To say I’m excited is an understatement for how I feel about these two being engaged!!! I was overwhelmed with joy when I heard the news, and so imagine my surprise and excitement when she reached out to me within a week of her engagement, to ask if I was available to be their photographer!! I was ALLL kinds of happy! Like, over-the-moon happy!

I’ve known their family pretty much my whole life. In the last few years, I have even photographed her younger sister Cassi’s wedding and other various milestones!

Chelsie and I grew up together and have known each other since we were like 4 or 5 years old! We lived a few minutes down the road from each other, and never failed to end up at either one of our houses to stay the night and play! We rode the school bus together every day to middle school, listening to our awesome walkman (cd) players…hahaha!! Jamming to Nelly and Ja Rule and other great R&B classics now, lol! Oh the memories that came flooding back after she contacted me!!

Wanting to photograph them before I went out on maternity leave, we decided to do their engagement portraits this summer! So we made it happen!

I was already scheduled to be in VA beach for a photo shoot that Monday and Chelsie and John were in Myrtle Beach the weekend before. They made the drive back from Myrtle Beach to VA Beach Sunday night, just for their portraits, and then drove back to Richmond Monday Night! Talk about amazing!!!

Immediately upon meeting John, I knew they were meant to be…he was a very kind and respectful man and I’m so happy for Chelsie!! And, can we talk about how GORGEOUS they are together?!! I could photograph them ALL DAY!! A lot of it they did themselves, while I was just snapping pictures of their affectionate love and adoration towards one another!!! They way Chelsie lights up with joy when he smiles at her was melting my heart the entire session!! 🙂

And, their outfits!! Oh my goodness they were on point for beach portraits!!

They ended their session with my crazy thought of “hey let’s lay in the sand and let the small waves crash on you for a sweet intimate shot!” They were totally on board with it!! Haha! They sat there for several minutes waiting for the perfect little wave to crash over their feet… it never came, haha!! So I suggested “let’s move a little closer!” So they did. And we waited several minutes again! Then finally, (of course) a large wave crashed over them SOAKING them! Eeeek!! I felt awful, and thought to myself.. “OMG they are going to hate me!” But they were troopers and loved it, laughing through it all!! One of the final wave shots is included in the gallery below!

Chelsie & John loved their session, which is what matters most to me as a photographer, and I can’t wait to photograph their wedding day!!

It was seriously the perfect night on the beach for portraits!!! I could not have asked for anything better. Oh! And a little fun fact… John proposed to Chelsie in South VA Beach just a few weeks prior to their session! Sooo cute!

Enjoy my favorites from their Virginia Beach Engagement session!!