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Two Rivers Country Club Wedding | Josh + Lauren

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…

Williamsburg Anniversary Winter Session | Williamsburg Photographer | Rob + Lauren

Williamsburg Anniversary Winter Session | Williamsburg Photographer | Rob + Lauren

I’ve known Rob and Lauren now for coming up on two years. I first photographed their engagement session just a few weeks after Willow came home (I couldn’t even tell them yet!), then their wedding took place last January on a beautiful day at Kiln Creek Golf Club. Now, over a year into marriage, they wanted to celebrate again with pictures and it felt like everything came full circle once again.

Rob and Lauren were so sweet during their engagement session when I first met them, but seeing them as husband and wife just made me realize how much more comfortable they are around each other (and in front of the camera!) than even just a couple years ago. They shared more looks between the two of them. They snuggled a little closer. They still didn’t shy away from kissing, and it’s obvious that their relationship has already grown stronger. When I asked the biggest lesson they have learned from the first year, they couldn’t tell me - mostly because it’s just been full of joy to finally live side by side every single day…

Best of Ring Shots 2018 | Business

Best of Ring Shots 2018 | Business

At first it feels a little strange to devote an entire blog post to rings, but these are some of my favorite pictures to take! When I entered the Shoot & Share contest last year, I was surprised to see so many of my ring shots land in the top categories - I had no idea I was even that good at it! I still have so much to learn, but this part of an engagement session or wedding, more than any other, gets my creative juices flowing. I have nobody to pose and no instructions to give, yet I need to make that ring look unique and, when I can, add meaning to the picture for the couples.

Can I just say, too, that it’s hard to nail a ring shot? You wouldn’t know it if you aren’t a photographer, but getting the focus perfect is a challenge, especially when you’re outside and the wind is blowing - and when you’re on a tight schedule! So it’s with a little bit of pride that I present some of my favorite ring shots of the year - and oh man am I excited for what’s to come in 2019!