A Bragg-Mitchell Mansion Portrait Session

So many Mobilians have photos of themselves as children with Azalea Trail Maids. I know there are several of me from when I was a child in our old family photo albums. When I was a little girl, I thought they were princesses. They always wore the most gorgeous gowns and had the sweetest personalities. Nearly every little girl from this corner of the south grows up dreaming of one day wearing one of these custom dresses as an ambassador for our fair city. However, it is a very select few young ladies who will be chosen.

Each year, 50 young ladies who are entering their senior year of high school are selected for the Azalea Trail court. As Azalea Trail Maids, they serve as official ambassadors for the City of Mobile. If you’re not from Mobile, you may have seen them in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In their colorful, custom-made, antebellum gowns, they definitely stand out. The dresses are designed to look like flowers. Mobile is the Azalea City afterall. They look uniform from a distance, but a closer look reveals that each dress is a unique design. I have always loved these dresses and have wanted to do an Azalea Trail Maid portrait session for years!

Ramsey is the younger sister of one of my senior portrait clients from a few years ago. I was so excited for her when I found out she’d made the 2018-2019 Azalea Trail Court. I was even more excited when her mom asked me about doing this portrait session. When we decided to do the session at The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion, I knew I was going to be in heaven on this shoot. Ramsey is just the sweetest young lady and I loved taking these portraits of her. Plus, lavender is one of my favorite colors, so it was all just perfection!!!

I also got to meet Ramsey’s dress designer, Heidi Harrington! She is friends with Ramsey and her mom, so she and her daughter joined us for the shoot. Can you believe that she made four other Azalea Trail Maid dresses in addition to Ramsey’s?! Mind. Blown.

We ended up timing this session perfectly with hydrangea season!!!

The Azalea Trail Maids wear pantaloons under their dresses. Each maid gets to customize the pockets (which is where they stash car keys and cell phones) however she wants. Their shoes are even died to match the color of the dress exactly!

I just had to make one of these black and white!!!

Congratulations, Ramsey, on making the 2018-2018 Azalea Trail Court! I know you’ll do our city proud!

Ramsey is representing Mary G. Montgomery high school as an Azalea Trail Maid.

Dress Design by: Heidi Harrington

 

Now is the time to schedule summer and fall portrait sessions! Contact me for rates and availability!