This drop dead gorgeous bride JUST got married last night in Havelock, NC at the Neuse Breeze wedding venue so I am just dying to share a collection of her bridal portraits. She is so charismatic, sweet and BEAUTIFUL in front of the camera, you can truly see her humility as well as how in love she is with her now husband. Bridal portraits are such a great way to savor being a bride and to at least be able to wear your gown more than once! It's also a great way to include your mama and sister and favorite sidekick while they drool over you during photos. 

Candace's bridal portraits actually got rained out the entire time, but we made it work! The venue was perfect because it has so many covered spaces and honestly, you can't even tell it is raining in most of these photos. Candace was a rock star. For how low maintenance she was about rain, I know she's going to make a wonderful wife. Congrats Candace and Darin! Despite the dang world pandemic, you did it! You guys put each other first. And that's something to celebrate!

Venue: Neuse Breeze Wedding Venue
Hair: Beauty Bar by Kristine Andrews
Make Up: Maria Magdalena Smith at Ethereal Beauty 
Dress: Coastal Knot 
Photography: Visuals by Helen — Helen Powell

Well... believe it or not, my husband Jess and I are expecting a beach baby around February 2nd, 2021...and it's a girl! We are over the moon, and if we're being honest— we were completely shocked when we found out about the sex yesterday afternoon! We were both convinced Baby Powell was going to be a boy. Mainly because I have been so so blessed with mild pregnancy symptoms so far, but clearly all those midwife tales are a hoax. That doesn't change how excited we are though. Just a shift in perspective thinking about the future. Jess has his hands full with what will soon be 5 girls in our house (2 female dogs, 1 female cat, baby girl and me). HAHA! 

When we found out we were pregnant back in May, we knew we wanted to eventually get a genetic test called NxGen, an informed, noninvasive prenatal test that an expecting mom can take as early as 10 weeks to make sure the child is healthy and as should be as far as chromosomes + sub chromosomes go. This particular test also allows the parents to find out the sex of the baby earlier than most find out. The accuracy rate is around 95%. Every doctor's office acts independently when it comes to labs they contract out to do diagnostic work. My sister and sister-in-law in Raleigh had a similar test but it was called something different because the bloodwork went to a different company. Their experience encouraged us to do the same so we could be as informed as possible with our first child.

​So a wonderful patient navigator named Jessica at Glen Meade Center for Women's Health at Autumn Hall, made sure I had a printed copy of these results in my hands yesterday morning after a long 6-business-day wait. I took the envelope straight downtown to where Jess works and we opened it together right outside his office on a park bench at 10:30 in the morning. (We obviously couldn't wait till after he got off work that day!) After we found out the news, we texted my friend and occasional associate photographer, Sydney of What Sydney Sees to see if she would be up for a spontaneous drone announcement. She just got her drone license about a month ago so we knew she would be perfect for the job. We knew exactly what we wanted, something that highlighted both our beautiful hometown and our joy for adventure and we made this shoot happen that very evening in less than 30 minutes. 

So here we are at 13+ weeks. The baby is the size of a lemon, and we're chuggin' along, eating, sleeping and planning a lot. We are currently in the process of adding onto our home to make more room for our little bundle and for family and friends to be able to come visit while we figure out parenthood. I am excited to share progress photos as we move along in both construction and in baby bump size! This bump isn't very visible right now so that's why we didn't do any up close photos of the belly. I have not gained any weight but have a little pooch that most people would not notice, but definitely rocking some very big cheeseburgers up top that most people would notice if they know my former flat-chested self. Mamas constantly tell me that every pregnancy and every body is different so expecting mamas, I'd love to hear from you and how it is going for you! Thank you to those of you who have reached out saying we're in this together- it is such a reassuring feeling having our corona babies together!

To all the women out there who are trying, Jess and I know how fortunate we are to conceive a healthy child and are so appreciative that God gave us an extra human to love. We are in no way flaunting our blessing, just sharing the news and being transparent as we have nothing to hide. If you are trying, and want to be a parent more than anything, know that it will happen, one way or another. God has a plan. If he has a plan you don't like, please feel free to yell, cry and pray to me. I'm here for you. 

To all my couples and clients, I want you to know that this pregnancy should in no way affect you, your wedding or event. The due date timing was perfect in the sense that I should hopefully be ready to rock and roll for wedding season starting mid-April (with lots of help from my amazing associates!) I just kindly ask all my couples and clients who would like an engagement, bridal or portrait session to please schedule your session before January 1st just in case Baby Powell comes early.

