You might remember Shannon and John from their sunrise Old City Philadelphia engagement session we captured last fall! We wandered all around the area where they live, including the Merchants Exchange Building. So, of course, we were excited when Shannon mentioned that she wanted to return to that same area for their wedding photos!
Our day started at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill where Duette Hair and Makeup pampered all the ladies getting them ready for the day! Meanwhile, down the hall, the guys were hanging out, having a pretty chill morning! then we headed to the beautiful St. Charles Borromeo Church in Sicklerville where Shannon & John said their I do’s in front of all of their friends and family!
Their timeline then allowed for a significant amount of time for photos! So, we headed into Philadelphia over to Old City and the Merchants Exchange Building where we were able to capture the bridal party and some of my favorite photos of Shannon & John!
We then headed back into New Jersey to the beautiful Valleybrook Country Club where Shannon & John celebrated with everyone close to them! The day couldn’t have gone more perfectly and we couldn’t be more excited for the two of them! <3
It is always such an honor to capture photographs of someone you’ve known for a long time. I (Tami) have had the pleasure of knowing Shannon since elementary school. So, when she contacted me to capture her wedding and engagement photos, I was totally flattered and so excited to do so!
Shannon and John were set up by one of Shannons friends, who just happened to also be Johns cousin! They hit is off from the start, and as they say, the rest is history! They are an adorable couple that just seem to “get” one another. She falls so easily into his arms. The way he looks at her almost makes your heart melt. After a night of dinner and dancing, John proposed to Shannon in their apartment – just the two of them.
So, it was a perfect idea, when Shannon suggested doing their engagement photos right outside of where they live in Old City Philadelphia. They normally walk their dog along the riverfront at sunrise, and it is absolutely gorgeous along there. So, a sunrise shoot was planned! We arrived just before the sun started to peak over the waterfront and made sure to capture their adorable little family, dog included! As the sun rose, the lighting was perfect! We had so much fun walking around Old City, along the waterfront, Sansom Walk, and the Merchant Exchange Building. It was a great morning to truly get to know these two better! We can’t wait to capture their wedding at Valleybrook Country Club later this summer! Such a happy pup! Just as the sun rose over the waterfront – LOVE! Oh, these two are so sweet together! It’s such a dream to be able to live around so many historic and beautiful landmarks. Isn’t Shannon’s engagement ring absolutely gorgeous?
It was Marissa’s senior year of college, student teaching and basically busy all of the time. So, her best friend/college roommate would sit on her online profile and make a list of guys that Marissa should check out when she got home! When she came across Dave’s photo, she thought he was really handsome… Well, he saw that she had checked out his profile, messaged her, and well, the rest is history!
Dave proposed to Marissa at Longwood Gardens. He had it in the work for months… even told Marissa months prior that they’d be going there for a corporate work party so that she wouldn’t suspect anything. So, she bought a new dress, had her hair and makeup done and it was no surprise that Dave was in a suit, looking his finest! They wandered around Longwood, got a little lost and then ended up at a pagoda… at which point, Marissa started hysterically crying because she realized what was happening! Once he got down on one knee, and she said YES, both of their families appeared from a distance cheering!
For their engagement session, Marissa and Dave wanted something fun, in the city. So, they decided on the Philadelphia Magic Gardens to start at! We had so much fun wandering around and taking advantage of the gorgeous mosaics! From there we headed into old city and wandered around the streets there, and then ended our time at Franklin Fountain – their absolute favorite place to get ice cream!
Isn’t her engagement ring stunning?! Marissa’s sister had personalized Coca-Cola bottles made for them! Share a Coke with the future Mr & Mrs! We love that they wanted to end our time together at their favorite ice cream shop! We had never been to Franklin Fountain before, but it is definitely a place we’ll be going back to!
Aside from capturing weddings, our next favorite thing to shoot are engagements! Whether the actual proposal when it happens or the engagement session before the wedding, we love it all! Engagement sessions are the perfect time to truly get to know one another! We have time to get to know you as a couple – what you like to do together, how you met and got engaged, your quirks, and how comfortable you are in front of the camera. At this same time, you also get to know us, and form more of a trust and friendship, so that when we show up on your wedding day, we’re more like friends than random vendors. This years engagements took us from South Jersey to North Jersey to the Jersey Shore to Hoboken and over to Philadelphia and Villanova! We love traveling these distances to get the chance to form a lifelong friendship and bond with each of our couples!
Kensi + Peter :: Villanova University – Villanova, PA
Kensi and Peter met through mutual friends while attending Villanova together during their Sophomore Year. So, there was no better choice than to capture their engagement session at the location that they met!
