Tree Farm Engagement Session
With the season of love and gratitude in full swing, I’m sharing Doug and Erica’s tree farm engagement session today on the blog! This session was a joy for me to capture! When I learned they would be bringing their beautiful chocolate lab with them, my excitement for their session doubled immediately!
Fun fact: Erica and Doug just recently got married….just WAIT until you see how beautiful of a day their wedding was!!!
In the meantime, warm up with their gorgeous engagement session below!
Helpful Tips Your Engagement Session
First thing first- if you are recently engaged, CONGRATULATIONS! What a precious season of life you get to embrace with your sweetheart! Just a helpful tip- Try not to stare at the ring on your finger while driving, haha! Once you view Doug and Erica’s session below, a tree farm engagement session might just be calling your name!
1.) Hire a photographer you love and trust, then set a date for your session! I cannot stress the importance of taking your time finding vendors you truly trust enough- specifically your photographer and wedding planner/coordinator. If that means you need to FaceTime or meet them for coffee beforehand, do it to it sis! I love meeting my clients to make sure we mesh well, because I care just as much about your wedding experience as you do! Trusted vendors you took the time to seek out will help make way for one of the most memorable days of your life. Don’t go without one!
2.) Cute and comfortable is key! If you choose clothes that provide you with very little room to breathe for your engagement session, you will spend your whole session picking at them, which will result in you feeling uncomfortable the whole time. An engagement session is a great excuse for a new outfit, but be sure to test it our before the day of your session (cough cough, date night!).
3.) Location is everything. The possibilities are endless and honestly, quite overwhelming. Brainstorm locations that mean something to you as a couple. Places that excite you or take your breath away are a good place to start. But don’t be afraid to keep it simple either. Don’t rule out your favorite neighborhood coffee shop or that antique store you just can’t get enough of. Don’t convince yourself that they aren’t “fancy” enough. They are perfect if they make you happy.
4.) Download my extensive engagement guide. My engagement shoot preparation guide is a work of pure love, written and tweaked over many months. It’s meant to be a living, breathing document – constantly being improved upon to help make the weeks and days leading up to your engagement session as stress-free as possible. You’ve got enough going on and this is meant to be a joyous time of planning, anticipation, and dreams for your future! I’m here – and this guide is here – to ensure you are able to focus on the things that matter. Grab it below!
Prepare for Your Engagement Session Today
Prepare for your engagements today with a FREE copy of my Engagement Style + Prep Guide. Snag it here! Enjoy!
Inquire About Your Engagement Session Today
If you have any other questions regarding a tree farm engagement session or just your engagement session in general, be sure to get in touch! I am happy to help you however I can!!
Love,
Brooke
I’m so excited to be sharing Brooke and Daniel’s romantic New Jersey wedding today on the blog! These two were a ton of fun to work with and their wedding party pictures on the beach are some of my all-time favorite beach pictures I’ve ever captured. Let’s just say those cotton candy skies really worked in our favor!
About the Couple
Brooke and Daniel got married back east at the Icona Golden Inn in New Jersey. Brooke is originally from New Jersey and Daniel is from California, but now they live in Nashville.
Fun fact: We met in person the day BEFORE their wedding! I flew in the afternoon before the big day and got to shoot some mock engagements on the beach for them to help calm their nerves. It also gave them a chance to see how I worked. The beach winds were wild as we took photos on the beach, but they just ran with it. I LOVED that about them! After that, I knew they would be great working with whatever the weather threw our way for their big day- and they were!
Romantic New Jersey Wedding Details
The next morning was WEDDING DAY! I did not have a second shooter with me like I usually do. As crazy as it was doing it solo, I honestly loved EVERY minute of it. Usually, I don’t get to interact with the groom and the groomsmen as much because my second shooter takes care of this. However, I’m so glad I had the opportunity to this go-around because they were AMAZING- such a fun group of guys!! Both parties got ready in the same hotel, so it made everything more manageable for me when it came to capturing everyone. The location we took these shots in was also perfect for the aesthetic of their wedding album.
Here’s another fun fact for ya: The bride’s name was Brooke, her best friend’s name was Brooke and, obviously, my name is Brooke. Thus, we had triple Brooke power all day! It was so funny watching all of us turn around at once any time our name was said.
First Look Feels
When it was time for Brooke and Daniel’s first look, the weather was all over the place. It was freezing outside, and going back and forth between sunshine and rain. That being said, we decided to do their portraits inside. And let me tell ya, the hotel’s natural lighting was drop-dead GORGEOUS. We used a intimate hallway for the first look and a really gorgeous space with a gallery painting of a sailboat, which set the tone for that beachy feel they were going for. After the first look, Brooke requested beach pictures after the ceremony as long as it wasn’t raining. And lucky for me, that’s exactly what happened! The rain cleared out but left some fluffy clouds, making way for the most spectacular cotton candy skies. They are still some of my most favorite bridal portraits on the beach EVER!
