Robin + Kenny // An Eastport Engagement

Best friends turned into something more.

And in a few months, best friends will be husband and wife.

Robin and Kenny share a passion. They are rescuers at heart. He's a hero on the road. She's a champion of animals. For their engagement session, they brought along their sweet great dane, Millie, who they saved from a puppy mill (and is the most gentle creature you'd ever meet), and they're parents to several more animals at home, including a pair of foster dogs. When they're not saving the world, they like to go camping and ride together on Kenny's Harley, embracing the great outdoors...and each other.

We walked around Eastport on the first real evening that felt like spring, to give them a chance to break in their cowboy boots. You'll see those boots again at the wedding, and if their engagement pictures are any indication, it's going to be a gorgeous affair with so much love, laughter, and a boatload of smiles.

Robin and Kenny, I can't wait for your wedding this fall!

The Experience: Engagement Sessions

My husband and I share a home office. In a one bedroom apartment. It’s very cozy. This has both pros and cons.

Cons: I like to DIY…and I have a tendency to spread out. Into our office and living space. And, as anyone who DIYs knows, a project is rarely a day-long affair. Things have to dry and settle for 24-hours-that-turn-into-weeks. My husband is not as enthusiastic about DIY as I am and likes a neat and orderly office. I think you can see the con.

Pros: (Earmuffs, mom!) All workplace disputes can be resolved with a make-out session. I am a fan. 

Now, this is exactly why I love engagement sessions: they are totally an excuse for you to make-out with the love of your life for an hour. Awesomesauce, right?! If your significant other is less than comfortable in front of a camera and would rather go see High School Musical 4 than have his picture taken, well…this is how you get him to go for it. Because kisses are something to get excited for! 

Here’s what you need to know about the experience of an engagement photo shoot. 

How to get one: 

Engagement sessions are included with all of my wedding collections. It’s a great way for us to get to know one another and help you get confident in front of the camera (I’ll coach you through it of course!). I also do engagement sessions a la carte if you’re not to the point of knowing what your wedding plans are, or if you are getting married in another state. 

Timeline: 

Once you let me know you’re interested, I’ll send you a questionnaire to get things rolling. We’ll chat on the phone about your answers and start talking about location. We’ll decide on a date, place, and time and meet then and there. You’ll laugh and hug and kiss…and be all mushy…it’ll be just like the most fabulous date. I’ll take the pictures, and tell you how beautiful you are. After we’re done, I’ll go home and apply my special sauce/fairy dust to the pictures and have them in a gallery for you to view and share within two weeks. 

Locations: 

Here’s the thing: an engagement session is about you and your love. So whatever place makes you feel amore or represents who you are as a couple…that’s where you should have your engagement session. The sun helps me make pretty pictures so I love the outdoors, but will definitely go to rad indoor places as well (I majorly heart swanky hotels…). 

What to bring: 

I love a themed engagement shoot as much as the next wedding-obsessed girl, but I also love romantic pictures where you can just see, rawly, how much two people can care about one another. It’s all about who you are as individuals and as a couple. We’ll definitely chat about your ideas before your session and any props that will enhance the vibe you’re going for. But if you like simple and just want to come as you are, that is also a beautiful thing. And pets are ALWAYS welcome. 

What to wear: 

What makes you feel gorgeous? Wear that. You don’t have to match exactly to your significant other, but you do want to make sure that your outfits have a similar vibe (although, rules are made to be broken when it really represents who you are). Most people bring 1-2 outfits and do a quick change in the car partway through the photo shoot. Accessories are also a wonderful thing and can really enhance an outfit and give you the edge you are looking for. Scarves look great and can also substitute as inventive props. And if you really want to look flawless, having hair and makeup done the day of your photo shoot will absolutely take things up a notch. 

What you’ll get: 

After your session, I’ll send you an email to an online gallery. I use this amazing service called PASS that allows you to a.) view your images on your computer, smartphone, or tablet (there’s an app for that!) b.) post your pictures directly to Facebook and c.) download high resolution images directly from the gallery…no waiting for a disc or a drive. I have no patience, so I am all for anything that offers instant gratification. Once you download the images, you are free to use them for save the dates or any other personal projects. I’ll also set you up with the ability to order prints if you’d like. 

No matter what, an engagement session is really a celebration. Of you. Of the way you love. Of your joy in telling the world…”hey, this one is my favorite.”

Stephanie + Will: Engaged!

Stephanie and Will are two of the sweetest, calmest, and secretly adventurous people who have ever stepped in front of my camera.

They met while Stephanie was in college; a friend knew a friend, phone numbers were exchanged, they got to talking and met each other for the first time at a bar. They went to the bar with some mutual friends, and each left thinking they may have found their best friend - for life. Will is an EMT and firefighter at the busiest station in Delaware and Stephanie is an athletic trainer for a college boy's soccer team - with two crazy schedules, they treasure their time together immensely. When they're not saving lives, they love to cuddle up with two spoons and a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, enjoying each other's company and the sweetness of ice cream and love.

A wedding is planned for July of next year, but Stephanie wanted to do an engagement session, and when she mentioned that Will is a firefighter, I knew the perfect place to start their photos. Little did I know that there would be surprises in store! 

We started off at the famed Waterwitch Hose and Ladder Company...

And then took a fun stroll around downtown. I love Annapolis for all of it's fun locations and variety of front steps in front of the colorful houses. We utilized many a strangers' stoop, and thankfully no angry housewife came along to shoo us away!

We also happened upon the State House, aka the Capitol, and the light in front of it was TO DIE FOR. I love the long stretches of evening light...it makes for such beautiful photos!

So when I said that these two were secretly adventurous...this is where we get to that. Even though they are sweet and have a quiet calm about them, they would do anything I asked. I mean anything. Will had  turned his ankle a few days before, but he was such a trooper walking all over the city...and then he didn't even hesitate when I asked if he could put Stephanie on his back for a short piggy-back ride. THAT IS DEDICATION, peeps.

After all that walking, we were famished, so we grabbed some of their favorite treat - ice cream - at the Annapolis Creamery and walked down to the dock to finish up their session...

But while we were sitting and finishing our ice cream cones (well, they were eating...I was obnoxiously taking pictures of them with their mouths full), a man in one of the boats waved me over and asked if we wanted to take a ride! It was such a simple act of kindness - he said he had to take the boat out one last time before turning in for the night and it was always more fun with company, so he would love for us to join him. Stephanie and Will eagerly agreed, so we rode off into the sunset.

Stephanie and Will even got the chance to drive the boat...and were talking about needing one of their own.

Stephanie and Will - thank you so much for being so willing to come to Annapolis and go on a spontaneous adventure with me! You two are so sweet and have such a gentle love for one another - I'm sure your wedding next summer will be beautiful!

Hugs,
Anna