Mexican Riviera Getaway | Personal

Last week Rob and I packed up our suitcases and headed to Mexico; for the first time ever, we were headed somewhere warm when it was cold here in DC! It was definitely a little weird to be packing swimsuits and maxis while dressed head to toe in sweats (partially my fault, I refused to turn on the heat pre-trip) but it was so worth it!

We only had four days, so we wanted to make sure we had a good balance of pool time (hello, all-inclusive) mixed with sight seeing. We really wanted to get to Chichen Itza, but it was too far so we opted to see Tulum and Coba instead -- they definitely didn't disappoint! Tulum is located on a cliff side overlooking one of the most beautiful turquoise beaches I've ever seen, the kind you think only exist in pictures! And Coba is unique because it is one of the only Mayan ruins that visitors can still climb to the top, which was so cool, but also kinda terrifying if you think about it... And finally, we snorkeled in the cenotes which are basically these super clear underground rivers that span miles and miles of the Yucatan peninsula. There are approximately 7,000 alone just in that area (see, you learn something new every day). Some are open so can you swim and snorkel in them; others are literally underground and the only way to access them is by diving with flashlights! If we ever go back, that is on the top of our list!

Funny story: Rob and I get off the plane in Mexico and head to where we meet our shuttle that takes us to the hotel. After waiting a minute, we are ushered to a shuttle and hop in the front. I hear an "Alicia?" and turn around, all the while thinking, "who the heck do I know in Mexico!?". It's fellow VA photographer ladies: Laura Gordon (who did our AWESOME 3 year anniversary pics here) and Sarah Goodwin. They were in Mexico to shoot a wedding that weekend, but we couldn't all get over that fact that we ended up on the same shuttle at the exact same time -- we were even on different flights! The world is a small place, folks!

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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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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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Business Coaching Session with Katelyn James | Personal

The nervous excitement started as soon as I set my alarm for 11:45pm. You see, I finally saved up enough to book my coaching session with Katelyn James and the sessions "go live" at midnight upon release of her monthly newsletter. I sat with Granger in the hall, lit only by the light of my laptop, pressing refresh until the moment it arrived in my inbox. My fingers couldn't move fast enough as I filled out the booking form and then finally pressed, 'Submit'. A few minutes later the confirmation e-mail arrived and I was booked. I WAS BOOKED!! Granger didn't understand what all the fuss was about, but I knew.... I knew that this was a huge turning point for my business. In two short months I would be learning from someone I followed since 2010, before I even dreamed about getting into photography. I started my Google Doc that night with a list of questions and continued adding to it for the next two months...

Fast forward to September; that nervous excitement was still lingering as I made the drive to her home. I was fortunate that I already had the opportunity to work with Katelyn; she shot our second anniversary as well as had Rob and I 'model' (I use that term loosely!!) for a styled shoot at her Workshop Experience. She, Michael, and Bokeh welcomed me into their home once again as if I was family instead of just a client. We caught up for a minute and then dove in immediately, covering everything from shooting and editing to blogging and client experiences. I'm not sure if it was the excitement or just the length of my list, but before I knew it we were wrapping up to head to lunch. My head was spinning -- in the best way possible!! I was bursting with new ideas and techniques that I wanted to try out immediately.

After lunch I had one last treat -- headshots in the infamous parking garage. You laugh, but that light is legendary! This was actually one of the parts of the experience that I was most excited for. As an introvert, I am still working on taking charge during posing (just another area where Katelyn is a rock star!). I listened as she effortlessly flowed from one core pose to the next, all while making me feel as if *I* was the one who was the pro :) We packed up and headed back to the car and my heart sank a little bit -- I definitely was not ready for the day to end! But as I drove home, that nervous excitement slowly crept back in, this time for the direction that I could see my business heading over the coming years. I cannot wait to implement the ideas we brainstormed and revamp an amazing client experience. 

