It was a warm September night in Paris, and love was definitely in the air.  As Mary and Jeff made their way up to the top of the Eiffel Tower, the city lights began to sparkle all around them creating a romantic glow against the evening sky.  As Jeff wrapped his arms around Mary, she remembered the last six years they had spent together.  Both a part of a fraternity and sorority in college, Mary and Jeff met at a themed party and hit it off right away.  Mary couldn’t believe how much their relationship had grown in the past years and felt lucky to be with the man she loved so much.

Jeff’s feelings were just as strong as Mary’s.  As they made their way from the Eiffel Tower and into a private garden a few steps away, Jeff felt for the gorgeous diamond ring he had chosen just for her.  Finding the perfect spot, he got down on one knee and asked Mary to marry him! Throwing her arms around Jeff, Mary happily agreed, exclaiming YES!  These two love birds are tying the knot next June and I couldn’t be more excited for them!

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to capture Mary and Jeff’s lovely Central Park engagement session!  Check out a few of my favorites from our time together below.

Mary and Jeff are SO happy together.  The true joy they feel when they are around each other is beautiful and very contagious!

Lewis (Mary and Jeff’s adorable little pup) made an appearance at their engagement session!  I love it when my couples include their dog in their photos.

In memory of Jeff’s proposal to Mary in Paris!

LOVE.

Mary…. you are seriously so GORGEOUS!

Mary was shooting adoring glances Jeff’s way all day. 🙂

At the end of the engagement session, we followed the setting sun to the NYC streets for a few more pretty portraits. If you haven’t tried the delicious cookies at Levain Bakery yet, you are missing out!

Mary and Jeff, thank you for being so AMAZING!  I had a lot of fun capturing your Central Park engagement session and I can’t wait for your beautiful wedding. 🙂

I am over the moon excited to share that Liz and Ben’s gorgeous rehearsal dinner is FEATURED on the Un-Jersey Bride today!  You might remember this sweet couple’s gorgeous Greenville, SC wedding from this past May, along with their lovely outdoor rehearsal dinner.  I am so happy their hard work, along with the love labor Ben’s mom Kieron put into this incredible evening will be an inspiration for brides everywhere.   Head over to the Un-Jersey Bride, check out their beautiful feature, and leave Liz and Ben some love.  HAPPY FRIDAY!

Those outside of the industry might not realize it, but wedding photography is a fast moving sport!  I think that is what I love about it so much.  Preparing for an 8 – 10 hour wedding day in 95 degrees is a challenge, but something I look forward to doing.  Playing Division I tennis in college definitely helped me prepare mentally and physically for the long days behind the camera.  Today I would like to share how what I learned on the court has transferred over to my wedding photography.  I am excited to give you my top five tips on how to get into “wedding shape”. 🙂

1.  Physically prepare your body.  As a wedding photographer, you are on your feet for eight, ten, maybe even fifteen hours a day!  It is important to make sure you feel just as great at the end of the evening as you do when you first arrive to bridal prep.  Along with running throughout the week, when I can, I like to run the morning of a wedding day.  I actually feel more energized after a run than I do before, and it definitely gets my mind working.

2.  Drink plenty of water.  It is so important to stay hydrated throughout the day!  Loading up your bag with water bottles and small snacks like trail mix or cliff bars can help bring up your energy when you really need a boost.

3. Pull your hair back.  Keeping your hair off your neck makes a world of a difference!  I am lucky to have an amazing friend and second shooter named Mekina who can whip mine back in five minutes and make it look great!  See her most recent “Three Minute Updo” here:

4. Wear something that makes you feel comfortable.  If it is 95 degrees outside (like it has been the past few weekends) opt to wear something you will feel comfortable in while shooting.  Instead of putting on the traditional black, select a lighter color like blue or purple.  This past weekend I chose to wear a sleeveless dress with nude wedges and felt great all day!

5. Mentally prepare yourself. Before tennis matches, I would take a few minutes to mentally prepare for a win.  Before weddings I like to do the same thing by scouting out the places where I will be shooting portraits.  By visualizing what poses would work best in each location, I am able to go into the day more confidently.  Even more helpful than location scouting is taking a moment to pray with Mekina the morning of the wedding day.  There is nothing that calms my butterflies more than asking for God’s help in capturing the emotions of the day beautifully for the couple.

