“Tristan is the nicest, sweetest, most likable, loving and caring person you will ever meet. I have never heard anyone say anything bad about him. Everyone loves him! It is actually kind of annoying! Haha.”
See you in T-4 days… here’s to ending the year with the best celebration!!!
kelly + colin | a relaxed and radiant sunset engagement at cylburn arboretum
/Kelly and Colin make my heart so happy. They are 2 of the most incredible humans I’ve met… passionate, hardworking, kind, considerate, thoughtful, smart, funny, have impeccable taste in what they wear, who they surround themselves with and how they move through life.
Our time together at Cylburn Arboretum in late May was nothing short of MAGICAL. The gardens were showing off, the sun was golden and glowy and Kelly + Colin were easy, breezy and beautiful in love.
I can’t get over Kelly’s dress (from Lulu’s — always my favorite!) and how her gorgeous blonde hair fell in romantic, soft waves at her shoulders where the dress tied with the cutest long ribboned bows!
And their meet-cute story:
“The short version is through mutual college friends at the University of Maryland. The long version is this: Colin adopted his first ever dog, Goldie, the summer before our senior year of college. Kelly’s roommate at the time was a huge dog lover and as a good friend of Colin’s then roommate, would often take Goldie for walks or watch her on weekends that the boys were away. Colin would always come pick up Goldie after a play date or sleepover and would always take some time to sit and chat. After several of these Goldie-related hang outs, Kelly soon developed a crush on Colin. On a Saturday night out about a month before graduation (with some liquid courage on board), Kelly made the first move and planted kiss on Colin. The rest is history!”
Their proposal story is so incredible, I love it — who knew a day spent getting baby pee on you, paying taxes and getting a flat tire could end up being such a beautiful day!?
After almost 6 years together, Colin decided the time was right and started planning all the proposal details. He asked Kelly’s parents for permission, got the ring, and hired a photographer to capture the moment. He even got in touch with the student coordinator of Kelly’s anesthesia school program to sneakily give Kelly the day off from the hospital, with the disguise of Good Friday as the reason for the day off. Excited to have a rare day off, Kelly quickly decided to spend the day with her sister and 6 day old nephew to get in some baby snuggles. Kelly helped give baby Jett his very first bath, but not without getting a golden shower herself. Being the natural procrastinator she is, Kelly also had to file her taxes that day as it was literally the last day to submit them. This process brought on several frustrations and maybe a few tears. As the afternoon turned to evening, Kelly’s sister and parents kept asking when she was leaving to go home for her dinner date with Colin at Kooper’s Tavern in Fells Point. Kelly was enjoying her time with the family and jokingly said to them, “are you guys trying to kick me out or something?!” Spoiler alert: they were!
Heading to their home in Canton to change from the aforementioned baby pee outfit into something clean for dinner, Kelly wasn’t 5 minutes down the road from her parents’ house when she heard a hissing sound coming from her right front tire and an alert for low tire pressure. After pulling into a Dunkin Donuts parking lot and confirming she had the flattest tire of all time, she called Colin for an update, who said he was getting ready and would call back soon. Kelly also called her dad, who would stop the world to help her with anything. But to her surprise, he told her to just call AAA rather than coming the 5 minutes away to change the tire himself as she expected he would. She quickly let the thought pass since that is what AAA is for anyway. Behind the scenes, Kelly’s family had immediately began changing when she left in preparation to meet them downtown for the proposal and couldn’t show up in nicer clothes then they’d just been wearing minutes before. Colin called back and said he was going to come pick Kelly up to take her to dinner because he didn’t want to wait for AAA. After finally arriving to Fells Point and parking the car, Kelly and Colin started walking down by the water to head to dinner — Kelly still wearing the sprinkled clothes from earlier with no time to go home and change. Colin suggested a quick stop to sit on a bench overlooking the water to decompress after an eventful afternoon.
While sitting together and enjoying the moment, Colin got down on one knee and proposed! Kelly was in complete shock and the tears of happiness came pouring out. Shortly after, Kelly and Colin’s parents and siblings joined to add to the surprise. The next day, a scheduled brunch date turned out to be a surprise engagement party with all of our closest friends. It was an unforgettable weekend filled with so much love and happiness!