We opted for a very short session with Sydney and were very happy with just a handful of these beautiful photos because I'm actually very shy in FRONT of the camera. Especially now more than ever because I'm not able to enjoy some cocktails beforehand! Jess is the exact opposite and is a total sweetheart about photos. I thanked him for doing this photo shoot with me, he simply smiled and said "I knew I signed up for cheesy milestone photos when I married a photographer."

​So the countdown begins! 27 weeks to go. Thank you all for your love and support for Baby Powell. It means more to us than you'll ever know.

Candace and Darin are getting married (again) this Saturday and you better believe I'm going to share a collection of their engagement photos from last September in Wilmington. They opted for three different locations: the garden, the beach, and the sound side. Luckily Wilmington provides all three within a 10-minute radius! Candace and Darin are from Red Oak, NC so they made the trek for their engagement photos and man was it worth it! The weather was unbelievable—wait till you see the sunset glow at the end of this post.

Candace and Darin were supposed to have the big wedding on May 2nd at the Neuse Breeze Wedding Venue in Havelock, NC, but due to Covid-19, they decided to still get hitched on their original date and have a celebration later. Well... The celebration is already almost here! We cannot wait to capture more of this beautiful love on Saturday at Neuse Breeze. Photos of their wedding day coming very soon!

The Daniel Family came all the way from Virginia and Texas to reunite in Topsail Beach, NC after a long time apart due to Covid-19 quarantine. What a sweet reunion it was! They have a special familial bond that feels very present in every photo.

My favorite part about this family, admittedly, might be that I know the blonde woman.  Lily and I went to high school together but we hadn't seen each other in over ten years! We weren't in the same grade but we competed in indoor track together. I remember her being universally likable, a go-getter and a beast in athletics, and she still is as she is finishing up medical school to be a doctor AND is raising a beautiful daughter with her husband. When she reached out over Instagram a few weeks ago, I was honored she thought of me to capture some of her family's beach memories.  

Without further ado, I'm proud to share with you a collection of photos of this gorgeous family who opted for a morning session by the sea!  

During the height of covid-19, I was seeing so many wedding cancellations and postponements and my heart would just drop for all these couples that just wanted to get married. I watched my parents, who are restaurant owners on the Outer Banks give away 30,000 meals over the course of a month and saw their altruism and kindness. It made me start thinking about how I could give back to engaged couples everywhere—and that's how this Island Elopement Giveaway was born. After reaching out to a team of vendors in Wilmington, NC who were generously willing to donate their time, talent and enthusiasm, we decided we could pull off a FREE wedding for a lucky couple. We figured it would be good to keep our spirits going during this time of a slow season, to give back and have some fun during it! In the beginning of June, we launched the giveaway, and a total of 87 applicants applied with about 64 actually following the rules like they were supposed to. The biggest kicker was to have the couple follow all the vendors on instagram and to apply online stating some basic info and their original wedding date.

The first two names I draw actually declined the opportunity to get married because of conflicts with timing or with family. They were worried about family being able to fly in during this time of pandemic but, I believe there is always a reason why things work out the way they do because on my third draw, we were blessed to throw Sara + Patrick the wedding of their dreams!

Sara and Patrick got engaged last December and had their wedding planned for the summer of 2020 but then a world-wide pandemic happened and they were unsure what to do. They always knew they wanted to have a small wedding so this elopement was right up their alley. The only witnesses present were their families and Patrick's best friend. They brought along their two fur babies, Sawyer and Finn who were decked out in these adorable blue bowties. Sara and Patrick do not live in Wilmington but Sara's sister and brother-in-law live here so that is why they applied for the giveaway. When they heard the news that they won, they were 100% sure they were ready to get married on Friday, July 10th. We wanted this to be an elopement from the beginning, meaning short and sweet and no big reception because of covid — we wanted to be safe for everyone involved.

I have an associate shooter that I love to use for my southern NC weddings and her name is Sydney. About two weeks ago she got her license to fly a drone so I invited her for this wedding to capture some unique angles! She knocked it out of the park with the aerial drone shots so it really shows you how exclusive this island wedding was on Mason's Inlet. It actually has driven me to add a drone a la carte to my packages for couples that may be interested in having this kind of coverage on their wedding day.

