Scott & Meagan Proposal

It's been a little over a year and a half since I photographed my last proposal (you can view that proposal of some amazing people here). So when Scott asked me to capture their proposal, of course I jumped at the opportunity.

I arrived a little early to scope out the area. Then it was just a matter of waiting for them to appear. A dark afternoon led to thoughts of "Please don't rain!", but the sunlight couldn't have been more perfect. 

After a reminiscent date night, including a walk on the greenway, Scott popped the question and with the biggest smile Meagan said, "Yes!"  

So Scott & Meagan, congrats again! Enjoy every minute of your engagement. You guys are the coolest and I'm really glad you found each other! 

Karen and Frank Neely Wedding // Hephzibah, GA

This wedding. I can't begin to tell you how thrilling this day was. Last year I was able to capture family pictures of Karen, Frank & their kids...little did Karen know that Frank had planned to propose during that family session. So to be here almost a year later, and have the pleasure of capturing their wedding day, was the biggest joy for me. (You can see a few of the family/proposal photos in this blog post from last year.)

This year Frank and Karen researched, planned and began construction of the most beautiful barn on their property. Located in Hephzibah, GA, the beauty of the barn and the nature surrounding it is unspeakable --  you'll just have to see for yourself in the photos below. The Southern Barn at Neely Farms was built first for Karen and Frank's wedding, but ultimately as a new facility for hosting weddings, banquets and events. In the pictures from Frank and Karen's wedding you'll see the bare bones of the barn, the first wedding, the true beginning of so many memories that will be made from now on. 

This wedding was beautiful, fun, and relaxing. Watching Karen, Frank and their kids come together for this special celebration was touching. And being a part of this first wedding to be held in the barn -- that was priceless. 

Dress: House of the Bride
Hair: Karen Cruz (Just for You Hair Salon - Hephzibah, GA)
Make-Up: Brittany Stapleton (Blush Salon - Harlem, GA)
Catering: Willie Jewels BBQ
Floral Arrangements: Elizabeth Perez
Venue: The Southern Barn at Neely Farms 

And for a few updated photos of the barn....

Ways to display your images - Memory Box

I love things I can hold. Things that have substance, texture, smell and depth. I'm always looking for things that are fun and creative for our home, but also for clients. One of those things I found last year is a memory box. This is a fun way to display a few images from a special time in your life (like a wedding, vacation, anniversary, 1 year photo session, etc).

I chose a handful of photos from a wedding I shot last Fall to add to this beautiful box.  The images printed were thick and durable. This particular box could hold up to 100 images printed at regular thickness as well. (I'll save thoughts on printing for another time.) 

This box was hand stained and engraved for the bride and groom. Boxes can be stained in different shades - to me, the darker stain seemed to match the rich colors of the images printed for the display.  

Aside from framing photos, I love this option to display your images. This allows friends and family to see more than one image...and it could be a fun conversation starter as well. 

Styled Bridal Session // Becca

At the end of August I had the opportunity to work with a handful of fabulous vendors. Leah Janik and I have done many photo shoots together, including paint wars & weddings. Over the years, it has been a privilege watching her grow as a person and an artist. It's easy to grow your talents when you use them with someone who has similar passions and vision. I love being able to grow WITH someone, sharing ideas and expanding a thought in a way that makes something even better than I could have planned alone. This styled shoot was one of those ideas. 

Leah and I knew we wanted to keep it as simple as possible, so we handpicked the vendors we wanted to work with, vendors who graciously gave their talents, time and materials to be a part of this. We want to continue growing the idea of #CommunityOverCompetition by reaching out to the community around us, both physically in our area and in the online realm.  With all that said, I would like to introduce you to our vendors and models. Our model for this blog post is Becca, who was also part of our hair styling duo for the shoot. 

Dress & Hairpiece: House of the Bride

Hair: Becca Powell at Studio 285 & Dalton Harnage at Studio 285

Make-up: Becca Powell at Studio 285

Floral Arrangement: Waiting on Wildflowers

Co-photographer: LuMarie Photo & Design

Since we swapped models during the hours of our shoot, we were able to work doubletime. You can see the photos from the first part of Leah's shoot here. We will post our part two from this shoot during the next week or two. Hopefully you'll be able to enjoy our styles and seeing photos of our models from two different perspectives.