Modern Romance Editorial

Often couples ask if I think it’s important to hire professional planners and designers and my answer is always, definitely yes.  

Let’s face it, weddings can be stressful  so why not leave the details in the hands of people who do this work everyday. That way you can relax knowing that your story is going to be told in the way that you choose and you can focus on enjoying your wedding day.

I recently had the pleasure of working with some of the best creative people in the wedding industry to create this beautiful bridal editorial. 

I really love how the designer, Elizabeth Gopal, went for romantic clean lines with the romance of a soft, ‘peaches and cream’ feel. She really nailed the look.

I hope you enjoyed and were a little inspired by this modern romance piece.

A big thanks to all the creatives who made this session possible. And a shout out to the beautiful gown designer, Mira Zwillinger, and Elizabeth Gopal from East Made Co who so artfully styled the details.

Creative Direction & Styling @eastmadeco

Florist @kellylenard
Hair & Makeup @amandapaigegros
Calligraphy @ciarraclaire
Cake @trouvaillebakery
Gown @mirazwillinger
Shoes @bellabelleshoes
Ring @victorbarbonejewelry
Styling Surfaces @stylingmatBackdrop @jrd_artshop
Styling Props @curatedbehavior
Rentals @pleasebeseatedrentals
Candles @thefloralsociety
Models @sayjay.a @charles22wilson @amaxagency
Venue @riverwoodmansion

Host @laurenfair @thehybridco



Four Reasons you WANT to Travel to Iceland

Iceland, known as the Land of Fire and Ice, is wildly beautiful and a great travel destination for first time, international travelers and female solo travelers alike. There are only 300,000 people living in Iceland, 60% of them in the capital of Reykjavik.  It has a friendly feel as if everyone knows each other.

I had an adorable Airbnb home in Reykjavik that was perfectly centrally located and had everything I needed. Iceland can be pretty expensive so I shopped at local grocery stores and cooked a lot which was fine with me because I love to cook.  

While I did not care for the local food, (a lot of pickled things and bad interpretation of American food) I loved the coffee shops and bakeries.  The pastries were heavenly and I ate them every day!

Here are four reasons why I think Iceland is great for solo or first time travelers:

Icelanders speak English

While the main language in Iceland is Icelandic, most everyone I met spoke English and signage was in English.  Trust me, this is a huge plus!  One of the reasons that international travel can be exhausting is the language barrier and it’s just not an issue in Iceland.

It’s easy to travel alone

There are lots of group tours like horseback rides or hikes that you can easily sign up for when you arrive. No need to do it before you arrive because it’s easy to find convenient booking centers. I easily navigated with my iphone the entire time I was in Iceland. Just be sure to bring a printed map because you may lose service at times. 

Low crime rate

Reykjavik has a great small town vibe and is practically crime free. Seriously, crime in Iceland is extremely rare.  So, unlike some European cities, you won’t have to be on guard worrying about pick pocketers and people trying to scam or rip you off. I never felt unsafe in Iceland.

Easy adventures

You can go from Reykjavik to the wild country side in no time! Within less than an hour drive from downtown Reykjavik, you’ll see waterfalls, volcanos, black sand beaches, sea cliffs and thermal lagoons (hot springs) galore!

The lagoons were my absolute favorite! I learned that many of the lagoons available to tourists are no more than expensive swimming pools with pumped in thermal water.  They are nice and have more of a spa feel but not the natural experience I was looking for.

Olivia and Spencer enjoyed this one.

The natural thermal lagoons are literally just bodies of water surrounded by dirt and rocks.  This sounds kind of gross but it was actually my favorite, and a lot less expensive than the commercial lagoons, like the Blue Lagoon. Beware, if you plan to visit the Blue Lagoon, you will need to make online reservations, sometimes weeks in advance.

This beautiful little lagoon was the Secret Lagoon in a small town named Fludir in the Golden Circle area. Hannah found it on Instagram! We spent hours and hours here and came out feeling energized and our skin was so soft! 

The black sand beaches with their crumbling basalt columns are like nothing you have ever seen. 

They are on the coast and really exposed and wild. Come prepared with a rainproof jacket and something to keep you warm or the winds will quickly drive you back to your car! It was fun to get to photograph Olivia and Spencer there.

In short, you will find Iceland to be safe and comfortable with lots of amazing attractions not far from Reykjavik.  If you are really lucky, you will get to see the wild ponies and the aurora borealis! I, unfortunately was not :(.

I think Iceland is a great, easy adventure; a bucket list, must see! I encourage to give it a try!


Six Reasons to Have Engagement Photos Taken

Many of my newly engaged clients contemplate if engagement photos are important.  Well, since they’re asking me, I have to say that I think they are vital. 

Here are 6 reasons why I think it’s important to have engagement photos taken:  

1) Get to know your photographer

I know I’ve said this in other articles, but I’ll say it again. You’re trusting your wedding photographer to share and capture your most intimate and emotional moments  so it’s critical that you not only trust them, but also feel comfortable with them because you will spend your entire wedding day with them. An engagement session provides the perfect opportunity to get to comfortable and get to know each other. 

2) Capture the fleeting time that you’re engaged 

Life happens fast and before you know it, your period of engagement will pass like a fleeting moment.  It’s such a sweet, romantic and happy time and having engagement pictures taken is a wonderful way to preserve this time so that you can look back fondly on it for years to come.

3) Get comfortable in front of a camera 

Most couples haven’t had professional photos taken since they were in high school and find having a camera pointed at them to be an intimidating experience.  I really excel at helping my couples to feel comfortable and relaxed during the session.  When they see the beautiful images that come from the session, they instantly lose all the nervous jitters about being photographed on wedding day. Trust me, even the guys put on their G.Q. face after having worked with me!

4) Build trust in your finished photography 

Wedding photography is an investment, and it can be a bit scary to lay down money without being able to see the results until after the wedding. Most photographers are happy to show you a completed gallery, but still it can be hard to imagine how you will look in finished portraits. The images from your engagement session will give you confidence in the process. I’ve never had a couple say that they didn’t absolutely LOVE their engagement photos. Check out my gallery of engagement photos.

5) Enjoy bonding time

Let’s face it, we all lead busy lives and it can be hard to find quality time with each other. During my engagement sessions, I focus on creating a fun, playful experience because I know that shows through in your images.  Most of my couples comment that they were initially nervous but shortly got into it and had a great time. 

6) Photos for wedding related projects 

And, finally, from a practical perspective, it’s great to have beautiful, professional images for things like ‘save-the-date’ cards, thank you cards, your wedding website, a guest book, etc.


I hope you choose to do engagement photos! Personally, I just love capturing this most romantic time.  Click here to contact me!

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