I give 100% credit to my sweet husband for picking out this spot at Mason's Inlet. With the way the tide was, we had a gorgeous backdrop of the inlet and the sea. See below to see for yourself. Congratulations Sara and Patrick!!! You did it!

A sincere thank you to this amazing team:
​
VENUE:
​Mason's Inlet 

TRANSPORTATION:
Epic Excursions — Kristi Balding
@epicexcursionsnc
www.epicexcursionsnc.com

& Jess Powell, private boat

PHOTOGRAPHY:
Visuals by Helen 
@visuals_by_helen
www.visualsbyhelen.com

AERIAL DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY:
What Sydney Sees —Sydney Rose
@whatsydneysees
www.whatsydneysees.com
​
ARBOR+ FLORALS +PLANNING:
 Do Me A Favor Weddings — Amy McGraw
@domeafavorweddingsandevents
www.domeafavorweddings.com

OFFICIANT:
Weddings with Bill — Bill Simpson
@weddingswithbill
www.billsimpson.org/wilmingtonweddingofficiant

CEREMONY MUSIC:
Coastal DJ & Video — George Wainwright
@coastaldjvideo
www.coastaldjandvideo.com

MAKEUP:
Danielle Forte Makeup Artist — Danielle Forte
@dfortemakeupartist
www.facebook.com/DanielleForteMakeUpArtist

HAIR:
SET Blowout Bar — Kate Thompson
@setblowoutbar
www.setblowout.com 

SUNSET CELEBRATORY COCKTAILS:
Blue Shark Vodka — Brooke Bloomquist
@bluesharkvodka
www.bluesharkvodka.com

CAKE:
Imaginary Cakes 
@ImaginaryCakes
www.imaginarycakes.com

Paige got married to the man of her dreams, Randall, this past Saturday in Rocky Mount at the Rocky Mount Mills so it gives me great pleasure to share her stunning bridal portraits from a beautiful day in November of 2019. Paige opted to do her bridal session at the Rose Hill Plantation in Nashville, NC and between the historical home, pond, gardens, and glimmering sunset, it was the dreamiest backdrop. Paige makes an absolutely stunning bride, but don't take my word for it— see for yourself in this collection!

​Congratulations beautiful lady— you are now a Mrs. Cribb !

Venue: Rose Hill Plantation
Hair + Makeup: Sarah Cribb at the Renaissance Hair Studio
​Florals: Brushed by Bec

The Sermons Family welcomed a new girl about 15 months ago, named Cyra and she is just the star of the show! I loved that they wanted to document the fact that they were all together at their family cottage in Nags Head, NC during the times of Covid-19. A rare miracle! They opted for the "Short 'n Sweet" package which was perfect for the little one's short attention span. So thankful to this family for allowing me to get some beautiful memories captured for them.

Wood and Emily have a beautiful little girl named Palmer and they celebrated Father's Day with a little morning mini session at Coquina Beach in Nags Head, North Carolina. It was the perfect snuggle you could ask for with your first born! I've known these parents since we were little kids so it is so inspiring to watch them grow into amazing parents. Thank you to the Beasleys for honoring me the opportunity to document this sweet milestone!  Happy 1st Father's Day Wood!

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Our country is slowly opening back up in a safe way. The news networks continue to go on and on about the generosity of our front line heroes throughout these difficult days surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. We also know that behind the scenes, there are also thousands of weddings getting postponed and delayed over and over— thus we wanted to give a silver lining to those lovebirds out there that are ready to tie the knot. Without further adieu, we're beyond excited to be partnering with this incredible team of vendors to give you a fully designed and FREE island elopement wedding to one couple who has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yup, you read that right. You can get married for free! The best part? You can have the built-in adventure by having an exclusive wedding on an island with a few of your loved ones.

Here is what this very generous team is giving away for one couple who has had their dreams put on hold. A fully designed elopement wedding in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina for up to 10 guests plus the couple. After all the craziness, after months of waiting, you can now get married to your love with the ocean at your side, and enjoy the night as you should! All you will be responsible for is your wedding day attire and showing up... everything else— you just let these incredibly talented vendors care of you.  We have chosen the date of Friday, July 10, 2020 because we know that these vendors are available and ready to give you the wedding of your dreams. ​

Here's the coolest thing about how I know this couple: Meredith and Sam reached out for a wedding inquiry and I noticed Meredith's last name being similar to a close friend of mine and I asked if they were related and guess what? COUSINS! The even crazier part? They live in our neighborhood!!! I love how small the world can be. Fast forward a few months, we decided to do engagement photos on the first pretty day we had in May after a crapload of rain. Their Wrightsville Beach session turned out absolutely perfect. I later found out at the session that this is where Sam had proposed to Meredith! I just love some good ol romance y'all. I am so excited for their Fall wedding. #heavenforbidcovidgoesaway

Love in times of Corona! This beautiful couple decided to go ahead and get hitched and surprised their family on May 15, 2020 at the Mint Museum! Their families thought they were just having a quiet little picnic, but unbeknownst to them, they were about to witness them tie the knot AND have a picnic! They even had it all filmed for their 200 + friends online.

