The Engagement Session: My Favorite Locations in Hampton Roads

Being engaged is so wonderful, isn't it? You're starting your lives together and there are so many exciting wedding details to plan. And you get to kick it all off with a beautiful portrait session! Maybe this is the first time you and your new fiance have ever had professional photos done, so there are a lot of decisions to make. Today I wanted to make one of those decisions a little easier, by sharing some of my favorite engagement session locations in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg is a dream engagement session location and well-worth the drive for me! Yes, there may be tourists wandering around the William and Mary Campus and historic colonial buildings, but it is so easy to crop them out of photos! And my favorite spot is a dreamy hedge just off of the main path. View more here: Colonial Williamsburg Engagement Photos.

First Landing State Park

Choosing First Landing State Park for your engagement session gives you access to two different locations: walking trails with Spanish moss and the beach. While the beach access can be busy during the summer, the small parking fee does keep the numbers down enough to make it a great engagement session location. And the side entrance in the fall has some of the most colorful leaves I've seen in Virginia Beach! (Permit now required) View more here: First Landing State Park Engagement Session.

Francis Land House

The Francis Land House in Virginia Beach is a beautiful historic home with big trees, a cute little garden, and a walking trail through the woods. After business hours, when the house is no longer open for tours, we usually have the lovely grounds to ourselves, making it the perfect spot for a quiet and romantic engagement session! View our most recent engagement session at the Francis Land House.

Norfolk Botanical Garden

The Norfolk Botanical Garden has just about everything you could ever ask for in a Hampton Roads photo session location: Italian columns, a gorgeous stone bridge, stone fountain surrounded by flowers, a row of beautiful pink crepe myrtle trees, a greenhouse filled with tropical plants and orchids, and acres of colorful gardens. An engagement session is included for all of Norfolk Botanical Garden's couples and other couples can purchase a session there as schedule allows. The wedding team at the garden is fantastic, and they make sure each portrait session at Norfolk Botanical Garden is given ample time and space for beautiful photographs. No matter the time of year, the garden has something beautiful to offer. View two Norfolk Botanical Garden engagement sessions: Spring Engagement Session and Summer Engagement Session.

Pleasure House Point

Pleasure House Point is a beautiful location for sunset engagement sessions in Virginia Beach. Sandy trails through the woods, shorelines with tall grass, and the Brock Environmental Center deck make this one of my favorite Virginia Beach photo session locations. View our most recent engagement session at Pleasure House Point.

Downtown Norfolk

Downtown Norfolk has so much to offer for Hampton Roads photo sessions! We can walk from Town Point Park around Nauticus and over to the Pagoda garden, getting a combination of garden, waterfront, and architectural backgrounds. Or we can wander down Plume and Main streets looking for cool architecture. And believe it or not, you can get some incredible light shooting in a parking garage! And then, you can end the evening with a date night dinner at Waterside District or Granby Street Pizza! View our most recent downtown Norfolk engagement session.

Back Bay Wildlife Refuge

Back Bay Wildlife Refuge is located at the end of Sandbridge Beach. Wooden decks weave along the edge of the sound and through the marsh on one side of the road and, on the other side, a path cut through grassy dunes leads to an almost deserted beach. Having this beautiful space almost completely to ourselves is well worth the $5 entrance fee! View more here: Back Bay Engagement Session.

Ocean View Park & Beach

The Ocean View area of Norfolk has the best of both worlds: park areas with big shade trees and beautiful beaches perfect for photos just before sunset. It's the perfect way to get two completely different looks for your engagement photos without driving between two locations. View our most recent engagement session in Ocean View.

Great Neck Park

Great Neck Park might not look like anything special at first glance, but a trail at the back of the park leads to a deck overlooking the river. Lighting can be tricky on bright sunny days, so I can't wait to shoot there again on a cloudy day soon! And since the park is just a short drive from the beach, it's a great choice for couples wanting two session locations in Virginia Beach. View our most recent engagement session at Great Neck Park.

Virginia Beach Courthouse

The Virginia Beach Courthouse might sound like an unusual spot for engagement photos, but they have a beautiful garden area! The traditional brick buildings and white stone steps also give a classic background for photos. View our most recent engagement session at the Virginia Beach Courthouse.