All in all, Brooke and Daniel’s special day was a ton of fun and I am grateful they chose and entrusted me to capture the celebration of their love story! Cheers!!
New Jersey Inspiration
Did you enjoy Brooke and Daniel’s romantic New Jersey wedding? Keep the New Jersey inspiration going with this Sea Isle engagement session!
Snag Your Freebie
Are you a bride-to-be? If so, I created the perfect wedding timeline and would love for you to grab a copy! Download it here.
XO
Brooke
Today on the blog, I’m sharing three solid tips to keep in mind when it comes to styling your engagement session. I’m also including a free download of my extensive Engagement Style + Prep Guide- and by extensive, I mean 44 pages! It’s got ALL the good stuff. The tips I’m sharing today are a glimpse into the guide, so let’s hop to it, shall we?
Tips For Styling Your Engagement Session
1.) Create a vision board. Pinterest is everyone’s BFF for all things weddings. Spend an hour or two going through and pinning colors, outfits and poses you and your fiance would like to recreate. Then, show your photographer.
2.) Cute and comfortable is key! When it comes to outfits, make sure what you wear is true to who you are. Do not match each other and do not wear patterned prints. Instead, go for complementary colors and solid prints. An engagement session is a great excuse for a new outfit (or two), but be sure to test it our before the day of your session (did someone say date night??). And don’t forget to iron or steam ahead of time!
3.) Location and timing are everything. The possibilities are endless here! Brainstorm locations that mean something to you as a couple. Places that excite you or take your breath away are a good place to start. But don’t be afraid to keep it simple either. Don’t rule out your favorite neighborhood coffee shop or that antique store you just can’t get enough of. Don’t convince yourself that they aren’t “fancy” enough. They are perfect if they make you happy. If you still are unable to think of some place, don’t worry! Your photographer will have some great recommendations.
Finally, one of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to styling your engagement session is this: schedule it around the sun. The sunset time changes drastically during these three months. Here in Utah, plan on 5:00-7:00 until Mid- October. After the first week of November, plan on 3:00-5:00 PM.
Snag Your Freebie
Work on styling your engagement session today with a FREE copy of my Engagement Style + Prep Guide. This guide is a work of pure love, written and tweaked over many months. It’s meant to be a living, breathing document – constantly being improved upon to help make the weeks and days leading up to your engagement session as stress-free as possible. You’ve got enough going on and this is meant to be a joyous time of planning, anticipation, and dreams for your future! I’m here – and this guide is here – to ensure you are able to focus on the things that matter. Snag it here!
If you have any other questions regarding your engagement session, be sure to get in touch! I am happy to help you however I can!!
Enjoy! <3
Love,
Brooke
This week, my husband and I are celebrating TEN wonderful years of marriage in Paris! That being said, today’s post is a special one. In it, I’m sharing my original vows to the hubs. As life has changed and we have grown — both, as a couple and individually — my vows and promises to him have also changed. This is because I did not know then what I know now. And I know we still have plenty to learn! However, I had lots of fun looking back and reading my original vows and am excited to share them with you today.
In addition, I am also sharing a beautiful Mission San Juan Capistrano vow renewal session I captured for some dear, sweet friends.
Let’s get this party started!
Personal Vows
Vow Renewal Session
I was able to capture Jaime and Ryan’s 12 year vow renewals a few years ago and we had an absolute BLAST. They didn’t need a huge crowd or a hundred guests to hear their continued promises, just each other and someone to document it. And document it we did!
Earlier this year, however, Ryan was in a terrible plane accident. Thankfully, he pulled through (cue ALL the praise hands), but it was undoutedtebly a scary time for him and Jaime. That being said, whether you are renewing your vows for 6 years, 8 years, or the big 1-0, there is no better time than now to let each other know how much you are cared for and loved by the other. Because the truth is, we are not promised tomorrow.
Jaime and Ryan, thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me into your lives and giving me the honor of being able to capture something so special. I feel like the luckiest girl to call you friends and I can’t wait to see where your marriage continues to take you guys!
Keep the Good Feels Going
If you enjoyed Jaime and Ryan’s vow renewal, be sure to check out their maternity session here!
Renew Your Vows Today
Looking for a photographer to capture your vow renewals? Contact me today and I’ll be glad to answer any questions you have!