Y'all— THEY. HAD. BAGPIPES. I teared up as soon as I heard them. What an entrance! Thank you Katherine and Tyler for an incredible evening and congratulations!!

Even the parents were in a romantic mood after seeing their children tie the knot. Weddings make people so happy—love is a contagious feeling!!

Courtney and Gib are getting married in October at the Angus Barn in Raleigh, NC but they decided to do engagement photos where they live —Wilmington, NC! I just adore these two and the love they share for both each other and for adventure. I was thrilled to hear that Courtney and Gib were up to going to Masonboro Island as an alternative to Wrightsville Beach because all the beaches were closed due to Covid-19. Don't worry, I kept my distance and photographed them flirting from afar with my many lenses! I'm so grateful to capture this beautiful couple get married in just a few short months!

Hunter and Steve had an intimate destination wedding of about 120 people at the Baha Mar Grand Hyatt Resort in Nassau, Bahamas. My husband, second shooter, Sydney and her husband and I were all so thrilled and honored to be a part of this stunning wedding and I wanted to share it with you. This collection highlights various parts of their incredible day so keep in mind, it doesn't even cover it all! After all, there were over 2,000 pictures to hand pick.

In case you are wondering, yes, Hunter and Steve are basically models.  While Hunter works in the medical field, she also has a large following on her Instagram as an influencer (@hunter.macintyre). Steve had the side effect of having a model fiance and has been in a few shoots with her. This conditioned them to be so easy and comfortable in front of the camera so honestly, they were a DREAM to work with. 

Every detail of this wedding was so perfect thanks to Hunter's matron-of-honor Caitlin and all their amazing vendors:

Venue: Grand Hyatt Baha Mar
Dress: Beholden
Jewelry: Poppy & Co
Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Tie: Brackish Bowties
Hair: Kate Thompson — Set Blowout Bar
Video: Jiggy Productions
Flowers: Something Borrowed Blooms
Rentals: Wildflowers Bahamas
Light Sign: Hey Lights Co
Calligraphy: Mason Dixon Designs
Invites: Basic Invite
Programs: Zola
Officiant: Andrew Boyd + Tyler Cralle
Photographer: Visuals by Helen + Associate: What Sydney Sees

Sydney went to go see the gents around noon and got some stellar getting ready shots. Look at how much Steve is smiling! He is so ready to see his bride for their first look on the rooftop. 

Hunter and Steve actually had a first look planned elsewhere on the property but the alternative turned out just as beautiful. Y'ALL, they were able to see the whole island of Nassau on their wedding day. How special is that?

They opted to do a 'first look' because they wanted to assuage all their nerves as well as knock out all the formal photos before the wedding. They were ALL done with the photos before they tied the knot, which was a breath of fresh air for them. They were able to just focus on sunset photos with just the two of them and then dance right on into the party that took place on the Palm Lawn!

Hunter + Steve's wedding was one I'll never forget. They had two officiants (because they couldn't choose just one and they were both loved ones) and they knocked it out of the park. I know it's not easy speaking in front of a crowd but not only did they manage to make everyone laugh, they made almost everyone ugly cry. Kudos to Andrew and Tyler for a job well done! ​ Hunter and Steve went with their own vows which I LOVED —it embraced each of their flaws and strengths—making it so raw and real. 

After the ceremony, we had about a 15 minute window until the sun was gone and the Jiggy Productions videographers and I had the best time with these two beauts. They were extra sweet now that they were all done making it official in front of all their closest family and friends. 

After I finished sunset photos with Hunter and Steve, I walked up to the reception and I literally gasped for breath. The beauty of it all was mesmerizing. Between the lush greens, milky sunset, the Edison twinkle lights, candles, and the smooth jazz playing from a musical ensemble, I had the g.o.o.s.e.b.u.m.p.s.

