My love for Downtown Annapolis truly knows no bounds. Every time we meet a couple that says they live for the waterfront views, cute houses, and friendly people, I know that couple is stellar. Anyone with the dedication to do a photoshoot at sunrise (my preferred time for city sessions) is amazing. But these two are real trophy winners for waking up before sunrise, right after celebrating the Caps Stanley Cup win. The funny thing is, I actually met these two (along with Emily's mom) by total chance. Back in April, I was taking a tour of Main Street Ballroom to for the Big Fake Wedding. While touring it with two other vendors (Rachel Kendall Events and Flour De Casa), one of the site coordinators pulled me aside. She said a future Main Street couple had some questions. Enter: Emily and Matt. There was a level of comfort that I felt immediately when we all started chatting. The conversation flowed so naturally, and when I got home, I was greeted with an email from Emily asking me to be their wedding photographer! I still feel a multitude of emotions, but the one that takes up the most room is joy. Joy in getting being there for their big day, and joy that we made the random connection that we did. During their session we talked more about their wedding details, their love of the Washington Capitals, and the houses we would buy if we won the lottery. I'm pretty sure...

Wandering around Sherwood Gardens and Federal Hill with Clara and Alec is absolutely something I want to fill every single day with. I am beyond excited to be sharing their summery Baltimore engagement session. Now, I know it's not quite summer yet, but it felt like it last week. The air was warm, the sun was bright, and the trees were the perfect shade of green. Last Tuesday we got a taste of what summer would look like, and besides being sweaty, it was pretty friggin' great!  I've been eagerly awaiting getting together with Clara and Alec since January, when we first started chatting. Moreso, I've been absolutely ecstatic over their engagement session since March. You see, we initially were going to meet up later in the summer, before these two-headed off to Missouri for Alec's chiropractic schooling. BUT, when Clara received her dream job in Missouri with a start date of June 4th, they had to move up their engagement session date. Totally sending my hyper levels into outer space.  These two are so much fun, and the sweetest. I swear, we have the greatest couples. Not only are these two ridiculously in love, but they are basically models. For awhile now, we've been trying to combine minimal posing with goofy prompts to bring out real emotions. It's been difficult for me - as a total introvert - to really feel comfortable giving those ridiculous, silly instructions. However, with Clara and Alec, I immediately felt like...

I have simultaneously been super excited to share Leise and Chris's engagement and also desperate to hold onto it. Their session at Loch Raven Reservoir was during the height of the Fall season. The sun was setting early, the leaves were changing, and the air was cool. We actually weren't too sure the weather would hold out, but luckily, the drizzling subsided just in time for the evening session. Now, this wasn't a normal engagement shoot. We also had the added bonus of a family session! Leise and Chris each have a daughter, and the greatest thing about things their girls? They get along just like sisters! I grew up in a similar way; I had a step-sister that at some point lost the "step" and just became my sister. We laugh, fight, and miss each other just like siblings and it's been a relationship I always hold close to me. GD, if you're reading this, I love ya!  This entire session was filled with laughter and joking. Kaylie, Chris's daughter, has an amazing sense of humor that had Leise, Chris, and Nev cracking up the whole time. There's a level of comfort with this blended family that sometimes takes a lifetime to achieve. Seeing these four together is a beautiful, wonderful thing. The whole session has made the wait for the wedding feel SO long! We cannot wait to be in the presence of these four again. Leise has given me some insight in what their day...

I cannot tell you how stoked I am to be sharing Emily and Mario's engagement session. Their engagement at Susquehanna State Park was amazing! This was our second time at the park, which means we were able to explore even more! We may have gotten a little lost in the woods, but hey, that's all a part of the adventure 😛. Meeting up with Mario and Emily was already something we were looking forward to. I went to middle and high school with Emily, and we also played on the same soccer team, so reuniting was going to be a blast! Not to mention, we were getting together to photograph such a special time in both Emily and Mario's lives. I was over the moon with excitement. When you're kids, you don't think how your paths will intersect with some people, so getting the chance to reconnect with Emily and meet Mario has been remarkable, and being able to capture both their engagement and wedding is incredible. Bonus points for the fact that they involved their precious girl, Bailey, in the shoot! Bailey is a ball of energy and full of spunk. By the end of the session she was truly the star of the night. Playful, adorable, and giving us tons of puppy smiles - seriously nothing better! The thing I love most about Emily and Mario's engagement shoot is how open they were to us. They were willing to wander all over Susquehanna State Park, which - if...