Planning for an engagement session | Maryland wedding photographer

Hi Friends! 

As I chronicle my personal process down the aisle I wanted to share something that you'd be able to benefit from- planning and preparing for your engagement session. 

After you've searched and searched and searched again,  you've found the photographer that speaks to your style and the way you envision your big day to be documented. You look over their website, Instagram, Facebook page, Google page, and Pinterest, and decide this is it! They have to be a part of my love story.  You complete the necessary documentation and then move onto step 1: The engagement session.

For me and my Fiancé, we are a modern chic couple that loves to have fun but are also very focused and driven. So we looked for a photographer with similar qualities to us: produces great images, down to earth/personable vibe and overall just fun to be around. We want people around us who are going to add joy to our big day and moments leading up to it as well as make out day seamless. We want vendors who understand our needs, our vision and our love. 

After deciding on our wedding photographer, we started to correspond with them frequently to share the vision of our engagement session: look, location, day/time, overall vibe. One way we really communicated what we were looking for was by creating a look book or vision board using Pinterest. We created a pinning board, found images we loved, and invited our photographer. 

Then it came down to the actual visuals. As I am a planner, I broke down everything I need: Hairsyle, Makeup, Outfit.  Below you can see what I used to create the vision I wanted for myself.  

Rustic Glam Barn Wedding | New York Wedding Photographer

When the love is authentic, the wedding will be too! For Jessica and Benj began to discuss their wedding they knew they wanted their love to be felt and witnessed; they wanted their closest family and friends to share their new journey , and they wanted it done their way. 

Jess and Benj decided on an intimate rustic barn wedding in upstate New York where their wedding was officiated by a close friend. 

This wedding was especially meaningful to me as Jess and I have been friends since our boarding high school days; so to be amongst those there to witness her happily ever after was a complete honor.

Here is a look at my favorite images from their wedding! 

Traditional Church Wedding | Maryland Wedding Photographer

It goes down in the DM's (direct messages)! Ariel and Michael found love in one another after swiping right on a dating app. 

The couple decided on a large church wedding with their family, friends, and congregation.

Here are a few of my favorites;

International Baby | Maryland Newborn Photographer

Hello Loves! 

So recently I met the cutest little mocha baby, Jemison, and her loving parents. Baby Jemison and her parents decided to celebrate her 1 month old birthdate with an in home documentary style session before they travel back home to Ghana, Africa! Her parents are sooo in love with her and each other and it was nothing but smiles and giggles over baby Jemison.

Here are some of my favorites from their in home session! 

Friendship & Bridesmaids | Maryland Wedding Photographer

Hi Loves!!

One major aspect of the wedding planning process is deciding who is going to stand by your side on your big day and help you turn up on the moments leading up to it! 

Me personally, I struggled so much with this because I have an amazing group of girlfriends! Honestly all my friends are lit and so amazing and I LOVE EACH AND EVERYONE OF THEM. I went to an all girls boarding high school, so my friends from high school are my sisters. 

I knew for sure that my amazingly brilliant and beautiful sister in law was going to be my Matron of Honor. She has been in my life since I was 8 years old! Thats almost 20 years. She's supported me and seen me through lots of major life events. Love her! She keeps me on pace and calm.

After solidifying her and her role- then came the challenging part. I have a group of best friends, a GROUP. As much as I wanted to have all 25 of my closest most cherished friends I had to choose only 8 women to match up with my fiance's fraternity line brothers. So I sat long and hard, thought and thought and thought some more. Who could I not envision my day without? Who can I rely on for this next step? Who is going to keep me covered in prayer?  Who is going to make me laugh? And who would be reliable in the midst of all they have going on in their own lives to make time for me? When I finally stopped and thought about my friends and what they meant to me it became so easy and so clear. 

Choosing bridesmaids is not about who you've know the longest, its about choosing the ones who were/are there for you, the ones whose bonds are the most meaningful, the ones you love no matter what, the ones who don't judge you, the ones who listen, the ones where you see them and don't even have to speak but are communicating anyway, the ones you need for whatever reason, the ones that make you laugh with one word, a gif, a meme or a look, and the ones who are there when you need them no matter how long its been since you last spoke.

In my group of bridesmaids I have everything I need and then some; and  I have an even larger group of best friends who support me through and through! (I LOVE YOU BEAUTIES! -Shoutout to my middle school friends: Sarah!!, Dom/Dani, My Madeira sisters: Bree H, Lina, Justine, Haile, Bree Rob, Andrade, Janet, Renee, Taylor D, Mia, Stuart, (oh my gosh its so many more of you I need to name)-my college friends: Ivon/Aidi, and my work friends- who've become sisters) * just forgive me if I've accidentally missed you*

Say hello to my bridesmaids- #IssaSnackPack

These beauties are everything to me. I love them! They are all so smart, talented, FUNNY, supportive, loving and amazing. So blessed to have them

From Bump to Baby | Maryland Maternity and Newborn Photographer

It is such an honor to document new beginnings for others, be it weddings or births or new business ventures or even a new hair cut. The excitement of the time cannot be contained and I get the pleasure of capturing each magic moment all the while, cheering you on from behind my camera! 

My lovely friend Kelsey *hi Kelsey* and her middle school sweetheart, Derrick, were recently welcomed into parenthood and I got the awesome privilege of documenting a number of their milestones (maternity, baby shower, fresh 48 and a formal newborn session). 

Here are a few of my faves of these awesome new parents and their bundle of joy.