The reception was just perfection— you will just love going through these last few photos. Bear with me! 

The sparkler exit was short and sweet but it was the cherry on top for the perfect wedding!  Incredibly thankful to the MacIntyres for sharing this with Sydney and me. Can we do this again next year?!

Don't get me wrong, I love my grandma and we have a whole lot in common—we both love to read, we both love to be outside and we both love our families to pieces,  but one thing she isn't fond of is dogs. She would be perfectly happy never seeing another dog again. HAHA. Mind you, she has been traumatized by a few rowdy ones and that's all it took on her thin skin and frail bottom. So you can imagine her surprise and her fake excitement when I told her about her new great grandchild...a furry one at that. Abby came into our lives on February 9th and it's been a whirlwind of poops, pees, barks and snuggles. We just love her so much already. As you can tell, Belle, our old grumpy farting machine loves her too. We were surprised because she still doesn't get along with our cat, MG, even after a year. Labs have an unspoken bond I suppose.

We adopted Abby to give Belle some companionship and to give Abby a great mentor into adulthood. Our close friend Brian has bred a few labs and decided to breed my sister and her husband's dog's sister. So it's a family affair to say the least. We loved how Porter (sister's dog) came out obviously so we wanted one of our own. The funny thing is MG came from Columbia, NC and that's where Abby came from too, so there is something to be said about Eastern NC sugar.

​More puppy love coming your way this year. In the meantime, back to your regular program of weddings and romance.

This beautiful bride, Kasey, is proof in the puddin' that you CAN do bridal portraits regardless of the weather. Sometimes it is just not worth rescheduling the hair, makeup, florist, and all that jazz so let's play in the rain!  

Kasey picked this venue, Fox Hollow Farms in Washington, North Carolina because she and her now husband were to get married here. Here's the secret, most venues are happy to accommodate you if you are doing the wedding there so always ask! 

We took advantage of all that Fox Hollow had to offer between the gazebo, the rain shelters, gorgeous oversized doors, outside fireplace patio, and even went out to the pasture when the rain let up a little bit. BONUS: the horse walked up almost immediately to say hello and made for the most stunning images!

Fox Hollow Farms is a hidden gem just 10 minutes from downtown historic Washington, NC and is the perfect venue for special events, weddings and receptions. They recently added on another wing to the venue that is identical to the North side so you are able to have a wedding indoors should you wish. Want to know the best part? They also have a dressing room! Best feature ever because who wants to ride in a car with your gown on? Naturally Kasey got ready here before her bridal portraits so she was able to feel right at home.

I love that no two bridal portraits are ever the same. It all narrows down to confidence and I take care of the rest! See how many poses you can get in just over an hour. These are just a handful of photos but at the end of the day, all you really need is just one you love! In Kasey's case, she ended up displaying a few different ones at the reception. 

Thinking about doing bridal portraits with me and wonder about the steps to take to go about them? Just read this blog post created by yours truly about how you can prepare for your bridal portraits. 

​Venue: Fox Hollow Farms, Washington, NC
Hair: Kate Bishop at Cosi Belle, Columbia, NC
Makeup:Makeup by Mere, Williamston, NC
Photography: Visuals by Helen, Wilmington,NC

IT'S A FORD CHRISTMAS! 
Vintage Ford Truck Christmas Portrait Mini Session | Wilmington, NC


For TWO DAYS ONLY, mini portrait sessions will be on sale for $100 ($125 value).
Sale ends at midnight on November 22nd.


THE SESSION DETAILS:
Sunday December 1st, 2019 | 15 minute slots during 2:30pm-4:30pm


Sessions are 15 minutes long and photographed on location at a private empty lot in Windemere neighborhood in Wilmington, NC. Address will be in your confirmation e-mail.
Set up will include a Vintage white Ford Pick-up truck dressed up with classy Holiday attire, none of that cheesy decor!


Package comes with 8 High Resolution Digital Files (printable up to 16x20 size) which you may choose from a fully edited online gallery. You will receive your images within 24 hours!


Outfits and styling ideas will be provided to all clients upon request.
Great for children of all ages! The whole family is welcome.
Session will be based around the vintage Ford truck.
Dogs are welcome if LEASHED!
Session is for immediate family only, there is an additional charge for extended family. Click here for more info!


TOTAL Session Cost $100 plus tax while on sale. Regular price is $125. 

1. Timeline

Okay. You want bridals done. Perfect. How do you figure out timeline? It goes like this. 

1. Buy your dress and see how long it takes to get it in.
2. Once you receive dress, try it on and see if it needs to be altered.
3. If so, take it to seamstress and ask for their turnaround time estimation.
4. Go to second fitting and see if it needs another round of tweaks.
​5. If you're good to go, e-mail me with your favorite dates that you have available.
6. Once you and I pick out a date, reach out to your venue, makeup and hair vendors (if you have them) and ask if they are available on that date! 

Now if you've gotten this far, that means you just want to know how to prepare for the session itself! 

2. Your Vision
How do you visualize yourself in your wedding dress? Do you see yourself in a rowboat! Great let's see where we can rent one haha! Do you see yourself on the porch of a historic home? Do you see yourself in a garden? Do you see yourself on your Grandma's front steps? Do you see yourself barefoot on the beach? Do you see yourself at the venue where you are tying the knot? What speaks to YOU? Listen to your instinct and this will help you know where to begin.

If you're totally laid back and nonchalant and want to trust me to pick the place, that's totally okay too! Sometimes it's nice to not make a decision for once during all the wedding planning.

3. Veil or No Veil?
Again, no two bridal portraits have ever been the same. I don't require brides to have a veil! But it sure is pretty :)  If you have one, don't forget to pack it! If you're torn, you can always do some with the veil and some photos without it. 

4. A Bouquet
​Have you ever taken a photo with someone and get that feeling: "What do I do with my hands!!?" A bouquet helps with this very feeling during bridal portraits. These floral gems are not required at all, in fact, half my bridals are done without bouquets. However, if money is a factor in your decision, you can always go fake!

Check out the photo below and take a guess what on whether or not the beautiful blonde golden bride below is holding a fake or real bouquet? Yup. Can't tell right? That bouquet is actually fake. It's proof in the puddin' that a bouquet doesn't have to be expensive. You can make it what you want it to be! You can go for that lush gorgeous bouquet that will mimic your wedding day bouquet or you can literally go fake. Fake it 'till you make it right? 

If you're going to bouquet route, often times your florist will be happy to make you one, or you or Mom can piece it together with stems from Trader Joe's!

5. Your bling!
This may seem like common sense, but jewelry is often an after-thought for bridal portrait prep. Don't forget about any family heirlooms and shine that gorgeous bling before your photographs!

6. Your Trust
I know it can be nerve-wracking thinking about taking photos by yourself, like WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR BODY?! But that's where you place your complete trust in me. I will guide you through many poses and the hour(s) will go by just like that and you'll find yourself having SO MUCH FUN.

7. Comfy Shoes
Girl, we all love a good pair of heels. But we all know that they can be uncomfortable! A bridal portrait session requires a good bit of standing so bring your flip flops, or even your rain boats and you can laugh about what's going on under that dress! If you can cover up your comfy shoes up during photos — save the pretty ones for a few photos where you're walking and can see your shoes.

8. Bring the little things, but not the big things:

A few of the little things that are nice to have: Lipstick, oil absorbent cloths, extra bobby pins, safety pins, champagne (why not!?) and water. Hydrate yourself to keep that skin glowing! Also bring a change of clothes if you are arriving to your bridal portrait in your gown.

But if you're thinking about bringing a bed sheet or towel to protect your dress, don't do it! Keep that at home! You only get to wear your gown once and I promise, it's worth to wear it well versus staged. It's also hard to conceal lumpy things like that underneath your train. Don't worry, I won't let you drop your gown in the middle of a mud pit. 

9. Your bestie
Make the day YOURS. Bring your best friend, first love & furry companion and/or your mama. I love when my brides bring their personal cheerleaders. However, I do recommend to keep the entourage down to a minimum, 2 people is ideal. Let's be real, we don't need to be herding sheep during your bridals—plenty of time for that during family photos at the wedding, ha!

10. Your Smile
A smile is worth a million bucks, be prepared to use it!

Thinking about Wilmington, North Carolina for your portrait session? You should be! There is a reason my husband and I live here: It's one of our most favorite places in the world! Between the historical downtown waterfront booming with character, the small, close-knit, beach town of Wrightsville beach and the incredibly colorful gardens scattered around the city, you really have everything you could possibly want for beautiful photo shoot scenery. If you just want to cut through all the B.S. of research for your upcoming shoot, check out my top four locations in Wilmington, NC that are indeed FREE to the public. Although some may kindly ask for donations! After all, everything has a cost. 