Kelly + Colin, I can’t tell you how excited I am for your wedding day!!
Ever since we first had the chance to connect, you’ve brought such a huge smile to my face. Your love story continues to inspire me in the way you both support each other and prioritize time together amongst such busy and successful careers! I can’t wait to celebrate with you and document all the love, joy and candid emotion at your Heron Room + Cosima wedding!
xo,
Naomi
36 ideas for where to take your engagement photos in Baltimore
/The most common question I’m asked after a couple books Urban Row Photography as their wedding photographer is…
WHERE SHOULD WE TAKE
OUR ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS?
So, I’m devoting an entire series on the blog specifically to help answer this and demystify the process of where to take your engagement photos in Baltimore! Starting with my list of favorite locations in Baltimore first, but a separate post is in the works for locations in the greater Maryland, DC and PA area to plan your engagement session since there are so many incredibly picturesque spots outside of Baltimore!
I want to show you how to make your engagement photos memorable, fun, un-awkward and full of important aspects that are meaningful to you both. Without further ado, here’s a list of 36 locations to take your engagement photos in Baltimore (those with a $ next to them require a permit + nominal fee):
Patterson Park: pagoda, lake, hilltop views at sunset…
Lake Roland: trails, lake views, gorgeous leaves in the Fall
Union Craft Brewing: a series of bold, graphic and colorful murals
Bmore Licks: fun murals + pupsicles for your #urbanrowpup!
Druid Hill Park: especially in the spring with all the pastel blooms, Druid Hill Park shines! It also happens to be the home to Rawlings Conservatory… more on that below! ;)
Henderson’s Wharf / Broadway Pier: one of Baltimore’s oldest warehouse buildings and public spaces full of charm, character, lots of brick and amazing waterfront views… and breezes! This esesh is also a fun one to relive!)
Frederick Douglass Maritime Museum: views of the iconic Domino Sugar factory sign are unmatched from this pier!
Harbor East waterfront: a fun, chic waterfront spot
Canton waterfront: sunset views from here are wide open and shimmery!
Sandlot: as beachy as Baltimore gets… drinks, sunset views, sand and cafe lights with views of the downtown skyline
Streetcar Museum: if you share a love of transportation and/or met on a subway (one of my couples did!), engagement photos at the Streetcar Museum would be such a unique way to commemorate it!
The Guinness Brewery: Baltimore is home to the only Guinness location in the US?! Helloooo fellow beer lovers! There’s tons of outdoor space, a fun mural and beautiful design to incorporate as you sip a freshly poured pint of yummy beer!
Charmery (the OG location in Hampden): a turquoise mural on the corner of this iconic and quirky Baltimore ice cream shop with some of the most unique flavors you’ve ever had make it a really fun place to start or end your photoshoot!
The Ave in Hampden: all the kitsch with lots of fun, independent shops and storefronts
Cylburn Arboretum: a historic old mansion, enormous old trees, tons of nature to explore and gorgeous no matter what season…
Rawlings Conservatory ($): a lush, tropical greenhouse oasis in the city
Maryland Zoo in Druid Hill Park: your portraits could include penguins, polar bears and pygmy goats! What else could you want?! ;)
AVAM: mosaics, ivy covered brick walls and lots of fabulous, fun sculptural art
Federal Hill Park: one of the most iconic views in Baltimore, overlooking the Inner Harbor - sunsets here can be cinematic!
Artifact Coffee: rustic, cozy coffee shop near Hampden + Clipper Mill
Clipper Mill: love the industrial grit here… think loading ramps, rusty window panes, fire escapes…
Brewer’s Art: a brewpub in Mt. Vernon with craft beers and a unique atmosphere - the windows near the main bar overlook bustling Charles Street and have a really cool, classic + vintage vibe
Mt. Vernon Place: feels like you’re in Europe without the travel! ;)
Rye Street Tavern: cocktails on the lawn with water views and clean, modern design… Baltimore perfection.
Under Armour HQ / Tide Point: views of the Inner Harbor skyline along a waterfront promenade and industrial buildings… bonus if the Domino sugar boat is docked at their factory next door!
