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

kylie + nate | a relaxed at-home kitchen engagement in baltimore

When Kylie and Nate approached me with the idea of taking their engagement photos at the new home they were renovating together, I was so excited for their plans!

We started in their kitchen to show off their love of cooking together and all the adorable and unique ways their relationship has grown — and then we went outside at golden hour to take in all the beautiful garden vibes on their street. Kylie and Nate, I could have photographed you both all day!

I arrived and everything was ready to start with; they had a personalized cutting board saying ‘Nate and Kylie’s Kitchen’ with fresh lemon, parmesan cheese and herbs set out that were incredibly fun to photograph with Kylie’s solitaire ring and some champagne to enjoy while cooking, of course ;) …I don’t think it gets better than this!! You two are so stinkin’ cute!

“We met at Johns Hopkins freshman year. Nate lived above me in our dorm. We had Calc III together and became friends doing homework together. We started dating a few months into college and have been together for over 9 years!”

“Nate proposed at a rooftop bar in Tampa. I was on a business trip in Tampa for the week and he met me down there on Thursday and we extended our stay through the weekend. He proposed on Saturday night and it was pretty cold for Florida so there were very few people outside on the rooftop. We had to go up to a group of strangers after he proposed to ask them to take some photos, lol!”

When I asked them their favorite things about each other, their words brought tears to my eyes:

“I love how smart and confident she is. She truly wants the best future for us together and is committed to making us both better to get there.”

“I love how dependable he is. I think the best possible attribute you could wish for in a partner is for them to be someone you can count on and that's Nate. He's my best friend and I love that he's always there for me no matter what it is.”

Kylie and Nate, your future is SO bright, I can’t wait to see what you continue to accomplish together! If your home renovations and cooking skills are any indication, you’re destined for amazing things!

Thank you for the honor and opportunity of sharing in the official start of your love story - we can’t wait to celebrate and party with you at the Belvedere this weekend!!!

xo,
Naomi

elizabeth + steven | a golden hour garden engagement at Cylburn Arboretum

Cylburn Arboretum’s gardens are in my opinion, the most photogenic natural setting in Baltimore! Whether spring, summer or fall, the grounds are full of color, texture, greenery and a historic mansion that provides elegance, romance and intrigue. It doesn’t get better than this if you want your engagement photos to be timeless, gorgeous and full of variety.

So while brainstorming locations with Elizabeth and Steve, I was extra excited when we landed on Cylburn since Elizabeth told me that Steve is a huge fan of The Wire and they filmed this scene there, so we might have to recreate it together…! ;) Scroll down to see how they did!

I love that they met while playing kickball in Federal Hill almost 10 years ago now and have such a sweet and playful relationship. Their photos just make me smile so much - they’re so comfortable around each other and have such a loving way of being together.

More about their love story, in Elizabeth’s words:

“We met in Fall of 2012. Steve and I were both living in Federal Hill (actually on the same block but didn't know it!). Separately we decided with some friends to join a kickball league and were placed on the same team where we met. Our groups merged fast and we regularly hung out as friends. We were close friends for 2 years before we started dating in 2014.

In June when some of the COVID restrictions were lifted, I was excited to eat outside at a restaurant (and not out of a takeout container). I made a reservation at Limoncello in our neighborhood which ultimately got pushed back a week due to weather. The plan was to walk down to dinner so Steve suggested we take drinks and walk down to Tide Point (a very regular spot for us). When we got there, we sat along the water for a bit before getting ready to head on to dinner. When we stood back up to keep walking Steve took my drink out of my hand, got down on one knee and proposed! Our best friends were hiding behind one of the buildings taking pictures and popped out with champagne to toast. Steve had also secretly changed the reservation so they joined us for dinner to continue the celebrations! My childhood friend is a jewelry designer and Steve worked with her (Sasha Walsh Designs) to make my ring, making everything even more special!”

Elizabeth and Steve, we can’t wait for your wedding at The Winslow this weekend!! I love that we’ll be able to celebrate with photos at Tide Point too, where you got engaged and with such incredible views of Baltimore, a city with so much personality to show off!

xo,
Naomi

erin + brandon | a Butterbee Farm engagement with wine + local flowers

While this was not my first time photographing at Butterbee Farm, this engagement session was the first time I got to photograph a couple so willing to trek through flower fields in heels, a dress and adorable outfits after enjoying a few glasses of local Maryland wine! Erin and Brandon ARE. THE. BEST!!!

Erin + Brandon met online and had their first date at Maggiano’s. Between that first date and Brandon’s surprise proposal at the Inner Harbor, Erin describes how the subsequent date they had at Boordy Vineyards was when they both knew it was real - they talked a lot about sharing the same values and how they could picture spending the rest of their lives together. It was for that reason that we decided to plan their engagement session at a location similar to Boordy Vineyards; a garden / farm feel, where they could sip some wine, enjoy a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere and have the whole place to themselves!

If you’re not familiar with Butterbee Farm, you need to change that! As a local flower farm in Pikesville, MD, Butterbee grows flowers for florists, weddings and flower lovers all over the Chesapeake region. Growing flowers year-round (thanks to their heated greenhouses!), Laura Beth and Jascha provide the highest quality environmentally friendly options to couples that want locally sourced flowers for DIY weddings, teach classes, and host events at the farm.

Butterbee is a beautiful respite from city life and I love it when couples choose to spend time here with me!

5 reasons why taking Erin + Brandon’s engagement photos at a private flower farm like Butterbee was perfect:

1. They were able to enjoy a quiet and private picnic vibe right outside of Baltimore City that reminded them of a special time in their early relationship.