As a photographer, what do you do to get yourself into wedding shape?  I would love to hear.  Feel free to leave your comments in the box below! 🙂

This week has been an incredible one for features!  To top it all off, I am so excited to share that Meena and Bill‘s gorgeous Indian/Greek wedding is featured on The Knot Real Weddings today!  As a bride before Pinterest came along, I completely relied on The Knot to plan my wedding.  I would often stay up in the wee hours of the night, saving my favorite ideas to my account.  I love being able to go to Meena and Bill’s gallery and see so many brides are already “favoriting/loving” this sweet couple’s wedding.

Meena and Bill your wedding was truly beautiful!  From the rich red and purple color scheme to the many special traditions you included, it really was a magical day.  Thank you so much for letting me be a part of it!

I am beyond excited and so honored to be featured on Style Me Pretty New York TODAY!  That is right…Mekina’s whimsical Brooklyn Botanical Garden Cherry Blossom Bridals are showcased in all their loveliness on one of my favorite wedding blogs.  As amazing as this feature is, that is not what I want to share today.  I want to share the story BEHIND this photo shoot.  A story that truly reveals God’s goodness and love.

It was a magnificent day.  Sun sparkling through the tiny pink flowers in full bloom on the trees, Mekina and I were struck with wonder at how magical the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens really were.  I had envisioned photographing a bride here for almost a year.  Pictures of a woman so happy, in a low-back lace dress with pretty pink cherry blossom bokeh in the background danced through my head.  I finally had the opportunity to make my dream a reality.

The park was packed that day.  Hundreds of people sat under the rows and rows of cherry blossoms reading a good book or talking with friends.  It literally would have been almost impossible to capture a photo of Mekina without anyone else in it, but I was up for a challenge.  Mekina and I found our way to the nearest bathroom so she could slip on the gorgeous wedding gown Sarah Jassir of Angelique Bridal had custom fit just for her, bursting with pure giddiness.  We unzipped the pearly white bag that held the dress and both stopped dead in our tracks.  It was the wrong dress.  There was no possible way to make it work for our shoot.  As we made our way out of the gorgeous gardens, we held our breath in anticipation as we looked up the weather forecast for tomorrow, knowing the cherry blossoms wouldn’t last long.

RAIN.  No, not just rain…100% chance of rain with flooding was coming the next day.  Since I was leaving for a destination wedding the day after that, it was our last chance this year.  Sarah quickly switched the gowns for us that evening, apologizing profusely, and Mekina and I decided to meet at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens the next day agreeing that despite the weather forecast, we had to try.  I went home that night and prayed.  Honestly feeling like God had put the idea for this shoot on my heart, I prayed that he would allow the sun to come out, if only for the time we were shooting, just for me.  “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” -Matthew 19:26

It rained so hard the next day that Mekina’s Manhattan apartment flooded.  It was even raining as we drove to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.  When we parked, it stopped.  We had one hour until the park closed at 6pm.  It was time to start shooting!  Arriving at the gate, we received resistance from the guards, explaining the latest we could apply for a bridal photo shoot on the day of was 4:30pm.  They also explained that the information we had read on the website and that the guard had given us in person the day before about being allowed to take wedding photos in the garden was outdated. If we wanted to proceed with the shoot, we would have to receive clearance (which could take up to two weeks) and we would need a guard to escort us around the property.  If we received clearance, the shoot would cost us $1500.  As frustrating as what they were telling us was, I kept a smile on my face and asked if there was any way to get permission to go through. After 45 minutes of phone calls, I was finally put on the line with the person who would officially tell me whether we could proceed with the shoot or if we would have to go home.  Overhearing the person on the line tell the security guard not to let us through, I said a quick prayer, asking God to change her heart if it was his will.  When I took the phone, I asked for a little understanding and grace in this situation, explaining the extensive miscommunication and imploring her to make an exception.  I handed the phone back to the guard, waiting on the edge of my seat for her decision.  Looking up and smiling at Mekina and me, he said we could go in!

The back and forth over the phone took such a long time that the park was officially closed by the time we entered.  We had the entire garden to ourselves!  The rain from that day had knocked many of the cherry blossom petals off the trees, creating a beautiful soft pink aisle on the ground.  We were given a golf cart to transport us from location to location so Mekina’s beautiful dress didn’t get wet.  The cherry on top of it all?  As soon as we started shooting, the sun came out, shining gloriously through the delicate blooms on the trees.  I knew with out a doubt in that moment God was smiling and saying, “See my darling, I love you.  Enjoy this precious gift I have given to you.”

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28