Megan & Kevin | Stone Mountain Vineyards | VA Wedding Photographer

Driving up the mountain approaching Stone Mountain Vineyards for the first time, as the road keeps going up, up, up through the forest, it seems impossibly high up the mountain!  When you finally come out into the clearing where the beautiful wood winery building stands up on stilts, you are hit with a view that is completely unrivaled!  Over 1,700 feet high, Stone Mountain is one of Virginia's highest vineyards!  

I met Megan and Kevin inside the winery, and I got to hear the story of how they met in college outside a classroom, and later at a Halloween party where Megan was dressed as Minnie Mouse!  Together ever since, years later, Kevin asked Megan to marry him with a ring in a tiny glass slipper at Disney World (Megan is a true Disney fan!).   This is one of the best parts of being a wedding photographer- getting to hear people's love stories at this exciting time in their lives.  I'm so happy for these two, who are so clearly in love, and so thoughtful of one another.  Wishing them all the best in their journey together!!!  Check out these photos from their engagement session!

New owners of the winery, Jim and Deanna Gephart, have their own love story, and pouring themselves into operating a winery and vineyard after long careers in the federal government is a beautiful new chapter in their lives, and a dream come true for them!!

Cody & Mady Surprise Proposal at Stinson Vineyards

I was so excited when Cody contacted me to ask if I would photograph him as he proposed to his girlfriend Mady at Stinson Vineyards, in Crozet, VA.  This type of shoot is so fun because there's an element of sneaking around which adds another dimension to the shoot.  Cody and I worked it all out ahead of time.  I would wait at the edge of the rows of vines pretending to be very interested in photographing close-ups of grapes on the vine, while Cody and Mady finished up a glass of wine at the tasting room.  Then, Cody would suggest a walk down the vines...I would follow and be ready for him to drop to a knee and propose!  The day arrived and the vineyard had such epic views of the blue ridge mountains, I knew the photos would be epic!  As I pretended to photograph grapes (well, I really did photograph the grapes...), I got a little nervous myself, worrying that Mady would figure out what I was up to...but they walked right by me and I followed them secretly, hoping she wouldn't hear my camera's shutter or turn around since we were the ONLY people in the vines (and that might be a little creepy to see someone following you...), but it all went off absolutely without a hitch.  Mady didn't notice I had followed them at all, and when Cody dropped to a knee, it was so beautiful.  It was an honor to be there as the only witness to see Mady's surprised and overjoyed expression, and all in the most gorgeous setting...  They reveled in the moment and when Mady finally started becoming aware of me, snapping away at that point, it was funny to see her realize that Cody had hired me.  At one point, someone who worked at the vineyard called through the vineyard "Congratulations!....I literally heard it through the grapevine!"  Ha ha ha!  I loved that moment!  I could shoot a surprise proposal every day, it is so fun!  

My husband actually hired a photographer to be there secretly when he proposed to me in 2009 on Miami Beach at sunset, and I cherish those photos...that's where it all began...and now we are happily married with two beautiful kids!  When a guy hires a photographer to be there as he proposes, you know he has really thought carefully about this important moment and that he wants to take care of your memories together, which I think is just so sweet.  

Suzanne & Tim at Early Mountain | Charlottesville Engagement Photographer

Suzanne and Tim are getting married in downtown Charlottesville, just off the downtown mall, so knowing we'd get lots of urban shots of them on their wedding day, for their engagement photo session, we decided to go have a nice afternoon at a vineyard with a beautiful Virginia view.  We chose Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison, VA, and had a great time exploring the grounds.  Blue ridge mountain views, rows of vines, beautifully manicured gardens and stone walls, an old barn, fields of long grass in the setting sun....ahhhh.  And after shooting we went inside and kicked back on some sofas with a nice glass of wine and enjoyed some live music inside!  These two have a great love story.   I'll share more of that with their upcoming wedding photos!  I can't wait to hear these two say "I do"!!