Katelyn, "thank you" simply does not suffice; you are such an inspiration and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from you. You know how occasionally when a person makes it "big", they lose all the great qualities that got them there in the first place? I can honestly say Katelyn is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum; she is one of the most genuinely kind people I have ever met -- she cares about YOU and your business and wants to see you succeed. It's kind of amazing and why it makes me so happy to be part of this industry, having the pleasure of working with people like her!

Here are some of my headshots from Katelyn and some behind the scenes pics :)

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Portland | Personal

I wasn't really sure where to start this post. To be honest, we only really spent one day exploring Portland even though we were there for 5 nights – Portland was our “base” for the majority of those in between trips. In the end, it kinda worked out perfectly – there isn’t an overwhelming about of sights to see in the city, but there IS entirely too much good food. That’s where my head goes every time I think of Portland, so that’s what I’ll tell ya about  :)

I have a little deal with myself that, on vacation, I can be a bit wasteful when it comes to food as long as I’m trying new things – meaning if I don’t want to fill up on an entire sandwich so I can try something else later, that’s okay! I mean, chances are, I’ll probably never go back to Portland, so why not soak up as much as possible while I’m there!?  Well, eat we did! Pecan maple bacon, blackberry cake batter ice cream, chicken biscuits with apple butter on – you name it, I probably ate it. And everything was SO GOOD. I didn’t not like a single thing we tried, which almost makes me want to go back again just to eat (jk – sort of…)!  In true tourist fashion, we finished off the trip with some Voodoo Doughnuts which we both agreed were amazing!

I’m actually kind of bummed that this vacation mini-series is coming to an end -- It’s been a fun way to relive the trip (at least for me!).  I’m sure I’ll end up scrapbooking this in a few months (I am always, always behind on that) and will get to relive it again, but it won’t be the same as writing down the funny, or not so funny, stories! Anyway, y’all know I can’t stop moving, so hopefully I’ll be writing about another new place soon!!

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Third Anniversary Session | Personal

A little tradition that Rob and I started after getting married was taking pictures every year on our anniversary; I can't even remember how it started because it wasn't as popular a few years ago as it already has grown to be today -- I must have gotten a really pretty new dress I wanted to wear or something! Over the past three years it has definitely evolved into something much more meaningful than we realized at the onset (but yes, pretty dresses are definitely still involved!). 

One interesting thing about these sessions is that every year so far we have done our session with a different photographer in a different location; like getting our story told in a different way. Each session has involved some sort of element that was significant to us and marked an important step in our relationship. Our first anniversary session was taken at JMU, which is where we first met; our second anniversary session included our dog, Granger, who we had just gotten that year; and this most recent session took place in the location where we settled down and bought a home.

This most recent session was done by the fabulous Laura Gordon who perfectly understood my vision for a soft, romantic session that focused on our love. Laura, you are such a sweet and funny person -- thank you so much for these beautiful memories of our third year of marriage!

To any couples out there that may be on the fence about taking pictures post-wedding, but pre-children, I'm here to tell you: DO IT! You will not regret it. There is nothing sweeter than being able to look back and watch your love grow for one another through the years.


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WA + OR State | Personal

Part 2 of our vacation today! In a span of 7 days, we managed to go to two different cities, the beach, the desert, and the mountains -- this post will cover everything but the cities, so keep reading :)

The Northwest seriously has it made; within 3 hours you can drive all the way from the beach to the desert. Or you can go to the mountains where you will find FEET of snow in July! It was absolutely crazy and to say we were unprepared is a bit of an understatement. Most of y'all are from the East, so you know July like I do -- insanely hot to the point you don't even want to leave your house. To be fair, we checked the weather for Seattle and Portland before leaving and they were actually quite similar. What we failed to check was the conditions in the mountains! 

There were definitely a few -- adventures -- along the way, so I posted a little story about each location. Some are funny, others probably kinda boring, but the views were just amazing, so definitely check those out!  

Next week I'll put up my final post: Portland! 