Wherever the Fall Color is Best

I always get really excited when couples tell me they want a fall engagement session, and the first thing I tell them is that we need to be flexible on the location. Prioritizing colorful leaves over location is the best way to get show-stopping fall engagement photos, because it is hard to guess when a particular set of trees is going to be really colorful. Some locations we might scout for fall color would be: Colonial Williamsburg, Oak Grove Lake Park in Chesapeake, and First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. But sometimes we just find a really gorgeous tree on the side of the road, and that works too! View more here: Fall Engagement Session in Colonial Williamsburg.

Other Favorites:

Regent University - Students and others with connections to the school can receive permission to use the beautiful campus grounds for portrait sessions. The traditional brick buildings are beautiful and the fountain is perfect for a romantic engagement session.

Redwing Park - If you want a cherry blossom engagement session, this is the place for you! (We have to time the session around the trees and we'll want to shoot from 7-9 am to avoid the evening crowds. It's a very popular photography spot while the trees are blooming!)

Adam Thoroughgood House - The property surround this tiny historic home is one of my favorite places to shoot. There's an incredible magnolia tree and a really pretty colonial garden. Unfortunately, it has been undergoing construction.

We can't really go wrong with our choice of location, because the focus will always be on you and the love that you share. While the location is definitely part of the images, it's just the background!

Want to read more tips for your engagement session?
Choosing a Location
My Favorite Hampton Roads Locations
What To Wear
What Not to Wear
Shopping for an Engagement Session Dress
What Happens if it Rains
The Purpose
Getting to Know Your Photographer
How I Chose My Outfits
10 Final Tips

Anne Marie & Myles: Portsmouth Women's Club Wedding

Thousands of miles had separated Anne Marie and Myles since they began dating 3 years ago. Hampton Roads was home for Anne Marie, and Myles was all the way in Colorado studying at Denver Seminary. But although he had many wonderful friends and mentors in Colorado, it was never home. Because from the moment that he met Anne Marie, he knew she would be home.

As they held hands under their wedding arch, surrounded by all the people who loved them most, both of their hearts were a flutter of excitement. This was the start of the rest of their lives together. Side by side. Working together as a team. Facing whatever challenges came their way. Their guests bore witness to their promises of a lifetime of love. Supporting each other. Believing in each other. Serving each other. 

At the end of that beautiful summer night, they ran through a shower of lavender, hand in hand.  And neither of them could stop smiling. Because after years of having half the country between them, they were finally sharing the same space on the earth and the same moment in time. And from that day on, they wouldn't have to say goodbye. Only goodnight.

Congratulations, Anne Marie & Myles! It meant so much for me to be part of your wedding day! You two are some of the sweetest people Ryan and I have ever met! It was such a joy to serve you and your family! I'm so thankful for both of you!

Anne Marie and Myles wove a lot of personal touches in throughout the day, but one of my favorites was the little newsletter placed at each table setting. Playing off their last name, Shipp, they created The Shipps' Manifest, complete with the commissioning story, their Shipp Mates, and the Crew. It was adorable!

Myles didn't expect to be so overwhelmed with excitement and emotion when his bride walked down the aisle. He will be the first to tell you that he isn't very expressive with his emotions. But in that moment, as Anne Marie and her father turned the corner and walked towards him, he found himself wanting to laugh and cry and jump up and down all at the same time.

I love the song that Anne Marie and Myles chose for their first dance: True Believers, by Darius Rucker. It was perfect for them and they radiated joy as they danced together.

We are one before our God in Heaven
We are one road when the going gets rough
We are one now and forever
We are one name, one life, one flame

We are one heartbeat in the darkness
We are one lasting answered prayer
We are one unbroken promise
And we are two, true believers
We are two, true believers

Thank you to the amazing wedding team:
Venue: Women's Club of Portsmouth
Wedding Gown: Silk Bridal Studio
Catering: Traditions Catering
Cake: Carolina Cupcakery
Florals: Norfolk Wholesale Florals
Minister: Dr. Michael Altherton
Ceremony Musicians: Robert Girardier, Timothy Briggs, Allie Moseley, and Julia Moseley
Beauty: Debbie Hall at Options Hairstyling
Bridesmaids: Union Station
Groomsmen: Men's Wearhouse
Favors: CPB Honey Farm
Honeymoon: Cherokee Mountain Cabins in Nantahala, NC
 

Is there a sparkly ring on your finger? Say hello and see if I’m available for your wedding date!

If you enjoyed this wedding, you might also enjoy Megan and Ryan's wedding at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond.

