Manassas Battlefield Engagement Photographer | Ainsley & Neil

Ainsley is one of those people you like immediately upon meeting. She is just incredibly sweet, kind and so genuine -- it came across in e-mails but in person she just made me want to give her a giant hug (don't worry, I didn't...until we left! ha). Oh, AND she (and 3 of her bridesmaids) went to JMU which is just an awesome bonus. But don't let me forget about Neil, her wonderful fiance. Neil is very quiet when you first meet him, but I got to chat with him a bit more during our engagement session and could tell immediately why they were perfect for one another.

As you'll see below, they brought their two pups to our engagement session: Spot and Kaily. Spot is a chill little dog who doesn't get ruffled by much. Kaily, however, had a rough (ruff... jk) start in life and is a bit nervous when meeting new people. Ainsley's mom kindly agreed to come along to help and they did SO great!! Kaily even stole the show by holding the ring on her head long enough for me to grab a quick shot. 

These two will be getting married at a private residence in Orange, VA next May where some of the most epic sunsets occur; I obviously cannot wait!!


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Baked Spaghetti | What's Cooking Wednesday

Some days I wonder if anyone reads my blog posts. I often find myself on other photographer's blogs just scrolling through the images and not really reading the actual post. I'm not sure why either -- they all have fantastic, well written content, but I think that I just follow so many that if I was actually to read them all I wouldn't have time for anything else! So based on how I choose to peruse blogs, I curiously think to myself if that's what others do as well, saying, "let's be honest, that's what they are here for: the images, not the narrative!" 

Lately I've come to realize that if that idea held true, I could just post up images in a Facebook gallery and call it a day. I am lucky, however, that that isn't the sole purpose of why people are here. Instead they are taking time out of their day to visit MY blog, so whether it be for images or content or just to glance over everything, they still care and want to see/hear what I have to say... and once I realized that, it was quite humbling. It's easy to get frustrated when you see only 5 people read a particular post; you spend hours carefully writing your text, culling & editing your images, and formatting the post for what feels like little pay off. But here is the secret: those 5 people are gold because they are YOUR people! They are here for you and will tell others about you so that maybe tomorrow 6 people will check out your post. Or maybe not. All that matters is that if even one person thinks your work is worth it, you are doing something positive. 

So I'm not really sure where I am going with all this except to say that I am incredibly grateful for each and every person that takes the time out of their day to read these little posts. Or to look at my images. Or to even just "Like" my Facebook page. Your support is what keeps me going, so thank you!

Back to our regularly scheduled programing: On with the recipe...

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Rehoboth Beach | Personal

Rehoboth Beach is one of my favorite spots on the East Coast. It's not fancy or flashy and if you've never been you probably wouldn't really understand what the big deal was when you first arrived. My family, however, has been going for many, many years, since I was a little girl. My mom would take my sister and I for a long weekend to play at the beach and roam the boardwalk. So if only simply for nostalgic reasons, it is like a home away from home. It has all the must eat foods (Gus & Gus, Grottos, Kohr Bros Ice Cream to name a few), shops that you love to visit every year, and, of course, Funland Amusement park!

When I met Rob, I found out that he too went to Rehoboth yearly with his family as a kid, which was just a strange and wonderful coincidence that we both shared a love for this somewhat obscure place. We've had the opportunity to go together a handful of times since we first started dating, but this year was extra special as we got to share it with some of my extended family. Every Fall, my parents, Rob and I have a little tradition that we meet up with my extended family from Missiouri (last year was Philly, for example) for a long weekend to explore and spend time together.  We only get to see them about once a year so we try to take them somewhere special, and I think that Rehoboth definitely qualifies!

As a little side note, I even got to help a fellow photographer at a wedding with some second shooting for a few hours while in Rehoboth -- check out the blog next Tuesday to see it!!

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Central Pennsylvania Engagement Photographer | Colleen & Adam

I have known Colleen for a seriously long time -- like basically since we could walk. She and I attended the same church together where we grew up and lived in Palmyra so we went to school together through graduation. And well, if you don't live in Palmyra, lets just say that it's a pretty small town where you pretty much can't not know someone, especially if they are in your grade!

Needless to say, I was really excited when Colleen reached out about needing a photographer for her wedding in 2015. It's so great getting to meet new clients but it's also kind of fun to have the opportunity to work with someone you have known for years. They are actually the best of both because Adam didn't go to our high school so it's been a lot of fun getting to know him and see how the two of them complement one another. 