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Seattle | Personal

Every time we go to a new city, I'm always leaving saying, "I wish I lived there instead of DC! At least they have x, y, and z!! DC has nothing!!". Yep, I can be a huge brat. I know DC has so much to offer, but you always get used to where you live and even the cool parts become white noise. Our time in Seattle was absolutely no different. I truly loved that city, but I also got quite a distorted view -- the weather was 90 degrees and sunny, not a cloud in the sky! But deep down, I know that I could never live somewhere it rained 85% of the year. 

Driving in from the airport, you could immediately tell how much this state cares about it's appearance -- pine trees were everywhere and no litter was in sight (we actually saw a sign that read, Littering: $4,000 Fine -- what!?). Also, traffic? What traffic? THAT I could definitely live without!  There was so much to see (and even more to eat) that we were bummed we only planned out two days. The Chihuly Museum, Fremont Troll, and Gasworks Park were among our favorites, but check out all our pics to see even more of the sights were managed to cram in in such a short time!

Next week I'll be posting about some of the day trips we took in between Seattle and Portland! It was by far my favorite part of the trip :)


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10 More Things | Personal

I thought it would be fun to do a follow up to my original 10 Things post from a couple weeks ago. I just want to give y'all a chance to get to know a little bit more about me. I know I said it before, but these are really hard to come up with -- but you never know what someone else will relate to or find interesting, so I'm putting it all out there for you! I love hearing from you guys too, so please leave some comments with your funny quirks!

Also, thought this would be a nice breezy post as Rob and I are in the midst of packing for our vacation -- we are leaving tomorrow to spend a week in Seattle, Portland, and a couple spots in between. We are really excited to have a nice mix of city and nature all in one trip. I cannot wait to share pictures when we get back! Seattle is infamous for it's rain, so do a little dance for us. 

Posting will be limited in the meantime, apologies in advance :)


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Top Places to Travel | Personal

As I've probably mentioned, oh several dozen times, I have a pretty nasty case of the travel

bug. Rob and I really want to take advantage of being young, child-less, and having the means to see some cool places because, before you know it, all that could away. We definitely aren't in any rush and just want to make sure we at least put a solid dent in our bucket list!

In lieu of our upcoming vacation, I thought it would be fun to share with you all my top 5 favorite places I've ever been so far in my travels :) We are always on looking for new places to visit, so I would absolutely love to hear if you have any "can't miss" locations for us to check out! Or if you have any questions, I love talking travel so please reach out at any time.

Warning: This post is long and filled with pictures! 


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Granger | Personal

I can't believe I've gone this long without posting about my little fur baby, Granger! As many of you probably know, I am a crazy dog momma - I love that pup as if she was my own. Like all repressed youths, I must blame my overzealous love for dogs on my parents who refused to let me have one from age 10 - 22 (all joking aside, they have totally embraced her).

Well, Granger has had a big milestone so I thought she deserved her own post! We've been taking her to training courses with Petsmart since she was just a puppy. She isn't that great at meeting other dogs on her leash, so we just wanted her to be interacting and engaged as much as possible. So after all that, about 36 classes over 2 years, she finally earned her big degree -- being a "Canine Good Citizen". This is a program designed by the AKC that requires dogs to pass a series of 10 tests, proving they have good manners at home and in public. 

Now I'll be the first to say, she still has some crazy in her. If she sees a little critter, bike, motorcycle... be prepared to brace yourself! But all in all, we got super lucky -- she has only ever chewed up ONE thing, doesn't go potty in the house, and doesn't even need to be a crate when we leave-- all at the young age of 2. In exchange, she is spoiled rotten!

All that being said, I love ALL dogs. If you are ever interested in bringing your pet to one of our sessions, please reach out to me and we will definitely work them in! 


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Semper Fi | Personal

Happy (belated) Memorial Day! I am proud to say that my brother-in-law, Tom, is a Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. 

Throughout college, he attended Office Candidate School (OCS). While the rest of us were out enjoying the beach and our easy summer jobs, he was spending his summer busting his butt from sun up to sun down to train.  Upon graduation from college, he was officially a Commissioned Officer. Since then, he has been re-stationed to NC and already served a 6-month deployment overseas, just to find out he will be going back again in a year. 

