Fall Engagement Session at Bernheim Forest

There’s something special about Bernheim Forest in the fall—the golden light, the quiet paths, and art installations around every turn. It turned out to be the perfect setting for Sam and Haley’s engagement session: thoughtful, creative, cozy, and a little adventurous. Just like them.

They brought a picnic with some of their favorite books, a sketchpad, and each other. After we wandered the grounds and created some gorgeous photos among the trees and sculptures, they settled into a little clearing, shared snacks, and sketched. They flipped through well-loved books and talked. It felt less like a photo session and more like a date—which is always the goal.

Engagement sessions are at their best when they reflect who you are as a couple. Bringing things you love—like sketching, hiking, reading, or even just a favorite blanket and a snack—can take the pressure off and make the whole experience feel easy, even fun. Sam is a painter, and Haley is a writer. They spend a lot of their time creating near each other, so it made perfect sense to include that part of their relationship in the photos.

They met on Hinge during the pandemic and had a long & slightly chaotic first date hiking at Clifty Falls—complete with a dead phone and getting lost in the woods. But they clicked immediately, and that same adventurous energy has stayed with them. Their life together now includes cooking weeknight dinners, visiting art markets, cuddling their dogs on MegaCouch (their beloved oversized blue couch), and planning weekend hikes or dinner parties with friends.

Their proposal story reflects how intentional they are with each other. Haley decorated their home with flowers and lights and surprised Sam after dinner one night—friends hiding on the deck, filming the whole thing while their dogs looked on. Sam proposed right back.

If you’re planning your engagement session, here’s a tip: think of it like planning a date. What would make you feel most like yourselves? What kinds of places or activities bring you joy? Whether it’s sketching in the woods or grabbing tacos on the river, the best photos happen when you’re doing something you love—with the person you love.

Looking for location inspiration for your engagement photos? These 7 unique engagement photo locations in Louisville are sure to help.

Ready to start planning your own session?

Whether you have a specific idea in mind or just know you want something that feels like you, I’d love to help you bring it to life. Reach out here and let’s make something beautiful together.

Pride Month LGBTQ Wedding at Hazelnut Farm

Ever since Will & Nate's Buffalo Trace engagement session, I have been counting down the days until their wedding. When I asked them what they were looking forward to and what inspired them when planning they said, "Our venue is a barn meets ballroom feel so we tried to focus on an upscale Kentucky vibe. Looking forward to everything coming together and having a relaxed evening celebrating."

Their wedding was only the second at Hazelnut Farm— a new venue that was designed with the help of the ladies over at Honeycomb Wedding Planners. I was freaking out about the gorgeous blue velvet couch in one of the getting-ready rooms when Nate let me know that he and Will helped pick it out...which made total sense because it was the perfect backdrop for all their little details. They both wore rainbow socks that complimented each other's but didn't match — same with their boutonnières. All their details were perfect— Will's shoes and belt were both vintage, he carried a handkerchief that was his father's, and the pin her wore over his boutonnière was a family heirloom as well. Nate wore an intricately patterned loafer as well as a floral patterned tie & pocket square.

It made me so happy to see that the venue had two quality getting-ready rooms— so often the heteronormative attitudes that run rampant the wedding industry mean one "bridal suite" that is big and beautiful and one "man cave" type tiny hideaway room. Regardless if a wedding is LGBTQ or not, everyone deserves to get ready and spend time in a nice room before their wedding. You can learn more about Hazelnut Farm on my comprehensive list of the best wedding venues in Louisville here.

During the wedding ceremony, family members gave a couple of readings, and in-lieu of a sand ceremony they did a bourbon bottling ceremony...which might be my new favorite thing. One of their best friends officiated, which made it really personal and sweet. Speaking of friends helping out, at the reception each table had beautifully handwritten table numbers made by my best friend (and one of their best friends!) Michelle Marie Calligraphy who is as kind as she is talented. I loved that their good friend Denizen used actual potted plants in addition to florals on the table— bird's nest ferns are always my favorites (mainly because I struggle growing them myself.) There were also tiny little succulent babies at each seat that each guest was able to take home. They ended up having an extra one that is now living in my kitchen and it makes me smile every time I see it.

I didn't cry until the first dance— it was "Here I AM" by Dolly Parton & Sia. Something about Dolly always hits me right in the heart and I hadn't heard this one before. During the mother-son dances, Nate cut in and danced with Will's mother at the very end and it gave me all the feels. The night ended with glow sticks, light-up jewelry, dancing on chairs, and White Castles so you know it was a good time. Now that I've written a novel, shall we hop to the vendor credits & the images?

Venue: Hazelnut Farm // Coordinator: Melissa Montgomery with Honeycomb Wedding Planners // Calligraphy: Michelle Marie Calligraphy // Florist: Denizen // DJ: Triangle Talent // Caterer: Masterson's // Wedding Party Attire: David's Bridal // Tarts: Scarlet's Bakery // Invitation Suite: Minted // Wedding Party Makeup: J.R's Spa & Salon

Kentucky Distillery Engagement Session

When I work with my couples to plan their engagement sessions, I always start out by having them fill out a questionnaire. I swear it's more fun than it sounds — typically the questions are things we've likely already talked about over coffee or beer. I'm a dork so it's unbelievably fun for me to read about how they met, their typical weekday vs. weekend activities, the favorite date they've ever been on, what their proposal was like, etc. I take all of that information and come up with a few different ideas for shoots and see what direction they want to go in. 

For Will and Nate, they mentioned they enjoy distillery tours and that they would love for their session to be something unique to Louisville or Kentucky with casual & cozy vibes. Naturally, Buffalo Trace came to mind and I was so excited when they were on the same page! It's my goal to make couple's sessions feel as much like a date as possible, so we started things out by going on one of the hourly tours. I've had the chance to photograph here several times, but this was the first time I've actually gotten to go on a tour and I really enjoyed it.

During the session, they made each other laugh so easily. I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to their wedding this June!! It was incredibly difficult narrowing down the images for the blog post, but I'm really happy with where I've landed. 

If you're hoping for some more cozy & urban vibes then Marcos & Aica's Brooklyn in-home session is always a good choice.