How to prep for your engagement session series - 1 of 2

Are you READY for this?! I am SO excited to share this SERIES with you! Being prepared for something you've NEVER done before is HUGE! I know when I go into anything NEW and I am armed with knowledge, while I still might be a little nervous, I feel way less anxiety and more excitement!!! My goal is to get you as prepared as possible so that you feel comfortable and CONFIDENT when you walk into your engagement session with your photographer!

E-sessions are SO important!

During this time with your photographer, you will learn how they pose, how they give you directions, how they communicate with you and this will lead you into being the best and most confident couple on your BIG DAY during your wedding photography!

Let’s just dive right in!!! The first thing most couples ask me when we start talking about their e-session. . .WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR?!?!?! This is a very big part of your engagement session! If you are comfortable in your outfits and feel confident with what you are wearing, then you are half way there! 

OUTFIT INSPIRATION: 

I recommend a maximum of 2 outfits for your engagement session to ensure that we have plenty of time to capture both looks before sunset! During your one outfit change is when I will photograph your rings while we wait! I recommend the following for your engagement session attire: 

- Neutrals such as blush, tans, light pinks, faint blues and teals, creams, grays and whites will always result in more of a light and airy look to your images. These colors photograph softer and more romantically! 

- If you’re really looking for a soft, feminine look, I recommend a flowing, maxi-length dress or skirt! The movement of this type of fabric photographs beautifully! 

- I recommend a more formal outfit and a more casual one, so that you have plenty of variety to choose from later! 

- The goal is COORDINATING outfits instead of MATCHING! I also recommend avoiding both of you wearing WHITE as a top. White doesn’t allow for any contrast in your images. 

- Guys, I recommend that you avoid patterns that are smaller than a dime! These small patterns can create strange visual effects in a digital camera. Close-toed shoes photograph well, and I recommend avoiding graphic tees and tennis shoes! 

- Gals, I recommend that you wear something that flatters the parts of you that you love the most and also allows you to be extremely confident! If you are uncomfortable when you look in the mirror (having to suck in and only like the way you look from one angle), then that probably isn’t the best outfit choice for you. I want you to be really confident in your outfit, because I know that you will love your portraits so much more if you’re not worrying about how your clothes fit! 

there's more!!!

In the next blog post I will discuss more steps you can take to help you create the best engagement session experience possible!!! I hope you find this little guide helpful!!! Don't forget to subscribe!

Click here to view the next blog post on Engagement Session Prep!

The Robbins take Gulf Shores!!!

Happy Monday and back to reality day!!! Last Monday we paaaaacked out the car and headed to Orange Beach Alabama for Gulf Shores! It was our first time visiting this beach and we will most certainly be going back! This year we also brought along a friend for the first time! RyAnne’s bff Airyanna joined us! It was so wonderful having her as a part of our family for the week!

The last time we went to the beach, in October of 2017 for Fall break, my PPD (postpartum depression) kicked into high gear. It was one of the worst trips to the beach I’ve ever experienced. As you can imagine just coming out of my PPD and being away from everything “normal” and all of my routines, I was a nervous wreck that it would hit me again. I prayed SO much about it leading up to this trip. I prayed that God would just prepare me in every way possible for this vacation that there would be NO way I could be depressed!

And guess what?! I felt SO prepared and ready and thankfully, even with the challenge of an infant on the beach, I had an amazing time with my family!

Our first day of our trip was spent at the beach ALLLL day long! I didn't take any photographs that day. I just sat on my beach chair and took it all in! It was glorious! The water was the perfect shade of emerald and the sand was so pretty and white! While it was a tad bit chilly it didn't stop of from having a blast! The next day we headed to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. We saw lions and tigers and bears!!! They didn't make any photos BUT I did find some pretty birds! lol The peacock and swan made the cut!

Right about here is where things got interesting! And funny! I laughed SO hard. The girls are having a blast in the water and jumping waves and then they got really still. I could tell they were trying to focus on something in the water. . .

They RAN out of the water screaming "SHARRRRRRK!" OMG! I calmed them down quickly before any of the beach goers got too nervous!!! It was a sting ray! A bunch of them! They were happily ridding the waves with the girls! 

Rocco did really good this trip! While it was challenging keeping him from eating the sand that he wanted to grab at, we took turns holding him and keeping occupied!

You might have to look hard on this next set of photographs but you will see in the distance a dolphin jumping straight out of the water!!! Olivia was completely oblivious!! We saw dolphins every single day!

We visited the Gulf Shores State Pier on one of the prettiest days! We also visited the Gulf Shores State Pier. While walking out we saw a dark mass swimming around a fisherman's line that was in the water. I asked him what that was. . .He said, "It's a shark trying the eat the fish I'm catching!" Gulp! We saw several! 

