This was one of my favorite engagements ever! Rachel responded to my Facebook ad seeking engaged couples for my portfolio and booked immediately! YAY! She was also searching for a wedding photographer and so I sent her my pricing guide. After a FaceTime meeting with her and Alex, (and their adorable pup Dixie!) we hit it off and they booked me for their wedding next year at the Holiday Inn at the ocean front in Virginia Beach! Wooo soooo excited!!  

After weighing options for a perfect setting for their engagement session, Alex gave me some good ideas and we chose the Pagoda Tea House gardens in Norfolk. I had heard amazing things about this location and I was SO thankful for the opportunity to shoot there! 

I arrived there a bit early to scount the location, and even found a beautiful cobblestone street! So many portrait locations just steps from the Pagoda! After I arrived, Brandon Mitchell of Brandon Mitchell Films joined me as he is creating a branding video for my business. Rachel and Alex will be famous! 😂  Once Alex and Rachel arrived, we all got aquatinted and got to work. We started with the gardens and the gorgeous willow tree (seriously I’m obsessed with weeping willows!) and then moved on to the cobblestone street. The lighting there was a bit tricky but overall we made some magic happen! The dancing in the street images are just SOOOO ADORABLE!! 😍

Alex is seriously soooo funny and sarcastic, and you can tell Rachel loves him dearly. Plenty photos of her cracking up at Alex’s goofiness set the tone for a super fun evening. When posing Rachel I would remind her to pop her leg, and Alex would always pop his knee and stick his butt out! HAHA seriously these two were just so much fun!

After that, we made out way to the pier next to the USS Wisconsin and shot a few more portraits, accompanied by Brandon’s super awesome drone recording us! I can’t wait to see that! Towards the end of our evening, I caught a few amazing silhouette photos, followed by some images of Rachel’s absolutely beautiful engagement ring (good job on that, Alex!).  

Rachel and Alex are the most beautiful, perfect-for-each-other, couple! I can’t wait to photograph their wedding next year. Rachel’s stunning looks will surely make the most beautiful bride!

💜 Congrats on your engagement!