I am completely head-over-heels in love with today’s wedding featuring the talented styling and design efforts of Amy Stanley of Style by Design! It’s decidedly Southern and very shabby chic with a pink and white color scheme that brings everything together in a swoon-worthy kind of way. The bride and groom were on a tight budget so some of the amazing details were DIY’d including clear plastic vases that were painted white to look like milk glass and used in centerpieces, homemade ice cream favors, chalkboard windowpane seating charts, bow tie napkins and a paper flower photo booth backdrop. Then, there are the details that weren’t DIY’d like the radiant (some of them pregnant) bridesmaids, the full and lush hydrangea and rose bouquets, the stunning cake, the vintage wingback chairs at the sweetheart table, mini vintage chalkboard  table numbers, beautifully set tables and so much more! I could go on and on, but honestly, you need to see this wedding and feel the love, both captured so beautifully by Dana Duncan Photography.

Lauran and Todd first met Labor Day weekend of 2002 at a get together held by a mutual friend. They hit it off that night and hung out a few times after the weekend, but because they attended different schools, decided not to pursue a relationship just yet.

Flash forward to Thanksgiving Eve of 2006. Lauran was out with some friends at a local hot spot enjoying a night off from work. Todd, who was home from college for the Thanksgiving holiday, decided to meet some of his friends at the same bar. Lauran recognized him the moment he walked in but couldn’t remember his name!!! Oops.

A few days later, at the encouragement of a friend, Lauran instant messaged him. From that day forward, the two talked daily via email, text, instant message and phone. They started traveling back and forth between their schools to see as much of each other as they possibly could. And then, on December 22nd, 2006, Todd asked Lauren to be his girlfriend. He told her that she was something special and that he didn’t want to let her get away a second time. She, of course, said yes, and they’ve been inseparable ever since.

Four years later, Valentine’s Day was fast approaching. Lauran was juggling a full school load in her last semester at Old Dominion University and working full time waiting tables. Todd was busy adjusting to a new position at work and coaching baseball. They hadn’t had a whole lot of time for each of late, and Lauran thought it would be nice to go out and celebrate their fourth Valentine’s Day together.

Todd was hesitant about going out on the fourteenth though, and suggested they go out after she got home from class the evening of the eleventh instead. They went to The Cheesecake Factory (Lauran’s favorite restaurant) at Town Centre in Virginia Beach. After dinner, Todd suggested they take a walk over by the fountain nearby. Lauran thought the request was odd and because it was cold suggested they go back to the car instead. But Todd said he wanted to look in a couple stores around the corner and Lauran reluctantly went along.

Eventually they made it to the fountain where Todd asked Lauran to sit down to which she replied why. He asked her patiently to just sit down again. That’s when it clicked. Lauran’s eyes went wide and she started to cry as she sat down. He told her how much he loved her and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He pulled out the most gorgeous ring she had ever seen and got down on one knee. He asked her to be his wife and she said yes!

{From the Bride} Our wedding day was amazing, a bit of a blur at points, but absolutely wonderful! I have always wanted to get married at my childhood home, it sits on 7 acres of land and features a large pond in the enormous front yard. I’ve loved how gorgeous the nature is that surrounds the house and how green and lush it is in the month of June. I’ve also wanted to get married outside and love sunshine and fresh air!

My favorite moment of the whole day was walking down the aisle towards my groom and seeing that he was crying. He is not the most emotional man, so seeing him wiping tears from his eyes, clenching his jaw tight, and turning red, was the sweetest, most touching moment of the day. 

Our first dance song was If There’s Love by Citizen Cope. We knew we did not want a “typical, popular, overplayed” first dance song. We wanted one that sounded like us, fit our music taste, and spoke to us with its lyrics. I could listen to it everyday and it will never get old!

The one thing I didn’t expect was for the day to go by so fast! Our engagement was a year and four months – plenty of time to plan, and after all that time and preparation, it was over in the blink of an eye. If we could do it all over again, we both would have just taken more time to sit back and really relax during our day! Part of the blur was that we felt we were being pulled into so many directions we couldn’t even catch a breather! Relaxing would have allowed us to soak up every ounce of the day.

{Advice for Couples} Our advice for other couples tying the knot would be to never take each other too seriously. Keep the laughter and joy in the relationship. No matter how busy or hectic life gets, if you still laugh together you really have something special. Not to mention that laughter means you are truly happy, and happiness always leads to great things.