2. The lush, natural gardens provided a beautiful, colorful backdrop for late summer engagement photos.

3. We incorporated unique geometry and architecture among the rural farm environment.

4. The sunset was PERFECTION; glowing golden light among meadowy field grass made for some of my favorite photos of these two!

5. Because we had the whole place to ourselves, we were able to explore all the different seasonal blooms, meadows, landscapes and greenhouse spaces and not feel rushed.

This series of photos is my favorite… it showcases how Erin’s whole face lights up when she smiles and laughs and how completely in love with her, Brandon is. They’re so content and ready to start their next adventure together!

We couldn’t be more excited for your wedding day at Hillendale Country Club to finally be here! You both have such contagious, joyful energy together and are going to make a beautiful married couple!

xo,
Naomi

erin + nick | elegant historic hampton mansion engagement

The number 13 has always been Nick’s lucky number (ps: it’s actually my family’s lucky number too!) and so it was only fitting that on June 13, 2007, Nick asked Erin to be his girlfriend and they became a couple… in the hallway at the end of an eighth grade school day!

Erin and Nick have been through so much together in the course of their 13 year relationship leading up to their Maryland wedding day; having the honor of getting to know them and documenting their love story has been nothing short of incredible… from our very first conversation nearly a year ago, I could immediately see and understand how Nick’s favorite thing about Erin is her thoughtfulness.

While the pandemic threatened to move their wedding to 2021, and steal the perfect wedding date from them (originally planned for June 26, 2020… 13 years and 13 days exactly from the day they started dating), an incredible silver lining emerged during all of the wedding postponement conversations. The stars in fact aligned, and they are going to be able to get married on June 13, 2020 after all (which was the date they originally wanted!) - in a smaller, more intimate ceremony in Columbia, Maryland where they first met and attended grade school together. I’m pretty sure there won’t be a dry eye during their backyard wedding ceremony.

In Erin’s words, how they met (I still can’t get over how they’ve been together for half of their lives!):

We met at Harper's Choice Middle School in Columbia, Maryland, at the beginning of sixth grade. We had our very first period class together that year, as well as a few others, but didn't know each other all that well. Still though, I have a memory of sitting with my best friends that year blushing at talking about thinking he was cute. We got to know each other a little more over the next couple of years in orchestra (both playing the violin). The oldest photo I have of the two of us is that December, during our orchestra concert - I'm looking over my shoulder at Nick, and it's so precious! In eighth grade, we had most of our classes together again, and I started talking to my friends (at those stereotypical middle school sleepovers!) about how cute Nick was, and how much I liked him, but didn't think he'd ever really noticed me. Just before valentines day that year, they convinced me to tell him how I felt. I composed an elaborate note to be slipped to Nick during English class on valentine's day, but a snow day pushed it to the next day. I think I wanted to crawl under my desk and die of embarrassment when I saw him open and read it! He responded the next day with a note of his own that thanked me for wishing him a happy valentine's day, but told me that he didn't feel the same way, and hoped we could just be friends. Since we were the two kids in school who weren't cool enough to be on AIM with everyone else, he also included his email address, and we started exchanging emails. Over the course of the next few months, we started emailing every day, eventually a hundred times a day, talking all night after school about everything and nothing, and becoming closer and closer friends. A couple of weeks before the end of the school year, Nick stopped me in the hallway at the end of the school day, and passed me a new note saying that his feelings had changed, that he really liked me, that he hoped I still felt the same way, and asking me to be his girlfriend. I was over the MOON! I wrote back a note the next day to say yes, and passed it to him on June 13, 2007. Thirteen has always been Nick's lucky number, so he and his best friend Ethan had decided that was the right day for him to ask me.

And now, the proposal in Nick’s words:

I proposed at the national cathedral in DC on April 21, 2019. We had been there before when we lived in DC, and I knew that the grounds and gardens were beautiful and would be perfect for pictures. April 21 was also Easter, so I figured it would be a good excuse for us to be dressed up nicely without creating suspicion. We were back in DC for the long weekend for the wedding of one of Erin's best friends. Erin was the officiant for her best friend's wedding on Saturday, and part of the bridal party, so when she had to be up in the bridal suite at 8:30 am for hair and makeup, it left me plenty of time to head over to the Cathedral with a good friend that Erin used to work with in DC to scope out the grounds, figure out where the best hidden vantage points for pictures would be, where the sun was, how we could approach the gardens so that we were aligned for pictures and also not make Erin suspicious about what we were doing there. Neither Erin nor I go to church very often anymore, and she most definitely did not want to go, but because it was Easter I convinced her that it was probably the right thing to do. Despite calls for rain all weekend, we had perfectly sunny skies. I had the Uber drop us off well out of the way so that we would approach the cathedral perfectly in line with where our friend would be hiding with his camera, and managed to time our approach perfectly so that the hundreds of people at the cathedral for easter were actually in the church just as service was beginning, which left us all alone on the grounds. The church bells were actually ringing as I got down on one knee and surprised Erin with a proposal that couldn’t have gone any better or more according to plan.

Erin is brilliant, and a meticulous planner, and just generally super thoughtful and aware, so I thought there was little to no chance of me pulling off a surprise proposal, but because she was so focused on her friend's wedding, and delivering a beautiful service, and ensuring that her friend had the wedding of her dreams, she was completely unaware of my plans.

We spent some time just us in the gardens, and then raced home to easter dinner where Erin only expected to see her family and mine, but I had also secretly arranged for all of our closest friends from home to be there waiting to surprise her, and help us celebrate our big day.

I’ve always believed everything happens for a reason and you both are proof that good things come to those who wait… I CAN NOT WAIT to watch you marry the love of over half your lives, 13 years in the making on June 13th in an intimate, small and ridiculously meaningful wedding ceremony among the presence of your closest friends and family!

Let’s get you MARRIED!

xo,
Naomi