I'm telling you all this because where I grew up, joining the military uncommon. I had no idea what kind of commitment and dedication it required until experiencing it first hand. And not just for the person serving, but their entire family. His wife, Katie, managed to remain so strong while he was deployed even though they had just been married not more than 6-months beforehand. She and his parents had to get through their first holiday season without their husband and son. 

Joining the military is no easy task; it is a very noble, selfless undertaking that puts both an emotional and physical strain on all those involved.  I highly respect all members of our military and thank you for serving! Please contact me for information about military discounts.
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Giveaway! | Personal

As promised a couple weeks back, I am doing a giveaway for hitting 250

fans on Facebook! I am eternally grateful and overwhelmed by all the support I have received over the past few months. This is my way of saying thank you to each and every one of you who continue to support my business.

Please use Rafflecopter below. There are several different ways to enter -- come back each day for more chances! 

The fine print:
- No purchase necessary.
- Giveaway runs from May 23 - May 30, at which time the winner will be chosen at random and announced on the blog.
- Good for one, 30 minute mini-session within 15 miles of 20155 or 17003 (dates limited in this area).  Winner will be given digital rights to images taken during the session.
- Must be redeemed with six months of selecting a winner. Date to be agreed upon by both parties, pending availability.
- Winner must contact me within 72 hours of the giveaway ending to claim their prize.

Finally -- GOOD LUCK!

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Three Years | Personal

I 've said it so many times -- and know how cliché it sounds -- but everyone is right when they say your wedding day goes by in a flash. I remember the day after our wedding I felt like I was mourning a loss in a way -- this event consumes you for months and months and then in less than 12 hours, it's over. It took me a minute (okay, a day), but I realized I was completely missing the point; it's not about the big wedding, it's about the marriage. That's what it was all about and will be about, for the rest of your life.

Since May 21, 2011, we have held true to our commitment. Sure, we have had our fair share of bad days. But every day we wake up and continue to work on our marriage, continue to bring out the best in one another, continue to push the other to succeed. It is a never ending process, but in the best way possible. Our love for one another grows as each day passes and I cannot wait to see all the places it takes us 50 years from now. 

Rob, I don't know how I landed you, but I count my blessings every day! You are so much more than I deserve -- a wonderful husband, best friend, and of course... dog dad to Granger :) Happy Anniversary, I love you! 

Here are a few pics from the big day by Agung Fauzi. 

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10 Things | Personal

Some of my favorite photography bloggers have done some "10 Things You Don't Know About Me" posts in the past and I've always loved reading it! 

A lot of the time, it's just silly, unimportant information that is fun to know... but in some way, it still makes you feel like you getting know more about this person whose work you follow on a regular basis. It also allows you to find out things you have in common or say, "oh I do that too!"

I thought it would be entertaining for you all to do one of my own. I asked Rob to help me come up with a few and it took us over an hour -- does that mean I'm a boring person!? I definitely have a lot of quirks, most of them are just not that interesting I guess!

Anyway, here are the best/funniest that we came up with... But don't leave me hanging, post something unique/quirky about you in the comments!


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Holland in Haymarket | Personal

Burnside Farms in Haymarket, VA has an annual "Holland in Haymarket"

festival. I've been wanting to go since last year, but with moving we just didn't have time. The flowers were a bit delayed this year due to the nasty winter, but once we arrived it definitely did not disappoint! 

They take two huge fields and fill one with daffodils and the other with tulips, reminiscent of the tulip fields that are found in Holland. They also add in quite a few touches to make it feel more authentic: wooden shoes, "passports", and baskets to take out to the field so you can pick some stems to take home with you. 

Bonus: there are barn animals in the back of the farm and baby chicks near the checkout -- they are too cute!  

Are there any unique places to visit near your town?  


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Phases | Personal

A

few weeks ago, my father-in-law, Tim, retired from UPS after 35 years. I'll say that again -- 35 YEARS! Crazy, isn't it?! I haven't even been alive 35 years, let alone done one thing for that substantial amount of time. I can't imagine what it is like to walk away from something you have spent 75% of your life working on. How do you let that go to begin a new phase?

