Our relationship with Doshenae and Jaron was another that was dictated by the constraints of long distance.  In fact, our first interaction with Jaron was via screen as he joined our initial consultation with his fiancé Dosh via FaceTime!  Jaron was diligently attending medical school outside of the States during the majority of the wedding planning process, which meant we were going to have to get creative with the use of their allotted engagement session time.  Despite the distance, Jaron showed his fiancé as much support as he could by insisting to be looped in on all decision-making emails and other small details throughout the months leading up to their big day.

When Sarah approached us with a beaming smile and sporting a Beauty and the Beast themed brooch, I knew she was Our People.  Her fiancé Miguel followed closely behind with bright and friendly greetings, and our first coffee date with with these two was just like a gathering with old friends from the start.

As an out of state couple, we didn’t get to spend as much time as we usually like with them, but we did get to enjoy a magic afternoon with Ashley just a few days before their wedding in order to capture a stunning bridal portrait session.  Because of their inability to participate in an engagement session, swapping it for a styled bridal session was a unique alternative.

Chelsea and Chad reached out to us within days of their engagement, and their eagerness to say “I do!” by the end of this year spoke to all the “When you know you know” feels of their young love. When the topic of engagement session locations came up, they even had the answer to that question ready for us without hesitation!

Our engagement session with Christina and Kyle was a paradise adventure in our own backyard! We already knew we vibed with this couple after a fabulous phone consultation, but meeting them in person was extra amazing. Christina is this bright, contagiously positive ray of energy with a radiant smile, and Kyle is her laid back, go-with-the-flow perfect match.

Seeing as we had photographed the bride’s cousin’s wedding last year, Elle and Jarelle’s wedding day had strong family reunion vibes for us! LaChambra, who fulfilled the role of matron of honor rather than bride this year, greeted us with her bright, beautiful smile and a hug as soon as we arrived at our bride Elle’s hotel suite.

“Are you sure you’re okay with working during your vacation?” they had asked as we secured plans to capture their portraits.  We laughed and assured them that nothing would make us happier!  And so it was decided:  Our Atlanta couple could have their cake and eat it too!  They could have their wedding photographers show up in their own backyard for their engagement session AND join us on our home turf for their St Pete destination wedding.

We always love it when our couples are up for an off-the-beaten-path location to break up our usual playgrounds of St Pete and Tampa.  So when Sarah and Jakob agreed to come play on the sprawling, infinitely inspiring grounds of Bok Tower Garden for their engagement session, we knew we were in for one of our favorite kinds of afternoons full of getting extra creative!

When Jena and David arrived on the scene in downtown Tampa for their engagement session, it was clear by our first sight of them that they had done their “Engagement Session Prep” homework.  Looking ready for a swanky night out on the town, this couple’s wardrobe had Picture Perfect written all over it!