You may remember this bride to be from her brother’s wedding not too long ago, where she gave a sweet speech that brought the room to tears. What an honor to be able to capture both of these siblings on their special days!

I met up with Alisha and Anthony one extremely hot afternoon for this fun engagement session. We noticed right away that we had more than just 100 degree heat to deal with, but humid and muggy weather, an incredibly bright sun and then a rain storm that just about blew us away! Despite the challenges, these two were pros! Check out their awesome session below!

P.S. They liked to kiss!

Love this one!

Look at Alisha’s stunning eyes! WOW!

Sometimes I ask people to do random things and I always love when they oblige! This time, I spotted a little “treasure” in a store window and quickly asked these love birds if they’d sit down in front of it. Without giving myself away, I wanted to surprise them with a few images where these words were “sweetly singing” in the background
You are my sunshine, My only sunshine…

Caught this right before a rowdy passerby jumped into the frame!

After spending a little time downtown, we headed to the beach to finish up our session. When we arrived it was a typical Florida beach day… Florida being the key word, because it didn’t take long for the sky to darken, the wind to start whipping, the lightening to start popping and us to start running to the car in the rain!

I love the way the wind caught Alisha’s skirt in so many of these images. 

So romantic.

These two are some more of my favorites!

There’s that awesome wind!

This one is so serene and peaceful!

Hands down my favorite of the day!

This was taken literally 10 seconds after the lightening struck and the thunder rumbled so loudly that I let out a true “girly scream” and about 10 seconds before the rain started to pour. The clouds are amazing!

Alisha and Anthony- thanks for hanging with me on this adventurous day! I can’t wait until your wedding!

Don’t forget to leave some love by August 5th ! For 25 comments, Alisha and Anthony will  receive a free 5×7, for 50 comments they’ll receive a free 8×10!

When I first met Jeremy, Daniela and Jeremy’s mom over coffee at Starbucks, I simply fell in love with them! They were such a sweet couple and Jeremy’s love for his soon to be bride was evident with every word he spoke. I became even more thrilled when Jeremy and Daniela noted they wanted something totally unique for their engagement session. After a few minutes of brainstorming, this adorable couple shared how much they love the Rays and even hitting the batting cages for date nights! It became clear that we had our unique idea and although we had to reschedule due to icky weather, it was worth the wait!

Love this.

To change it up a bit, we decided to move to a completely different location. The 3 of us had been searching for the perfect field for weeks, to no avail. However, my awesome hubby spotted this one during an outing with our kiddos and knew it would be perfect for the session. I’m so thankful for his creative eye because this spot was the PERFECT place to capture the love Jeremy and Daniela have for one another!

Be still my beating heart.

Love, love these two! Some of my favorites from the day hands down.

Thank you Lord for amazing sunlight and for glorious wind- they make this image all that it is!

Finally, I always ask my couples to bring something that’s special to them or significant in their relationship. Jeremy and Daniela knocked it out of the park! They surprised me with this quilt made by Jeremy’s great grandmother and given to his parents.  Robert Bishop author of the The Romance of the Double Wedding Ring Quilts notes, “Clearly, the motif of interlocking rings is a very old one and can actually be traced far back in history. In fact, interlocking ring motifs clearly resembling the DWR appear on several existing Roman glass vessels or lamps from approximately the four century A.D.!” What a rich history and what a beautiful way to incorporate a family heirloom!

Can’t you just feel the love?

Jeremy and Daniela also brought along, as they called it, “a random pink chair” to incorporate into their images. I love random!

Since there were so many other images I wanted to share from our fun time together, I put together this video. Daniela told me that Jeremy is a huge U2 fan…HUGE! So, here’s to their love… certainly, The Sweetest Thing!

Don’t forget to leave some love (post a comment)! For 25 comments, Jeremy and Daniela will  receive a free 5×7, for 50 comments they’ll receive a free 8×10!

I’m always excited to receive an email from possible clients, but I was beyond thrilled when this request for a Heritage Session arrived! I had already had the honor of spending some time with this sweet family capturing the generations on Bobby’s side. Martha was now requesting some images of her grandmother at the young age of 88, her mother (who also happened to be my High School AP English teacher and one of my favorite educators of ALL time) and her girls Kate and Lizzie.

As I continued to read her email, I was captivated by the rich history of their family and the home where we would meet for our time together. Martha’s great grandfather built this home. There have been  5 generations on the same piece of land and 4 generations of women who have lived in this same house. Isn’t that amazing?

We had a wonderful time reminiscing about the past; and I soaked in all the stories they generously shared. I especially loved how Martha’s grandmother got the name “Gonsie.” (My sincerest apologies for the misspelling!)

The original deed for the land.

This is one of my favorite images from the day! I love “Gonsie’s” hands holding the picture of the home from days gone by!

