Seriously this is the most intimate Halloween inspired Austin engagement session!! When Rheanna and Joseph decided they wanted to do something Halloween inspired, she set my soul on fire! Quickly…
Marissa + Toan’s engagement session was amazing! When we discussed what they wanted, Marissa knew she wanted to include their pup Oliver, a studio and a downtown feel. Since they are getting married at Annunciation Catholic Church which is in the heart of downtown, it is 100% fitting. As we were mulling over locations, we decided on my studio, have coffee at a cool coffee shop and then to go to a garage downtown and capture them on the roof. Once the plan was made, it turned in a modern downtown Houston engagement session!
Let me tell you about Marissa and Toan! These two cuties met on Coffee Meets Bagel, a dating site I have never heard of. But let’s be real, I have been married for 8+ years, so my knowledge of dating sites is not robust! They were each other’s first match on the site, and after their first date, they never looked back. These two love eating delicious food together, spending time with their family and raising their adorable dog. Even if Oli loves Marissa more than Toan….and when you look at the photos, you can see Oli’s reactions!
I love that we have bonded hard over food, and have tried new and different foods around Houston as we plan wedding shoots! I am hoping we ca have another food date soon, as we plan Marissa’s bridal session!
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I need to preface this post by saying that I typically only do one engagement session with my couples. Aubrey and Sean did an earlier engagement session at the Houston Arboretum. But Aubrey entered into a contest run by Zadok Jewelers for one with me and she won! And since their alma matter Texas A&M is a big deal to both of them, we made the trek to College Station. The really fun thing about this session is that as we walked around Sean and Aubrey told me about cool stories about the university. I love how much passion the school instills in its students, it really creates a sense of community. It reminds me of my alma matter Queen’s University…and made me wish we had a mascot dog! As we went to their favorite spots around campus, it made for a sweet Texas A&M engagement session.
Aubrey and Sean wore their school colors for the session. We had the opportunity to shoot on Kyle Field, and it was epic! It was only a mildly super hot day, so we all barely were sweating during this 😉 But it was so worth it! We got images not every couple gets and it was a pinch-me moment to walk the field. Of course we also went to the Century Tree, where these two basically smoldered. And we stopped by Sean’s sister’s memorial to get a few photos as well. Being able to honor her in these photos was important to all of us.
If anything, this session made me even more excited for their wedding!
Hair and Makeup: Sunny Hair and Makeup
(more…)As you know I am a huuuuge animal lover. So much so, that I get super excited when my clients want to incorporate their pets in any session! When Erin…
You know the cool thing about Taylor and Andrew? They 100% love and support each other’s passions and dreams. When Taylor reached out to me, she wanted a photographer who could capture her and Andrew’s unique passions, which happen to include the beach, Disney and Harry Potter! And I am sure you know that I was all in. Taylor is a Ravenclaw and passionate Harry Potter fan. Andrew may not be as passionate as Taylor, but he was game for anything she wanted to do during the session! And obviously we had a wand duel, because there’s no better way to show your affection in an engagement session 😉 It made for a unique Harry Potter engagement session in Galveston!
Taylor and Andrew are getting married in Florida, so having the beach in their photos was important to them. We met early in the morning to get the best light, and had some fun! We went to one of my favorite spots in Galveston, where the beaches are quiet, which is what you want! After capturing photos on the beach, we walked the Strand. We found some cool shops as we walked, specifically a magic shop. We obviously stopped for some romantic wand photos.
When I met Aubrey and Sean, I knew that we were going to have the best time capturing their engagements session. I was beyond right!! This engagement session was equal parts fun and romantic, as we strolled the Houston Arboretum. These two are so passionate about each other that the session basically captured itself. They fall into each other and needed almost no direction. In between sets? We would crack jokes and laugh. It was seriously such a fun, romantic Houston engagement session!
These two met at the volleyball court where Aubrey lived while they were both going to A&M. Their group of friends would hang out afterwards and there was a spark, which turned into this amazing relationship! They dated for the rest of the time they went to A&M, going to football games, having date nights and everything in between. When it came to proposing, Sean wanted to do it on their 5 year anniversary. They were going out on the town for their anniversary and at the last minute Aubrey changed up Sean’s outfit–no jacket and a different pair of pants. Pants that would show a ring sized box, and with no jacket, where was he to hide the ring box? Sean got inventive, and as he told the story, I collapsed into laughter–he had to hide it down his pants!! And so throughout dinner, he is literally sitting on this box! To get it out, he excuses himself to go to the bathroom, and comes back and proposes. Obviously Aubrey said yes!
