badgley mischka

Albemarle Estate at Trump Winery Wedding | Charlottesville Wedding Photographer | Brad + Lauren

Albemarle Estate at Trump Winery Wedding | Charlottesville Wedding Photographer | Brad + Lauren

Ever since their engagement session in Charlottesville I have watched Brad and Lauren's relationship and come to understand the kind of people they are. They are the kind of people who dress up every month to visit the children's hospital just to brighten someone's day. They are the kind of people who incorporated a host of different charities in their wedding so they could give back. They are the kind of people whose smiles light up a room, whose joy is obvious from each moment, and who are deeply in love with each other after 6 years together.

Because of this and so much more I knew Brad and Lauren's wedding would be wonderful, but I had no idea just how incredibly beautiful it would be. The Albemarle Estate on Trump Winery property was a stunning backdrop for gorgeous pink peonies and J. Crew bridesmaid dresses. Lauren's gorgeous Monique Lhuillier tulle-filled gown and sparkly Badgley Mischkas absolutely stole the show. The amazing talent of Blue Ridge Floral Design was on display with a one-of-a-kind flower-covered reception sign. Donovan-Groves Events and his team pulled off a truly spectacular wedding, dreamed up by a couple whose spirit matched the stunning decor.

The night ended in an amazing fireworks display, with Brad and Lauren dancing underneath light painted across the sky. What I will remember most is...

Old Mill Rose Valley Wedding | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer | DJ + Sam

Old Mill Rose Valley Wedding | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer | DJ + Sam

In my heart is adventure and a love for travel, so being able to photograph a destination wedding in Philadelphia was everything I had hoped for...and meeting wonderfully sweet people like DJ, Sam, and their friends and families made the weekend utterly perfect. These two are seemingly opposite from first impressions - Sam is the chatty one in their relationship, while DJ is on the quieter side. Where she moves around from table to table engaging with as many people as possible, he watches her with pride and love. And where she dances like crazy and starts rap battles on the dance floor, he has the most fun being by her side.

But where the two are most alike is first in their love for each other. Kind, supportive, and caring, each look they share and each smile at each other is full of nothing but joy and a sweet understanding. During their wedding mass they continued to whisper to each other and share smiles as they officially became husband and wife. And when we traveled to The Old Mill at Rose Valley to finish out their wedding day with bride and groom portraits, DJ held his new bride close as they looked forward to the future to come...

Downtown Norfolk Wedding | Norfolk Wedding Photographer | Chris + Dana

Downtown Norfolk Wedding | Norfolk Wedding Photographer | Chris + Dana

I have been waiting all year to write this blog, and it's finally here! Chris and Dana have such an amazing story that became the highlight of their wedding day. Years ago, when they were much younger, these two got married without telling anyone. They had two beautiful twin boys together but after several deployments and the hardships of life they got divorced after 5 years.

Anyone can say that marriage is hard, but these two have lived the difficulties. Everything from miscommunications to time spent apart can lead to a result you could never have imagined when you say "I do" to your spouse. But with these two, divorce was not the end of their story. They maintained a friendship and continued to parent their sons and in just 3 years time they began to fall back in love with each other. Last August Chris used Dana's birthday as an excuse to throw a surprise party in the Paragon Theater, ending with Chris down on one knee to ask the love of his life to be his forever - again...