When Colleen asked if I would be up for shooting at Adam's private farm, I replied with an all resounding, "YES!". Too often I find myself shooting in the same places, which isn't a bad thing, but it is extra fun when I get to switch it up a bit. The property was huge and filled with everything imaginable: rustic barns, cornfields, bridges, and huge trees. Oh and just down the road there was a lake surrounded by all things fall -- just wait til you see it! Their new puppy, Ellie, even joined us for a few shots and let me say, she is just the cutest!

I am beyond excited to be shooting their wedding back home in Hershey next summer... if our session was any indication, it should be pretty amazing!!


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Herrington on the Bay Wedding Photographer | Catherine & Christian

I am having such an incredible 2014 wedding season. I've been able to work as a second shooter with seven different photographers -- each who has a different, unique style and each has so much talent that it was a huge blessing from me to be able soak up their knowledge. Megan, of Megan Chase Photography (check out her site here!), and I hit it off immediately, which of course is always great, but especially in this situation as we had a total of four weddings together. Although I think “hit it off” is a bit of an understatement for someone I now call my long lost sister! She is the sweetest, most genuine person I have ever met and I happy to call her not just a lead photographer, but also a friend.

It’s sort of a strange feeling being the second shooter at a wedding; you haven’t built up a year(s) long connection with the couple like the lead photographer has, but you become part of one of the most important milestones in their lives, helping to capture memories they will cherish for years to come.

Throughout the entire 2014 season, I can honestly say that every couple I worked with was very kind and welcoming; however, Catherine and Christian took it to a whole other level. It was a hot July day and instead of being worried about sweating for pictures or complaining about the heat, they were constantly checking to make sure Megan and I enough water. Just one small example, but its couples like this that make me love what I do! I hope the two of you are enjoying all the wonderful blessings of married life; thank you for letting me be part of your day!

Lead Photographer | Megan Chase Photography
Venue | Herrington on the Bay
Florist | Love Blooms
Cake | Cakes by Rachel

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Manassas Battlefield Engagement Photographer | Lynzie & Shane

When I first started chatting with Lynzie, I asked her about how she and Shane got engaged. She told me that they had met about a year ago and then said, "I know what you're thinking, 'woah that's fast'"...

...But truly, I wasn't. I am a firm believer that when you know, you know. There is something in your gut (and head) that tells you when something is right or wrong... love can definitely take over your heart, but in your head, you always know. And immediately upon meeting them in person, I was able to tell that they were perfect for one another. The way Shane was able to make Lynzie laugh so easily or how they jokingly rolled their eyes at each others funny comments; those are the type of things that make marriages last. Of course there is a lot of hard work behind it all, but when you know each other inside and out and can make the best of any situation, it creates a lasting bond that is unbreakable.

That sense of joy rolled over into our engagement session and I had SO much fun with these two last weekend. Shane joked with me at our initial meeting that the camera loved him -- I think you'll agree that he wasn't kidding... and Lynzie was loved as well! There is usually a bit of a warm up period at the beginning of the session to get out all the nerves, but that was definitely not the case with these two! Oh, and make sure you see the ring that Shane picked out, it's a stunner!! I cannot wait for your wedding next May, I know it's going to be even more fun than your engagement!

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Golden Hour | Bridal Business

You've probably heard the term Golden Hour before. And through common sense, you are probably able to figure out that it has something to do with sunrise and sunset. But do you know why this is so important in the world of photography?

Why does Golden Hour matter?
As someone who primarily shoots their sessions outdoors, in natural light, there are a lot of factors to consider when planning -- location, time of year, crowds, etc -- but most important of all is light. A beautiful location is absolutely nothing without the proper light. Why? Because unless there is open shade available, we cannot shoot there.  During the middle of the day, you are limited to areas of open shade -- where you are just inside the shade so you can still get natural light on your faces without actually being in the light or without being so deep that your skin looks blue!

The best way to avoid this is to shoot during the Golden Hour(s), the 30-45 minutes following sunrise/preceding sunset, when the sun is in that perfect spot to create a soft, warm glow that you cannot get mid day. Mid-day light creates very harsh shadows (think bags under your eyes!), blown out highlights, and is overall unflattering for skin tones. In comparison, the light during golden hour is much less contrasty, creating butter-soft skin and soft shadows.

