2017 | A Year in Review

2017, what a year you have been! It’s been so much fun choosing photos for this post, reminiscing about all the amazing people I got to meet and create friendships with this year!

The year started out with a newborn session that was supposed to be a maternity session! I did Pete and Tara’s engagement session and wedding, and when she found out she was pregnant, she asked me if we could schedule a maternity session. But Davey decided that he didn’t want to be left out of the photos, and arrived weeks early! I had the opportunity to go meet the little guy at the hospital the day after he was born!

Katherine and Alex were my first wedding couple of 2017. It was a brisk, beautiful January day, and do these two not look so incredibly classy? It was such a perfect way to start off an amazing year! When Mallory and Rob told me they had been married for 3 years and didn’t have ANY professional photographs together, I knew how important my job was that day! I was so excited to deliver their first gallery of portraits together, as those will be memories for years to come of this moment in their journey. Champagne, high heels, matching t-shirts and totes? You guessed it! Christina came down to Charleston with her favorite ladies for her bachelorette party! We had so much fun waltzing around downtown Charleston taking photos! Anna and Andrea got married in an intimate ceremony at the Angel Oak. Their love is so sweet, and I absolutely loved being there to hear their heartfelt vows and witness their first look. Sean’s proposal to Brittany was so special! For some reason, there were a million people at Magnolia Plantation that day, so we had to call an audible last minute. I pretended to be a novice photographer taking photographs of random couples to build up my portfolio. Brittany bought my story and was excited because she had wanted a photo to document their Charleston trip anyways. Sean took the opportunity to get down on one knee and surprise Brittany!

Ellie and Jack are one of my favorite stories all year! They were supposed to be married last year during the October hurricane. They took it all with such grace and humor, and rescheduled for this March. Their wedding day was gorgeous, and they were just so happy to finally be married. I’ve loved getting to know these two even better over the whole situation. They are truly a couple that is right up my alley…a couple who knows that the marriage is more important than the wedding day, and are FULL of joy. My friends Melissa and Mark asked me to document their gender reveal! Their friend Leila (also my first roommate in Charleston…one of those small world Charleston stories!) took the note from their doctor to the donut shop and brought the blue filled donuts to them. When they bit in, Mark’s reaction was adorable! Fist in the air, cheering about his baby boy on the way. I met McKenzie and Ryan up at the Old Santee Canal park for their engagement session. They were eloping in the desert in Nevada, and it was so fun to hear about their wedding plans!  Crystal and Brandon were married at Boone Hall Plantation this spring. I’d been looking forward to this wedding for so long! I adored Crystal and Brandon ever since we met up for their engagement session. Crystal modeled for a bridal styled shoot for me, and she is just so fun to photograph! I love that they brought their sweet pup along on their wedding day as well. I’m pretty sure I got teary-eyed as much as they did on their wedding day! I loved this proposal! Aren’t Katie and Charlie’s smiles just adorable?! After Charlie had gotten down on one knee, neither of them could stop smiling for the rest of their session. I loved it :)  Erin and Mitchell’s wedding at The William Aiken House was beyond gorgeous! I had never seen a gown quite like Erin’s before, and it was so incredibly stunning on her. These two were so full of joy during the entire day, and it was so easy to see how much they adore each other! I’ve worked with Leticia and Robert so many times! Their intimate wedding ceremony with just their family, their wedding reception for friends, the bridal styled shoot that Leticia modeled for, and now their maternity session! These two are naturals in front of the camera, and the way that Robert makes Leticia giggle makes my heart happy. You’ll see them gracing this blog post a little further down once their adorable son was born! Oh bridal sessions. What better than an excuse to put on your wedding dress another time and prance around like a model? Tabitha’s nose crinkles are my all time favorite, and we had so much fun laughing our way through this session with her sisters and her mom all helping carry her train around Legare Waring. Stacey and Travis were married this spring in Charleston. I was so excited when they asked me to photograph not only this wedding, but also their reception in Milwaukee! My husband Drew is from Milwaukee, so we were able to celebrate Stacey and Travis and also visit family. Their Milwaukee reception was in August, and it was so nice to get up north during the summer!  