I’ll give you a minute to come back from your swoon because after Lauran and Todd’s sweet-as-can-be love story and all those stunning details, how can you not be? :) Congratulations, Lauran and Todd! Thank you for sharing your love story with us! We wish you both nothing but the absolute best in the years to come. And a very special thank you to Amy Stanley (who did an absolutely incredible job – this was the first wedding she styled by the way) for sharing their very special day with us today! xoxo

A picture is worth a thousand words . . .

One Photographer. One Snapshot. One Quote.

One-thousand words and emotions.

“Within you, I lose myself, without you, I find myself wanting to be lost again.” – Anonymous

Photo by Lacie Hansen Photography

It’s a happy, happy day because I get to feature the fabulous design and styling talents of Viva L’Event today!!! This classic purple and yellow wedding is super pretty from beginning to end. And with the added elements relating to baseball, super fun too. And I’m not just saying that because the groom happens to be a fan of my favorite team, the Boston Red Sox :) Certainly a nice bonus though. And everything captured glamorously by Andi Grant Photography. Come see!

Heather and Chad first met some years ago outside of Heather’s workplace. She worked with a girl (Becky) whose husband (Mark) worked with Chad. With absolutely no intention of setting their friends up whatsoever, the four happened to meet up one day outside the building. Chad was immediately taken with Heather and asked Mark to help set them up on a date. Mark, of course, obliged.

The day of their date, Chad sent Heather flowers with a note that said can’t wait until tonight. They went to The Cheesecake Factory where the food, conversation, and everything really, went great. When he dropped her off at the end of the night, he went in for a kiss, but Heather turned away. Looking back now, Heather can’t for the life of her remember why. They talked for several weeks after that first date, Chad even brought her lunch a few times at work, and then suddenly never spoke or saw each other again. Neither can remember why and it wasn’t until a few years later that things between them really began or began again – depending on your point of view.

On February 15, 2009, Heather received a text message that said you probably have no idea who this is, but Becky tells me you’re single! She knew from the moment she received the text message who it was, he was the only guy she associated Becky with so it wasn’t hard to figure it out. They texted back and forth for several hours that day, into the evening and for several days before finally agreeing to meet up on February 18, 2009.

They met at Keegan’s (in Virginia Beach Town Center) for drinks and caught up on the last few years. The bar was really loud though, so after a few drinks they went to their cars to talk. They did so until the wee hours of the morning and also shared their first, second, third and fourth kiss too! ;) It amazes them to this day just how fast things happened between them after that and how they were able to pick up right where they left off. Even after all those years, it was as if they had never been apart.

Chad decided to pop the question the same day he returned from a trip back home to Boston, MA. The very same day Heather had stayed home from work because she wasn’t feeling well. He called her the moment he landed and explained that he wanted to take her out that night. Reluctantly, because she wasn’t feeling well, Heather agreed. She waited two hours for him to come, which was odd she thought, before he whisked her away for the night.

They went to a restaurant called Rudee’s for dinner and for a walk on the boardwalk after. Heather left her phone in the truck, though Chad suggested several times to bring it with her, before stopping to get ice cream at Dairy Queen. As they walked, Chad told Heather how happy he was with her, that he loved her very much, and that he was so glad she’d given him a second chance. They sat down on a bench so Heather could finish her ice cream. But Chad didn’t stay sitting for long as he was getting down on one knee only seconds later. It was only after she said yes that she realized why Chad had wanted her to take her phone because she wanted to call and text everyone and tell them the good news.

{From the Bride} Our wedding day was everything we ever dreamed that it could have been. We were so happy to be able to celebrate with our dearest friends and family. We remember the day as if it was just yesterday!

{Advice for Couples} Enjoy your engagement and don’t rush anything, take it one day at a time when planning your wedding and make everything yours. Let other people give you advice, but remember, the day is all about YOU!

Now, wasn’t that just the perfect Friday pick-me-up? I certainly think so. Besides a bride who wears purple Converse on her wedding day is a-okay in my book ;) Congratulations, Heather and Chad! We wish you so much love and luck and can’t thank you enough for sharing your story with all of us! And the biggest of thank you’s to the lovely ladies of Viva L’Event! I’m still so excited to be featuring your fabulous talents today! xoxo

Viva L’Event is a fabulous member of our Vendor Boutique. For more information on how members are chosen, click here.

Do you all know what today is? No? I’ll tell you. The love story you are about to read is one of the sweetest I have ever read and had the pleasure of sharing. It easily goes down as one of my all-time favorites. The love story and gorgeous Naval Academy engagement session come to us today by the one, the only, the completely fabulous Natalie Franke Photography. I love this girl to pieces. We’ve never met in person (yet) but I know from our emails and tweets that we would be the absolute best of friends. And she is one amazing photographer. Keep reading and seeing below! :)

Sarah and Walter first met at the Naval Academy Ring Dance in 2008. All of the guys and their dates had rented a house out on the eastern shore for the weekend, and Sarah was actually the date of one of Walter’s friends!! But it was Sarah and Walter who hit it off that night :)

They tried so hard to keep in touch over the summer, but due to military summer trainings and Sarah’s busy schedule, they never got to spend the time together they hoped for. Then, one weekend in September, Towson played Navy in football, and Sarah and Walter finally got their chance. They were completely inseparable after that.

One of Sarah’s favorite memories of their relationship so far was when Walter took her to New York City for her birthday. He took her out to dinner at The River Café, a gorgeous restaurant located on the water, right under the Brooklyn Bridge. They were seated by a window with views of the downtown Manhattan skyline. The view was exquisite and completely swoon-worthy. It didn’t hurt that the restaurant had top-notch food as well! Can I go? It sounds dreamy. Sarah says that she felt like a princess that weekend. It really touched her that Walter worked so hard to plan such an incredible weekend for her.

Sometime later…

Walter originally had plans to propose on January 7th but Sarah had grown suspicious. And when a friend told Walter that she was on to him, he immediately changed his plans in order to surprise her.

He had just returned from a Navy deployment, smack in the middle of Sarah’s final exam period for law school. Tired and stressed, Sarah complained that they hardly had any time to see each other. So when she met him in Florida after her exam to attend his best friend’s wedding with him, Walter proposed a date night. It was December 15th and Sarah thought nothing of it other than the two of them finally getting to spend time together. He took her to an amazing ocean-front steakhouse for dinner. On their walk home, he suggested they walk down by the water. Though it was windy, Sarah found it hard to say no because it was so warm out.

They walked out onto the sand and he pulled her into a bear hug, resting his chin on top of her head, not hard given their one foot height difference. I know that hug well. I’m a foot shorter (and then some) than my guy. Standing in their embrace, they looked out at the ocean and watched the waves for a little while. When they turned to leave, Sarah tripped and Walter grabbed her hands to steady her. But then didn’t let go.

He asked her if she loved him, which she thought was a silly question, of course she loved him. Then he gave her a long kiss. When he drew back he had something in his hand. Sarah said everything went into slow motion after that as Walter got down on one knee before her. She started crying like crazy and after she told him yes, Walter informed her that he’d already contacted her favorite photographer (Natalie Franke) to take their engagement photos, which brought a whole new round of tears. And if that wasn’t enough, he told her that he hadn’t been visiting his dad the previous weekend like he’d said. He’d driven three hours to ask her Dad’s permission in person, which meant the absolute world to her. I can’t help it. I’m completely swooning over here.

{Behind the Lens with Natalie Franke} I aim to capture genuine happiness and love in my photographs. Capturing the connection that two people share, documenting the spark that exists between two soul mates, is my goal with every engagement session! I love to setup my couple in a beautiful location before stepping away to capture the scene. I leave them with a sweet anecdote or I ask them to think about a special memory, while quietly backing away. It only takes a couple of moments before they are laughing candidly, smiling at one another, and blissfully unaware of my camera off in the distance.

Sarah and Walter’s session was absolutely amazing! We lucked out with gorgeous temperatures on a January afternoon as we walked around the United States Naval Academy campus, where Walter was once a midshipmen, and made our way downtown to the little historic streets of Annapolis. It was a perfect day for a truly amazing couple!

Sigh. Swoon. I’m in love. It’s true. Thank you, Sarah and Walter, for sharing your love story with all of us! You two are just too cute for words and I wish you both nothing but the absolute best in love and in life in the years ahead. And a very special thank you to Natalie, who I will meet one day very soon!!!, for working so hard to capture love with her camera and share it with all of us today. xoxo

P.S. Isn’t Sarah’s anchor shirt adorable?! It’s from Anthropologie. I know, because I have it too! :) Her red coat is pretty fab also, but I don’t know where that’s from – ha!