Fort McHenry: for the history buff who loves big trees and green spaces and the water’s edge… a relaxing picnic on a summer’s day here would be perfect!
Bromo Seltzer Clock Tower ($): a historic clock tower in the heart of downtown Baltimore that evokes another era and is like nothing you’ve ever seen before!
Sherwood Gardens: this spot is best during spring blooms when the tulips are at their peak! Typically peak bloom occurs the last week of April through the first week in May, depending on weather conditions. In the heart of the Guilford neighborhood, this community park and rolling lawn were designed by Olmsted and has beautiful vistas at every corner.
BMA Sculpture Garden ($): lush garden oasis in the city adjacent to Johns Hopkins Homewood campus with modern sculpture throughout.
Pratt Library: love the architecture of the historic main branch facade downtown - where are my book nerds?!
Graffiti Alley: an ever-changing alley of colorful graffiti; the graffiti walls make for a really fun contrast of a backdrop when paired with formal attire and long/flowy dresses!
Mt Washington Tavern: a modern tavern with crisp, clean and inviting architecture, bright spaces and a fun neighborhood feel
Monument City Brewing: local Baltimore craft brewery in a warehouse space adjacent to Haven Street Ballroom and Urban Axes… such a fun date spot!
College campuses (Loyola, JHU, UMD…): quintessential higher-ed vibes with beautiful quads and tree-lined brick paths; love this idea if you met at college!
Ceremony Coffee: Mt. Vernon (urban city vibes) and Harbor East (glassy and minimalist modern) are my 2 favorite locations!
Cross Street Market / Broadway Market: recently renovated in the heart of Federal Hill and Fells Point, grab a drink at your favorite spot and explore these picturesque main streets together!
Other unique engagement photo ideas in Baltimore… if you have access to any of these, let’s do it!
A sailboat
A rooftop deck
A carriage house / loft for a cozy in-home session
Bring some bubbly to pop and enjoy no matter where we go!
Bring your #urbanrowpup. Don’t worry, we will get good photos no matter how excited your dog is!
If you have your heart set on a location that’s not on this list, even better - I love discovering new spots to bring my camera! The most important thing to remember when choosing a location is to make sure you’ll be comfortable there. If you’re most comfortable being outdoors together in nature, let’s find the perfect park setting. If you love going out to eat and grabbing a drink, let’s take your photos in and around that bar or restaurant; urban signage and historic streetscapes can make really unique portraits!
Hope to see you in front of my camera soon, friends!
xo,
Naomi
julia + keegan | a waterfront summer engagement in Fells Point
/Julia and Keegan both light up when they look at each other and it’s easy to see how even after 8 years of dating, they are not only passionately, head-over-heels in love, but SO. EXCITED to get married!!
While in Fells together, we took advantage of an empty Broadway Pier and all of the beautifully historic backdrops along Thames Street. The skies were cloudy with just the right amount of golden sunlight peeking through at the right time… I love the love these two share!
Their perfect Friday night? “Pizza. Popcorn. Movies... and potentially fireball.” ;) Enjoy these photos from their engagement session along the waterfront in Fells Point - they’re making me even more excited for their upcoming wedding at Main Street Ballroom in Ellicott City (another historic main street to document all the joy they exude)!
How they met in Julia’s words:
“We met working together at a church camp! We were both camp counselors for a week in the summer of 2012. We had both worked at the camp before but had never actually met. But during a pre-camp meeting, we both took note of one another. We started talking a bit through the summer and then Keegan left for college. He eventually reached out through the second semester and we decided to meet up for Panera when I got back for summer vacation. We started formally dating shortly after, and 8 years later, here we are!”
I love how their proposal involved popcorn and a movie…
“In early March, Keegan bought went out and bought an engagement ring and thought about proposing in a couple months. But the week later after he picked up the ring, we woke up to a beautiful sunny day and he thought, today is the perfect day. Keegan suggested we go to the restaurant outside of the movie theater and grab a drink and some popcorn (popcorn is a recurring theme in our relationship). Keegan left to go get the popcorn and when he came back, there was a card inside proclaiming his love and desire to spend the rest of his life with me. He then got down on a knee and proposed! I said yes! Later that night we went over to Keegan's parents house to tell them and unknowingly they we're throwing a St. Patricks day party, so once we told them it almost turned into an engagement party and instantly everyone knew we were engaged!”
