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.)

Serenity + Tony | Longwood Gardens Engagement Session | Philadelphia Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

Longwood Gardens, located in Kennett Square, is one of my absolute favorite places to visit. It is stunning at any time of year, and no experience is ever quite the same. Whenever I am there, my troubles melt away and I find myself at peace, my stressors temporarily forgotten. I have had a personal membership for years, and would often visit alone to photograph my favorite orchids, waterlilies, seasonal flowers, fountains, and resident cats. Last year, I decided to upgrade my membership so that I could share that joy with my clients. I started offering sessions at Longwood Gardens, and boy did people respond! I had so many incredible photoshoots there during 2020 and already in 2021 (I lost count at 30).

One of my favorites was with this fun couple, Serenity and Tony. Their May wedding will be here before we know it! I had such a great time getting to know them better at this session. Mother Nature was a bit fickle that day, and surprised us with a misty, foggy morning. Honestly, I think the photos came out even better because of it.

Without any further hesitation, I present the incredibly fun and in-love Serenity and Tony. (Serenity’s hat is pretty awesome, too.)


Kaila + Ryan | Pulpit Rock Surprise Proposal | Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

Last week, Ryan reached out to me looking for a photographer to capture his upcoming proposal to his long time girlfriend (and best friend) Kaila. After an uncanny chain of events, we were able to book it and the date was set for the following weekend. Over the course of the week, we chatted back and forth a few times, solidifying the plan. I could tell how excited Ryan was, and I was so excited to be able to be a part of this special moment in their lives.

The plan was that we were going to hike the Pulpit Rock section of the Appalachian Trail and would meet at the overlook. I would pretend to be taking portraits for a personal project and would ask them to pose for me, eventually having Kaila stand alone, looking out towards the overlook. Meanwhile, Ryan would get the engagement ring out of his backpack, would quickly drop to one knee, and would propose when Kaila turned around.

Well, today was the day! They ended up arriving at the overlook shortly before I did, because Ryan couldn’t convince Kaila to postpone the hike any longer - so they got a little bit of a head start. (She actually tried to talk Ryan out of hiking a few times earlier in the day, but luckily he persevered!!) Ryan, Kaila, and their 3 year old German Shepard Hutch were waiting at Pulpit Rock when I arrived, and were sitting on one of the boulders enjoying the view. I saw another group of hikers there with a dog, so I pretended to be capturing photos of dogs (and their humans) along the hiking trail. After taking a few photos with that group, I moved on to Kaila, Ryan, and Hutch. I gave them the same story about capturing images of dogs along the trail, and they happily obliged! Eventually, I asked Kaila to turn around and face the overlook, and to pose with her arms spread out while she took in the incredible view. Ryan quickly got into position, and my husband was with me and freed up Ryan’s hands by holding onto Hutch. (The last thing I wanted was for Hutch to tackle Ryan or Kaila along the edge of Pulpit Rock!!) I asked Kaila to turn around, and she quickly began to realize what was happening. Spoiler alert - SHE SAID YES!!!

After letting them have a few moments to themselves to take it all in, we hiked back down the trail together and I captured a few more images along the way.

I loved being a part of this adventure, and I love the emotion that Kaila and Ryan shared with each other in these moments. Kaila, Ryan, and Hutch - it was an honor creating these memories with you. Congratulations, and happy wedding planning!!!

Amanda + Jeff | White Cliffs of Conoy Engagement Session | Central Pennsylvania Wedding Photographer

I met up with Amanda and Jeff in September to capture their engagement session and celebrate their upcoming wedding. The White Cliffs of Conoy, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania along the Susquehanna River, made the perfect backdrop for their portraits on this beautiful (and HOT!) afternoon! It’s a 1.6 mile walk to get to the stunning overlook, and we were “gifted” 90+ degree sunny weather that afternoon. Amanda came prepared with a portable fan - and a bottle of cold champagne! Amanda and Jeff had such great chemistry during this session, and I absolutely love how their photos turned out. I’m so looking forward to photographing their wedding at the Barn at Silverstone next April. Congratulations again, you two!