When is Golden Hour?
I probably don't need to tell you that the sun rises and sets at dramatically different times throughout the year, however, this does make it a bit tricky when planning session times as it is always changing. Enter "Golden Hour" -- an awesome iPhone app that will tell you the exact time for that day. Also www.sunrisesunset.com, where you can create an entire month long calendar which is crucial when planning engagement sessions weeks or even months in advance.

What about my wedding?
It goes without saying that your entire wedding cannot take place during Golden Hour. When arriving at your venue, one of the first things I always do is find a location for your first look, wedding party portraits, and family portraits. These will be the areas of open shade discussed above so that we can avoid the harsh, mid-day shadows. They may not be your favorite part of the property, but I promise that you will love your pictures so much more if you choose light over location! In order to embrace Golden Hour (and incorporate some of those "favorite" spots we may have missed earlier), I always request 10-15 minutes for sunset portraits when we are developing your timeline. It typically ends up being in the middle of the reception, but most find it a welcomed break!

Oh and as if all that wasn't enough, here is just a peek at what you can look forward to during Golden Hour...


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King Family Vineyard Wedding Photographer | Julie & David

Erin Forehand and I met at Katie's workshop back in August (seriously, I feel like I need to thank Katie for introducing me to two of the sweetest people in the industry -- Erin & Mary!). 

Erin is an insanely sweet and talented photographer based in Harrisonburg, VA (shout out to my alma mater -- JMU!) and she invited me to second shoot with her at King Family Vineyard outside of Charlottesville. Well... 1. Erin is the best and 2. that venue -- so yes! Seriously, that place belongs in a magazine -- it is the epitome of Virginia vineyards. Rolling hills, open plains, horses... you name it, it was there. We got a picture perfect day full of blue skies spotted with fluffy clouds.

Upon arrival, the day only got better. I met the bride, Julie, and she was just too fun. Happy, goofy, and funny, all at the same time. Not stressed, but enjoying the day and soaking in every single minute. She and her husband to be, David, were so welcoming and accommodating, it made the day a blast. I even almost spoiled the dessert surprise for David (um, donuts!) but Julie just laughed it off. Julie and David, I don't even need to wish you the best because I know you both already have found it :) Hope you had an amazing, sun-filled honeymoon in the Riviera Maya!

Venue | King Family Vineyards

Lead Shooter | Erin Forehand Photography

Videographer | Whiddon Productions

Flowers | Blakemore's Flowers

Hair & Makeup | The Studio

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48 Fields Family Photographer | The Rappaports

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to head out to one of my favorite session locations, 48 Fields, to shoot a family session with the Rappaports. I had been connected with this family via another family I worked with earlier this summer, the Smouhas. I loved working with Naomi and her family, so I knew I would be in good hands with Debbie and her family as well.

Debbie and her husband, Adam, have two daughters, who though you may not be able to tell in pictures, are actually fraternal twins. You are definitely able to tell in person, however, as these two have an undeniable bond. Any time I would ask them to pose, the very first thing they would do was hug one another; now I don’t know about you, but when I was that age my sister drove me crazy, so seeing this made my heart smile.

I know I’ve said it before, but getting to work with children is such a joy – they always have such vibrant, fun personalities that as we age we tend to suppress. It’s nice to return to that innocence, even if just for a little while. Our session was full of silly moments and laughter – Debbie, it was a joy to work with your family. Thank you for allowing me to capture this moment in your lives!

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Top 5 Baking Recipes | What's Cooking Wednesday

I'll be totally honest... I haven't had time to bake or cook in weeks! I mean, we've had dinner on the table, but nothing worthy of a blog post. See, I know you can find any old recipe on Pinterest, so if you are going to come here to read a post, it needs to be something special -- something super delicious, something easy or quick for families, something original, etc. I only want to give you the best of the best, so if I haven't had time to make a recipe that is one of the above, I'm not going to post! 

