Alessia + Ludvik | Surprise Proposal at Longwood Gardens | Pennsylvania Engagement and Wedding Photographer

Happy New Year!!! I know that it is going to be a great one. I have so many sessions and weddings to blog from 2021 (and I haven’t forgotten about those!) but I thought that sharing a surprise proposal at one of my “happy places” would be a fabulous way to kick off 2022. Cheers to authentic smiles, laughs, hugs, and new beginnings!!!

So, I present to you Alessia and Ludvik’s surprise proposal-turned-engagement session at Longwood Gardens. I had so much fun planning this surprise with Ludvik. He was on a mission to catch Alessia off-guard and take her breath away, and in my opinion he was most definitely successful. When you see our images from the proposal itself, and the hour the followed, I think you’ll agree.

December is a beautiful yet especially crowded time of year at Longwood Gardens. Christmas week in particular is the busiest time of year there, so trying to pull off a surprise proposal on the day before Christmas Eve and get decent photographs is not necessarily an easy task. When the moment arrived, we couldn’t have asked for better weather, lighting, or timing - everything came together perfectly. When you look at their photos, it almost seems like we had the place to ourselves…. but the photos are deceiving, take my word for it! I have photographed lots of sessions at Longwood and have become quite skilled at losing crowds when I’m there with my clients. :)

Without any further delay, I present to you some of my favorite moments and images from Ludvik and Alessia’s proposal and engagement session at Longwood Gardens. The excited couple, Golden Hour, and Christmas lights came together to help me create one of my absolute favorite sessions yet. Congratulations again, Ludvik and Alessia! I wish you a lifetime of surprises, laughter, and love together.

(And if anyone else wants to schedule a session at the gardens, reach out to me! I’m happy to use my membership to get you inside and create beautiful images and memories together.)

The Youngquist Family | Mindowaskin Park, Westfield New Jersey Family Session | Pennsylvania Portrait Photographer

This past winter, I had the privilege of photographing the Youngquist Family at a (very popular) park near their Westfield, New Jersey home. We made some wonderful portraits together, in spite of the mud and the crowds that decided to join us there at Mindowaskin Park that afternoon. Thanks again, Youngquists! I hope I have the honor of photographing your family again soon.

Kelly + Aron | Lehigh Valley Engagement Session | Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

Kelly and Aron’s engagement session blog was another victim of my crazy fall season… and I’m making up for it now! We met up at a family property in the Lehigh Valley this past fall and spent the evening laughing together (and picking a few of the neighbor’s flowers) under some incredible Golden Hour light. I know their November wedding is going to be so much fun to photograph, and I can’t wait! Congratulations again, Kelly and Aron, and I promise not to slack so badly on your wedding day blog when that time rolls around.

She Said Yes! | Outer Banks, NC Proposal | Destination Engagement and Wedding Photographer

I met Victoria and Dmitriy this past snowboard season at a race at Roundtop Mountain Resort, in Harrisburg, PA.  We hung out a few times throughout the season, and were fortunate enough to end the season together at USASA Nationals at Copper Mountain, in Colorado.

A few weeks ago, Victoria and Dmitriy reached out to me to set up a photoshoot while I was going to be spending some time in the Outer Banks.  Victoria was hoping for a couple's session, but Dmitriy had other plans.  He had been waiting for the perfect time to surprise Victoria with a proposal (and a stunning engagement ring)!  The ring was already purchased and was just waiting for the rest of the plans to fall into place.

When they arrived in North Carolina, we met up at my rental house in Waves.  While Victoria was distracted, Dmitriy passed off some champagne and glasses to my husband, so we could bring them to the photoshoot the next day without Victoria suspecting anything.

If you live anywhere along the east coast, you know how rainy it has been the last few weeks.  The day of their photoshoot was no exception.  The forecast looked promising all day - the rain was supposed to clear out around noon, and our evening photoshoot looked like it would go off without a hitch.  Well, as soon as we arrived at our intended location, Mother Nature decided to defy the weather forecasting technology, and the rain started falling.  We decided to wait it out, because the radar showed that the weather would clear up again in about 30 minutes.  30 minutes later, another rain cloud formed, and there were more following behind it.  So, we decided to get back on the road and drive south until we found a dry location.  I was looking forward to this photoshoot for weeks, and was determined to hold their session that night!

We eventually found a non-flooded place near Rodanthe to pull off the side of the road and park.  I ran up to the adjacent beach area and scouted the location, and it was incredible!  There was only one other couple in sight, and the skies and dunes were picture-perfect.

So, my husband grabbed the bag with the champagne and glasses, I grabbed my camera gear, and the rest is history.  You can see how the session unfolded for yourself right here...

(Big thanks to my husband for helping, and to my daughter and dog for helping distract Victoria while Dmitriy was getting ready to propose!)

Fiona | Wyomissing Children Photographer

I had a great time hanging out with Fiona and her mom last weekend at the Wyomissing Park!  I have been looking forward to this photoshoot for months!  We originally planned for a fall session, but we ended up being forced to reschedule for the spring.  I'm so glad we did, because spring colors and sunshine match Fiona's personality perfectly!  Fiona kept me entertained and smiling with her fun stories and incredible dance moves.  Her personality shines through in the photos - check them out and I'm sure you will agree!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our photoshoot.  Enjoy!

Naples, Florida Family Session | The Vishio Family | Destination Photographer

A few weeks ago, I returned from a trip to the mountains of Wyoming and Utah and less than 24 hours later hopped onto a flight to sunny (and HOT) Florida!  The Vishio Family flew me to Naples to photograph their family in time for the holidays.  It was my first trip to Naples, and after an amazing weekend, I hope that it won't be my last!  Even though I'm a snow lover, I admit that I fell in love with the sunshine, scenery, amazing food, and generous people I met while I was there.

I snapped photos for them at the beach, at their home in front of their Christmas tree, and at the Naples Ritz Carlton.  On my last day there, I went on a short adventure in search of wildlife and snapped a few personal photos for my own collection. 

Here are a few of my photos from my quick trip.  Thanks again, Vishio Family!