Ashley and Josh had their engagement session this spring, right when all the jasmine was in full bloom! I love this first photo of them right in front of the yummiest smelling jasmine plant. It was so wonderful getting to know them while they were in town planning for their Murrell’s Inlet wedding! Anniversary sessions are SO important! A lot of couples will do an engagement session and wedding day portraits, but what about the years after? You grow so much as a couple in the first few years of marriage, after your first child, and ten years down the road. What a sweet way to document the seasons in your life! I was so glad that Jessica and Brian booked an anniversary session at the lovely Legare Waring while they were in town! Britany and Zac were married on Hilton Head Island this spring, and I was so excited to get to photograph in a new, local-ish venue. As you all know, traveling for weddings is one of my favorite things, and it’s nice to go just a little bit outside of Charleston for some fresh inspiration. Britany and Zac were such a stunning couple, and they gave me so much time for portraits as we strolled around the beautiful resort. They had so much time to be together, just the two of them, on their wedding day, and I know how special that was for them! Dana and Jim were married in the adorable town of Rockville, South Carolina. I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this place after being there twice recently. The landscape is just incredible! This location was special to Jim since he grew up close to the area. Dana and Jim’s love was so sweet, and even though the day was uncharacteristically warm, they cuddled close and took in every moment of their wedding day. Allie and Wes met me on Kiawah Island for their engagement session. They are getting married here in 2018, and I love that they chose a place that Allie has grown up visiting. They have so many special memories here from visiting with her family while they were falling in love, and soon they can add their wedding day to those memories! Emily and Dan have been on my books for so long! The first time I met Emily, I knew we were going to be friends when we talked about our shared love for travel for about a half hour. I love people with adventurous spirits, and once I saw the two of them together, I knew that they were meant to be travel partners for life! Robin and Brendan were another couple that I had on my wedding schedule for a long time, and ever since I met them for their engagement session, I was so excited for their wedding. They are just the definition of FUN. They love good food, their people, and each other. We took their portraits both downtown and at Boone Hall, and with so much time for portraits, we were able to get some of the most beautiful photographs that showcased their fun, sweet, beautiful love. I LOVE ELOPEMENTS! Heather and Cam were married at Magnolia Plantation on a beautiful spring morning. They were both so HAPPY. They only had each other to think about, and could completely focus on the vows they were making to each other. It was an incredibly beautiful thing to witness, and the way that they smiled every time they looked at each other said everything. Caitlin and Jim drove to Charleston just to have their engagement photos taken here. Are they not just a beautiful couple?! I loved all the soft pink that Caitlin wore, which was a perfect contrast to all the greenery at Magnolia Plantation.  Mara and Steve were another one of my out of town weddings this year, as they were married at the beautiful Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina. I adored their first look. It was pouring rain, and as Steve turned around to see Mara walking toward him, they both started crying. Steve couldn’t talk at all, and Mara couldn’t stop sobbing, “I love you so much. I love you so much.” It was the sweetest, and proof that rain on your wedding day ruins absolutely nothing. I flew up to the Philadelphia area to meet Carla and Jeremy for their engagement session. They had a vision of their photos being at the camp where they met, and I was completely on board. While we were walking around, they told me all their memories in the various locations. How sweet to have your engagement photos in the spot that you fell in love?!  Erin and Jeff were married outside of Charlottesville, Virginia at Tranquility Farm, and I was so excited for this wedding! Their story is pretty amazing, as they are both in the military and planned their wedding in about 3 weeks. Erin warned me before her wedding that she was awful at taking photos, and as soon as we started doing portraits I informed her how wrong she was. These two were SO photogenic! Who wants to bring me back to Charlottesville for another wedding?! This proposal was so special! Anna is the cousin of one of my lovely brides from this year, so Madeline and I were able to meet up and scheme together on how to help Brooks pull off the perfect proposal. Madeline told Anna that she needed to get some portraits before her wedding, so we all met up after her dress fitting. I pretended to take some family portraits (since all the girls were there, why not?!) and Brooks snuck up behind and surprised Anna with a proposal. She literally had NO idea.  