It was Monday night when I got the text from Michelle.  “I saw your photograph in The Knot!  Congratulations!”   “The Knot website?”  I asked, thinking she was talking about Meena and Bill.  “No, The Knot Magazine“, she exclaimed!  Sure enough, when I opened up a Fall/Winter copy of The Knot New York there was a full page photograph of Shelby and Zach I had captured looking so happy on the top of the Hornblower Yacht!

I am so incredibly excited to see my photograph in print in one of my favorite magazines!  Grab a copy and check it out (on page 243) today!  Want to see more of Shelby and Zach?  Check out the entire blog feature here!

It was Sunday morning, a very special Sunday morning in fact.  Reverend Marshall was preparing for his first sermon as Pastor of Reedy Creek Presbyterian Church. Feeling excited, he stepped in front of the congregation he would quickly come to love and invited God’s presence among them.  Looking up, Marshall smiled at the pretty girl in the purple dress sitting with his parents.  He and Deanna had been friends in college, keeping in touch even when time and distance came between them. He felt lucky to have the support of a women that loved God just as much as he did.

Deanna felt lucky as well.  When she agreed to attend Marshall’s service that day, she had no idea that this would be the beginning of their incredible love story.  After that first Sunday at Reedy Creek, Deanna and Marshall began spending more and more time together.  They quickly fell in love, knowing without a doubt that they were meant to be together.  On May 14th, Deanna came over to Marshall’s house to find a beautiful scene he had created in his backyard just for her.  Getting down on one knee Marshall asked Deanna to spend forever with him!  Deanna quickly agreed, a huge smile spreading across her face as she threw her arms around the man she loved.  Deanna and Marshall are tying the knot on October 19, 2013 and I couldn’t be more excited for them!

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of capturing Deanna and Marshall’s beautiful engagement session at Reedy Creek Presbyterian Church and Steele Creek Park in Tennessee.  Enjoy a few of my favorite photos from the day below!

It was really incredible to have the opportunity to photograph Deanna and Marshall in the church that means so much to both of them!

I was in love with these beautiful old doors, original to the church!

Deanna and Marshall were laughing freely all day.  It is obvious to see how happy they are going to be together.

LOVE.

Deanna, you truly are SO BEAUTIFUL!  Your smile and love for life and others is contagious.

Feeling adventurous, Deanna and Marshall waded barefoot into the creek.

To end the session, they got into a playful splash fight in the water!

Deanna and Marshall, thank you so much for spending the morning with me.  It was a true honor to capture your engagement session.  I wish you both endless amounts of love and happiness in the future!

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! 🙂