But I didn't want to leave you all hanging, so I thought it would be fun to do a little recap of some of my favorite recipes that you haven't ever seen here! I started baking back in 2010 -- I was following a little food/fashion blog called Cupcakes and Cashmere and she made some homemade Oreos that looked simply amazing. I knew I had to make them so I started searching through our pantry for the ingredients just to realize that I didn't even have some of the basics. I trucked off to Safeway and started my baking "collection" then and there. A fire was lit in my heart and my weekly baking sessions began. It wasn't always pretty; I had some disasters but definitely learned a lot along the way. For instance, you cannot substitute regular sugar for powdered sugar... Oh and reduced fat margarine? Not a good replacement for butter unless you want liquid cookies. It's so funny thinking of those things now -- not that I'm an expert, but you know what I mean!

Anyway, I went back through my archives (some of these pictures are from 2010!!) and found a few of my favorite recipes. I really have a hard time ranking things because, well, I love all desserts. So here are 5 of my favorites... maybe not truly the top 5, but they sure are good! I'll do more of these in the future :)

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My Support System | Personal

So, today is my birthday. Okay, that should really read, “TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!” because I am totally one of those people that love celebrating their birthday. It’s actually called “Birth Week” in our house because I tend to stretch it as long as possible to enjoy the perks – picking dinner spots, skipping a few chores, dibs on movies and TV shows, extra dessert….

But this year feels a little different. I am just wrapping up my fifth consecutive weekend of having no less than 1 wedding or shoot per day, Friday through Sunday. And I still have a few more weekends to go! Don’t take this as complaining; I am beyond grateful for each and every opportunity and client that I get to work with and put 110% into each event.

That being said, there is really only one way that is possible (at this stage of additionally working full time) -- with the support of my husband, Rob. He doesn’t get (or want) any attention for all he does, but without him I would be drowning. While we aren’t a husband and wife team in the traditional sense of a photography business, we are in the sense of every day life! Here a just a few of the selfless acts Rob commits to support my pursuit of building this photography business:

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Warrenton Anniversary Photographer | Megan & Chris

I absolutely love and adore Megan. I've debated on the best way to start this post (I think I've had at least 2 failed joke intros and one that was way too serious... it's almost harder to write about friends!) so I'm just putting it out there. We connected via a FB photography group and hit it off immediately -- our love for all things J.Crew, wine, and of course, photography has grown over the past several months into a very strong friendship/sisterhood. I know I can literally text her any time of day with the silliest questions and she will always answer. I can take the worst picture in the world and she somehow will still find a way to praise and encourage me. Besides Rob and my parents (Hey mom!), I think she is the most supportive person of my business -- she just wants to see me succeed and I think that is crazy awesome.

Butttt, I've written an entire paragraph already and haven't mentioned Chris, Megan's wonderful husband! I didn't know the two of them when they first met at Virginia Tech, or even when they got married at Lansdowne Resort in 2012, but after a few months, I do know exactly why their relationship works. Just like Megan, Chris is also such a kind and giving person. In the limited amount of time I have spent with him, I already know he would go out of his way to help us if it was ever needed.  In fact, a little situation came up earlier this week and at the drop of a hat he just needed to know when and where to be to help, if necessary. I seriously don't know how I got so lucky, but I am beyond blessed to have Megan & Chris in my life. These are the types of friends you want to surround yourself with; the kind who build you up and genuinely care. And if they do that for me after only a few months, I can't imagine how wonderful their marriage is going to be throughout the rest of their lives.

Thank you for allowing me to capture what year two of your marriage looks like; I sincerely cannot wait to watch it grow over the years!

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French Silk Pie | What's Cooking Wednesday

No bake desserts are kiiiinda amazing. You make this beautiful creation and didn't even have to turn on the oven -- it's a beautiful thing when you want something sweet or need to bring a dessert to dinner but don't really have the time to make it! This also means it's pretty darn easy to make, but on presentation alone, you would never know. 

The real magic of this recipe though is all in the crust. First of all, it's a pretzel crust! I'm not sure how I've gone 26 years without one, but I will tell you it's definitely going to be reoccurring for other types of pies. It's the perfect blend of salty sweet and pairs so well with chocolate (Obviously, since chocolate covered pretzels are like the best impulse purchase of all time. I mean who goes to the store with those on your list? Never fails that you leave without them though... especially at Trader's Joe's. Okay, end tangent). To summarize: delicious, salty/sweet crust with a super easy, light chocolate filling. Go make this now!!

Side Note: Always remember to read through the entire recipe -- I am notorious for not doing this! This recipe in particular needs to sit in the fridge for 6-12 hours to firm up. So while the actual recipe is quick, the "firming" time needs to be accounted for!


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