Big Off Season Updates

I told Ryan that this off season for CGP is going to be filled with ALL THE THINGS since last off season I was on maternity leave and didn't get a chance to do any big projects. You may have noticed that our website recently got a face-lift. If you're anything like me, as soon as I see a new site, I can't remember what it looked like before, so here's a little comparison.

BEFORE:

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AFTER:

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I love the new banner images! We made a lot of site design changes over the summer, so here's a comparison that goes a little bit farther back.

2015:

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2017:

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In other fun news...

Two weeks ago, we shot an incredible styled shoot with Misty Saves the Day and a bunch of other amazing vendors. I'll be sharing much more about that soon, but for now, here's a sneak peek.

(I've updated our website with a few more of the shoot images, so poke around a bit to see more!)

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On top of that, we are redoing our CGP promo video. We filmed our previous video before Ryan started shooting with me, so now we need to include him! Our amazing videographer, David Broughton of Dogwood Visual and DJB Visual, is working hard on the video and we are excited to share it soon!

Part of our video filming took us back to Norfolk Botanical Garden for a super dreamy anniversary session with one of our 2016 couples. Check out the gorgeousness that is coming to the blog in January!

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I told you that we've been busy!!! But there's just one more week until Christmas (don't freak out... you got this!), so I'm wrapping stuff up in the office today and tomorrow so I can take an extended break. What a great way to finish out this year!

Our Favorite 2017 Wedding Photos

Wow... 2017. This year has so different from previous years with CGP! Ryan and I were a husband and wife photography team last year, but since I was pregnant, I felt like Ryan often got stuck with the 'pack horse' and 'go fetch' type duties. This year we could really find our groove in what it means to be a team. And I can have my favorite (but super heavy) lens back! For the first time since going full time nearly 4 years ago, I've had limited work hours. (Hello, motherhood!) There was a little more coordination involved in scheduling shoots (Thank you, Nana, for babysitting!) and wedding days meant not seeing Darcy until the next morning when I picked him up.

Because of all this transition, we took on fewer weddings this year, no double headers, and just one destination wedding. (We're so excited to be back to a full schedule in 2018!) We couldn't have asked for better couples this year! They've had the most beautiful, meaningful weddings and we've been so honored to be chosen to photograph them.

So let's raise mugs of peppermint hot chocolate and toast to an amazing 2017 wedding season, working alongside some of our favorite vendors at some of our favorite venues like the Norfolk Botanical Garden, the new Noah's in Chesapeake, and the new Historic Post Office in Hampton! Enjoy our favorite images from 2017!

Our Favorite 2017 Engagement & Portrait Photos

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I love looking back over the year at all the beautiful images we've taken. Our engagement session season (usually March to June) always seems so long ago! This year's engagement sessions stayed close to home, shooting some of our favorite locations in Virginia Beach and Norfolk. 

I always tell couples that the engagement session is not just about creating beautiful photos. It's such an important time, because it's their chance to get comfortable in front of the camera and learn how I direct them through posing. But my favorite part is probably getting to hear how they fell in love and got engaged! Here are a few of my favorites from this year's engagement sessions.

Blue and pink floral seem to be in this year! I love it!

If you're thinking this blog post seems a little light on ring shots... just wait! We like to 'ring' in the new year around here! All those pretty diamonds are coming soon!

Are you newly engaged and planning your wedding? We are booking 2018 now, so drop us an email to say hello and see if we're available for your wedding day!

 

Our Fall Family Photos

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A few weeks ago, we did a mini session with Maria Grace Photography, just a week before Darcy's first birthday. He was 6 months old for our previous family session in May, and he has grown so much since then! We were excited to have fall leaves for our photos this year. Our Christmas cards are going to be extra COLORFUL!  

Enjoy our favorite images with our sweet little leaf-obsessed boy!

And in case you thought two wedding photographers would always take a perfect photo... here's our hair OCD while we were trying to get ready.

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And Darcy's crazy excited faces that always make us laugh! It's like he has something he desperately wants to tell us and he just can't yet.

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Thank you, Maria! I'm so glad our babies get to grow up together! (Maria & Nathan adopted their baby in June and they aren't able to share her face yet.)

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Monday Musings: Ryan Quote Edition

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Ryan has been saying so many funny things lately. So today we're skipping the musings and going straight to everyone's favorite part. Here's what you've been missing from Ryan:

How about you go micromanage me a sandwich?

Are you still affirming things?

It's a book-boggan.

It's hard to get oil out of a turtle.

I think you can blame all of the problems on your toothbrush.

I like the term spigot.

Any cheese is cheese plate cheese.

 

Any guesses when or where he dropped this conversation bombs?

Giving Thanks for 2017 Couples

I've probably mentioned before that words of affirmation are my love language, so it makes my heart so happy to hear that our couples love their wedding images. And many of them take time out of their newlywed bliss to leave us a review online. We even had a bride leave us a review before she had received her entire gallery!

Not only are these online or handwritten love notes from our clients to us super meaningful, but they are also really helpful for newly engaged couples, because choosing a photographer who is the perfect fit for you is HARD! The couples we work with are very similar to each other. Our couples (well, mostly our brides) are very organized and detail oriented. A lot of them are introverted and a little nervous about being the center of attention on their wedding day. And often they're a little camera shy too! That's why words like these are so rewarding for us to hear: