I honestly just can’t hide my excitement about this post.  For a while now I have received several inquiries from couples who want to do an anniversary session.  Often, they contact me just too late and I am already booked for the season.  Sometimes they want a “redo” since they didn’t have a photography budget for their wedding and now have saved for the style of photography they really want. Sometimes they want one that incorporates more of their growing family too.  It has been a desire of mine to begin offering styled anniversary sessions that incorporate professional hair and make up, styling and a bouquet or floral crown.  The Gardens at Waterperry Farm offered the perfect place for this!

So when Katie and Dan contacted me about an anniversary, I could see she shared this vision as well for an anniversary session that would be one to treasure for generations.  What I didn’t realize is how much I would really connect with Katie, her ideas and also her friend Jackie.  Katie referred me to Jackie for her April, 2018 wedding before Katie even had her session with me!  Getting to know these two couples has been wonderful and has me so excited for April when we are all together again for Jackie and Todd’s wedding!

We originally had to reschedule Katie and Dan’s session due to weather and I am so glad we did!  We ended up with perfect weather at the beginning of November at what is now one of my favorite places EVER to photograph. The Gardens at Waterperry Farms are just gorgeous!  We made it there at the peak of the Fall colors too.  It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Katie started the early afternoon with hair and make up by Yisell Santos, who incorporated an “Old Hollywood” feel with a modern twist that would be able to accompany the floral crown from Good Earth Flowers as well as a second look without the floral crown.  Katie had two dresses from Rent the Runway that both complemented her form and style.  And Dan was the most debonair and dapper groom in both of his clothing choices as well. Together they made magic happen!

Their session together was so genuine and simply stunning.  I still can’t get over how incredible the session was and how lovely their images together are…all because their chemistry and five years of marriage together shine through!  They were so much fun to work with and as we strolled through the formal gardens, I asked them to answer some questions for each other including, “What’s one thing about him/her that has surprised you over the last five years?”  I have no idea what was said but I loved watching the smiles and laughter.

We took a walk through the gardens and then also stopped for Katie and Dan to enjoy a glass of champaign to celebrate their anniversary, followed by some light dancing in front of a tree donning the most perfect red and orange leaves.  We celebrated the last remnant of the sunset just outside of the gardens with the Blue Ridge mountains behind them.  It was a wonderful evening with an equally wonderful couple.

I also enjoyed hearing more about their marriage as well as their travels (including the one to France when their friend Todd proposed to Katie’s best friend, Jackie…because of course she was in on the surprise!)  I learned even more when I had read through their pre-session questionnaire where I asked them to tell me a bit about their love story and marriage.  I love Katie’s response!

“Dan and I met in 2008 when we were both in college at different schools (I was at JMU and he was at Virginia Tech). I decided on a whim to visit an old friend at Radford who so happened to also be Dan’s roommate at the time. We became inseparable that weekend and the rest was history! We married on June 30, 2012 and are celebrated our five year wedding anniversary this summer. I would describe our love as pretty goofy, as we enjoy just making each other laugh as much as possible. We also enjoy simple pleasures together such as a good drink, time by our fire pit, or watching a great television show. During our time together, we’ve adopted two dogs (a pug named Napoleon who is now six years old, and a mutt named Blue, who’s one year old) and we built a house on his parents’ Christmas tree farm property. We’re looking forward to our next five years which we hope is filled with lots of travel!”

Congratulations Katie and Dan on five years of marriage!  I can’t wait to celebrate Jackie and Todd’s wedding with you as well in April!

To see more Charlottesville Wedding Venues, engagement sessions, weddings and anniversaries, peruse HERE.

Venue: The Gardens at Waterperry Farms

Hair and Make Up: Yisell Santos

Flower Crown: Good Earth Flowers

Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Dresses: Rent the Runway