Celeste & Erik’s September Engagement Session

“Tag me in, Coach!” Second string ACTIVATED! Hi, it’s me…I’m the second string. “Hi, it’s me…” is also something Celeste said to me when hiring me. That’s all an “inside” (about to not be so inside) jokes I have with this couple. So, let me tell you ALL about these two and their absolutely beautiful (and sooooooOoOo easy peasy engagement session) from last weekend! Celeste and Erik are amazingly beautiful people to photograph and so fun to be around! If you’re a loyal Hannah Barlow Photography blog reader, you know what to do! If you’re new here, WELCOME! These blogs are different than most and I’m about to walk you through these two’s love story and their recent engagement session. So, buckle up! Celeste and Erik’s highlights of their engagement session are ready to be seen! ENJOY!

Hi, All! GOOD GRIEF…it’s been over two months since I’ve photographed an engagement session. Everyone sure was sick of the hot weather and literally no one scheduled a session from mid July until now! Crazy! Almost ten years of doing this now and I haven’t had an engagement session gap like this since the beginning! Well, these two were the perfect ones to bring me back and the timing had nothing to do with weather but because they happened to be in town. I LOVE when things work out!

So, speaking of things working out, I was actually one of Celeste’s first choices for photographers back in January. I do believe I even sent her the booking link to solidify things. Then, after a bridal show, she decided to go another route… which is totally fine AND she was even kind enough to let me know which rarely happens. Many inquiries just end up floating in wedding vendor space forever. I wished her well and off I went to keep trying to book her date.

Fast forward months, I see her name pop up in my inbox. I had a flurry of emotions. “Holy crap…why do I know this name?! Did I miss someone?!” “Could there be someone else that has the same name? Surely not…but is this a coincidence?” “What is happeninggggggggg….” If you’ve met me, you can picture all this going down in my brain and office.

So, I did some email inbox searching and found our old conversation that had happened…six…seven months ago? Long story short…she sent me funny emails. I sent her funny emails. SOMEHOW, I was still available for her date AND she decided she did want to hire me after all…and while I should have felt the pressure at this engagement session I went full “Hannah” and said “You’re just going to have to trust me…to the weed line!” Celeste made me laugh a lot with her emails…and they made me smile and laugh at this session now!

…and ooOOoOo my goodness they did NOT miss a beat! They take a stunning photo! Makes sense though because they’ve known each other since third grade. They went to school together but it wasn’t until Erik’s 21st birthday that one of them slid into the others DM’s in the middle of one late night. One thing led to another and she ended up at a bonfire in the middle of the woods AND (thankfully) the rest is good history.

I wanted to give some fall/autumn vibes without it being too fall/autumn. Their wedding, however, is just about one year from now (give or take a few days) SO any photos they display at their wedding will match! That’s intentional and I always try and do that for my couples.

This was the point in the session that “weird” first five minutes is over and we can REALLY go into things…even though these two never really had that awkward beginning. We kind of just went right into it and things kept evolving and the amount of variety in their finished gallery is WILD! Look at them!

Now, you know what I’m going to say…FIELD TRIP! To a new location!

Don’t knock it until you try it.

Basic walking prompts will give you some great variety!

They tell me they have very similar personalities in their couple fun facts survey I gave them BUT they also described each other as “spontaneous, abrupt, wild and crazy” and “type B, passive, goes with the flow” so I’m DYING laughing right now and you can decide who is who!

Those black and whites were stunning too!

BUT back to color…because I can NEVER (ever) get enough color. I’ve never actually known about or photographed this little location and I was sooooOooO SO pleasantly surprised how beautiful it all turned out!

…considering it’s right by a public bathroom. For real…for real! I always joke that it’s amazing people hire me…and then trust me…to take photos when I’m like “let’s walk RIGHT next to this bathroom…I promise it’ll be beautiful”. They’re probably thinking “we should have gone with the other photographer!” BUT look how pretty…good photographers can see things you can’t see! This spot was perfect! They never seemed to doubt me…I would have doubted me.

BUT I MEANNNNN…they nailed it! You’d never know, right?! Also, we title this the “drunk walk”…use your imagination. I always tell people “it’ll make a whole lot more sense once you see the photos…” Why am I the way that I am?! Because it’s works and they REALLY went all in…SooOooo many photos!

Then, we come in with the “creepy kiss”….you gotta get realllllllllll close really slowly just barely kissing! AND IT ALSO WORKS..especially for these two. Just stunning! But again, I can’t imagine what my couples think at first. It’s always hilarious on the wedding day when I’m screaming “we only have five minutes…hurry….drunk walk…now creepy kiss!” and my couples aren’t missing a beat and the other vendors are like…”WAIT…WHAT?!”

One of Celete’s sisters did some photos for them too (was it you, Celene)? I know she has a few sisters so I don’t want to say for sure BUT there was a pose they had done with her and we tried to recreate it AND we added to it. Okkkkkkkkkkkkkk….they definitely (ABSOLUTELY) CAN do these poses. They’re not easy to do but these two were naturals and now I want them to do it at their wedding (adding to my list now).

We did some more walking before wrapping it up because this location was beautiful too. Would you believe me if I told you it was super dark and dreary this day too?! It was also that way…plus some rain…when they got engaged. This better not be a sign! We MUST have a dry wedding!

Let’s seal the deal by showing off this absolutely beautiful diamond!

And that’s it! After an absolutely insane summer of weddings, it was refreshing to have a new couple in front of my camera and on the blog. I sure hope you enjoyed seeing Celeste and Erik’s engagement session with me! They are planning an absolutely stunning wedding at Oglebay next year. They want it to be classy and timeless while also being one big party. Based on who they’ve hired for vendors…specifically the DJ…I have no doubt that it’s gonna be exactly that!

Check back in a little less than a year to see them all dolled up as a bride and groom!
Thanks for reading everyone! Have a great Tuesday!

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Disclaimer: Hannah Barlow Photography engagement blogs only represent a small portion of photos the couple actually receives in their private gallery.  The blogs are meant to highlight my own favorite photos and favorite moments of the session and do not represent an entire gallery.