BRIDAL

WANT TO KNOW HOW TO CREATE AN HEIRLOOM INSPIRED BRIDAL PORTRAIT?

February 17, 2024

Cylburn Mansion, Bridal Portrait

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Congratulations on finding your dream wedding dress! Now that you have your perfect gown, it’s time to schedule your bridal portrait session. These heirloom-inspired portraits are a wonderful way to capture your beauty and gown in a timeless and elegant manner. When planning your bridal portraits, it’s essential to consider how you want your photographs to look and feel. We recommend selecting a location that complements your wedding dress style and offers a beautiful backdrop. Consider choosing a location with old-world architecture, lovely gardens, or lush greenery, as these settings can enhance your photos and create a stunning atmosphere.

There are a few things to keep in mind when selecting your location. Firstly, think about your wedding season and whether you want your bridal portraits to reflect the same season. For example, if you’re planning a late summer or early autumn wedding, consider incorporating the season’s warm colors into your photos. Alternatively, choose a location that offers a cooler climate if you’re planning a summer wedding.

Also, consider the overall aesthetic of your wedding and select a location that complements your wedding theme. If your wedding style is timeless and classic, we recommend a beautiful estate or mansion for your bridal portraits. Some great options include the Virginia House, Dover Hall, The Anderson House, or The Great Marsh Estate.  If your wedding is an outdoor affair, local wineries and botanical gardens can offer a stunning backdrop for your portraits. Discuss your preferences with us; we’ll help you find the perfect location.

Once we have secured your location, the next step is to plan your beauty styling. We suggest contacting your beauty team to schedule a date and time for your bridal portraits. Your wedding package may include a complimentary hair and makeup trial, which is the perfect opportunity to see how your look will translate into photographs.

After your beauty styling, it’s time to think about your bouquet. We recommend contacting your florist to create a beautiful bouquet for your portrait session. If your preferred flowers are out of season, ask your florist for recommendations for a similar style or color palette. During your bridal session, you can also ask your florist what flowers are in season. Remember that light-weight florals and those with lots of texture photograph beautifully. Some great options include peonies, cosmos, sweet peas, and Lilly of the Valley.

We suggest packing a few extra items to ensure you look and feel your best throughout your bridal portrait session. These may include a makeup touch-up kit with a sample of your lipstick color, powder, a brush, and a pair of flats for walking between locations. You are welcome to bring a friend, sibling, or parent to help carry items and offer encouragement. Finally, get your wedding dress(es), veil, wedding shoes, jewelry, and any other meaningful items or accessories you’d like to be photographed with. The bridal portrait session aims to create timeless, heirloom-inspired photographs that reflect your personality and style. We will guide you through every pose and ensure you feel confident and beautiful during your session. Our goal is to create stunning portraits you will cherish for years.

The creation of an heirloom-inspired bridal portrait is a true masterpiece that perfectly combines elegant posing and capturing candid moments that emanate a soulful feeling. In our experience, some of the most beautiful moments captured are the unexpected ones, and we strive to immortalize them in your photographs. Our approach is to provide subtle guidance and create joyful moments that allow you to achieve a classic, timeless, and captivating bridal photo. Our aim is to help you create unforgettable moments that you will love and cherish forever. Our photographs are editorial and fine art inspired, crafted to withstand the test of time and to look as beautiful decades later as they do today. This is the beginning of your legacy and our mission is to help you create photographs that will become treasured memories for generations to come.

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BEHIND THE LENS

ABOUT 
MALIE

Adores long weekends with the family poolside, dog lover, and famous Mojito maker. Barefoot gardener, skincare junkie.

With over 16 years behind the lens, I bring a seasoned eye and a soulful approach to fine art wedding and boudoir photography. I specialize in creating luminous, emotionally rich imagery that reflects not only the elegance of the day but the tender, unrepeatable moments in between—a quiet touch, a spontaneous laugh, a tear held back. Each story I tell is approached with intention, artistry, and deep devotion. My work is heartfelt and timeless, capturing love in its most poetic and authentic form.

Originally from the tranquil beauty of Southeastern Canada, I now live in Virginia with my husband and our three children. When I’m not photographing love stories, I’m often found in my garden, crafting a new sourdough recipe, or hosting intimate, candlelit dinners—complete with my signature mojito. A Libra and a romantic at heart, I believe in beauty, balance, and the kind of love that feels like home. And yes, I’ll always think retiring to Tuscany to restore a sun-drenched villa is the dream worth chasing.

my Top 5 locations for  engagements.

We designed this engagement guide to help you with selecting the most beautiful place to photograph your couple's session. Here are our top 5 locations to photograph in Virgina and the DMV. 

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