Why We Dressed Up for a Wedding All Over Again | Historic Post Office Hampton Wedding

Why We Dressed Up for a Wedding All Over Again | Historic Post Office Hampton Wedding

As a child I was never much one for dress-up. Truth be told, I was a huge tomboy. I play-wrestled my brother (and won every time because he always 'cheated') and I got along with boys a whole lot better than most other girls. I had close girlfriends, too, but pretending to be a princess was never high on my imagination list. Instead, my older brother and I would pretend to be in combat, play video games together, and (in between fights) sit in a chair on Saturday mornings and watch cartoons with each other.

So it was a surprise when I had so much fun getting dressed up for a Cinco de Mayo styled shoot last year. Getting my hair and makeup done is not normal, but I loved it...and the pictures I had from that day were beautiful. When Kelsey, the venue manager at the brand new Historic Post Office wedding venue in downtown Hampton was looking for models for a styled shoot, I quickly volunteered Nathan and I for the task. Plus, a chance to tour a gorgeous architecture-inspired Hampton Roads wedding space is never a bad thing!

With my hair (a low chignon, which I've always wanted) and makeup perfected, I met my husband of almost 6 years in his suit and tie and we pretended like it was our wedding day all over again...

Elegant Southern Lee Hall Mansion Styled Shoot | Newport News Wedding Photographer

Elegant Southern Lee Hall Mansion Styled Shoot | Newport News Wedding Photographer

This shoot came together over a cup of coffee at a local Starbucks with my dear friend Holly, and the result was an elegant black-tie styled shoot that complemented Lee Hall Mansion in Newport News perfectly with grey and lavender touches throughout. The styled shoot showed off this gorgeous venue, and I was able to work with some of the most talented vendors in Hampton Roads on a beautiful day in June. What started as a dream became a reality and was published on Knotsvilla for a perfect wrap-up to an amazing day.

In all honesty, there were a myriad of things that went wrong during our shoot. Traffic was absolutely insane across the HRBT that morning, so getting over to the Peninsula proved difficult for so many people. We had a few things happen beforehand that made us question whether the shoot would even happen. Our rentals were a last-minute lifesaving piece provided by ChicUnique in Suffolk, and when I left that day to drive 4 hours straight to a new destination, I still couldn't believe it had all come together - and I have everyone else (especially Just Dandy Events!) to thank...

First Landing Elopement Inspiration | Virginia Beach Elopement Photographer

First Landing Elopement Inspiration | Virginia Beach Elopement Photographer

This shoot began as a dream many months ago, ending in a beautiful reality that got published on Hill City Bride last week! When I went through the re-branding process I knew that I needed to further hone in on my style. I love weddings of all kinds, but one kind of ceremony that is near and dear to my heart is an elopement. I photographed my first elopement and quickly fell in love - it was intimate, focused on marriage, and created beautiful space and time for portraits.

With this in mind, I wanted to revisit the idea of having a small ceremony with gorgeous elements but without the hustle and stress of a wedding day. I think this really came from a place of thinking about my own wedding - while I loved it, people change over time and if I were to have a wedding today I would probably opt for an elopement with immediate family present. There's something so sweet about a celebration of marriage with no pressure or expectations...