SO SO SO excited to share these images from my engagement session with Mickie & Austyn. Believe it or not, these two made a USC grad fall in love with Clemson, SC. I haven’t been to Clemson a ton and never on a non-game day so my past experience with Clemson was nothing like this day. The campus was quiet (almost deserted that early in the morning the day after a home football game) and there was no one walking around yet. Not to mention it was just a fun day getting to hang out with these two. So relaxed and laid back, just chatting and walking around campus.

I just delivered this gallery to Bekah and Nick today and can you tell I’m too excited to share these? This has to be the fastest gallery delivery to blog post in ALP history. For Bekah and Nick’s engagement session, we met at the Sandhills Research Center in Columbia, SC and the weather was the first cool day of the “Fall” season (aka perfection). Whenever I imagine engagement sessions, theirs was honestly exactly what I think of. Not just because of the weather, but because of how they interacted together.

There are few people in the world as funny, genuine and loving as Jessica Cavett. We have been friends since high school and I’ve always loved the time I’ve spent with her. She has always kept me laughing – no matter how much time has passed. Whenever Austin proposed, I was beyond thrilled that they asked me to take their engagement pictures. Even more so whenever they wanted them to be in NYC – where she and Austin lived for many years. 

My first blog of 2018 – woo hoo! Yes, you read that right. Somehow the middle of the year just happened. I still feel like it is New Year’s Day but I could think of no better way to kick off my first blog of 2018 than to share an engagement session for a dear friend (and now two dear friends).

All of y’all know that I’m a sucker for a good romantic comedy, right? I mean I named one of our golden retrievers after a golden in a 90s Tom Hanks rom-com so I feel like it’s a little obvious? But the best part to me, other than the few scenes with golden retrievers, is the intro. How do these two people, in a world of millions of people, end up meeting each other? What moments lead to this in the movie? This is part of the reason that I’m obsessed with the story of how Brent and Hannah met. 

I used to work with Brodie in college at Todd & Moore Sporting Goods but recently met Aubrey, prior to their engagement, at a wedding for a mutual friend. She’s the kind of person you can instantly connect with and is very easy to talk to. By the end of the conversation at the wedding, it felt like I had known her equally as long as Brodie. Whenever I found out they were engaged, I was thrilled whenever Aubrey reached out to me for engagement pictures. I was even more thrilled that she wanted to take pictures at the Horseshoe and even MORE thrilled she wanted to bring their two dogs.

I am so excited to share these pictures of Matt & Tessa. These two are some really great friends but even more, they are incredible people. I have known both of them since high school and like most high school friendships, there is something to be said about friendships with roots like that. I’ve had the opportunity to see these two grow and change so much throughout the years. Our conversations are no longer about college courses or high school teachers, but about Jesus and marriage and careers. Likewise, Matt and Tessa started dating in college so they have been through so much throughout the years together. 

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, there’s one spot in Columbia that is pretty much packed every weekend with lots of people from Columbia and the surrounding areas. There are people anchored out, swimming and hanging out with friends all around. For Matt & I, on a typical weekend on the lake, we will meet or introduce ourselves to at least 3 people while there honestly because it’s such an inviting and friendly atmosphere. This is exactly the environment where Jennifer and Blake met. They met a little over 3 years ago at Lake Murray. Whenever it was time to talk about locations for their engagement session, they couldn’t help but feel drawn to Lake Murray.  

Brittany and Brian are two very close friends of mine – but they just so happen to be super photogenic and hilarious. Brian had Brittany cracking up the entire time, which made their smiles so authentic and candid.

Andrew and Danielle have been together for over a decade so whenever they asked me to take their engagement pictures, I was beyond excited. For two people that I’ve known for years, I couldn’t wait to take part, even if just a small part, in helping them get to their big day.