Yorktown Family Portraits | The Guerrero Family

Yorktown Family Portraits | The Guerrero Family

I have talked almost endlessly about my new church community and how much it has meant to me, and today I'm so excited to share portraits from a family I met after we joined! Catherine and I connected at a ladies' night because she was in the middle of a Whole30 and I am a little bit obsessed with helping people get through those. We only got to chat for a few minutes, but I was incredibly excited when she asked me about taking pictures for her - and getting to meet her entire family.

Taking family pictures in November is always a gamble, because the weather vacillates between being unseasonably warm and extremely chilly. The day we met in quaint downtown Yorktown was somewhere in between, with a cool wind making it feel like the perfect fall day. Catherine and Genesis were more than prepared with books and an attitude of letting the kids have fun - which always makes for the best pictures! We got plenty of nice family portraits, but some of my favorites are the moments when the family let loose a little and acted as they normally would at home...

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...

Fall Fort Monroe Engagement Session | Hampton Wedding Photographer | Josiah + Megan

Fall Fort Monroe Engagement Session | Hampton Wedding Photographer | Josiah + Megan

I remember many years ago when Megan first met Josiah - and the reason I remember it so clearly is because she is my little sister and I had the privilege of seeing their relationship unfold from the very beginning. She came home from a music practice one day talking all about this extremely good-looking guy she had met, and how badly she wanted to get to know him. After a little longer of being too scared to say anything, she eventually bit the bullet and decided she would jump in with both feet. It's safe to say they're both very thankful she did :)

After several years of dating, all of us knew it was only a matter of time before we were planning their wedding, but trying to guess when Josiah would propose was driving us all crazy (in a good way)! Finally, on a trip to Niagara Falls, he played a song he wrote for her and pulled out the ring. I'll never forget the call I got when Megan, through a massive amount of tears, told me on the other end of the phone that she was ENGAGED!

And now here we were, on a beautiful fall day at Fort Monroe in Hampton, taking their engagement pictures. It felt like a dream to be able to capture this moment in their lives that was such a long time coming, through years of a long-distance friendship that slowly grew into so much more. I could talk on and on but I have to let the gorgeous sunset and their sweet smiles speak for themselves.......