A Bellingrath Gardens Engagement Session

It’s pretty well-known that I do not photograph weddings outside of the Mobile Bay area. I’m often asked if I’ll travel to Auburn, or Birmingham, or other nearby cities. I always say no when those opportunities come along because it’s very hard for my team (who work for me on weekends) to travel for weddings and I love working with a consistent team. I also love working with vendors I know and at venues that are a short commute home. There’s something about sleeping in your own bed at the end of a long wedding day.

However, a few years ago when my cousin, Chris, got married, I traveled to Texas to photograph his wedding. It was a total dream! Several of our family members traveled out there for the big day and I was planning to attend before they asked me to be their photographer, so it all worked out. Fast forward a few years and my cousin Laura, who is Chris’s sister, gets engaged. Knowing me well, she sweetly asked if I was up for traveling to Texas to be her wedding photographer. I said absolutely YES!

Laura has lived in Texas since she was in kindergarten, but every time we are together it’s like no time has passed. The miles don’t matter. We just pick up where we left off. I was delighted when Laura wanted to come to Mobile for engagement portraits! She chose a very Mobile location – Bellingrath Gardens! Spending this time with her and her finace, Manny, was such a treat. They drove in literally for this session and then drove back to Texas. Thankfully, the weather was GORGEOUS while they were in town!

A Walk Through the Gardens

Bellingrath Gardens is a location I know well, but on this day we were surprised to find the gardens set up for a special event. This gave us a few unique backgrounds that you wouldn’t typically see at the gardens. I could have chosen to not use these spots, but Laura and Manny were game for trusting my creativity. I’m so glad they did! In the end, we had the best of both worlds – natural gardens, plus colorful and unique features that made it feel a bit like we were at Disney World!

I can’t wait to celebrate with Laura and Manny later this year in Texas! Enjoy this massive share of favorites from our time at Bellingrath Gardens.