ALEC & CLARA: ROMANTIC, VIBRANT, SNOWY ENGAGEMENT SESSION IN CARROLL COUNTY, MD // MARYLAND ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER

It feels really strange to us to be writing this blog post today when, just last week, we were with Alec and Clara in 6+ inches of snow capturing their engagement session! The sun might not be shining today but it is 64 degrees (correction, 66 degrees as we just checked our weather app again) here in MD which is a whirlwind from last week! But as most Marylander's know -- that's just how it is here! You could say instead, "Maryland is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get!".

For those of you who have followed along with us for the past few years, you've probably seen Alec and Clara a few times. Whether they are getting photos done in Annapolis, on the beach in Assateague, climbing crazy mountains in West Virginia, or trekking through the snow with us, they are always up for an adventure and that is something we absolutely LOVE! Alec is Jimmy's cousin and my cousin-in-law and we are soon to add Clara to the family officially when they get married in August 2019! We are so excited for them because we have had the opportunity to see them grow as a couple over the past few years and they have also watched us grow in to who we are today!

One of our favorite parts about this crazy business dream of ours is building relationships and connections with people and getting to follow along with them throughout their journey. We've had the blessing to capture engagement sessions, weddings, maternity photos, and family sessions for our couple's already and it melts our heart's to realize the impact we've had on so many people in such a short amount of time.

As we reflect back to last week on our session with Alec and Clara, we can really say that everything happens for a reason! Sometimes, it's even better than you had originally planned or hoped for! There were so many obstacles that we all had to overcome to make this session happen! First, we were down to crunch time and needed to choose an outfit pronto for Clara for her engagement photos! The first skirt that came in was missing a piece, so she quickly had to order another (thank God for Amazon Prime). However, she had to ship it to our house because she was in Texas with family -- needless to say, we had our fingers crossed that this second skirt would come in on time and with the missing piece!

Second, I am no florist and I applaud all of the talented florists out there! Floral design is NOT easy, but with little to no time and a last minute vision of a beautiful bouquet, Jimmy and I put our heads together and came out with something special to compliment their session and color scheme! Last but not least, our original plan was to travel out to Deep Creek Lake, MD and do their session at Swallow Falls because we were chasing the snow and we all love it there! Lucky for us, the snow came here! So, we unpacked our bags and planned for a new spot right here in Carroll County, MD!

We would be lying if we said that the obstacles stopped there and everything went perfect on the day of their session. The roads were a little sketchy, but thank goodness for four wheel drive, it was pretty cold and a little windy, it was 11:00AM so we were in the middle of full sun and finding a shady spot was a challenge, and to top it off, it was super slippery (I would know considering I slipped and fell THREE times!).

But, you know what?! NONE OF THOSE THINGS MATTERED!!! Not one of the challenges or obstacles that was placed in our way mattered at all when we got out there on that beautiful snowy morning with them. The only thing that mattered was the love between the two of them, and the connection we help to create and coach to shine through in photos and moments together. It was so quiet and serene with just the sounds of a small wind rustling through the woods and trickling water on the rocks, and in that moment, we knew that we had made it! We had all overcome everything that stepped in our paths, and when it all fell in to place, it was truly a beautiful thing. One of our favorite sayings is, "Magic happens when you do not give up. The universe always falls in love with a stubborn heart" and we were certainly reminded of this that day.