WHAT? No hours of pictures at our wedding? What about the family shots, new in-law shots, group pictures, bridal party, bridal portraits, groomsmen group shots, fourth cousin-once-removed...?
What you should be asking yourself is this: What happens when your day is about celebrating your love,  not executed perfectly down to the minute with tasks to complete before "I do"?

Is that crazy? Am I crazy? No. I'm not! And if this sounds like a sigh of relief to you, you're not crazy either! If you don't like posing, if you're camera shy, or whether you value seeing and feeling an emotional connection in photography- listen up. Because I'm about to be real with you for a minute.

And here it is:

I doesn't have to be that way.

Ya'll. I'm serious. You can have amazingly gorgeous wedding photos without the posing. When you say no to the perfectly posed shots, this is what you are saying yes to.
You are saying yes to real life moments.
You are saying yes to having images that truly represent your day.
You are saying yes to having an image that perfectly captures your grandmother's character.
You are saying yes to preserving the look on your husbands face when he looks at you throughout the course of your day.
You are saying yes to laughter.
You are saying yes to tears, joy, and un-compromised emotion.
You are saying yes to having images that authentically capture your day.
You are saying yes to enjoying your day and celebrating this once in a lifetime moment with your family and friends.

And when you book me, you are saying yes to me telling your love story through my lens.

See? It's not crazy at all. I want to enjoy your day with you. I want to laugh with you, cry with you, cheers with you, and get swept up in your day. And, I'm not going to lie- I'll also say yes when you offer me a piece of wedding cake.

If you'd like to talk more about having your wedding authentically documented, I'd love to hear from you. Let's chat. Message me using the contact tab above, facebook, or instagram. I've got packages for every bride and budget, from courthouse weddings to backyard BBQs to 50 of your closest friends and family at a chapel.

Somewhere in Suffolk, Virginia there is a family in waiting. Waiting for an event that is sure to come, for an once in a lifetime event that has been occurring since the beginning of time. A family of 6 is waiting to become a family of 7.
The birthing space is prepared, the supplies are gathered. The midwife is ready with skilled hands and generations of knowledge. A basket of snacks and juice sets beside the bed waiting to replenish mama after labor. A hand painted rug with the tree of life is placed in the middle of the birthing room, the leaves painted to represent the 4 seasons.
A bassinet that has held 4 sleeping babies before, now awaits the 5th baby it will hold. A special blanket made just for their arrival waits to provide comfort and warmth.
Change is coming so, so soon. And yet, the only thing left to do is wait patiently and pray. To be still.

Motherhood is an incredible journey. One where every single passing day builds a phenomenal amount of anticipation for this one moment- that moment when baby decides to join us outside of the womb. We know our baby. We feel them move, we talk to them, we sing to them, we dream of caressing their velvety soft skin and smelling their intoxicating scent. And yet, we wonder... who are you little one?
What are your dreams? What is your little personality like? Are you serious and logical or are you funny and spontaneous? Will you have a dimple or curly hair?
But the answers to our questions will have to wait. We have to be patient, be still. Baby knows when their birthday will be, our job is to wait, love, and pray.

Whether you are a mother welcoming your 5th baby into the world or your first, sometimes it can be easy to overlook these little moments. But, let me let you in on a little something. This statement rocked me to my core. It has fueled my passion for documenting family's stories- recording their history, if you will. Marie Masse, one of my favorite photographers, said this (or something to the effect of this):

You don't realize the significant moments in our lives until they've passed by us.

Do you ever find it funny the things you remember and the things you've forgotten? Lots of times, it's these little moments that happen in between the big things. And then in 10 years, we realize that thing, whatever it was, was actually a really important moment in our lives! One day in the future, we will all wish we had one more day of something...
And to me, that's what this waiting period is. It's important. It's significant. These last few days before this sweet baby makes their appearance. The last few days of this mama nursing this one baby. Soon, she'll be nursing two. These memories are worth preserving. Your story deserves to be told.

Do you want to have your family's moments preserved? Are you ready to capture the beauty of ordinary days? Contact me to book, let's talk about what's important to you and how we can document those things for you and your family. I promise, this will be one of those things you'll never regret.

If you've known or followed me for a while, you know by this point that I am not a carefully posed, stand-here-do-this kind of photographer. You know that creating timeless, authentic portraits is my main goal. You know that I capture the genuine moments- the real stuff. And oh boy, is that the good stuff!
If you are a Hampton Roads couple wanting to have a small, intimate wedding or maybe even elope, consider having me photograph your day. I am available weekdays and weekends to tag along and document your day with packages for every budget and every bride beginning at only $550. 

Do you remember that movie "When Harry Met Sally"? There's a line in the movie that Harry says, " When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." Maybe you've had a whirlwind romance and are ready to get married asap. Maybe you've been dating for a decade and just want to tie the knot right. now. Maybe you're just not into "fancy" and you want your wedding to be just about your love. Whatever your reasoning for having a small, intimate wedding or elopement, the one thing that you don't need to forget about is pictures. You want to have beautiful, candid, authentic images that tell the story of your day. You need images that show the story of your love without a single word. Pictures that will be cherished by you throughout your lifetime and will be loved by your grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I'm all about nothing being fancy and over the top and it being all about your love. So whether you are tying the knot in your backyard and eating off paper plates or headed to the courthouse with a witness, contact me about preserving your memories and creating beautiful, unique artwork for you. Just because you aren't having an over-the-top wedding with Pinterest worthy details doesn't mean that your day is any less beautiful or any less worthy of beautiful photography.
All of my packages include wedding coverage and both digital images and heirloom quality printed products and beginning at $550. Contact me to chat about telling your love story and availability/booking information.