Sari + Franklin :: Grounds for Sculpture – Hamilton, NJ
Sari and Franklin are such a fun, loving couple. They met one another while working together – and really set their friendship on fire! They appreciate beautiful art, so the Grounds for Sculpture was a fun choice for their engagement session!
Kristin + Jim :: Hoboken, NJ
Kristin and Jim met and spent the beginning part of dating while in Hoboken. So, why not go back to where it all began to capture their engagement photos?! We had a perfect evening with lots of laughter and a beautiful sky!
Alison and Jim may have met one another through mutual friends while hanging out one evening… but their engagement took place in one of their favorite locations – Brigantine! After a day of “almosts” Jim finally proposed while they were watching TV together at Alison’s family’s house. It was perfect.
Jessica + Eric :: Ocean City, NJ
Jessica and Eric grew a long lasting friendship while working together, and didn’t actually start dating until about 6 years after they met. Eric proposed to Jessica in front of the Christmas Light Show while in Hershey, PA for Christmas last year! Since they will be getting married in Mexico later this year, they thought a beach theme would be ideal for their engagement photos!
Rocco + Kait :: Wildwood, NJ
These two! My goodness! Instead of talking about their epic New York City proposal… you can see all the images HERE! Since Kaits family has a house in Wildwood, and they spend a lot of time down there throughout the summer, they figured that would be a place that would mean the most to them to have their engagement photos taken!
Jackie + Tom :: Philadelphia, PA
Jackie and Tom are one of the many couples that were lucky enough to meet one another online! They loved the idea of wedding photos in the city, but since they were getting married at the beach, that wasn’t exactly practical. So, we decided to capture their engagement in Philadelphia instead!
Caitlin + Andrew :: Rutgers University – New Brunswick, NJ
Caitlin and Andrew met while attending Rutgers University at the Nicholas Residence Hall. So, for their engagement, we started where it all began! We then headed over to Passion Puddle and ended our time together at Old Queens Gate! We were able to get the full Rutgers experience!
Christina + Colin :: Hereford Lighthouse – Wildwood, NJ
Christina and Colin met “the old fashioned” way – In a bar in the east village in New York City. They both have a love for the beach, so they chose the Hereford Lighthouse and the surrounding area for their engagement photos!
Shannon + John :: Old City – Philadelphia, PA
Shannon and John were set up by one of Shannons friends… who also happens to be Johns cousin! As they say, the rest is history! John proposed to her in their Old City Philadelphia apartment after a night of dinner and dancing. They chose to walk out their front door and use the Philadelphia waterfront and surrounding area for their session… the same area they walk their dog together and enjoy daily!
Michelle and Chris have a fun, long love story where they actually met one another 16 years ago, and years later, reconnected and here we are – they are getting married in just over 4 months! Since Chris proposed on Christmas Eve last year, they wanted a festive engagement session. They chose the most adorable location – Franklin Square Park!
Kasey + Bill :: Historic Smithville – Galloway, NJ
Kasey and Bill met while working with one another, and their friendship grew over the years to so much more. They will be getting married in only a few weeks! But first, we captured their engagement session in a spot that they love, during a season they love! Smithville at Christmas!
The first photo that Bridget + Matt ever took together was at Logan Circle. This is also the place where Matt decided he would propose to Bridget so that their first photo as an engaged couple could be in the same spot! So, on their wedding day, we traveled back to that same spot at Logan Circle so that they could see each other for the very first time before becoming husband and wife! They then said their I do’s and celebrated with all of their family and friends at the always incredible Adventure Aquarium! Enjoy! xo A girl and her mom, on her wedding day… Such a sweet photo of these two! First looks with the bride and her dad have recently become more of a staple, and I am totally ok with that, as long as I bring some tissues along for myself! These moments are to be treasured forever! Just look at her dads face! Matt was SO excited to see Bridget!! Since they are both teachers, it was only right to have school buses as their transportation for the day! Might be the COOLEST, and most well-dressed guest we’ve even had at a wedding… When your couple asks you for a selfie, of course you say YES!!!
Such a happy pup!
Just as the sun rose over the waterfront – LOVE!
Oh, these two are so sweet together!
It’s such a dream to be able to live around so many historic and beautiful landmarks. 
Isn’t Shannon’s engagement ring absolutely gorgeous?
Isn’t her engagement ring stunning?!
Marissa’s sister had personalized Coca-Cola bottles made for them! Share a Coke with the future Mr & Mrs!
We love that they wanted to end our time together at their favorite ice cream shop! We had never been to Franklin Fountain before, but it is definitely a place we’ll be going back to!
