This year was different than any other, in a lot of good ways. I got to photograph two gorgeous elopements, one at Fort Monroe Beach and one at The Historic Post Office in Hampton. I had two military weddings, my first Jewish wedding, and almost zero travel all year long…and as much as I love travel, it was wonderful to sleep in my bed the night after a wedding most of the time!
Each time I approach a wedding, I put pressure on myself to do something different. I truly want to capture the individual personalities of the bride, groom, and their friends and family, because no two weddings are the same…and they shouldn’t look like each other, either! Fortunately, when I walk into weddings and already know the couple from their engagement session, it’s easy to remember why I love them as a couple and why they love each other. From there, each pose and each moment is completely individual, and while I will always take the smiling-at-the-camera family pictures, so many of the in-betweens are uniquely beautiful to every day…
2019 Wedding Favorites
Two Rivers Country Club Wedding | Josh + Lauren
We heard their story over and over, told in so many different ways, each a reminder of how amazing it really is that Josh and Lauren met each other. She lived in Hampton Roads and decided to take a job at Water Country USA, while he lived in the UK…and decided to visit a little town called Williamsburg for a summer at a water-themed amusement park. He couldn’t have predicted that his supervisor would, 5 years later, become his wife.
They have traveled the world together, spanning oceans and continents, but both said in their impromptu speeches that each location felt like home because they were with each other. Their wedding was a beautiful blend of customs from their background and the Jewish wedding traditions that made this day unlike any other. From signing a ketubah to adorning her parents with flower crowns at the reception, each event was filled with joy and a lot of VERY excited people.
Set right on the James River outside of Williamsburg, weddings at Two Rivers Country Club are always stunning. Lauren chose the perfect rose gold details (rings and bridesmaid dresses and table numbers), and her cascading white lily bouquet was gorgeous. It amazed me that about half of the wedding guests came all the way from England to be at their special day, and most of the other half has traveled there to meet Josh! The dedication from the couple to their family and friends, and vise versa, was evident in every moment, and Lauren’s joy was all over her face from start to finish…
Top 10 Best Wedding Venues in Hampton Roads | Business
I’m thankful to have the privilege to travel up and down the East Coast for weddings, but I’m also proud to say that I photograph a lot of weddings right here in the Hampton Roads area. I moved here five years ago but I did not truly get to know my surroundings until I became a wedding and family photographer. Driving all over our little area for engagement sessions, family sessions, and weddings has made me fall in love with the 757.
It’s difficult to choose my few favorite wedding venues for a blog post, and I know there are so many places I get to shoot this year that I am sure this list will grow over time! That said, here are the ten best wedding venues in Hampton Roads that I have visited so far - with one honorable mention!