Lauren and Fenner were married downtown, and they had a brunch wedding! After an early morning ceremony, we went downtown, where they had chicken and waffles, grits, mimosas and bloody mary’s for all their guests!  Megan and Andy met me downtown for their engagement session. These two are SO sweet, and I absolutely cannot wait for their wedding this year! One of my favorite parts about my job is getting to the end of the session and hearing the groom say, “Wow, that actually was kinda fun!” But Andy was having fun from the start, enjoying every second of loving on his wife-to-be. They brought their pups to the session, which is always such a fun idea!!  Gerry and Jason are so special to me! I’ve photographed their engagement session, their wedding, and now their maternity session, while they were waiting on twins! I knew Gerry and Jason separately before they started dating, and I remember her telling me about this guy she met, and finding out it was Jason. They have been such sweet friends to me and Drew over the years, and it has been so exciting to take photos for them in the different seasons of their lives! Sara and Michael. These two are just the sweetest together. You can tell how much they ADORE each other just by this first photo! They were married downtown at the Rice Mill, and during their reception, we were able to sneak out and take some photos on Sara’s parent’s sailboat, on which they had just finished sailing around the world! I guess it makes sense that Sara and Michael are so cool :)  Tabitha and Ethan were married in Wake Forest, at what might be one of my all-time favorite venues! The Sutherland was a gorgeous mansion that made me feel like I was in the middle of a quaint European town. I love Tabitha and Ethan’s love. I feel like I got to know them and their families pretty well before their wedding, which is always fun! I felt so welcomed at their wedding day, that I was more like a guest than anything else. I had so much fun taking portraits of these two, and it didn’t hurt that Ethan LOVES having his photos taken! Tabitha kept making fun of him saying that being photographed was his dream come true :)
Chad and Alyssa are good friends of me and Drew, and also Gerry and Jason, whom I photographed above! We have been on many-a-trip together, and always have the best time. I was so excited when Chad asked me about photographing his proposal. They love to workout together, and they love spending time at the beach. Chad planned a run on Folly while they were visiting Charleston. At the end of the run, they walked up on some rose petals and Alyssa, being completely unaware, said, “aw, that must have been from a wedding or something!” It wasn’t until she got up close and Chad got down on one knee that she realized what was happening! I am SO excited to photograph their wedding in the Dominican Republic this fall!! Mary and Dominic were married this summer in Charleston. You would NEVER know by looking at their gorgeous portraits that it literally felt like 105 degrees while we were taking them. I’m not kidding. I checked my weather app! Dominic told me that he didn’t like having his picture taken at all (like most people!) and that he was going to be extremely uncomfortable. At the reception, he came up to me and thanked me for all the amazing locations we went to for their portraits, and how he was so excited to see the photos. SUCCESS!! Laura and Anthony are my first wedding of 2018, and I’m so excited to celebrate with them! We clicked right from the start when I met them for lunch, and I was laughing constantly during their engagement session. They are friends with one of my brides from 2017, and it was so fun seeing them at the wedding knowing that I would be photographing their own wedding day soon! Bonnie and Chris were married in her parents backyard in Athens, Ohio this summer. Oh my goodness, it was one for the books. First of all, are they not the perfect Anthropologie looking couple? From Bonnie’s bohemian dress and flower crown to Chris’s CLASSY-AS-HECK blue suit, they were a joy to photograph. It poured BUCKETS on their wedding day, and no one cared at all. Everyone was out dancing in the rain anyways. When I sent back the photos, Bonnie told me she didn’t even realize it had rained that much. That’s what happens when your friends and family ADORE you and will celebrate with you rain or shine! This mini-session was so fun! Annsley had come into town to plan her wedding, and her sweet momma wondered if it would be possible to take a few photos of Annsley in her wedding dress from years ago! Um, of course! Look at all the ruffles! Annsley had so much fun twirling around, and her mom will always adore these photos! Oh my goodness, does this dress not just fit Melissa like a glove?! She is SO stunning! We met up a few weeks before her wedding at Governor Thomas Bennett House, and had so much fun finding all the little hidden gems on the property.  