Virginia wedding photographer

Mommy, Me & Baby Makes Three - Modern Maternity Photographer

Hi there!
Miranda here with some tips for moms that are getting ready for maternity portraits.

Plan Ahead. Some photographers schedule 3 - 6 months out for there sessions and are often booked the closer you wait to the day.

Pick your style. If you don’t know there are many styles to photography. You should try to find a photographer that matches your style. Do you like traditional things and style? Or maybe you like a photojournalistic vibe or even more lifestyle to capture you in your element. Classic, modern or funky!

When is the best time? Most photographers will tell you Third Trimester is the best time, usually around 33 weeks. This way there is a room to reschedule if need be and time enough before the baby arrives. Oh and you aren’t completely miserable and can still move around :-).

Read Reviews. See what others have said about their experiences. See if they are a photographer that can grow with your family and continue to take photos as your family grows. Connections are priceless!

Clothing - Look great! Make sure you pick clothing that you feel and look great in. The better you feel the better it will translate onto your images. Don’t try styles that you don’t feel comfortable in. If you have body parts that you aren’t fond of, don’t pick this day to change it up. Also, pick a couple of outfits. Pick items that will compliment you belly and your shape. Your photographer should be able to help you with colors also if they have the experience.

Relax. Remember this day is about making memories and having great images to look back on and to share with your child as they grow. With this in mind, you will want to have plenty of time that day to get ready and have time to relax. The last thing you want is to be rushed because it will show on your images. If you have to get your hair, nails, other children and husband ready, please allocate the time to do so. Also, consider traffic and anything that could happen.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR UNIQUE & AMAZING MATERNITY PORTRAIT EXPERIENCES!

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Maternity Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

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Virginia Mountain Love - Virginia Wedding Photography

It’s Wedding Wednesday and recently I met this great young couple and they had their wedding in the Shenandoah Valley. The setting was chilly but so picturesque. The couple was high school sweetheart and had a small church family wedding in the hills of Shenandoah. The church was their local church that the bride had been brought up in since she was younger.

The wedding party consisted of all their high school friends and they had a great time. Oh and the food was home cooked southern food complete with sweet tea and lemonade! I was in heaven and tried to take a container home. The most unique part of this wedding was the Unity Cross…it was a different take on the candle or sand concept and was more Christ focused. I really enjoyed this family and all the emotion of the day and I wish them all the best.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

A Princess and Her True Love - Bowie Maryland Wedding Photographer

Do you ever know why so many of your wedding vendors are still stressing the importance of a detailed wedding timeline? Well this amazing couple did and they did it very well. The afternoon and evening was great. It started on time and ended on time with a horse drawn carriage exit. Love was definitely in the air and felt throughout the day in this family. We enjoyed working with them immensely.

A wedding day timeline is hour by hour written description that represents how your wedding is supposed to take place. It provides a roadmap of how the event is going to go from start to finish. 

Wedding timelines are essential to the vendors and service workers who are in charge of the event from start to finish. When complete details are not included in the timeline, it could be very hard to keep an event on track. In addition, most times guests need a little direction on where they are supposed to be and what exactly they are supposed to do. 

Keeping a fixed wedding timeline helps the people you hire to guide your guests during the event and to know what to pay attention to during the event. Not only is an excellent opportunity to understand exactly what your guest imagine for the event, but also a fantastic way to solve some time issues while visualizing the event. Many things can go wrong with your event. That is why is necessary to have an actionable plan and also an intelligent event coordinator that will make your plan comes in the form of a timeline.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

Cancun Wedding - Russian & African American Beach Wedding

Amazing couple and an AMAZING destination!!! Met this bride and groom and one of her friends weddings and it was an instant click.  I photographed Maria & Ian's engagement portraits and from there the ball began to roll.  

The day was absolutely beautiful...and hot but we had an awesome time in Cancun at Moon Palace.  We photographed and partied and became a part of the family by the time the weekend was complete.  I thank my second photographer and ride or die Patrice Mason for accompanying me on this destination wedding to Moon Palace Resorts and Spa.  

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

VALENTINE BRIDAL INSPIRATION - MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

Stepping out of your comfort zone is sometimes not that easy but the other day I did and drove out to Bealeton, Virginia and spent the afternoon with a group of creative young women and we turned out some amazing portraits.  Great Marsh Estate was the setting and Brittany was our leader of this amazing Valentine theme session that she coordinated.  Once I was home and started seeing all the images from the 7 different photographers, I then started thinking about a question that I see on a lot of social media groups.

Why wedding photography is so expensive?