Dreamy Italian Wedding
Since I am back in Europe again (Bonjour, Paris!), I figured there was no time like the present to press publish on this gorgeous Italian wedding!
Meet the Couple
Kiki and Marvin had the most incredible destination wedding in Florence, Italy. It felt like one of those opportunities that was nothing short of a dream come true! A girl from Utah, flying to Florence to shoot a wedding?! HECK TO THE YES. Lucky for me, I have known Kiki since she was in Junior High, so it felt like shooting my little sister’s wedding. I should also mention that I shot her older sister Dani’s Wedding at The Ronald Reagan Library in CA, so really this was one glorious reunion!
I would be lying if I did not disclose that I was TOTALLY crossing my fingers, my toes and throwing coins into fountains WISHING this day would come. I knew Kiki had found HER man (he had been in attendance at a few weddings I was shooting) and when I saw their engagement (he surprised her IN ITALY), I was hoping and praying I would get the phone call. However, since they got engaged in Italy, I wasn’t entirely sure a destination wedding would happen. But really, who can pass up FLORENCE?? It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am SO glad they went for it….along with 100+ of their closest friends and family!
About Kiki & Marvin’s Italian Wedding
Fast forward from their engagement in Italy, to their engagement pictures on the beaches of Malibu, to their wedding day in Florence!
I arrive at the Villa with butterflies in my stomach (yes, even after 9 years of shooting, I still get nervous), and my jaw drops because it is truly breathtaking! It overlooks the city and the ambiance is just perfect. Kiki is going to marry her very best friend in the most glorious place surrounded by so much LOVE. I was beaming from ear to ear.
Just walking the property, I felt inspired with every turn. Honestly, I have never loved my job more. Kiki had just the right amount of details, but also kept things simple. I love how she leaned into the candid moments and let me steal a few fleeting moments of her alone before walking down the aisle. Their ceremony was absolutely perfect. Austin (Kiki’s brother-in-law and my past groom!) officiated and married them. Their ceremony was filled with love, laughter and the perfect amount of sweet sentiment. Austin nailed it (just like I knew he would!). From there it was one giant celebration! The toasts were amazing! Kiki’s mom and dad did an incredible job of toasting and roasting their daughter. I was crying from laughing so hard! Dani sang/rapped a hilarious parody toasting the bride and groom and I was in complete awe of just how much love this family has for one another and for the friends they keep around them.
Every detail was simple and sweet and honestly, I couldn’t imagine a better day for this incredible couple.
Snag Your Freebie
Download my “Here Comes the Guide: How to Plan Your Timeline” guide today- created with you in mind!
Okay, okay- I’m going to stop talking now so you can start enjoying!! Ciao!
XO
Brooke
Bonjour, friends! This week, my husband and I are off to PARIS to celebrate our TEN YEAR anniversary! I have been counting down the days to this trip ever since we booked it. I seriously cannot believe it’s here! That being said, I wanted to share a look into my suitcase and a few of my favorite travel tips as well. Cheers!
My Favorite Travel Trips
1. Make Copies
Let’s be honest. A lost ID or passport is at the top of everyone’s fear list. Take a clear photo of important documents with your cell phone or camera and email them to yourself and whoever else you are traveling with. Print a copy, too. If you lose either of these things while traveling, you will still be able to supply ID and passport numbers, check into your hotel and continue with your vacation.
2. Use Zipper File Bags
A solid zipper file bag will protect your electronics from spills, rain, and other hazards and you’ll avoid having to deal with tangled cords..
3. Fold the Marie Condo Way
You need to fold your clothes, the Marie Kondo way. You’ll be so glad you did. I promise.
4. Use Multiple SD Cards Instead of Just One
If you use SD cards to store your travel photos, it’s better to buy multiple smaller cards than a big one. If you lose one, you will still be able to recover some of your photos from the other cards.
5. Use Google Maps Offline
This little travel life hack is ingenious. It is so useful if you lose your data connection unexpectedly. You will never get lost! All you have to do to use Google Maps offline is download and open the app on your phone while you are connected online, find the place you are looking for, then click on the 3 little dots on your screen and select “Download offline map”. BAM. You’re welcome.
6. Talk to Your Bank
The last thing you want is to be eating at a restaurant and have your card declined. Banks look out for their clients, so don’t be surprised if your account is flagged if you do not talk to your bank before traveling. Any spending in areas that are unusual will give way for your bank to contact you. Do yourself a favor and let your bank know ahead of time about your travel plans. That way, you can avoid being stuck in another country with no money altogether!
