A Village of Springhill Engagement Session

There are certain people that you meet who make you feel like you’ve known them forever. Grace and Connor are one-hundred percent those types of people. From the first time I met Grace, I felt like we were old friends who just hadn’t seen each other in a while. Then she, Connor and I bonded over our love of all things Harry Potter and Disney during their consultation, which we held via FaceTime because of the pandemic. I knew I was going to love getting to spend more time with them at their engagement session. I was right!

Grace and Connor have the sweetest love story. They met in a church parking lot when they both were surprising a mutual friend with baked goodies for her birthday. Grace had made a cake and Connor showed up with Princess cupcakes. Grace said she knew he was special right from that moment. After a long chat in the parking lot, Connor got Grace’s number from their friend. Their first date was a trip to Harry Potter World…Grace is a Hufflepuff and Connor a Ravenclaw if you’re wondering.

Nearly four years after that first parking lot meeting, Connor proposed to Grace at the Cathedral where they first met. I’m pretty sure I sighed out loud when Grace told me the story. So romantic, right?!

Grace and Connor live in Orlando, where they both work for competing theme parks. I told them that if it wasn’t for Covid, I would have hopped on a plane to do this session in Harry Potter World, or Disney OR both! But I love that Grace wanted to do this session in her hometown. She grew up in the Spring Hill area so we decided to meet up at Carpe Diem and shoot wherever the light was good that day. As it turned out, dreamy golden light followed us around for this entire shoot. I was in heaven!

A Special Heirloom

Just when I thought this shoot couldn’t get any better, Grace pulled out an antique quilt and asked if we could incorporate it into some of their photos. I almost lost my mind with excitement. I am obsessed with all things antique, but especially antique quilts! Quilting has been a hobby of mine for years, but it wasn’t until the pandemic shut things down earlier this year that I picked it back up. It literally kept me from stressing out about all the cancellations and postponements due to Covid. As soon as I saw Grace’s quilt, my mind went into overdrive.

We spread the quilt on the ground and after taking a few photos, I knew these were going to be some of my favorites from the shoot. When I asked them to lie down on the quilt and gaze up at the sky, Grace responded, “Like Carl and Ellie in Up!” I was like, YES!!! Clearly we are kindred spirits! Side note, Grace had me take the Sorting Hat Quiz on Pottermore and I’m also officially a Hufflepuff.

Grace and Connor, thank you for such a fun shoot! I can’t wait to photograph your wedding day in the spring! You two are just magical!