Their wedding day at Main Street Ballroom is going to be one full of family, friends and good food… Keegan’s dad created customized corn hole boards for the patio and they’re planning to end the night with an epic sparkler exit! Let’s do this, lovebirds!!!
xo,
Naomi
erin + greg | tide point baltimore waterfront engagement
/With winter allowing me some time to breathe and catch up with all the things, I can’t wait to finally share warmer weather vibes and all the madly in love 2019 urban row couples that I haven’t shared yet!
Before we dive into how wonderfully matched Erin and Greg are, I have to say how grateful I am not only for fun-loving couples like them, but how they came to be part of the Urban Row Photography family... Mandi and Miles, one of our 2016 couples (see their incredible July waterfront wedding in Baltimore here!), are good friends with Erin and Greg and connected us soon after they got engaged. Referrals like this mean the absolute world to us - there are not enough words to express how much we appreciate knowing you felt that comfortable and confident in sharing our work and your experience with your best friends!
Meeting up with Erin + Greg at Tide Point was the perfect spot to capture their love story since it all begin by the water!! I’m always amazed to hear stories like theirs! If this doesn’t make you believe in fate, I don’t know what will…
“We met at Seacrets in Ocean City! An unlikely spot! Greg was visiting Ocean City with a group of guy friends. It was the weekend he was supposed to be in Vegas for a friend's bachelor party. When that friend's wedding was called off, they decided to go on a quick trip to Ocean City instead of going to Vegas. Erin was staying in Fenwick DE (not far from OCMD) with her friend (and maid of honor) Maddy. Both groups ended up at Seacrets on Friday night. Maddy was dancing with one of Greg's friends, so when Greg saw Erin alone, he asked to buy her a drink. We exchanged numbers at the end of the night and have been texting daily ever since!”
As soon as we started, Erin and Greg fell into such a groove, they were complete naturals in front of the camera and if they didn’t feel like it, I definitely couldn’t tell… (that’s always the goal: I want you to have fun, be silly and belly laugh as much as possible… just so ya know!)
Erin’s favorite thing about Greg makes me smile since I could totally see it during their engagement session! Their faces both light up whenever they look at each other… “My favorite thing about Greg is his laugh. It sums up his care free attitude and overall "fun to be around" spirit. And, it's what stood out about him the first night we met.”
Their proposal story gave me butterflies and also involved a view of boats and Baltimore waterfront sunset perfection!
“Greg planned to propose at Erin's family's cabin on the Susquehanna River. They were supposed to spend a Saturday there so Greg could help put the docks in the water for the season. However, Erin was asked to go to Los Angeles for work last minute and booked a flight home the Saturday he planned to propose, so that plan wouldn't work. Greg says he couldn't wait until another weekend, so he decided to propose the night before Erin left for Los Angeles, on Wednesday evening. They went to dinner at Blair's on Hudson (favorite neighborhood spot where we always order the same thing - Guinness Filet!) and went for a walk on the water afterward. Greg proposed on the waterfront in Canton when the sun was setting. It was a beauuuuutiful early May evening. It was a pretty private spot, but after he proposed, a few people sitting on their boats docked in the water nearby started cheering! They continued walking to Fells Point for a celebratory drink and started making calls to family and friends to share the news.”
You both are the sweetest and we can’t wait to capture your wedding at the Accelerator Space in April! If you bring your best laughs and adorable carefree love, it will be a day to remember like no other!
Cheers to 2019 being your best year yet!
xo,
Naomi
chinnu + suganth | spring cylburn arboretum engagement
/Chinnu and Suganth’s love story starts innocently but became real with a second date at the Indiana state fair…
Read Moremegan + chris | patterson park pagoda engagement
/When I first met Megan, I knew we were soul sisters for a few simple reasons…
Read More6 reasons why you should do an engagement session!
/I wanted to share my top 5 reasons why engagement sessions are so valuable... since after being in this industry for awhile, I've answered all of the questions below and you might be wondering the same thing!
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