kim + kyle | fall engagement photos in old town alexandria

Kim and Kyle’s love story started many years ago, simply and sweetly… :)

“We met in eighth grade on the bus. His friends were messing around and caught my attention. Later he got my number from a mutual friend and we’ve been talking ever since!”

These two have such a beautiful, natural connection built on a strong foundation, being together since middle school. Since Kim and Kyle live close to historic Old Town, Alexandria, VA, we spent our time exploring all the cobblestoned alleys, the waterfront that had this amazingly perfect public art installation up (we got so lucky with the timing as it was only going to be up for a few more weeks), the colorful rainbow ALX mural and Wilkes Street tunnel in addition to the most adorable and quaint homes along Prince St.

We could have easily spent the whole day together in Old Town -- talk about photogenic — I can’t handle it!!

They got engaged at home with wine in hand and a favorite dinner ready, thanks to Kyle (it happens to be my favorite too!)…

“Kyle had two of my friends keep me out after work on a Friday afternoon. When I got home, he was dressed up with dinner made (tomato and feta pasta, one of my favorites!). We went out to our balcony to eat, which he had decorated with lights and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Before pouring a glass of wine, he pulled the ring out of his wine glass!”

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Kim and Kyle, I can not wait to celebrate your long-awaited wedding day (…decades in the making!!) with you and document all the love and happiness surrounding you at Rust Manor House in the Fall! It’s going to be absolutely incredible.

I’ll see you soon, lovebirds!
xo, Naomi

lauren + tony | a romantic kitchen engagement session in harbor east

Lauren and Tony are two of the most genuine, beautiful, down-to-earth, sweet and fun-loving humans that honestly made my job so easy and enjoyable!

By the end of our time together, we had chatted about charcuterie, dogs, city life, pandemic dating and what it’s really like to move in together (laundry woes, lol)… and I didn’t want to stop hanging out with them! I love that they wanted to honor and celebrate the way their relationship came to be: in the kitchen, with wine, charcuterie and lots of cozy conversations.

Enjoy these favorites from Lauren and Tony’s Harbor East waterfront engagement session in Baltimore!

5 OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS FROM THEIR IN-HOME + WATERFRONT ENGAGEMENT SESSION:

1. The personalized red wine bottle their friend hand-lettered and they enjoyed sips of during their photos

2. The charcuterie platter Lauren assembled herself (it was so beautifully put together)!

3. Lauren’s custom denim Mrs. Assadi jacket adorned with pearls

4. The way Tony looks at her and makes her laugh

5. The gorgeous cotton candy sunset that created a perfect rainbow-colored reflection on the harbor buildings behind them!

You two are so perfect for each other and have such an incredible bond. I can not wait to see you again; thank you for allowing me the opportunity to continue to photograph your love story as you begin life as a married couple, Lauren and Tony!!

xo,
Naomi

lucie + chris | a sunset engagement at guinness brewery + baltimore waterfront

I will always say yes to taking engagement photos at a brewery… and for this adorable couple, it was extra meaningful since it was the site of Lucie + Chris’ first date! Read more about these cuties below!

Lucie + Chris met on the app, Coffee Meets Bagel, in November 2018. Here’s what happened after the initial match, in their words…

“We matched right before Thanksgiving and went on our first date to Guinness brewery. It was the Monday night before Thanksgiving and Lucie was supposed to be flying out to Portland, OR the next morning and still hadn't packed. We went and had one beer before we parted ways, both knowing that we had really enjoyed ourselves. Lucie told Chris that she might not text him a ton because she was going to be with family, but he knew she liked him because she ended up texting him a bunch… :)”

It’s pretty clear to me that Guinness should hire you two as models for their next ad campaign… just sayin’. :)

Proposal stories like this make me so happy…

“We had talked about getting a ring in general and Lucie did know the engagement was going to be happening most likely before the end of the year. It ended up happening on a Wednesday (12/9). Earlier that week, Chris had suggested that they go to National Harbor in DC to the ferris wheel. Lucie caught on and had assumed that he was going to proposal so she started getting super nervous all week. Chris picked up on this. We ended up taking a walk on Wednesday night, after a late work night for Lucie. Chris had intended for the walk to be around sunset but because Lucie had worked later that night, it was already dark for the walk. We still ended up going and walked to the harbor, right next to Baltimore Museum of Industry, which is a spot we often went. Then Chris said a bunch of nice things and proposed! Lucie had to get her phone flashlight out to check out the ring! LOL!”

After our time at Guinness, we chased the sun to West Covington Park to end along the water, where Lucie + Chris often take walks together. The weather was incredible, we got so lucky with the best night for an engagement session in Baltimore: it was breezy and the sky was definitely showing off!

Let’s get you married, Lucie + Chris!! I can’t wait for your intimate wedding at Cielo Verde on the rooftop of AVAM - it’s going to be the best day for so many reasons!

xo,
Naomi

holly + josh | a fancy, formal + fun Bromo Seltzer Clock Tower engagement

The sky was bright and blue when we met up at the Bromo Seltzer Clock Tower for Holly + Josh’s formal engagement portraits on a sunny December morning.

I had been looking forward to our time together in this space since we first started talking about their vision for photos… it was my first time being inside this epic industrial, historic and charm-filled Baltimore venue! Seeing how happy they make each other and how perfectly quirky, silly and sweet their love story is, it was so easy to document them in a natural, candid and relaxed way.

5 FUN FACTS ABOUT…

HOLLY + JOSH’S PORTRAITS AT THE BROMO SELTZER CLOCK TOWER + CEREMONY COFFEE IN MT VERNON

1. We brainstormed a few different locations before landing on the Bromo Seltzer Clock Tower and it was THE perfect spot: full of natural light, private, intimate, one of a kind, historic and fun...

2. Holly + Josh made clear to me that they had a vision for what they wanted and it wasn’t the typical engagement session feel. They wanted artsy and different. The art and creativity of the portrait itself was important to them; quality over quantity.

3. The Clock Tower is one of the most unique and photogenic structures in Baltimore (seriously, have you ever seen a location that even comes close to being as memorable as this?!) so I love that they juxtaposed how raw and textured it is with their fancy, formal attire.

4. Sharing a love of coffee, one of their first shared cups together was at IKEA… (browsing there is my idea of a perfect date too!)

5. Since the Clock Tower is not far from Mt. Vernon, we had to end at Ceremony Coffee which provided the perfect contrast with it’s modern design aesthetic.

I love how the story of how they met…

“A mutual friend of ours, Alex, started a monthly dinner party where a group of friends pick a theme and meet at someone's house to cook and eat together. We met at one of those, talked some more at one a few months later, and then had our first ‘I'm not sure if this is a date’ date at Ikea. That date lasted 13 hours and included our first coffee together of much more to come.”

But love even more, their idea of a perfect Friday night:

Holly: “Fancy, delicious, photo-worthy food and wine along with a scenic walk through an unknown city.”

Josh: “What she said, with a side of witty-banter.”

Our #urpcouples are the best.

I can’t wait to have you both back in front of my camera for your wedding next month at Wyndridge Farm in PA!! Your joy and love is contagious - you both light up a room and I can’t wait to document your wedding day; I know it will be full of laughter, emotion and gorgeous style!

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