Kait + Ruki | Biltmore Estate Surprise Proposal | Asheville, North Carolina Wedding Photographer

Are you looking for a heartwarming story during this crazy time? If so, keep reading - you won’t be disappointed!

A few months ago, Kaitlin mentioned to Haruki (who happens to be my brother-in-law) that it would be great if I came down this summer to update their family portraits. (Ruki has two children from a previous marriage, and they adore Kait with all their hearts!) Ruki agreed, and the gears were instantly set into motion for the most amazing surprise proposal. Ruki figured that Kait would have no idea this was being planned, as she was the one who initiated it all. (And he wasn’t wrong!) Ruki reached out to me again once he asked Kait’s parents for their permission to propose to their daughter, and after he acquired the perfect ring to symbolize his love for Kait. This was all going to take place at their favorite spot in Asheville, the Biltmore Estate. We picked a date, and it was all set! Or so we thought…

Covid stuck around a bit longer than expected, public venues were closing, and travel was becoming more difficult. At the same time, my husband received notice that he was selected for jury duty during the same time as our planned visit. On top of that, hurricane season was upon us. We started to question if this might happen the way we had planned. As the date approached, the Biltmore Estate was allowing visitors again, and jury duty was postponed. And, it looked like the most recent hurricane was going to miss us. Throughout all of this, Ruki had arranged for Kait’s parents to visit at the same time, to surprise Kait and share this special day with them. They arrived the night before the photoshoot was planned, and were secretly staying in a neighbor’s guest house. Everything was officially set.

However, Mother Nature decided to throw one last curveball our way. We had originally planned for a sunset photoshoot, but the forecast showed thunderstorms all afternoon. So, the night before, we quickly rearranged things and aimed for a morning session instead. If the weather apps were correct, we had about a 2-hour window of no rain after the Biltmore opened for the day. We had to make it work one way or the other. There would be no rescheduling. Rain or shine, this was happening the next morning!

The day of the shoot had arrived. Kait’s parents got to Biltmore a few minutes before we did, and hid out of Kait’s view. We arrived shortly after and walked to Ruki and Kait’s favorite spot, which provides the most amazing view of the mansion. We got everyone into place, and our “family photoshoot” began. After I snapped a few portraits of the four of them, Ruki took the ring box out of his back pocket and dropped to one knee. Kait’s look of surprise as she started realizing what was happening was so amazing to witness. I am getting goosebumps again just thinking about it! Ruki asked her to marry him, and of course SHE SAID YES!!! The kids were excited as well! (They were actually in on the secret and didn’t spill the beans!) Her tears of joy, surprise, and LOVE were flowing!

As Kait started walking up the hill, she spotted her parents approaching from a distance. She recognized them immediately, and the tears arrived all over again. Kait and her parents hadn’t seen each other since November, and it meant so much to her to have them there. We had brought Ruki’s mom with us, so she was there as well. Their presence made this day even more perfect. (Great job, Ruki!)

After Kait’s mascara was fixed and everyone’s adrenaline settled a bit, we continued with our photoshoot. The rain arrived a little earlier than we had expected, but it didn’t even matter. We kept on photographing through it all. Nothing was going to ruin this perfect day - not even a torrential downpour. (We took a break during the heaviest rain and rewarded ourselves with some incredible Biltmore ice cream!)

I’m so happy for Kait and Ruki, and I’m honored that I was able to capture these moments for them. Most of all, I’m glad that they each found their perfect person. They deserve all the happiness in the world! This was the best surprise-proposal-in-the-middle-of-a-pandemic-and-hurricane ever! Congratulations again, Kait and Ruki. And welcome to the family (officially), Kait! Big thanks to my daughters and husband for their help throughout all of this. Fun fact: This proposal took place on Kait’s parents’ 47th wedding anniversary - and on their wedding day, it rained right after the ceremony and portraits took place, just like today!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our time together. Grab some tissues!