I feel like this next one could be in Southern Living. The girls quietly playing in the garden, in front of this amazing home, rich with history and abundant memories speaks volumes.

Could it get any sweeter than this?

If you’ve ever wondered whether a Heritage Session is for you, I’ll just let this picture speak for itself.

We finished up with Martha, Bobby and their charming little girls.  Aren’t they such a gorgeous family?

Martha, thank you for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful morning with your precious family. The blessing was all mine!

Your statutes are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
My heart is set on keeping your decrees
to the very end.

Psalm 119:111-112

You might remember the lovely Melissa and her sweetheart Wakefield from their downtown engagement session. You might also recall that Melissa attended one of the first Bible Studies I ever led when we moved to the area. Those two simple facts assured me that it was going to be an incredible day for a super special lady; and also that I’d be even more emotional than ever! Yes, I’m the photographer that needs to carry tissues with her for the ceremony and the first dances!

Melissa started her day off in a room with a view…quite literally! She was able to catch a glimpse of her ceremony location, Bok Tower, all morning long.

Melissa selected warm, rich jewel tones for her wedding. The colors complimented her so well, as you’ll soon see!

A little ring fun as always!

Melissa’s something old was this beautiful gold grape cluster that has been worn by her groom’s family 6 times during wedding celebrations. I LOVE the box! 

This is a little like “Where’s Waldo?” but can you spot the stunning bride getting ready in this image?

Oh Melissa, you were radiant!

Once Melissa was in her gown, I headed over to hang out with the guys for a little bit. 

I am loving this little guy! 

Check out the posing going on here. Seriously, these two ring bearers were precious!

Kyle, this is for you… He presented Wakefield with Titanium cuff-links. 

We tucked the guys away and whisked the girls out for about 10 minutes before Melissa walked down the aisle!

The lovely sisters.

The girls rode on golf carts up to the ceremony site. Here was Melissa catching her first glimpse of her big day.

I love these next two… the bridal party waiting for their cue, standing on what is a hill – in Florida!! Proof that we have a little elevation. Next, Courtney and little Isabelle walking down the aisle. So precious!

One of my favorite ceremony shots of the day. Wakefield and Melissa had just lit the unity candle and if my “mouth reading” serves me correctly, through the lens of my camera nonetheless, Wakefield asked Melissa if they could pray… and they did. What a beautiful moment!

Then they released birds…I would say this is pretty brave to actually hold them on your wedding day- but it was so Wakefield and Melissa!

Not to mention, it made for a great shot too!

If you’ve read this blog before, you know I always keep an eye out for the groom fiddling with his ring. It seems to happen soon after the ceremony, as they get used to the “feeling” of being a husband! Wakefield did not disappoint, in fact, he did something I’ve never seen a groom do before. He started showing it off to the bridal party. I love it!

A few shots of the new Mr. and Mrs. before the reception got underway. I love how Melissa’s joy just spills out of these images.

The reception was held in an old church, which now houses the Lake Wales Art Center. It was stunning!

The first dance…

…and the fabulous cake!

Isn’t this place fabulous?? 

Lots of great dancing! I especially love this one of Carolyn, a bridesmaid, who also happened to lead a Bible Study with my brother at the FSU BCM.  What a small world right? Of course, you know I’ll sneak in a shout out to the garnet and gold whenever I can! 

Melissa’s expression is priceless and that bouquet got some serious air!

The bride and groom off to their honeymoon…so everyone thought!

Actually, they just circled the block a few times and came back for couple shots. Since they didn’t want to have a first look before the ceremony and they also didn’t want to miss out on the beginning of their reception; this bride and groom came up with their own solution. Pictures after the guests were gone! We started off this “newlywed session” at the Art Center. 

They had a fabulous and unique exhibit…tons of color and lots of glass!

Then we headed down town.

Love these two so much!

The perfect picture to end the post! It came by request of the bride and the sun cooperated divinely! 

Congratulations Melissa and Wakefield! It has been an honor getting to know you over the last several years and to watch you exchange your vows was just the icing on the cake! I pray God’s richest blessings over your marriage, as you seek to honor Him in all you do.

Don’t forget if you view this post and leave a comment on the blog by July 27th, the new Mr. and Mrs. will win something cool! For 25 comments, they’ll receive a free 8×10, for 50 comments they’ll receive a free 11×14! So start sharing the love!

Bride’s Dress: Oleg Cassini at David’s Bridal; Groom’s Tux: Calvin Klein at Diana’s Bridal; Hair and Makeup: Kylelynn; Florals: Abercrombie’s Flower Market; Cake: Tres Jolie Cakes; Ceremony: Bok Tower Gardens; Reception: Lake Wales Art Center

Ah, vacation has ended and it’s back to work! Here’s a sneak of what I’m working on right now. Just wanted to share a little something for the new Mr. and Mrs.!