Aaron and Alex were married this September, right when hurricane something-or-other decided to make it’s way to Charleston as well. They were THE BEST sports about it all, even when they had to move their wedding day from Saturday to Friday. Their amazing family and friends were determined to make it to their wedding, and they celebrated in style at Cannon Green. I teared up several times hearing them give toasts about each other, and hearing their loved ones talk about what AMAZING people they are.  Once again, bridal portraits for the win! Emily and I go back a long time, to one of my first jobs in Charleston at a local gym. You can tell she has kept up with the gym life better than I have, ha!! She is such a beautiful woman, and I loved hearing all her bridesmaids talk about her on her wedding day. She has such a heart for people, and is clearly adored by everyone she meets. Ashley and Josh were married at my favorite venue in Murrell’s Inlet, Wachesaw Plantation, this fall. Seriously, the ceremony spot here is just incredible! Neither of them could stop smiling on their wedding day, and I loved hearing about all their dreams and plans for their future together. They were already planning their anniversary session when they come back to Charleston! I met up with Allison and Andy in downtown Charleston for their engagement session. Allison has THE cutest giggle, and Andy knew just what to do to make her laugh. These two were so easy to talk to, and I loved my time getting to know them and taking photographs along the way! I met up with Tanner to do her senior portraits at Mepkin Abbey this fall. She is my bride Tabitha’s sister, and as I said, I just adore this family! Tanner said she was nervous to be in front of the camera, and then she basically pulled off model looks the entire time :) She is absolutely stunning, and I had so much fun photographing her. I’m so excited to see where she goes in life! Sara was one of my first friends in Charleston, and I have photographed her many times over the years! We did maternity photos a few years ago for her first baby girl, and this time she was expecting a little boy! I met her whole family at Riverfront Park, and she showed off her adorable baby bump. Also, can we just talk about what a little model her little girl is?! Ahh! Madeline and Sam were married at the Island House this fall. Everything about their wedding day was emotional and sweet, from their first look on the dock to their first dance song, which one of their friends played guitar and sang for them. These two are beautiful people inside and out, and I have adored getting to know them better since they live in my neighborhood!  Kylie and Isaac drove up from Myrtle Beach just to have their engagement session taken in Charleston! They love the historic beauty of this city, and I can’t agree with them more. From the very beginning of their session, they were doubled over in laughter, and I could tell that this is characteristic of their relationship! They are such a beautiful couple together, not just because they look adorable together, but because it’s so easy to see how much they respect each other and cherish the other’s friendship. Deb and Jim had the sweetest elopement ceremony in their backyard. I loved how special it was for the two of them to get married in the home they built together. This is another couple that loves to travel, and as we walked around Legare Waring and downtown Charleston, they told me of all their past travels and future plans, and you could see that they are meant to adventure together for the rest of their lives! Natasha and Marcus celebrated their wedding day with an intimate ceremony in downtown Charleston. They are both so full of energy and life, it was just refreshing to be around them! After their ceremony, we jumped into a horse drawn carriage and rode around the city for some more photos. Melissa and Sam’s wedding at the Governor Thomas Bennett House was such a sweet day! They both cried during their first look, and after that, they couldn’t keep the smiles off of their faces. These two are probably some of the most intelligent people I have met, but they are so humble and down-to-earth. They respect each other, have so much fun together, and love each other so well! Mary Catherine and Justin planned a visit to Charleston so they could have their engagement photos taken here. I loved hearing their story about becoming a couple, living in Nashville, their elopement plans, and their dreams for the future. They were even kind enough to send me a full page of recommendations for when I went to