1. Downtown Historical Wilmington, NC
Historical downtown Wilmington, NC gives you a plethora of backdrops. Between the gorgeous bridges, historical buildings, wooden boardwalk, charming mansions, you have a quaint backdrop right out of the Notebook. You can choose to do half of your session walking around the city, then the second half on the boardwalk overlooking the Cape Fear River.

2. Shell Island, the North End Marshes of Wrightsville Beach

Look at all that texture and green! Shell Island is the best place for sunset with a coastal backdrop. If you want to be nestled in with nature, the North end of Wrightsville Beach marsh is the place is for you!

3. The Arboretum
The Arboretum at New Hanover County Garden is a hidden gem just five minutes from Wrightsville Beach that many people prefer if they aren't a sand person or just don't want to deal with that 10mph wind coming off the ocean. This intimate garden features a pond, baby walking bridges, a rose garden and a cute play area for little ones. Want to know the best part? It's FREE! While it is open to the public, you may have some bystanders during your shoot but it has been pretty private almost every shoot I've done there. It may be free, but they kindly ask for donations for park maintenance and care for all the adorable koi fish.

4. South End Beach of Wrightsville Beach, NC
Sunsets, sound, and sea. This is the trifecta that is Wrightsville Beach's South End. You get the blend of the sound and sea and even a bit of marsh textures. Depending on the season, you can even bring your fur babies for easy access and watch all the boaters come in through the inlet.

5.Greenfield Lake Park
Another hidden gem is Greenfield Lake Park. Nestled in the outskirts of downtown Wilmington, this picture-perfect park features a beautiful blue lake with mossy trees, swans, and gazebos. Needless to say, all perfect accents for a photo shoot. 


Now that I've shared with you my top five favorite (FREE) locations in Wilmington to do a photoshoot, which speaks to your heart? Let me know what you think and send me an email when you're ready to get your shoot on my calendar!

If you are one of my booked couples, you received a complimentary engagement session right in Wilmington! If you're not a booked couple and just want a little spicy shoot with your honey, then you're probably still wondering: What should my fiance and I wear at our engagement session? It is THE most common question I receive.  Don't worry. You're not alone in this. That's why I've created this blog that will always be in my blog sidebar.


KEEP IT SIMPLE

Keep it simple.Keep. it. simple. Don't overthink it. You want your love and raw emotions to be the focal point of the photos not your clothes. Wearing a flashy or complicated outfit will distract from the love that brought you here in the first place. Trends come and go, so just think like this while combing through your closet: "Will I be embarrassed to wear this outfit 10 years from now?" If you have any hesitation, it's probably a trend. You'll look at these photos for the rest of your life. The last thing you want to think to yourself is "Why was I wearing that?"

ASK YOUR FIANCE FOR HIS OPINION
It takes two to make an engagement shoot right? You will find yourself surprised sometimes that your fiance may have some input! He or she might stir up some inspiration too so ask your honey simple questions like these "Would you like to dress up or down? Is there anything you've always wanted to do?" If he/she doesn't care, then don't sweat it and have fun dreaming up the color schemes.

This is Rachel. This beautiful lady is made to be in front of a camera so it goes without saying: this shoot was so much fun! Flawless Makeup by Isla painted her face with color and we went on a little hour long adventure in Wilmington. This was a lifestyle portrait shoot, meaning, we captured genuine moments in beautiful places we'd already be. Nothing planned (except makeup), nothing forced,
no expectations except to have fun. Just how it should be.

We just went outside Rachel's house for half the shoot and then we heard Wrightsville Beach was calling for a gorgeous sunset on the sound so we scooted over to the South end and relished the golden rays. 

Megan makes for an absolutely GORGEOUS bride and now that she's finally married to her sweetheart, I can share her bridal portrait collection from a beautiful March day at Rose Hill Plantation. She and her husband Jeremy got married there on March 3oth so it was only fitting that she had her bridal session taken there as well. Between the beautiful manor house, the gazebo, the luscious green lawns, pond and Carolina blue skies followed by a golden sunset, it was all perfect. After a rainy winter, it was a refreshing day to be outside. Fun fact, Megan did her own bouquet for this session—I was stunned at how good she is at piecing together flowers and eucalyptus! Prepare yourself for Megan in all her beauty below.

Hair and Makeup: Jamie Robertson
Dress: New York Bride and Groom 
Photography: Visuals by Helen