Beth and Cory | Starrsville Plantation, Covington, Ga. Wedding

I’m so excited for Cory and Beth! Their big day was just perfect! It was a hot one but. you wouldn’t even know it by looking at these two. They were radiant and their love for one another just shined through!

We met Beth in the bridal suite of the main house at Starrsville Plantation where her sweet momma helped her get in her gown and then Cory surprised her with a beautiful gift that she wore down the aisle.

Beth asked us if we would take Cory a surprise too! We headed down the hall to find him getting ready with his guys. Cory and Beth both wrote each other very touching love notes and they each took the time to read them quietly to themselves. It was so beautiful to witness their emotions during that special time.

ALL the first looks had me, AND more importantly, Beth in tears!! From Beth’s first look with her ladies, to her and Cory and then her and her daddy. . .my oh my!! So many sweet tears.

Beth and Cory, I know beautiful things are in store for you both!! Congratulations guys!!

COVINGTON GA VENDORS

DRESS | FORMALLY YOURS

BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES | FORMALLY YOURS

GROOM AND GROOMSMEN ATTIRE | SAVVI FORMALWEAR

FLORIST | KACI MARKS

HAIR AND MAKEUP | BRITTNEY NASH

VENUE | STARRSVILLE PLANTAION IN COVINGTON, GA.

VIDEOGRAPHY | SANBEAR PRODUCTIONS

WEDDING PLANNER/ COORDINATOR | KATIE PERKINS OF BLONDIES

DJ AUDIOCAKE, CHRIS HORTON

WEDDING CAKE | MARCI SIGMAN

CATERING | UP IN SMOKE, KEVIN LORD

INVITATIONS | MINTED.COM

KONA ICE TRUCK

KayLeigh and Michael | Arabia Mountain Engagement Session

I am so excited for this couple!! I met KayLeigh through her grandmother, Pamela. Pamela and I have been friends for about eight years or so and I just love her! When Pamela would talk about her granddaughter, I knew that I would love her too! KayLeigh arrived at my office for her consultation after her and Michael got engaged and she was just beaming!! I got to meet Michael for their engagement session just a few weeks ago and he is a wonderful person and, together, they are just amazing!

KayLeigh and Michael went to middle and high school together but they never knew each other existed until years later. KayLeigh’s best friend, Samantha, was also Michael’s best friend in high school. Out of the blue, Samantha said to KayLeigh, “You know who you would be good with?" Michael Baker!” Kayleigh immediately went to social media and looked him up. She realized they were already Facebook friends. She never reached out to him after looking him up but she did think he was SUPER handsome!

Several months later, she was scrolling through social media and his picture popped up, so she gave it a little “thumbs up” and went on about her day. About two months later HE reached out to her AND asked her on a date!! KayLeigh was filled with joy that he had asked her on a date.

Their first date was such a huge hit, they went to Tin Lizzie’s and became best friends instantly and have been inseparable ever since. 

A few months before Michael proposed, he went to KayLeigh’s grandparents house and asked for her Poppie’s blessing. He knew he couldn’t tell her mom OR her grandmother because they aren’t the best at keeping secrets from KayLeigh. They are just so close!

KayLeigh and Michael had a weekend getaway planned for Jekyll Island in Georgia. On May 25th he wanted to go grab dinner at this place next to their hotel. KayLeigh thought that was odd because she didn’t realize there was anything next to their hotel. But, of course she agreed. Instead of walking on the sidewalk to go the restaurant, Michael asked if she wanted to walk on the beach to get to it which was an immediate YES from her. As they were walking down the beach, KayLeigh saw a man down on one knee and a woman standing up next to him. Her immediate reaction was “Oh my goodness, how sweet! I think he is proposing”. She later found out that this was the guy who Michael had hired to take pictures of their engagement and the woman was his assistant. At last, Michael was able to get KayLeigh in front of him and when she turned around to see why he stopped walking, he was down on one knee asking her to marry him!!!

PURE shock ran through her! While she knew with everything inside of her that she would marry this man, she had NO clue that he would be asking her to be his wife that weekend. She shed so many happy tears that day. 

KayLeigh mentioned in an email to me, “I fell in love with Michael extremely fast & it truly surprised me how strong my feelings were for him. He has showed to be the most caring, loving, funniest, most adorable human being I’ve ever met. While our story brought us together on social media, there is no doubt in my mind that God would have drawn us together another way if social media didn’t work. God knew exactly who my soulmate and partner would be the moment he made me and I’m so glad that Michael was that person.”

And that is so true! God has created us and our partners WAY before we knew how to talk! Isn’t that so beautiful?! To know that when we walk in faith and trust our Savior, He will always be there to provide our hearts desires!

KayLeigh and Michael, Congratulations!! I cannot wait to see you two say “I Do”!!

Marlow Family | Monroe, Ga.

A couple of weeks ago, I met the Marlow family in Monroe, Ga. for their session. So many gorgeous spaces at Melissa’s mom’s farm! Her momma runs an amazing program for children with special needs. It’s called Your Angel Wings Recreational Horse Therapy. Melissa is the momma to a special needs child. She’s very proactive and has become involved in a new ministry at her new church home. I asked her is she would like to share anything incase there are other family’s looking for support. Y’all, isn’t community everything!

Melissa says, “Two years ago after learning firsthand what it means to not have a church home and family, my husband and I have had the privilege of working with Victory Baptist Church in Loganville, Georgia to create what we call the Embracing Needs Ministry. This ministry is to walk alongside and minister to families with special needs children, support and care for foster families and share our time and love with local nursing homes. We also enjoy partnering with Your Angels Wings Recreational Horse Therapy to visit and bring miniature horses to the children’s hospitals in our area.

