Christmas Tree Engagement Photos. I’m ending this year on a positive note with this adorable engagement session. Sally & John go to Butler’s Orchard in Germantown, Maryland every year to cut down their own Christmas tree. So for their engagement session of COURSE we had to do the same thing! However, when we got there in early December we were told that all the trees were out! Must be a popular idea! Well, we all asked really nicely and they let us up there to get a small tree… and it was just perfect!

If you haven’t been to Butler’s Orchard in Maryland, I highly recommend it! I think it’s our little town’s claim to fame. And it’s amazing for Christmas!

Can’t wait for their wedding next fall at Woodend in Bethesda! Sally works at the so very popular Salt & Sundry and Little Leaf shop, and John is a very talented artist and architect, so yea basically we are all going to get along very well 🙂

Update, in true creative form they had a very unique 1970’s inspired wedding. The wedding was featured on Washingtonian Weddings (previously known as Washingtonian Bride & Groom). When they first reached out to me for these Christmas Tree engagement photos I knew they would be fun to work with.

What do we all need in our lives as we are heading into the dead of winter? A tropical destination wedding, of course! You know that we love all destinations weddings and travel around here (remember this Oregon beauty?). However, this time of year as the sun sets early and we are freezing our behinds off there is something so wonderful about looking back on a gorgeous tropical destination wedding.

Kelly and Blake got married at the gorgeous Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall. They booked the venue site unseen – a risk that totally paid off! Kelly’s family is from Jamaica so they knew guests would have to travel one way or another so why not head to the islands! The two said their I dos on the beach in a ceremony officiated by Kelly’s uncle and recited the very same vows her uncle and aunt had said years earlier. The cocktail hour featured a steel band followed by dinner on the sand.

Kelly wore a Sarah Janks wedding gown and sparkly  Jimmy Choo sandals. Her tropical bouquet was the perfect compliment to her sleek gown adding that hit of the islands to her look. One of the most special times of the day had to be the couple portraits. Kelly and Blake have known each other since high school! And been together for 8 years! This day was a long time coming and I was honored to capture the celebration.

See more of this gorgeous beach wedding on Brides here.

Vendor Team:

Venue: Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall || Travel Coordinator: A Beautiful Day Wedding Planning || Bride’s Dress: Sarah Janks|| Bride’s Veil: DiDomenico Design || Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo || Hair & Makeup: Zen Spa at Hyatt Ziva Montego Bay || Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo for Dessy || Groom’s Attire: Enzo Custom Clothiers || Groomsmen’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank || Engagement Ring & Wedding Bands: Dominion Jewelers || Ring Box: The Mrs. Box || Floral Design: Tai Flora Services || Paper Products: Ribbons & Ink, Bliss Paper Boutique || Catering & Cake: Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall || Reception Music: Elite Media Concepts || Rentals: Tai Flora Services || Videography: Paperboys

At-Home Engagement Photos take on new meaning when they are in California! It was so fun to be able to hang out with my friends Cat & Joe and their menagerie of animals! I was so delighted that they flew me out to San Francisco to photograph and document their elopement at San Fransisco City Hall! Be sure to look at our blog post recap of their City Hall micro-wedding. 

We spent the day before the wedding catching up over mimosas and getting them warmed up and camera ready. Their place was so perfectly styled for this shoot, and I love being able to freeze this part of their lives in time for just a short while. Like most of my portrait sessions and engagement sessions, this shoot was all film. Living on the East Coast has so many benefits but damn that California light gets me every time!

The details of planning an An At-Home Engagement Shoot

I’ve mentioned this in many of our blog posts, but engagement sessions can be so fun. And what better way to capture a moment in time rather than an at-home engagement shoot. Fortunately for me, this home was quite beautiful. And in beautiful, sunny California. There is so much to take in at this home. The lemon trees in the backyard. The dogs and a bunny rabbit. And the car with the red leather interior. We didn’t need any additional props at all. Since we had it all there.

You may wonder if you have the right setting for an at-home engagement shoot. In which case, just ask! Also, having tons of natural light is super important. However, it’s rare that we can’t make at least one corner of your home work. I’ll always encourage an at-home engagement shoot of some sort! Ultimately places like Colorado and California tend to be very favorable locations for these engagement or portrait sessions.

I absolutely love the Four Seasons Baltimore! And I truly loved photographing this wedding. All day as I shot I couldn’t help but think how excited I was to blog it because of how much I loved the venue. Living in DC we don’t get a lot of really dense urban weddings with tall buildings in the background (or really experience tall buildings much at all).  As an architect/photographer I loved being able to incorporate verticality in to the photos. So between the urban location, the gorgeous space at the Four Seasons Baltimore, the beautiful lines throughout the day and a gem of a couple we were set up for a perfect day.

Falling for the Four Seasons Baltimore

Our couple lives in New York City but the groom grew up in the Baltimore area so they chose to do the wedding back home in Maryland. They selected the Four Seasons Baltimore for their wedding venue because of the wonderful harbor views, the outdoor terrace and the large and comfortable banquet rooms. Not to mention the spa at the hotel is a huge bonus too!

The flowers and decor were all white with touches of green. I love a classic, elegant and timeless wedding with a little edge to it, like the slit in this bride’s dress. The acrylic pedestals at the altar and the mix of square and rectangular tables perfectly captured the mix of modern elements paired with beautifully classic flowers.

The bridal party was intimate, only the bride’s two sisters and her best friend, and the same number on the groom’s side.  I strongly believe that a small wedding party is key to a calm and enjoyable celebration for the bride and groom. And this bride and groom deserved the most wonderful day ever.

I can sincerely say that this bride made me want to be a better person. The whole day she was trying to make sure everyone else was okay, their flowers were pinned, they were comfortable and that all were having a good time. She was truly a selfless and unbelievably caring person that we can all strive to be more like ever day. I was honored to be a part of their day and worked my darnedest to get them the best damn photos ever!

Vendor Team

Venue: Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, Maryland

Wedding Coordinator: Leslie Mckenzie of Elizabeth Bailey Events

Florist: Blue Vanda Designs

Dress: Pronovias

Shoes: Jimmy Choo

There is nothing more fun than then when my friends get married and have babies than getting the opportunity to do their family photo shoot.  The only thing that makes it better is when they are not just friends but former clients with some practice in front of my camera.

J & E got married right around the time I was getting started in photography and I was delighted when they asked me to photograph their big day (which was then featured on the Knot). Back at the time of their wedding they chose to skip an engagement session and bank it for a family photo shoot down the line… what can I say, they are planners!

Fast Forward to a Family Photo Shoot

Now that J & E are an adorable family of three and it was time for them to cash in that shoot. I knew E was going to style everything perfectly but she blew me out of the water with their outfits for the day. I was so excited to see her crotched summer dress and little man’s shorts with suspenders (how can you go wrong with a baby in suspenders?).

Lucky for us the crabapple trees were going nuts around that time so we had plenty of spring blossoms to work with for the shoot. As Washington DC photographers you know we can never get enough of shooting the blossom (cherry or otherwise).

We did the shoot around their home of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. I just love shooting around a family’s neighborhood. It is so special to be able to capture that exact moment in their lives.