Amanda + John. A Proposal Story.

I feel like I have to preface this post by letting you know that my family is so near and dear to my heart. Yes, we are a large family. We are a crazy family. And sometimes we are a loud, dancing, singing family. And we are closer than most other families I know. So a few weeks ago, when my only big brother took me to see the ring he had picked out for his girlfriend, Amanda, I started flipping out a little bit. And when he texted me to see if I would photograph his proposal, I had to try not to cry. I am so grateful to be invited to such intimate times in the lives of the couples I photograph. And my big brother's proposal? That's even better.

I think my heart has finally stopped beating out of my chest enough that I can post these images.

John started planning a couple of weeks ago but was waiting for the perfect day to pop the question. He didn't want Amanda to suspect anything so he picked Sunday evening while they were relaxing at my parent's house. Now, this was a different proposal shoot than I'm used to! I usually wait in the designated location and the couple comes to me, but this time I had to sneak into the location while they were there! I was definitely freaking out just a little bit. I parked down the street and our dad left the house to "run some errands". He picked me up and, while I ducked in the back seat, parked at the perfect angle on the driveway.

John convinced Amanda to come outside with him on the premise of taking a four-wheeler ride. This is where I had to force myself to breathe evenly and just shoot. I promise you, I don't think my heart has ever beat as hard as it did last night when John came out the door!



The family had strung lights in the trees and turned them on right on time!



It didn't take long for John to drop to his knee...



I love how he's holding the ring here...





Amanda told us later that she couldn't believe what was happening! She was so speechless that John had to ask a few times before she could get her answer out :)













John saved the "sweet nothings" for after the ring while my parents blasted the Etta James song, "At Last", out the front door.





Seriously, so romantic.







I love that they just took their time and enjoyed the moment.







I love you guys and am so excited for you! Can't wait for the wedding :)

Joe + Tiffany. A Proposal Story.

Do you have a tissue nearby? This sweet proposal just may make you tear up a little ;)

Joe and my husband, Jonathan, were roommates during college. In fact, Joe and Tiffany started dating soon after Jonathan and I. I would like to say that I secretly always knew Joe and Tiffany would end up engaged and happily married... he was so obviously enamored with her! Joe called me up a few weeks ago to see if I would possibly be available to shoot "something" on March 7th. "Something" being code for "I'm going to ask her to marry me". I was so excited for both of them! Joe already had a plan laid out and though there were a few hiccups along the way, namely the selected restaurant being closed and Tiffany wanting to change plans to go see her friend on Monday, everything worked out perfectly. After dinner Joe suggested that they take a walk through Center City Park downtown where, unknown to Tiffany, Jonathan and I were hiding in the bushes waiting to capture her reaction and answer to the big question...

We weren't exactly sure where Joe would drop down to his knee so we were positioned in different places to make sure we caught the action.





Of course the answer was yes...





When Joe first called me a few weeks back, he wasn't sure if Tiffany would want to be photographed during this intimate moment but I'm glad he decided to go with it anyway. I hope she can always look back on these photos and remember that amazing feeling when the love of your life says he wants to keep you forever :) (Yes, I know I'm getting sappy here. I can't help it!)



She was a little embarrassed but mostly giddy...













I think Joe was a little giddy too...





Joe did a little reenactment for us so we could hear the whole speech...







After a few shots in the park, Joe and Tiffany left to head to Tiffany's house. This is where the second surprise happened...



We also headed to Tiffany's house where a bunch of her friends were gathered under the impression that they were throwing a surprise party in honor of her acceptance into a program in Africa.









But the real surprise was revealed after only a few minutes.











Joe did a good job, didn't he?





Joe and Tiffany, we love you guys so much!

Bridal Shower. Woodland Wedding Inspiration.

Back in October I threw a bridal shower for one of my best friends, Rachel. I wasn't able to post the images right away because we had to wait for our feature on the WeddingChicks blog! I thought maybe you would all want some more detail about the planning, execution, and how we kept it all a secret from Rachel :)

The details . . .
Event stylist : Melissa Lewkowicz
Invitations/Menus : Ashleigh's Fine Paper
Tableware/Linens : Partymakers
Antique furniture : Thrill of the Hunt
Catering : Sweet Basil's Restaurant
Cake : Maxie B's


I knew it would probably be pretty chilly in October so I asked Rachel if it was ok to do the shower outside. She said yes, but that's all she knew about our plan! I worked with my sister to pull together a theme before asking for help from all the amazing vendors listed above. Rachel was an English major in college so we themed the shower around books, words, and quotes, with a nice dash of color so our setup would stand out against the trees. The huge paper chandelier you see hanging above the table was a labor of love by my mom, sisters, and I. We used yarn to string up old book pages, tissue poms, and garlands onto a frame. My dad called it a "trash tornado" but he helped string it up in the trees anyway because he loves us and Rachel is like another daughter to him. It absolutely pulls everything together and it moved so pretty in the breeze!





All the old books on the table were from the free section at Ed McKay's bookstore in Greensboro. I took quite a few trips there, picking out the perfect books to complete our table decor. The books now have a home in my office :)



I am in love with the blue chair below. Isn't it gorgeous? Thrill of the Hunt antique store recently changed focus and is now Preen, a vintage jewelry store in Greensboro. Make sure you check it out if you're looking for some unique jewelry for your wedding day (or anything else!).





Melissa did an amazing job of taking our vision for the shower and adding all the little details. The napkin holders are actually headbands that she makes by hand. Genius!



We set up this gorgeous little area for our guests to type a message to Rachel, like a guest book.







I love the mantle that we got from Thrill of the Hunt. It was the first thing guests saw as they entered the shower and featured one of the photos from Rachel's actual engagement!





This vintage chair I picked up off the curb one day was perfect for piling gifts for our bride-to-be! We also posted cute little quotes about love and marriage on the shutters, and tucked one of the shower invitations into the shelving.



Ok, two things... Ashleigh did an AMAZING job on the invitations and menus for the shower. I met up with her to go over the shower theme, colors, and design, and she took it from there designing a beautiful invitation that set the tone for our event. She also worked with Renee from Sweet Basil's to design the menu. I love that the menu and cupcake icing are the exact same color! Speaking of cupcakes... man, those were delicious. I cannot say enough good things about Maxie B's bakery! Each guest had a cupcake beside their plate. Don't they look cute on their little cake stands?















And again with the cake... aren't they adorable? I gave Maxie B's our shower colors and theme and they came up with these adorable, whimsical designs for us.











My sister brought Rachel down to where we were set up. I love her face in this photo! She was so completely surprised and happy :)



And then it was time to eat. I wish you guys could smell this food through your computers. It was honestly the best food I've ever eaten! And not only was it good, I love how beautiful everything looks! Sadly, Sweet Basil's Restaurant is closed now but they still do catering! And if you ever get a chance, you *have* to stop by Basil's & Co for dinner sometime. Same owner, amazing food. I promise, our girls are still talking about that soup! And check out the gorgeous tableware... I met with Emily from Partymakers during the planning stages and she was so incredibly helpful in picking out colors and dishes that weren't matchy-matchy but still looked good together.



So there you have it! If you saw the shower photos on WeddingChicks, I hope you enjoyed getting some behind-the-scenes details! And yes, I'm leaving you with the food pictures last so you'll go see Renee and try it yourself. Don't forget to leave a comment while you're visiting the blog! The vendors worked so hard on making everything look amazing and I know they would appreciate some love :)