Well I guess expense is relative to ones budget and the importance of the item.  Often you are paying for all of our creativity, knowledge and not let's forget our time management skills to keep your payment where you want it!  Oh and let's not forget you want these images for years to come and to pass along to your kids.  Yes photographers have equipment that costs and our time to be with you for 8 or more hours and oh yes the time going through the 2500 images from your event that we need to shift through to give you what is presentable, but we do a lot more!  I know personally I am often the only person in the room that knows how to get the bride in her gown.  I also, make it a point to meet the staff at the venue to keep your event on schedule to provide you with the best images...to prevent the conversation of "Do you want to pay for more hours?"  You are also paying for our professionalism and to get your images in a timely manner and not 2 months down the road. (No shade). I have heard from many brides..."I never got my images." or "I wish we would have spent more on photography."  Face it, there are tons of photographers out there but make sure you are selecting someone that values the importance of your day and isn't going to miss your first kiss as husband and wife.

Click on the links of our amazing vendors from this shoot:
Invitations: @sugarquillcalligraphy
Gown: @katherinesbridalboutique
Bride Hair & Makeup: @yisellsmakeup
Bridesmaids Hair & Makeup: @sarahkhanartistry
Rentals: @mainstreetweddings
Venue: @great.marsh
Jewelry: @leljewelry
Baker: @scoutsbakeshop
Florist: @westvirjeni

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WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Wedding Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

ENGAGEMENT RING EXCHANGE CEREMONY - MUSLIM EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Culture, culture, culture!  Love it and everything surrounding it.  The bride called me to come and photograph the ring exchange ceremony in Virginia and we hit is off immediately.  She wore a pink all over lace tea length gown that she had specially made for the evening.  On the table you could see all her jewelry displayed for the wedding on Saturday at the home of her cousin in Virginia.

The ring exchange happens before the wedding and is a change for both of the families to get together before the big day.  The mothers and family gathered in the living room and the moms handed the rings to each of their children to place on their fiance's hand.  The moment was very celebratory and filled with love.  All of the parents, siblings and cousins were there to celebrate this joyous occasion.  After the ring exchange we snapped a few portraits and then we were ushered to the food.  The food was a full spread of Middle Eastern cuisine and I was not allowed to leave until I ate.  The aunt made sure of this and I could not be disrespectful for I complied and loved every bite.  

See some of the images from the evening below:

TESS & LEIGHTON'S BEACH WEDDING - MARYLAND PHOTOGRAPHER

     Where do I begin with these two?  Well first off I have grown to know and love them over time and it all started with the surprise engagement session that Leighton planned for Tess on the beach last summer.  Now if it is anything with these two the locations are always an ADVENTURE!  The proposal was at Assateague Island on the drive on beach and if you didn't have 4x4 you couldn't get to the location.  That should have been a hint for me then...LOL.  On to the engagement session; where we went somewhere way out in the mountains of Virginia! Yes, we got amazing portraits and we had a great time and I learned even more about the two but yes, it was another hike.  
     Then they start planning the wedding!  I couldn't wait.  I knew it was going to be amazing and gorgeous.  Tess was so excited and Leighton was as well.  Tess found her dress immediately and it was the first one she tried on....blush pink!  Oh but wait where was it going to be?  DC, Maryland or Virginia...none of the above!  They picked the Outer Banks in North Carolina and yes it was another drive on beach!  Let the adventure begin!!!!  The weekend was overcast to say the least with a mist all weekend but it didn't stop these two love birds and their friends and family from having their beach wedding.  The weekend was filled with family, wine and flowers.  Tess was a DIY bride and did a lot of the decor herself.  We sat on Friday night and put bouquets togethers and had a great time.  The morning of started with hair and makeup and load of family portraits and first looks with the dads.  
     Once the wedding started, so did the rain, but everything went ahead.  Umbrellas went up and the vows went on as planned.  The I do's were exchanged and sealed with a kiss and we were on to the party.  Formal portraits were taken and then the bride changed into her less formal dress and the guys changed out of their tuxedo vests to their floral shirts for the reception.  A informal reception with good old fashioned bar-b-que was the meal and the dance party got under way! All in all I think the guests had a great time and the bride and groom are now sharing in their happily ever after!  Best wishes to them and I look forward to watching them grow!

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HAWA & JUSTIN FRAZIER - MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

May 20th was a perfect day for an outdoor Liberian-American wedding ceremony at Lucien Manor in Berlin, New Jersey. I have know the bride and groom for quite some time know and was eager to partake in their big day along with the family who I have learned so much about.  The wedding ceremony was a traditional ceremony with the gorgeous bride and handsome groom. The vows were sweet and tear filled. The first kiss was full of love and passion.  The couple then transitioned to their reception at Lucien Manor, with full formal and plated dinner.  Then half way through the ceremony the couple acknowledged the bride's Liberian family root by having a wardrobe change.  This is when the party went through the roof.  We had money dances, a grand march and also a tribute to the mother's where all the women danced around them in a circle to the song Sweet Mother to honor them for raising their children and all they have done for the families.  It was a great wedding and I wish Hawa and Justin nothing but the best in life!

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