And just in case you ever wondered how close a shark will get to the shore. . .with people in the water. . .That dark mass, yep! That's a shark!!!

In the photo above, Rocco was so tired but was fighting his sleep! There was too much to keep up with for him to sleep! Although that boy did take some awesome beach naps in his daddy's arms!

On our last day, I was looking out the window and all the sudden I see a FLOCK of birds show up and they are squawking so loud! Then I started to see them going after something in the air! Our neighbor below us had a bag a Tostito's and was launching then in the air for the birds to catch! lol Naturally Trey had to get a part of this action too!!!

I'm so thankful that my family and I got to take this trip and have some "down" time! I'm also thankful to be back in my daily grind!! I think when you get to take a break every now and then, you appreciate your daily routine so much more and you're given the opportunity to reflect on how you can make it even better!

Graduate in Athens, Ga. | Southern Distinction Magazine Series

This was my first time visiting the Graduate Athens! Not only is this a super fun venue but they offer SO much - a spa, catering, coffee, a bar AND a gorgeous hotel for you and your family to stay for your wedding weekend! The locations for photo ops are UNLIMITED!!! We had so much fun with our model Ansley going from location to location all over the grounds of the Graduate! Oh and the staff there are so, so sweet!

Trey, my husband, came along and assisted me on this shoot so afterwards we were able to sit and have a coffee and a pastry! Even if you don't stay at their hotel or have your wedding there, you should totally go check it out!! It's a great spot of dinner and coffee!

This wraps up the Southern Distinction Magazine SERIES! I had SO much fun shooting for this magazine and meeting all of the incredible vendors! I have links below if you missed one of the shoots and want to go back and check them out! Which you TOTALLY should! ;)

Thank you for following along on this fun journey!

Vendor Guide:
Venue: Graduate Athens
Floral & Designs: Katie Perkins of Blondies
Dress: I Do, I Do Bridal Boutique
Jewelry: Aurum Studios
Makeup: Jeris Farmer of Bombshell Creations
Featured in Southern Distinction Magazine
Model: Ansley Murphy

View the entire Southern Distinction Magazine Series here:
Buckeyes Plantation, Social Circle, Ga.
9 Oaks Farm, Monroe, Ga.
The White House at 9 Oaks Farm in Monroe, Ga.
Graduate Athens

The Loft at Scott's Downtown in Gainesville, Ga. | Southern Distinction Magazine Series

Last but not least on this little journey through all the styled shoots for Southern Distinction Magazine, I am sharing The Loft at Scott's Downtown in Gainesville, Georgia! Scott's Downtown is located in the heart of historic Gainesville! They are an award winning restaurant with so many options for your event! They offer a beautiful airy loft space upstairs above their bar and restaurant. The natural window light made for the most glowing photographs of our models Katie and Joseph!

One of my fave parts about this shoot are the dress, the jewels AND the florals!!! Ha, that's almost EVERYTHING isn't it?! lol Aren't they so elegant thought?! Katie's bouquet is made of florals that were all blooming at the time of our shoot! Our florist from RLM Affairs was so creative!

Vendor Guide:
Venue: The Loft at Scott's Downtown in Gainesville, Ga.
Floral & Design: RLM Affairs
Dress & Tuxedo: I Do, I Do Bridal Boutique
Jewelry: TK Anderson Designs
Hair & Makeup: Sassafras Salon
Model: Katie Van Lacke & Joseph Oropeza

View the entire Southern Distinction Magazine Series here:
Buckeyes Plantation, Social Circle, Ga.
9 Oaks Farm, Monroe, Ga.
The White House at 9 Oaks Farm in Monroe, Ga.
Graduate Athens

2424 Warehouse at 9 Oaks Farm in Monroe, Ga. | Southern Distinction Magazine Series

So far I have covered two of the three venues 9 Oaks Farm has to offer their brides! This is the last one but it might be my FAVE! It's fun and filled with rustic charm! On Guest owner of the venues and florist, totally goes all out for her couples! She has decorated the 2424 Warehouse so beautifully! This venue has a bridal suite overlooking the warehouse space and the groom and has his own cottage for getting ready just outside on the same grounds. While they are still preparing the gardens for upcoming weddings, I can see that it will be unique with loads of opportunities for stunning sunset photographs!

View the entire Southern Distinction Magazine Series here:
Buckeyes Plantation, Social Circle, Ga.
9 Oaks Farm, Monroe, Ga.
The White House at 9 Oaks Farm in Monroe, Ga.
Graduate Athens in Athens, Ga.

Vendor Guide:
Venue: 2424 Warehouse at 9 Oaks Farm in Monroe, Ga.
Floral & Design: Wedding Flowers by On
Dress: I Do, I Do Bridal Boutique
Jewelry: JWR Jewelers
Makeup: Nicole Yearwood of Salon Two Thirteen
Model: Taylor Timmons