Chelsea was a friend of mine from college, studying fashion design at Marymount University. She was so talented, and I always knew she was going to design a gorgeous wedding gown when she and her then-boyfriend David eventually got hitched. And sure enough, a few years later, she got engaged and was able to design her dream dress! I was so excited when she asked me to be her wedding photographer and I got to see the beautiful dress that she designed and brought to life!

Chelsea designed and sewed her tea length wedding dress, a dramatic overskirt, and a cathedral veil, as well as creating the earrings and personalizing her shoes. The look is full of fun and feminine details – blush flowers, pretty bows, and floral lace. It has beautiful movement and textures, which is perfect for photos too.

We chose to do her bridal portrait session in historic downtown Leesburg, Virginia. We wanted to use A Wedding Loft as a “getting ready” space where she could get dressed without wrinkling or snagging her dress. A Wedding Loft is an adorable co-working & studio space that has a getting ready room available to rent. It’s right in the middle of downtown, so we were able to wander just a couple blocks around and have plenty of charming spots for photos. I absolutely loved the Tally Ho theater as a backdrop for some fun and flirty street photos, and of course all the gorgeous summer florals.

I am so excited to share her bridal portraits on the blog. Be on the lookout for her wedding day soon!