Rachel & Jason: Gloucester Wedding at Ware River Yacht Club

Rachel lifted the ruffly skirt of her wedding gown with one hand as she crossed the street to the Historic Gloucester Courthouse buildings and her waiting groom. Jason stood with his back to her. His suit jacket was draped casually over his shoulder, but he was feeling anything but casual in that moment. He laughed with excitement when he finally felt her hand on his shoulder.

The moment when he turned seemed to happen in slow motion. Everything around them blurred. The courthouse buildings, the cars driving past, even the intense heat of the summer day seemed to fade. In that moment, it was just the two of them.

Rachel had always dreamed of a beach wedding, so getting married on the river seemed like the next best thing. She and Jason chose the Ware River Yacht Club for their wedding venue in Gloucester, just a few minutes down the road from Jason's childhood home.

Rachel wore her mother's pearls for her wedding, and she had an old handkerchief attached to her bouquet. Her teal glasses were the perfect 'something blue' to round out her traditions.

From the peonies in her bouquet to the Whispering Angel wine the guests were served, Rachel and Jason thoughtfully chose all the beautiful details of their wedding day. A subtle lovebird theme was woven throughout the day, from the bird motif on the invitation suite to the gold hummingbird pin on Rachel's bouquet. My favorite touch was the little nest that the ring bearer carried the rings in.

Rachel & Jason, it was such an honor and a joy for me to be your wedding photographer! Thank you for allowing me to be part of your special day! 

Rachel changed out of her wedding gown for a high-low reception dress, which was perfect for dancing, mingling, and sunset portraits on the dock! Storm clouds were forming in the distance, but just as we got to the end of the pier, the sun broke through the clouds, adding a little rim of light to their portraits. It was perfect! Really windy, but perfect!

Special thanks to the vendors involved in the day:
Venue: Ware River Yacht Club
Wedding Dress: JJ's House
Bridesmaids: Weddington Way
Groom and Groomsmen: Phillip Michael
Hair and Makeup: Samantha Grover
Cake: Silverspoon Bakery
Florals: DIY by family
Rentals: Grand Rental Station

Are you newly engaged and looking for a wedding photographer for your Gloucester or Hampton Roads wedding? I'd love to chat with you!

If you enjoyed this wedding, you might also enjoy Anne Marie and Myles's Women's Club of Portsmouth wedding.

Cindy & Kyle - Virginia Beach Wedding at Lesner Inn

"I vow to give you the best of myself. I vow to always hold your hand. To watch those TV shows that you love. To focus a lot more on my shortcomings and a lot less on yours. To do more than my fair share when necessary. To always take care of you. To have dance parties in the kitchen. To take you on date nights for the rest of our lives. To plan great adventures for us."

Cindy and Kyle held hands as they look turns reading their vows. One line from him. One line from her. The gentle back and forth that characterized their entire relationship. Two people giving 110% to each other, each picking up the slack when needed.

"I will encourage you and help inspire you. I will protect you and be honest and faithful to you. I vow to always be in your corner. I vow to always love you."

As Kyle's step-father pronounced them husband and wife, Cindy gripped Kyle's hands a little tighter. And when he took her in his arms for their first dance, he held her a little closer. And all the guests and loved ones around them disappeared from view. In that moment, it was just the two of them.

And when the band played another love song, Cindy surprised everyone by sharing a dance with her elderly grandfather. Family members stopped to watch and drink in the moment. To see the effort it took for him to rise from his chair, the surprise on his wife’s face, the tears in his son’s eyes. And the way Cindy held on tight to her grandpa as they danced.

Cindy & Kyle, I couldn’t be happier for you two to start your new life together! Congratulations and thank you for choosing me to be your wedding photographer. It was such a joy!

How gorgeous is that cake? And I loved the touch of these music note flowers that Cindy had customized with their names, wedding date, and first dance song. What a great keepsake!

Cindy’s brother filled his toast with antics and memories from their childhood together, before shocking his sister with a surprise choreographed dance with all their cousins. Whenever the family gathered together, the cousins were sure to put together a show, so why would Cindy’s wedding be any different?

Many thanks to the wedding team: 
Venue and Catering: Lesner Inn
Coordination: Antonia Christianson Events
Florals: Studio Posy
Wedding Dress: Studio I Do
Cake: Patti Cakes
Band: Radio Narks
Linens: Waterford Event Rentals

Are you newly engaged and planning your wedding? Shoot me an email to say hello and see if I'm available for your wedding day!

If you enjoyed this wedding, you might also enjoy Megan & Ryan's Jefferson Hotel wedding in Richmond.