visit Nashville! Lindsey and Cory have a high priority on taking photos and documenting their life, and I love that! They came to Charleston for their first anniversary, and scheduled their anniversary session with me. Lindsey said that they try to book a photosession in every new place they go. I love seeing life documented that way, and I can’t help but think that their kids and grandkids will love that too, one day! Kate and Sean met me at Middleton Place for their engagement photos while they were visiting Charleston. I absolutely loved their style, and I loved hearing about their relationship and their lives together as we walked around. I loved the laughter during their session, but also the sweet quiet moments we were able to capture. Jen and Bryan met me downtown for their engagement session this fall. Their relationship is so fun-loving, and they told me a lot about the life they are building together while we walked up and down the gorgeous Charleston streets. I’m so excited to document their wedding this year!  Emily and Witt were married at the Legare Waring House this fall. I love photographing these two, and their wedding day was nothing short of amazing. The words spoken by the two of them during their vows were so incredibly thoughtful and beautiful. Not only that, but hearing the words spoken about them by friends and family told me that these two are absolutely adored by the people who know them. Their hearts are so kind, and their love for each other is just perfection! Lizzy and Chris were married at Middleton Place late in October. This was another couple whose vows were so incredibly personalized and meaningful. They had a friend officiate the wedding, and she did such an amazing job describing their friendship and their love. They danced the night away with friends and family who were so excited to be celebrating the two of them. Pete and Tara are another family that I have worked with many times! I met Tara one lucky day when I walked into Studio Barre, the workout that I’m now obsessed with! I met Tara, not realizing she was the owner, and found out that she was getting married. Long story short, I ended up photographing their engagement, wedding, maternity-turned-newborn session, and now this little family session! And in the process, have loved getting to see her all the time while getting my booty kicked at barre class :)  This engagement session was the most special engagement session of all time for me, because this is my little brother!!! I was so honored when Jarren and Anna asked me to take their engagement photos at Cheekwood Botanical Estates in Nashville, where they had their first date. I’m so excited to welcome Anna to the family. She is beautiful inside and out, and she adores my little brother! I can’t wait for their wedding this summer in Nashville. They are going to be the most gorgeous couple, and I’m going to be bawling my eyes out!! Laura and Michael were married at the Governor Thomas Bennett House this fall, and man oh man did I love every second of their day! I photographed their engagement session last year, and just adored them from the moment I met them. They are the sweetest people as individuals, and so as a couple, they are just so good together! Both of their laughter is contagious, and the emotion of their ceremony was beautiful to be a part of.  Gracing the blog again are Leticia and Robert, this time with their newest family addition! I loved meeting this little guy, since I adore his parents so much! His chubby little cheeks and all of that hair on his head were so cute!! I hope he knows that he has the sweetest parents ever! I met up with Annsley one day before her wedding to take photos of her in a wedding dress again, but this time it was her own! I love bridal portraits, and this one was especially sentimental because Annsley knew that just the next day she would be putting on the dress again to walk down the aisle and say “I do” to her best friend!  The very next day, Annsley and Taylor were married at The Cedar Room in downtown Charleston. I loved the excitement on their wedding day. They were both so happy to be committing their lives to one another, and their interactions with each other were so tender and sweet. Their first dance song, “I Get to Love You,” by Ruelle was one of the most emotional first dance songs I’ve ever heard, and it was an absolutely beautiful moment watching the two of them hold each other one the dance floor right after their ceremony.

I can’t say a big enough THANK YOU to all of the amazing couples who trusted me in 2017 with documenting their lives and their love. It is such a huge honor to me when couples allow me to photograph such special moments in their lives, and it is literally a dream that I get to call this my job. Thank you for sharing your emotions, your love, your dreams, and your friendship with me. I cherish it more than you know!! And to all my 2018 couples, I absolutely cannot wait for your day!!