Christmas Eve Tradition

Chris and I both have our families in the area, making us incredibly lucky to be surrounded by so much love.  However, that also makes the holidays a little tricky.  But we seem to have fallen into a rhythm for Christmas that gives us a chance to spread time - and love - all around.  We spent Christmas Eve day with my side of the family, complete with a dinner feast and gift exchange.  I never thought I would enjoy seeing my nieces open their gifts more than I would enjoy opening mine, but my heart melts when I see their their faces light up in excitement and joy.  I hope your Christmas was filled with as much wonder and excitement as theirs and ours!

(Will someone please wrap my gifts in Winnie the Pooh paper next year??)

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Family Photos: The Fosters

I'm not really a family photographer, but when my best friend since the 4th grade tells me she hasn't had photos done in years, I couldn't resist doing a session with them during my visit to see her in Oklahoma.

We spent some time walking around Bricktown, an up-and-coming artsy area in Oklahoma City.  There were so many great spots to shoot in!  I miss her and her family already, but now I have these photos to remember my time with them...

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Country Engagement Session: Christine + Shaun

They must have been at the same bars and restaurants at the same time, and probably passed each other on the street, without even knowing it.  This was the conclusion they came to after they met in 2009 at a Red Sox vs. Nationals game and discovered they lived only blocks from each other.  After the game they went to a bar for drinks, and Shaun wasted no time asking Christine out on a date.

He caught her unaware this past March.  She should have sensed something was going on when Shaun, a guy's guy, was drinking a glass of wine with her on the patio of the beautiful Bluemont Vineyard.  As they headed back to the parking lot to continue their Sunday drive, she threw her arms around him and said, "I love you so much!"  Shaun then reached into his pocket, presented Christine with a beautiful ring, and said, "Well, then will you marry me?"

I'm so excited for their June wedding at the Blackthorne Inn!  They are both Irish, and the Inn is owned by an Irish family, so when they happened on this venue in the country they just knew it was the perfect place to celebrate on their wedding day.  Christine is also a bridal blogger.  She is Miss Irish Bride on It's a Bride's Life.  I love seeing her inspiration boards and all the ideas she has for her wedding day.  And as a graphic designer, I know she's going to have so many fun details that truly capture who they are as a couple!

Christine and Shaun decided to have their engagement session at their new home in Stafford, VA.  They have a beautiful house in the country, and it was so calm and peaceful...

Ohhhh, Christine....stop it!!  You are way gorgeous!

They had these fabulous Kate Spade glasses, a gift from Christine's friend, and we couldn't resist using them for the shoot!  (This made Shaun, a guy's guy, happy.)

This is the first time I've made my clients chug during a session (hey, we had to change locations to continue shooting!).  But they didn't mind...

Christine found these amazing custom burlap pillows on Etsy, and they made a perfect complement to their family room decor.  And knowing she's incorporating burlap runners into their wedding details also has me excited!

We had some amazing November weather during their session.  And the golden light in their back yard?  Peeerrrrfect!

Christine and Shaun exchanged furtive glances when we arrived at the lake and I spotted this run-down area at the back of a building.  "Trust me," I said.  And I love that my clients do trust me!  I couldn't resist the lines and angles back here...

The green coat?  Well, she's Irish, and it was a must-have for the shoot.  (And I secretly coveted it because my favorite color is green...)

Christine and Shaun, I had so much fun during your session and I'm so excited for your wedding in June!  Thank you for having me in your home - I hope you grilled an amazing dinner after I left!  ;)  xo Pin It

Why The Angels Sang

Okay, so maybe that was me singing...when my iPhone 4S arrived at my front door!

Why?  Well aside from the obvious reasons of its awesomeness, a huge part was the frustration over the slow death of my first generation Droid.  I exercised daily patience while it went haywire and took on a mind of its own like a bad Sci-Fi movie.  It selected applications and performed Google searches without me even touching the keypad, and it seemed to favor the letter 'q.'  The letter 'a', on the other hand, was apparently exiled.  If it weren't for autocorrect, my text messages would have been deprived of an important vowel.

I plan on celebrating my new iPhone by chucking my old Droid out the window of a car at a solid 65 mph.  I know I will savor the moment.

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