What can I say about the lovely Britt Croft Photography? She’s amazing. One of the sweetest girls I’ve had the pleasure of “e-meeting” :) She specializes in down-to-earth, natural light wedding and pet photography. Originally from Maryland, she now enjoys the simple life on a small farm in South Carolina. She’s dog-crazy. And also a bride-to-be. See? Amazing. We love her dearly, and if you’re a Southern bride, an East Coast bride, or any destination bride (because Britt loves to travel to you) you will love her dearly too!

{Britt Croft Photography} is centered around creating down-to-earth and authentic natural light images of people in love. Britt’s style has developed naturally from the core of who she is. She believes in light-filled yet colorful and fresh images that offer a clean and timeless glimpse into who you are at this time in your life. She believes that portraits should be organic and genuine, but down-to-earth and relatable. Britt strives to shoot creatively with thoughtful attention to detail and to always evoke feeling.

{Britt} is a lover of the little things, beautiful light and the water. She is a bride-to-be, obsessed with dogs and horses, and lover of a good sense of humor. Her family is what drives her to live the life she dreams of. Most of all, Britt’s business is simply an extension of who she is. She believes in giving back to others, that you should surround yourself with people who inspire you, and that the cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. << I love that.

Throughout high school and college, Britt spent a lot of time photographing the easiest subject to her (because she had so many), her pets. Her love of photography came simply from wanting to remember her favorite four-legged family members.

During her later years of college, Britt discovered photography the way she loved it (naturally lit, relaxed and REAL) was actually a profession. After meeting her now-fiancé, Britt realized she had a passion for documenting love as well as pets. In 2010, during her senior year of college, she took the dive and started her business, going full time after graduation in May of 2012.

{Advice for Brides} Make sure you ask your photographer about a timeline of your relationship from start to finish. When you can expect your engagement session to take place, and when you can expect to have those images (an important factor if you want to use them for your save the dates). When you can expect to have your images and your album after the wedding. These are all things you definitely want to know beforehand rather than be disappointed afterward because you weren’t on the same page to begin with or it’s six months after your wedding and you’re still waiting for your beautiful images.

{Advice for Couples} Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s so easy to get frustrated over a DIY project that didn’t come out the way you wanted or because your table decor doesn’t match the vision in your head, but ultimately that’s not what the day is about. It’s about bringing ALL of your loved ones, friends and family, together for a celebration of you and your husband’s love and new life together. It’s important to keep the big picture in mind, because ten or twenty years down the road you will want to remember the feelings of love and support on such an amazing day.

{Most Frequently Asked Question}Brides often ask Britt about the first look – what it is and if they should do one or not. Britt strongly believes in a first look. She thinks it’s a wonderful way to get rid of pre-ceremony jitters (that does not ruin the “moment” coming down the aisle), that it allows you additional time for portraits without interfering with other scheduling, and allows you time to spend some private time with your handsome groom on a day that is so busy and not structured for alone time. While the decision is always up to the bride and groom, Britt strongly encourages each of her couples to do a first look. She herself will have a first look with her husband-to-be at their wedding this fall.

{What Inspires Her} Britt is super inspired by beautiful light filtered through the trees (if you follow her on Instagram, you’ll know this to be true :)). She lives to shoot anyone and anything in that light. She also loves the character and history in the South, and the many awesome locations to make beautiful images. And love. She is constantly inspired by the love between her couples, the love between her and her fiancé, the love between pets and their owners because it inspires her to document love in a truly artistic and authentic way.

{Favorite Love Song} My Best Friend by Tim McGraw

Did I mention how much I love her? Because I really, really do. And not just because her favorite love song is also one of mine :) We’re so excited to have her join our little growing family and couldn’t be more excited for YOU to get to know HER better! Be sure to follow her blog (and while you’re there – check out this ah-mazing-must-read-for-every-bride post she wrote on the value and cost of wedding photography), Facebook and Twitter too. Britt, thank you for capturing love in the special way you do (and cute little fuzz balls too :)) xoxo **Photos are the property of Britt Croft Photography**