Chelsey & Mike’s Bramblewood Engagement Session

Hey Hey, everyone!! It’s a NEW COUPLE ALERT! Chelsey and Mike are making their debut on the blog today. So, please give them ALL your Hannah Barlow Photography love. Their engagement session at Bramblewood (where they’ll also have their wedding next June) is live on the blog RIGHT NOW! Enjoy!

It’s so crazy to me how “small” the world is and how life really does come full circle. I’ve known Chelsey since she was wee wee little. Her mom was one of the kindergarten teachers (that’s right…when I was five years old) and I remember that teacher having a wee little one with her at after school events…that was Chelsey. Chelsey’s mom (Hi, Alicia!) is now a substitute teacher for my children. I was also great buddies with Chelsey’s sister growing up too (Hey, Ashley!) AND I’ve photographed her step sister and her family multiple times at functions and weddings (Hey, Kourtney and FAMILY!). To top it all off, my husband took Mike’s sister to a school dance in high school before he and I even really knew one another so my husband knew Mike and his family too!! It’s JUST CRAZY to me how this all works…and now…20-30+ years later, these two are getting married and I’m their wedding photographer! Did you follow all that? I had to read it four times and I’m not even sure I can follow it all…but you get the picture! There’s history here and I’m going to know a lot of people at their wedding. SO FUN!

But anyway…back to their session!

These two opted to do their engagement photos at Bramblewood in McDonald, PA! This is where they’ll also have their wedding next year too!! The staff here is ALWAYS so welcoming and kind and I was so excited to be here again! Shoutout to Katie (I sure hope that’s how you spell her name…because I even asked her this evening…and then had a Hannah moment. If you know me…you know…I’m the WORST with names). BUT anyway, she welcomed us, gave us a lay of the land and let us go!

Mike went all out with the instructions and posing. At this point, right after the snuggle…Chelsey yelled, “I didn’t know you were going to be so good at this…WHY ARE YOU SO GOOD AT THIS?!” Being married to a country boy from Brooke County myself, I can tell you these men go ALL in for their wives (or future wives in this case). Mike was no different and gave me 100% in making Chelsey feel comfortable in what was a very very very HOT environment. If you’ve experienced the last two weeks in this area, it’s been…well….HOT! I kept telling Chelsey I had total hair envy!

They really did nail down the “snuggle” and THAT is not easy when you’re hot and sweaty. I mean…I was DYING so how they look so cozy is just a beautiful thing! There really wasn’t any “awkward” stage at this session. I always warn couples it’ll feel weird at first but these two just rolled with it.

Chelsey really liked the fields and I LOVED that. Most people would go for the more obvious places at Bramblewood but she liked the simple…especially the fields and grass line…and you all know I LOVE the simple and the fields and the “dead” stuff. Even though it’s not quite dead yet…the field is well on it’s way. OOoO my GOODNESS…the options for the wedding are going to be AMAZING and I also got a sneak peek of her dress and you all just WAIT…it’s not like anything I’ve photographed and I’m going to be just MANIC on the wedding day trying to wrap it all up into one beautiful wedding gallery!

Hat or no hat was the question this day…and I actually think I vote hat!! What do you all think?! Although, I don’t think he’ll get away with it at the wedding but we’ll see. Maybe for the reception?! Chelsey is going to kill me! HA! It just adds something though. I think it’s the field and the country feel with the jeans, right?!

I am not a huge black and white kind of gal but this photo below? Welp…it may just be my favorite! I’m not usually a fan of sitting photos either but here we are…I love when couples bring me out of my ever so comfy photography shell!

We decided to take advantage of the flowers as much as we liked the fields. It’s beautiful…how could we not?! This is always the point in the session everyone is used to me and my antics and pretty cozy in front of my camera. These two were no different!

See what I mean?! They went ALL in…dancing…laughing…just generally having a good time. It’s always my favorite part! I always wonder what this looks like from a far because I KNOW people can hear me squealing and cheering my couples on and I know I echo…but look how joyous!

First try at the dip…Mike had her almost parallel to the ground! NAILED IT! OoooO MY GOODNESS! She didn’t think we were going to be dipping at the wedding. OOOoooOO we’re dipping at the wedding, girl!! Don’t you love how I say “we”…as if I have anything to do with this! HA!

Then, we walked on out of there and straight to our air conditioned cars! I joked it very well could be like this next year…and it could. The first weekend of June this year was HOT! Just ask Ally and Chris…we laugh now…but OooOo man was it hot. That’s ok! We’ll get through it and Mike and Chelsey are going to make an absolutely beautiful bride and groom!

I’m told we’re going to have champagne dresses and subtle color choices for this wedding. I already know we have an amazing dress coming at us AND we may have a hair change going into reception. I can already read the wedding blog in my head…I have VISIONS of these two on their wedding day! I’m going to know a lot of people at this wedding too so I apologize in advance for my excitement….because we still have a little less than a year to go and I’M SO EXCITED!

Once again, HUGE shoutout to Bramblewood for letting us come out and enjoy the beauty that is their venue and property! They’re always so accommodating and I’m always so appreciative! Happy Monday, everyone!! Thanks for reading!