GRATITUDES + BREAKTHROUGHS // 10.09.18

Gratitudes

Saturday friends and family gathered at Brandy Hill Farm in Culpeper for Stephanie + Brian’s wedding! These two traveled up from North Carolina to lock in forever in the rolling hills of the Virginia countryside. These two planned a country chic celebration with deep plums, gold accents and lots of texture! Their first look was so sweet, right in front of the reception barn with glowing string lights! For their ceremony they planted a beautiful tree with soil from Virginia + Texas. Both of their Moms added a little soil, then Stephanie + Brian and they topped it off with a little water! We did have a wedding crasher! A baby black/corn snake came slithering through out family formal session, it was quite the scene!  The reception started with their first dance and had the sweetest toasts from the Best Man (Brian’s Step-Father) and the Matron of Honor (Stephanie’s sister as well as a cake cutting with a little cake smashing! These two were so happy and full of smiles all day long! Congratulations you two, I hope you are enjoying Hawaii!

It’s engagement session season and I had two last week! Remember Lauren, the sweet nurse who was helping to take care of my Grandma Jean? Well I shot her engagement session with her Fiance Jeremy and their boxer-mix pup named Scooby! We met at Blandy Experimental Farm out in Boyce, Virginia at sunrise for that yummy morning light. We had so much fun walking the property together and ended our session with a champagne picnic with Jeremy playing guitar! I can’t wait to share their session with you soon!

My second engagement session was on Friday at Chrysalis Vineyards. I’ve been loving shooting there with the fall sunsets and the full grapes on the vines! This session was special as I hadn’t met the couple before, actually the sister of the soon-to-be groom booked their engagement session as a gift. Alexa and Patrick flew up from Florida for this session out in hunt country! Together we sat and enjoyed a glass of wine before we got to work! These two were so snuggly and loved seeing the rolling hills and soft mountains of hunt country! Alexa + Patrick went from casual (boots, jeans + scarf) to formal with an amazing white gown from Rent The Runway for our walk through the vines. This is seriously a beautiful session, so be on the look out for it’s feature on the blog!

This past weekend was a double header, I had Stephanie + Brian’s wedding with my friend and second shooter Rich of Rich Kessler Photography and then I second shot for Rich on Sunday! Rich’s wedding presented itself with an interesting opportunity, we were able to photograph the President of the United States with the bride + groom. While I’m not a fan of the POTUS, it was the first time I had ever met or been 3 feet away from any leader of a nation. So I’m chalking that up as a gratitude!

 

Breakthroughs

I shared last week that Grandma Jean has been in the hospital, she has an intestinal infection that they were hoping would be cleared up by now. As of yesterday, they’ve decided to pursue surgery early next week. It’s been tiring running back and forth to the hospital, but I can’t not be there to support her. You see, at 82 she has never had a surgery. Not one single time. This whole experience – especially after my Grandpa Ron being released about a month ago – has her spirits are down. Yesterday when I got the call she would have to have surgery I knew she needed me up there.

I brought Katlyn + Tenny with me, because nothing cheers up a sad Grandma like a great-grand baby! One the way up, I shared with Katlyn that on Monday I had to help Grand get up and out of her reclined chair to walk around a bit, and I saw her knees + the shape of her legs. I haven’t seen my Grandma’s bare legs in years, she loves pants, capris and midi-maxi dresses. But there they were, and I recognized them… they were mine. I have the same solid shape, lack of knee definition and proportions. Her thighs, knees and calves touch all of the way to just before the ankles, just like me when I joke that I’m built like a mermaid. No thigh gap here!

While she tuned in to her soap operas I was trying to send out client emails but my mind wandered. It stumbled upon how similar we are. I’m shaped like my Mom who is shaped just like my Grandma. I wondered if I was also similar to my Great Grandma that I had never met because she died unexpectedly during a routine heart surgery (which terrifies my Grand more than anything). I got so much from this woman besides her legs. I got a Mother who is passionate, selfless and the hardest working woman I know. I got a sense of travel and world wonder that is incurable. (Even is the hospital she is researching her next cruise.) I have a big heart and share my love with acts of service and sharing quality time. I got an example of marriage and a best friend – like relationship that I’m hopeful for one day. I also got the taste for coffee ice cream out of a coffee mug, the enjoyment that comes from a glass of wine and the calmness + comfort that comes from holding someone’s hand.

If you’re a client of mine, I’ve been editing and delivering galleries while sitting bedside with Grand. I’m working on answering emails as quickly as I can.

Please allow 24-48 response times.

 

As always, thanks for reading. xoxo.