It got me thinking about all the different jobs I've held over the years. I started my first job as a Fountain Server when I was 14 and have been working ever since. Over the years I worked various stints as a hostess, waitress, barista, tanning "consultant", and probably one or two more I'm forgetting! There were times where I even worked 2 jobs at once and the truth is, it's not because I needed to, it was because I wanted to. I know that sounds strange coming from a then 17-year old, but there is something rewarding about being valued as an employee and knowing that you are necessary to manage the day-to-day functions of any given job. 

I've been out of college for 5 years now and have been working for the Federal Government ever since. It is a fantastic job and I am incredibly fortunate to have landed at such a great agency that is open to hearing new ideas. However, I still felt like something was missing in this phase of my life, which is why I decided to venture into photography on the side. Somehow, being able to do both rounds out the day-to-day office work and in turn makes me better at both jobs if that's possible.  

Here are a couple photos (a new challenge: taking pictures in a dimly, fluorescent lit warehouse) I took at Tim's retirement. Notice how many employees, both new and old came back to say goodbye -- that is what 35 years of hard work looks like!

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Easter | Personal

Before buying our first house last year, Rob and I lived in a teeny tiny one bedroom apartment that was barely big enough to fit us and our dog! Needless to say, we didn't have our families up too often as there just wasn't the space for everyone. 

Since we moved into our new house, however, I've been looking forward to playing hostess for quite some time and Easter seemed like just the right opportunity -- It's not as big as Thanksgiving or Christmas in case of a kitchen failure! Both of our parents pitched in and I think everything turned out fantastic! I'm definitely looking forward hosting more events in the future.

Most of you know, I absolutely love to cook (and bake)! So I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my recipes I used on Sunday as well as pictures of how they turned out... Please share links to some of your favorite dishes for us to try out!


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New Orleans | Personal

New Orleans has been on my travel "bucket list" for quite some time. My husband, Rob, and I are avid travelers and try to live by the philosophy to visit *at least* one new place per year (until we are ready to have kids anyway!). 

When people think of New Orleans, their first thought typically goes straight to Mardi Gras -- pictures of beads, beer, and drunks littering the streets. While that's definitely one part of the city, there is so much more to it than that; it is quite unique in it's ability to be two complete opposites at once... new and old; elegant and tawdry; welcoming and intimidating.  New Orleans is a beautiful southern city filled with 200 foot oak trees that canopy the sidewalks with their branches, roads full of old time street cars, and architecture with a heavy french influence. Their food is almost beyond words -- the freshest seafood you can imagine in every variety possible. And, of course, the kindest southern charm from the locals.

Take a look through some of my favorite pictures from the trip and feel free to comment with any places we should add to our travel list!


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New Beginnings | Personal

I

purchased my first DSLR in 2010 and fell in love with it immediately. I've been working ever since to "perfect" my skills before launching my business. Four years later, the truth is, I'm no where closer to perfect today as I was in 2010. Have I improved? Yes, significantly... but I'm not perfect. I finally came to the realization that I was holding myself back on purpose in hopes of never having to come face to face with failure. 

Is this blog or website I created a perfect representation of what I want my brand to look like? Absolutely not. I hope as I continue to grow over the coming months and years that I am able to refine and develop it further, but for the time being I felt it was most important to get started.

By nature, I am typically a pretty private person. I was scared to put myself out there with so many questions running through my head. What if people make fun of my work? What if people judge me?  But I came to realize who cares!? If I make even one client happy, it was worth it. This isn't about me, it's about you, my future client(s). I'm here to capture your fleeting moments, I'm the channel you are working through to get your love story told. 

I am beyond excited to start this journey; I cannot wait to see where it takes me and who I get to meet. I cannot wait to build relationships that turn into friendships.  So thank you for all your support, I appreciate it more than you know. In the end, I might end up meeting my biggest fear: failure. But you never know if you don't try ;)