Our newest adventure is building our own farm! We are working towards cultivating a more simple life for our family. We are almost finished with the building of our home and are making plans on how to harvest our dreams!”

What a blessing this family is!! I just love how big her serving heart is! Click on the link if you would like more information about Your Angel Wings Recreational Horse Therapy . And for more information about the ministry that Melissa and her family started, click here Embracing Needs Ministry.

Lacey + Matt | Lazy Acres Wedding Day Mansfield, Ga.

There are so many wonderful things about this day, about this couple, about their love story. I want to share a little back story before I tell you more about them. . . I ended up getting really sick the day before THEIR big day. I cried and was so upset that this happened right before their wedding day. I thought I had the flu. They are the sweetest people and have amazing family’s. I was terrified I would be too sick the day of their wedding and would completely let them down due to my lack of energy. So, what did I do? I prayed! And I also, asked for others to pray for me.

I woke up that next morning and, while I didn’t feel 100%, I did feel somewhat better. As we arrived at the James Madison Inn to begin photographing Lacey, it’s like a wave of comfort and energy came over me. All my senses started perking up, it was GO TIME! I walked in to Lacey’s suite to see her there, looking completely flawless in her satin white robe, hair pinned back and stunning makeup! She greeted me with her big Lacey smile and a warm hug! I was so thrilled to see her and serve them on this very special day!

Lacey and Matt have a very beautiful love story that dates back before they were even born. Lacey and Matt’s mothers are best friends. They raised their babies together, they laughed together, they suffered loss together and they prayed together. Through the thick and thin of life they have overcome so much and raised the sweetest people!

These two have such a special bond that most people don’t get to have with their spouses. . .they grew up together and now they get to grow old together. Isn’t it amazing how God’s plan is always bigger and better than anything we could ever dream up?

I am so happy for this couple! Please give them a huge congratulations!

Vendors
Florals: JL Designs
Cake: The Posh Cakery
Catering: Blondies
Rentals: Covington Rental

Shauna + Patrick | Covington, Ga Engagement Session

I met Shauna through my relationship with her sister and brother-in-law, Ciara and Mark Edge. I went to high school with Mark, almost 20 years ago (holy cow, how is that possible?!) and when him and his wife, had their first baby, I got to photograph their first born, Conner’s newborn session. We’ve kept in touch over the years and I’ve gone on to photograph many family sessions for them. I’ve loved getting to know them! Their babies are INCREDIBLE!! I’m not just saying that either. I really mean it! They have the most joyous children and I know it’s because of how they are raising their babes. . .they are my serious goals!!

When Ciara’s sister got engaged, she suggested Shauna get in touch with me about photographing her wedding. I can’t thank her enough for that kind gesture! When I met Shauna and Patrick for the first time during our consultation, I fell in love with them both! They are the sweetest couple! They shared their proposal story with me and it’s just so romantic!

While in college, Shauna and Patrick met through mutual friends almost 11 years ago. Throughout those years, they remained good friends, seeing each other at annual events. No matter how much time would pass between events, they always hit it off and would pick back up right where they left off, joking and being silly with one another. It wasn’t until they went to a friend’s Halloween party that they finally saw each other in a different light!

Patrick, dressed in jeans and a Batman mask, and Shauna in her handmade Hamburgalar costume (somehow, she wasn’t the only Hamburgalar at the party!), the two hung out and enjoyed each other’s company all night. They parted ways for the evening but ended up meeting back up the next day! While navigating the chaos at the end of Georgia Tech’s homecoming game, Shauna came across Patrick. The night before, Shauna’s interest in Patrick had been peaked but he didn’t know it. After spending time with him, that next day at the game, they became like magnets the rest of the day. That next week they went on their first official date. Although, Shauna almost turned him down - eek! The idea of a “first official date” may have freaked her out a bit but luckily she went! It was immediate chemistry for the two!

They dated for two years and during that time, their love grew for one another. Although, they both had spoken about their future together, Shauna wasn’t convinced of a proposal anytime soon. What she didn’t know, is Patrick was about to blow her mind and give her a surprise of a lifetime!

Shauna’s sister, Ciara, is a chorus teacher. She had been teaching her kids about the play, Aladdin and she saw that the Fox Theatre was offering that show. Ciara, turned it into the perfect field trip for her students and when Shauna found out about it , her love of theater kicked in and she wanted in too! Ciara’s husband, Mark, is a police officer and is friends with the security officers that work at the Fox Theatre. The two surprised Shauna with an invitation for a backstage tour of the Fox Theatre! It turned into to be a huge event for their entire family, as it was also, Shauna and Ciara’s dad’s birthday too! Soon, the entire family joined in but they couldn’t leave Patrick out! Patrick, reluctantly accepted an 8:00am touring of the Fox with Shauna’s entire family.

They arrived, early that morning and began their tour with the head of security as their personal tour guide. They walked through the magnificent rooms and finally found themselves on the roof top in front of the iconic Fox Theatre sign. Patrick pulled Shauna in front of her entire family, he dropped to one knee and asked her if she would marry him! Shauna, shocked and totally elated, began to hug and kiss Patrick - she totally forgot about the ring! Patrick put that gorgeous ring on Shauna’s hand and the two left the Fox Theatre, no longer boyfriend and girlfriend but ENGAGED!!!

As it turns out, Patrick had been working with Shauna’s entire family to come up with the ruse to lure her to the Fox Theatre and share this special moment with them all. Man, he’s good!! Shauna and Patrick, I am so excited for you two and I cannot wait to photograph your big day later this year!