Grand Hotel Point Clear, AL Engagement

I love photographing engagement rings! During most of my engagement sessions, I take the ring photos while my clients change into their second outfit. This gives me time to focus on getting those somewhat tedious shots without having to slow down the flow of the session. I have yet to meet an engagement ring that I didn’t enjoy photographing, but I noticed that Carolyn’s was quite unique. I asked her if it was vintage because it looked like it could have been a family heirloom. She said it wasn’t, but that the vintage vibe it has is what she loves about it. I am also a girl who loves all things vintage, which is probably why I noticed the uniqueness of the ring in the first place.

Then Carolyn told me that Neal selected the ring because it reminded him of a princess carriage. For a girl like Carolyn who loves all things Disney, this was the perfect selection. Neal knew the moment he saw it that it was the perfect ring for his future wife. I immediately asked Carolyn who her favorite Disney princess was and I love that she said Ariel. It made the setting for her engagement session that much more perfect!

Carolyn and Neal were introduced by a mutual friend and co-worker. Since they were living in different cities at the time, their courtship was a long distance one for a while. When things started looking serious, Carolyn made the move to Nashville, the city that these two now call home. The day that Neal asked for her hand in marriage, they were visiting Magnolia Plantation in Charleston. I cannot think of a more romantic place for a proposal! Carolyn says Neal totally surprised her when he got down on one knee.

Neal says he is from everywhere. His family moved around quite a bit when he was a kid, living for several years in Fairhope. Carolyn is from Kansas. Since they have family all-over, they decided a destination wedding was in order. They settled on The Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Ala. after Neal told Carolyn about the little white church on the bay that was nearby. Sacred Heart Catholic Church is dear to many in our local community, but it also beckons to those Catholics who vacation in the area. It is one of my favorite churches for weddings because it’s such an intimate setting. Paired with a grand reception at The Grand Hotel, it’s magical!

I so enjoyed my time with Carolyn and Neal and, as I was taking the portraits of them down by the water, all I could think about was Ariel and The Little Mermaid. We seriously had some magical light going on, even though it was an overcast day. A gentle breeze blew across the bay as we soaked up the last bit of daylight. What more can I say, these two were like a Disney dream!

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