If you’ve followed me for any amount of time or know my photography work at all, you know that I’m a sucker for a dreamy and romantic portrait session and wow did Richard and Varecia’s session at Shenandoah National Park deliver on that!

Shenandoah National Park’s northernmost entrance is in Front Royal, Virginia which I consider on the edge of Northern Virginia. It’s a stunning place to get away from the bustle of more urban Northern Virginia and the views are well worth the drive! The park is centered around Skyline Drive, a winding road up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Along Skyline Drive you can access dozens of stunning overlooks as well as parks, campgrounds, and a visitor’s center. We decided to stop by the visitor’s center first and then work our way through a few different overlooks on the western side to get that gorgeous golden hour backlight and a perfect view of the sunset over the valley. It came with its challenges – there’s not much to block the sun when you’re at such a high elevation, and the valley down below was extremely bright from the unobstructed sun until the moment of sunset – but it was well worth it for the incredible backdrop.

Richard and Varecia were perfect models for the session and by the end, I didn’t have to give them any direction because they’d warmed up to the camera perfectly and knew exactly what kind of snuggly, romantic moments together I wanted to capture! Varecia’s dress was gorgeous – the blue and white pattern felt just a touch bridal, the casual-yet-put-together style is timeless and matched the slightly more casual park setting, and the slit up the side added some flirty vibes when we wanted it. She started off with a pair of very pretty and simple lace-up block heels, but it didn’t take long for her to ditch the heels and go barefoot for the rest of the session and I’m OBSESSED with the vibe change! Something about it felt so much more relaxed and intimate. It’s amazing what a small, spontaneous decision can do to make your session unique!

Richard and Varecia will be getting married later this year at Stone Manor Boutique Inn in Lovettsville, Virginia. With an interstallar theme and an adorable boutique inn backdrop, I’m so excited for their big day and now even more so knowing how adorable their portraits will turn out!