fort monroe beach

Fort Monroe Beach Elopement | Hampton Roads Elopement Photographer | Joe + Erin

Fort Monroe Beach Elopement | Hampton Roads Elopement Photographer | Joe + Erin

They planned to get married in October, but as time passed Joe and Erin realized they didn’t want to wait any longer. They knew who they were going to marry and they wanted it to happen soon. She got her dress, they found the perfect place, and the rest would play itself out on a windy but beautiful day in March.

Before their first look, Joe and Erin were nervous, not because they lacked confidence in their soon-to-be-spouse, but because they just couldn’t believe the day had arrived. She wore the perfect tulle dress and skipped fancy shoes, carrying a bouquet of wildflowers as she walked down the makeshift aisle on the sand. After they said I do they shared their first dance to Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect,” and both shed tears of joy…

Fort Monroe Engagement Session | Hampton Wedding Photographer | Billy + Jenna

Fort Monroe Engagement Session | Hampton Wedding Photographer | Billy + Jenna

Long distance relationships are hard. I learned this from a grand total six months' experience after Nathan and I got engaged, and I would never wish distance on any couple. Billy and Jenna, separated by hundreds of miles (from Virginia to Michigan!) thankfully have an amazing foundation to build their lives as they look forward to their marriage. These high school sweethearts have been through years of both being together and being apart, weathering the storms of a relationship successfully.

The week we met at Fort Monroe for their sunset engagement session was not an easy one! They were dealing with a car breakdown, some other difficulties in their week, and had to leave right after our time together to drive 12 hours back home. Yet they smiled effortlessly from beginning to end, allowing me to capture the joy that has been the bedrock of their relationship thus far...

Sunset Fort Monroe Anniversary Session | Hampton Couples Photographer | Shane + Brooke

Sunset Fort Monroe Anniversary Session | Hampton Couples Photographer | Shane + Brooke

Like many military families, Shane and Brooke have an interesting story surrounding their marriage. Originally from Kansas City, they legally tied the knot about 6 months ago so when he was stationed here in Virginia she could join him. With the rush of tying up loose ends, though, these two have not had a proper wedding, and next year they plan to celebrate with family and friends in Missouri.

Because of that, their portraits were an anniversary and an engagement session rolled into one! We visited one of my favorite spots, Fort Monroe because there are so many beautiful locations to choose from that staying in one place still gives a wide variety of backgrounds and portraits. Calhoun, their beautiful and feisty golden retriever puppy, stole the show with his Kansas City bowtie and plaid scarf - it's rare that the pet gets to change outfits, too...