guest. The tablescape nods to the famous song "Winter Wonderland" with rustic sheet music and the cake topper shares a sediment from the song with "Oh we're happy tonight". That's the real story here...this couple is excited to be love, they don't need snow because they have each other. Historic Smithfield Plantation in Blacksburg was the perfect backdrop with rustic fence work, large white colonial style house and expansive grounds. To only was this a styled shoot, something else amazing happened. Dressed in a gorgeous long sleeve gown the "bride" walked with her "groom" down the hill where her daughter step outside holding a sign. Stunned she looked over and her "groom" was knelt on one knee. He asked her to be his real-life bride!? Click here to see their proposal!

A huge thank you to all of the amazing vendors who contributed their time and effort in to making this a success.

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​Venue: Smith Field Plantation

Invitation: English Tea Paperie

Furniture Rental: Floyd Rustic

Cake Topper and Name Cards: Little River Country Crafts

Floral Design: Elle Emme Floral Atelier

Makeup Artist: Beauty by Kearston

Hair Stylist: Chelsa Stassin at Hair It Is

Dress shop: Chantilly Lace

Jewelry:  P.R. Sturgill
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Cake: Our Daily Bread

Models: Maegan and James

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Ashley & Dusty | Blacksburg VA Country Farm Wedding

6/2/2016

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Oh, this wedding. This wedding was amazing! Ashley and Dusty were originally going to get married in September but they got a call that Dusty was offered a new job...in Wyoming! And that job starts this summer. The Monday following their big day the set out with their horses to start their new journey out west. 

During their ceremony Dusty surprised Ashley by singing her a song and one of his groomsman accompanied him on guitar...seriously, it was so sweet. Also, during this ceremony that took place on the ridge right behind Ashley's parents home...they used a their brand with their initials to put their mark on a blanket chest that was made especially for them. 

Ashley and Dusty, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day. I hope you two are settling into your new home and life as a married couple. 

Congratulations!

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Morgan & Aaron | Radford VA Wedding Photographer

5/24/2016

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Morgan and I both followed each other on social media for a quite some time and at a wedding I shot last spring, she walked up to me and introduced herself and Aaron. After that, Morgan and I met for dinner at a Mexican restaurant and I swear we could have talked all night. 

These two are seriously the sweetest couple. As Aaron pointed out, about 7 months ago (that number slightly shocked me, who can believe 2016 is already moving so quickly...am I right?) we shot their engagement portraits down in John's Creek...a.k.a. God's Country. If you live near Blacksburg, you must drive out there at least once...the valley, the mountains, the fresh air. You won't be sorry. I loved getting to spend time with just the two of them for the engagements and then with their friends and family on the wedding day. 

Morgan and Aaron took a few moments before their ceremony began at Auburn Baptist Church to pray together. And what a sweet moment it was. Hidden from the guest and hidden from each other, but holding hands and praying. After their ceremony the guest traveled to the Little River Bluegrass Barn to celebrate in a beautiful old barn with a silo on one end and huge stained glass window on the other. 

Their guest were able to enjoy not one but TWO cookie bars, an ice cream bar (complete with every topping you could think of) and a popcorn and pretzel bar. Let me tell you, it was the sweetest of dessert tables. 


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Carly & Gabriel |  The Kyle House in Fincastle, VA

10/15/2015

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I have been waiting for this wedding ever since Carly, Gabriel and I met at Starbucks at Valley View Mall in Roanoke,VA. I’m telling you…I knew that I would love this wedding and I did! Carly’s dress was just as beautiful as I remembered from her bridal session(which you can view here), the Kyle House is amazing, and I loved getting to watch these two say “I do”.
 
The Kyle House is in Fincastle, Virginia and the ceremony is in an old schoolhouse, the reception is on the second floor of a converted hardware store from the 1830’s. It is beautiful!
 
 

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"A Southern Peach" Radford VA Styled Wedding Shoot

8/10/2015

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You guys! I have been dreaming of doing this shoot for over a year. Doodling away in my sketch book, printing out inspiration to paste into it and making notes on tons of sticky notes. My co-worker and awesome friend, spent plenty of lunch breaks and tons of her own sticky notes helping to visualize and plan this shoot. I could NOT have done this without her. When my ideas got too big or too crazy because I had one million ideas, each pulling me in a different direction...she help calm me down and pull me back to reality. This shoot is a piece of our soul! 

WE had an amazing group of Virginia vendors that contributed to making our vision come true for this shoot. Thank you all so, so much for your help! Make sure you give them some love, follow them on Facebook and Instagram. 

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Heather & Mitchell | Floyd County Fish-Themed Wedding

8/3/2015

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I first met Heather at Radford University. She would stop by our office and eventually worked with us. Over the past year, it has been a pleasure getting know her. We've been talking about her wedding day for a while now and I've loved listening to her plan, come up with ideas and now getting to see all of her ideas come to fruition. \

Heather and Mitchell spend a lot of their "together time" out on the boat, so what better way to celebrate them than with a fish-themed wedding? The reception tables had vintage tackle boxes filled with cattails and pretty blooms, all of their guests signed their name on a small fish, and their cake was adorable, topped with a campfire and a fishing pole. 

I loved being a part of their Floyd County VA, fish-themed wedding and I wish them many many years of happiness! 

          Congratulations Heather and Mitchell.

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    Welcome!
    Hillary Gaskins : Virginia Portrait and Wedding Photography
    I'm a wedding second shooter and senior photographer who also happens to love all things DIY.
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