Taylor + Storm | Reinhart's Christmas Tree Farm Engagement Session | Berks County Wedding Photographer

Taylor and Storm are getting married next fall at Reinhart’s Barn. So, they thought that Reinhart’s Christmas Tree Farm would be the perfect backdrop for the engagement session! And, I couldn’t agree more. It was a bit chilly that day, but after rescheduling once due to torrential rains, there’s no way we were missing this opportunity to squeeze their session in before the official start of winter. In spite of the wind and cold temps that afternoon, the light was stunning and we had the venue all to ourselves - except for the adorable farm animals that also call that place their home.

Here are a few of my favorites from their photoshoot. I’m so excited for their wedding next September!! Congrats again, Taylor and Storm!

Lindsay + Anthony (+ Khaleesi) | Toms River Engagement Session | New Jersey Wedding Photographer

Last weekend, I drove to Toms River, New Jersey for my last engagement session of 2019! At this time of year, it’s more common for me to be snowboarding in the mountains than photographing on the beach, but I was so excited to finally meet Lindsay, Anthony, and their dog Khaleesi, that I didn’t mind sacrificing a snow day. And, it paid off! We were gifted the most amazing weather and light, especially for December!! It was a bit chilly, but everyone rolled with it like champs.

On my way to their house, I passed this wooded area next to an elementary school that caught my eye. I asked them if they would mind if we started the session there, and they agreed to it without hesitation. (I love when my clients trust my crazy visions!) We stopped there for a few minutes, and let Khaleesi sniff around and get comfortable with me and my camera. (By the way, she is such a fantastic dog, with a heartwarming rescue story. Maybe I’ll tell more of that once their wedding day rolls around…)

Next, we headed to a beach area just down the road from their house. It had the most amazing lighting and was surrounded by tall grasses. This little spot really is a photographer’s dream! The best part is that this area is meaningful to Lindsay and Anthony. They visit this park often, and Anthony proposed to Lindsay on the bench on the dock just a few months earlier!

This was not only my last engagement session of the year, but one of my favorites as well. We made a great team, and I love how all of the images turned out. I am so looking forward to their wedding next fall!!

Congratulations again, Lindsay and Anthony! I hope you love these images as much as I do…

Carlie + Pat | Grounds for Sculpture Engagement Session | New Jersey Wedding Photographer

When Carlie and Pat suggested we meet up at the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey for their engagement session, I was thrilled! Although this is a favorite spot for photographers, I had never personally been there. But, I was more than happy to take the two hour trip to get there, in order to diversify my portfolio and capture Carlie and Pat in a location as unique and fun as their relationship with each other.

I had such a great time wandering around this eclectic outdoor art gallery with them, and I am even more excited now to capture their wedding memories for them next year! Without any further hesitation, here are some of my favorites from our time together. It was so hard to choose images for this blog, as I delivered a record number of images from this session! (I spent quite a bit of time picking burrs off of my clothing and shoes afterwards, too, but it was so worth it!!)




Tabitha + Jason | Blue Marsh Fall Engagement Session | Berks County Wedding Photographer

Tabitha and Jason are getting married next Halloween, and they wanted a moody fall vibe reflected in their engagement portraits. We met up recently at one of their favorite spots around Blue Marsh Lake and we absolutely killed their session. (I might be biased, but I bet you’ll agree with me after viewing this selection of images!)

Mother Nature was definitely on our side that evening, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that! We had the most stunning golden hour light, followed by a breathtaking sunset. I really feel like this session was gifted to me for making it halfway through my annual busy season - not only was the weather and light perfect, but Jason and Tabitha are so naturally cuddly and adorable - I feel like they made it too easy for me! (I’m definitely not complaining.)

While we were together, I also captured a few photos of some of their dearest family members who tagged along to help out. Tabitha and Jason have so many cheerleaders excited for this wedding to take place - I don’t know who is looking forward to it the most! And, you can add me to that list! I know their wedding day is going to be absolutely fantastic.

Without any further delay, I present to you Tabitha and Jason (and a few of their closest loved ones). Congratulations again, and I’m so thankful that we found each other! I know we’re going to make an amazing team.