What’s in My Travel Luggage
First thing first, let’s talk cameras. I couldn’t go travel across the globe without my film camera! So, in addition to my Nikon I made sure to pack my Pentax 645. With it, I will be shooting Portra film, which I will have developed at The Find Lab.
Now, let’s talk clothes and toiletries. All of the outfits you see pictured below are courtesy of my two favorite places: Madewell and J. Crew. As for toiletries, the ones worth mentioning are the Tide to Go pens and Poo-Pourri. Tide to Go pens are perfect for those unexpected stains- especially since we are not bringing our entire wardrobe with us. As for the Poo-Pourri, you never know what you’re walking into when it comes to public restrooms. This stuff really works, and I’m going to leave it at that!
Finally, I have saved the best for last! I am PUMPED to be traveling with my Sly Beauty Cosmetics bag!! You guys, this travel makeup bag is EVERYTHING. I can fit so much makeup in it while also keeping it organized. Not only that, but it’s also pretty to look at. Truth be told, it was my favorite thing to back. Take my advice and go get you one!!
Today on the blog, I’m sharing a super fun senior session I captured for my niece during the most beautiful time of day: GOLDEN HOUR. Enjoy!
Gracie’s Senior Session
Meet Gracie, my niece! She is a high school senior this year, which is absolutely crazy to me because it feels just like yesterday when I carried her on my shoulders after my college soccer games! My sister and her family moved to Utah a couple of years ago, so we have never actually lived close to one another until recently. I have LOVED watching Gracie grow up from a little girl to a beautiful young woman. It honestly baffles my mind that she is eighteen and a senior. To me, she will always be the cute little toddler with the cute little button nose who was the best personal cheerleader for me when I played soccer in college!
About the Session
I was SO excited to shoot Gracie’s senior session. We had some really sweet one-on-one time together, and I loved getting to hear where she has applied to for college and what her go-getter dreams are.
We got to basically play dress-up during Gracie’s senior session. As time went on, this gal got more and more comfortable in front of the camera and was okay being her true, silly self! Which is true for anyone that doesn’t get their pictures taken very often. It takes a little while to warm up and feel comfortable, but once you do it’s a grand old time!
Gracie, it is my hope that you will always be able to look at these pictures and know just how beautiful you are. Cheers to a beautiful future!
Schedule Your Senior Session Today
Time does not stand still, but pictures do! Schedule your high school senior’s senior session today.
Today on the blog, I’m sharing a beautiful wedding shoot I assisted with at Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs, TX. And by beautiful, I mean a take-your-breath-away kind of beauty.
Camp Lucy Editorial
I am so excited to share this INCREDIBLE editorial I invited myself to! Ya that’s right. My talented photographer friend Breanna showed me the beautiful style board Caitlin Skylar from Chancey Charm cooked up and I LEGIT TOLD HER, “IM COMING TO AUSTIN!” But that’s just the way our friendship goes. I basically made her be my friend…she had no choice in the matter. So yes…I invited myself to Austin to be part of this over-the-moon amazing shoot at Camp Lucy!
If you know me, you know I LOVE color! My color-loving heart was smitten from the get go and I am thrilled with how these photos turned out!
“Breanna McKendrick Photography and Chancey Charm created this gorgeous shoot to appeal to a modern jet-set couple, or those of us who dream of adventuring around the globe. They brought the colors, flavors, and architecture of Spain to Texas for this bold and glamorous wedding shoot!” -Hey Wedding Lady
Camp Lucy Vendors
Editorial Inspiration
If you enjoy today’s fall editorial feature, be sure to check out this breathtakingly beautiful Romance in Autumn styled shoot next! Rich colors, romance and a beautiful couple all came together to make one heck of an evening!
Shenandoah Valley Session
Meet Megan and Dakota! These lovebirds are both from Texas and also got married in Texas. However, Dakota is in the military and proposed to Megan before his basic training camp in Quantico, Washington D.C. When they reached out for me to shoot their engagement session in Shenandoah Valley, it was a no brainer kind of yes. An additional bonus was the fact that one of my sisters lives there!
I’m so glad we were able to get this session in before Dakota’s time away at basic. Thank you for so much your service, Dakota!!
Snag Your Freebie
Prepare for your engagements today with a copy of my Engagement Style + Prep Guide. This extensive, 44-page guide will lighten your stress load and help you have the best engagement session ever. And did I mention it’s FREE!?! If you’re engaged or know someone who is, be sure to grab your copy and/or share away! Get it here!
If you have any other questions regarding your engagement session, or if you would like to schedule your session in Shenandoah or your own back yard, be sure to get in touch! I am happy to help you however I can!!