I effing love how much these two are completely, passionately in love. You can see it in the easy way they joke with each other, their stolen glances and goofy antics. When I say their engagement session was effortless, I mean it. Want to make out? Sure they do! Want to be silly? Dang skippy! After this session, I am so excited for their wedding! I know we are going to have a blast!
When Megan told me about her vision for her engagement session, it was all about showcasing the Houston skyline and her Vespa! And what it turned into? A dreamy Houston engagement session! I will be honest, I love Megan’s Vespa and it makes me want to own one. It’s not totally impractical for local suburb driving, right? We did a good chunk of the session at Eleanor Tinsley Park, which was perfect for the Houston skyline!
These two have such a passion for life together! They are the kind of couple who love experiencing *life* together. One of the things I do to get to know the couples I capture, is to send them a questionnaire to see what they love to do together. These two? They are foodies! They love cooking together and trying out different restaurants. One of their favorite dishes? Eggs benedict. And they have perfected the cooking of the eggs and the Hollandaise sauce over 17 Saturday mornings. Honestly? I feel like I need to try their dish because of that time commitment. I mean, aren’t you curious as to what ingredients they tweaked to get it just right? And considering I love eggs benedict, I feel I am the perfect candidate to try this amazing recipe.
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What are some things you love doing with your significant other {if you have one}? Let me know in the comments!
Raise your hand if getting your picture taken makes you feel awkward and uncomfortable ?? And keep it raised if you feel more awkward when it comes to engagement photos! I remember when Robert and I were getting ready for our engagement pictures, I was worried about looking as dorky as I felt inside.
Now that I am on the other side of the lens, I realize all couples feel awkward in front of the camera. In fact, I find men to feel more awkward than the women. Which is why they are typically vocal about not wanting to take pictures, and a lot of times dread it.
But you know what? I have some tricks up my sleeve! In fact I have a few tricks to make you feel less awkward. So let’s dig into my secret stash of tricks!
Are you and your fiancé more private in nature? Does the thought of having people watch you during the engagement session make you uncomfortable? If you don’t want to be taking photos in front of bystanders or pedestrians, I highly recommend avoiding grafitti walls or murals on a weekend when the lighting is perfect. Instead, let’s go somewhere a little more remote and private. But, if you don’t care, then let’s incorporate that grafitti wall into your session!
Below you can see two examples, one in a gorgeous bar and another at a private park. Both are exactly the vibe the couple wanted.
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Houston is a pretty big place, so finding a spot to do your engagement session can be overwhelming! I have compiled a list of my favorite spots around Houston to help everyone with this arduous task. And honestly? Don’t feel like you have to find the most exciting or best spot ever. Truth be told, I have put couples in a ditch because the area around them looked great! I kid you not! What is most important is showing off the love between the two of you!
The first thing you need to think about is your love story. Where did you meet? Get engaged? What do you love to do together? Any of these answers can help you find a spot for your engagement session. Is there a spot in Houston you have your heart set on? I encourage doing it where you will most happy.
There are a ton of parks in the Houston area. Also, a lot of them are now charging fees. Centennial Gardens? Fee. Arboretum? Fee. Japanese Garden in Hermann Park? No professional photography is permitted there. Disappointing, right? But, there are other parks that are just as beautiful and are free. Eleanor Tinsley Park has the skyline of Houston behind it, and it’s on Buffalo Bayou, which is perfect. Discovery Green has a wealth of spots, and is a short walk to downtown, where you can do some urban looking pictures. Sam Houston Park, Helen’s Park, Fernland Historical Park are all awesome options! Most couples choose parks because they like the greenery in the photos, they might love a bridge or water feature as well. You can set up a picnic or sit on a bench. Plus there are usually places you can get changed in if you want to do more than one outfit.
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What to wear for any session is a hot button issue for all my clients. I was such a popular topic that last year I invested in a stylist to help me work with portrait clients. Her advice was so helpful that I have taken some of her advice and applied it to engagement session clients. So where do you start with clothing?
Have you pondered rocking a sequined gown, tulle skirt or flower crown but just never had a real reason to get that outfit? Guess what!! This is your chance to do it up! Remember: There is no such thing as “too dressed up” when it comes to your engagement session, so don’t be afraid to have some fun! If you don’t want to add a new item to your collection, a lot of my brides love Rent the Runway for their engagement photos because you don’t have to spend a lot to feel like beautiful. Plus, you can send the outfits back when the session is over. Other brides love having a great excuse to bring a new permanent item for their closet!
Long, flowy dresses and skirts look amazing on camera because they bring extra movement to the photos. Especially when captured with nature whether it’s greenery or the beach. Shorter-length dresses photograph beautifully too! Dresses and skirts tend to look most stunning on camera because they really flatter a woman’s figure, and they make you feel super confident! I recommend avoiding pants and shorts for your session, and saying yes to a dress.
