If you are looking for the recipe to making your engagement session completely unique, I have two. First choose something you like to do together for the first part of the session. Think a sport, a restaurant, a dog walk. Next ask your photographer for a beautiful location to photograph. This location might not be familiar to you, but it will become a wedding memory. Your photographer knows the places that are best for light and backgrounds at all times of the year (often this list changes based on season.) With those two things you will have a session that is both personal and beautiful.
When Brianna first called me to chat about photographing her wedding, we couldn’t put the phone down. She’s one of those people with whom you instantly connect, and from that very first conversation, I knew we were kindred spirits. I always say that I’m incredibly lucky to have clients who feel more like friends, and Brianna is a perfect example of that.
For their engagement session, Brianna and Ethan chose to include some of their favorite things, making the day feel as personal as it was fun. We started with pickleball! We had chatted about things that they like to do together and pickleball was high on the list. Luckily I knew a court that had a rose garden in full bloom right next to it! This was so much fun getting to plan their pickleball session.
Next, we visited two beautiful rose gardens that hold special meaning for them: Elizabeth Park and Walnut Hill Park in New Britain. This little known rose garden in New Britain still had blooms! It was an absolutely gorgeous stop on our way to the most famous rose garden, Elizabeth Park in West Hartford. When we got to Elizabeth Park we found that the best part was the other gardens. Ethan and Brianna were completely at ease with each other and the camera. Having been with each other the whole evening made this part of the session feel more like following my friends through the park and snapping the best photos.
What makes this couple even more special to me is how much we have in common. From our shared love for Hill House dresses and anything in the color blue to our mutual adoration for puppies and kids, it felt like photographing close friends rather than clients. They are the kind of people who make you feel immediately at home and like you’ve known them for years!
Brianna and Ethan are such a sweet couple, and I’m beyond excited to continue capturing their journey together. They are not just clients—they are friends, and I feel so fortunate to be a part of this beautiful chapter in their lives.
Couple | Brianna and Ethan
Venue | Elizabeth Park and Walnut Hill Park
