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Hermann Park Engagement Portraits

Trey & Cassandra’s Early Morning Hermann Park & Rice University Engagement Portraits

Tristan and I met Trey and Cassandra in one of the Hermann Park parking lots for their early morning engagement portraits. Tristan was bribed with donuts if he helped me with the engagement portraits.

We started the morning just inside Rice University where the oak trees canopied the driveway. We were hoping for sun-rays through the trees, but unfortunately it ended up being a mostly overcast day. I made Trey and Cassandra play a few funny games for their portraits which brought out some amazing laughs and smiles.

Cassandra had on these adorable earrings that said “I do.” I had to make sure I got several shots with them.

There was a lot of construction at the park, so we wondered the long way to the reflection pond. Tristan helped drag the wagon that had purses, lights and a blanket. On several occasions, I made the couple test their balance on the train tracks.

I was just absolutely amazed at how the photos turned out. You would think Trey and Cassandra were seasoned models. See the photos below!

 

James & Chelsea’s Texas Renaissance Wedding

In October, James and Chelsea had a magical wedding at the Texas Renaissance Festive.

I’ve lived in Houston most of my life, and I have fond memories as a child at Renfest swinging a wooden sword at my brother hoping to jostle the flimsy wooden shield out of his hand. It’s been a dream of mine for a long time to shoot a wedding there. This year, James and Chelsea made my dream come true!

The wedding was so magical. Both James and Chelsea had costumes made fitting for the Renaissance Festive. Chelsea was resplendent in her light blue gown and iridescent fairy wings. Even her jewelry was on point! James looked dapper in his wedding doublet. I loved that his sleeves could detach and be replaced with a different style of sleeve.

Chelsea and her wedding party started a promenade from the entrance of the park to the Globe Theater. There, she and James shared their first look before jumping into a carriage. The whole party, including the King’s guards, walked in a small parade to the ceremony location. Guests thought the wedding was a part of the show.

James and Chelsea sent an open invitation to all of their friends and family to their wedding. Anyone who wanted to attend could, they would just need to get to the ceremony location early if they wanted a seat. The Cathedral Wedding Chapel was overflowing with guests. People (including guests who didn’t know the couple) were all around the building looking into the windows. Even several of the Renfest’s regular actors were in attendance.

After the ceremony we took oodles of photos with all of the guests who wanted a photo with the happy couple. Once that was done, we wondered around visiting James & Chelsea’s favorite places within the park. We went to their bench in the fairy garden and the swings. The couple tossed axes and fished for rubber ducks. In the end, we wound up at the Pirate bar where they met up with friends for a pint of mead.

What an amazing wedding!

 

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Moody Clay Family Eastern Glade Engagement Photos

Lorenzo & Blanca’s Early Morning Clay Family Eastern Glade Engagement Portraits.

It was just before sunrise when I met Lorenzo and Blanca at the Clay Family Eastern Glade park. At that time in the morning, the track was filled with runners trying to get some exercise in before the heat took over.

Lorenzo and Blanca wanted a more moody style, which isn’t my norm. Blanca had seen my post from cemetery engagement shoot and had fallen in love. Who am I to deny anyone art? Plus, I love messing around in Photoshop trying new things.

Lorenzo wanted some shots with his motorcycle so we started there before the sun had fully risen. After their motorcycle portraits, the couple put the bike back into a parking spot then did a quick outfit change before we walked around the park.

The sun rise was GORGEOUS, and their photos were breath taking! Again, I’m not usually a moody styled photographer, but these photos made me double guess myself. Check out the photos below!

 

Landon & Stephanie’s Mercer Botanic Garden Engagement

Landon & Stephanie’s Mercer Botanic Garden Engagement photos

It was a gorgeous day (though I was recovering from the Flu… thanks Andy) when I met Landon and Stephanie at Mercer Botanic Gardens in Humble, TX.

Several years ago, my mother introduced me to this amazing place. She’s a Fort Bend Master Gardener and they had been volunteering out there for an event. If you haven’t seen the garden, it’s amazing. Each section is so unique and I am so excited for the renovations they are doing right now.

We walked around in some of my favorite parts of the garden, trying to avoid the zillions of Quinceanera portraits. The one thing I really love about the north side of Houston is the amazing pine trees. The engagement portraits I took of Landon & Stephanie with the pine trees in the background were one of my favorite. That and the ones with the purple flowers.

Check out the photos below!

 

Ansen & Kacy’s Houston Zoo Engagement Portraits

Ansen & Kacy’s Houston Zoo Engagement Portraits

If there’s one thing my family and I LOVE, it’s the zoo. My kid has been to the zoo so many times, he could give a tour. In fact, he’s given me a tour before. When I found out that Ansen & Kacey are going to have their wedding reception at the zoo next year, I knew exactly where they should take their engagement photos.

We met in the early afternoon at the front gate and proceeded to wonder around. Ansen and Kacy showed me where they were going to have their cocktail hour, at the elephant’s pool. We joked about how we’ve never seen the elephants swim in their pool. One day (fingers crossed).

The zoo was preparing for ZooBoo when we got there so some of their decorations were up. They had hanging bats in the cave near the chimpanzies and hanging orange, green, black and purple umbrellas. It was a lot of fun to incorporate those elements that are only there a short while.

My favorite place for Ansen & Kacy’s portraits was the Pantheon. It was gorgeous. Check out their photos below!

 

Russell & Amanda’s Bowling Alley Engagement Photos

When I say I like to step outside the norm for engagement photos… I mean it. I would love to say “Sky’s the limit,” however I’m not about that skydiving life & sometimes there are limits when it comes to who would let you take photos or not.

Russell & Amanda are big bowling enthusiasts. When they told me this, I thought, why not take their photos in a bowling alley. Their photos were scheduled during summer, and since it is so hot outside, it’s nice to do things inside for a change.

They showed up to our engagement portrait session with a whole rolling bag filled with their balls, shoes and so much more. Bowl & Barrel was so amazing to let us take photos in their industrial styled alley.

Though the alley was not a place the couple would usually go to bowl, they loved the look and even had a Red-Bull at the bar before the couple headed off to celebrate Russell’s birthday later that day.

 

‘Til Death Do Us Part – Cemetery Engagement

It’s an understatement to say I was excited when John & Morgan requested a cemetery engagement to go along with their “‘Til Death Do Us Part,” engagement photo idea.

The couple came to me with this idea of a darker style engagement photo shoot at the cemetery that Morgan’s family was buried in. First off, I loved the idea of a cemetery engagement. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done one (and yes, this wasn’t my first rodeo). Second, it was a historic cemetery, which meant there were headstones so old you couldn’t make out the name or death date any more. Last, I was ecstatic that the cemetery held family history for the couple. John & Morgan got a chance to share their engagement story with their deceased relatives. We even took a few photos around the headstone.

Though their wedding will be a much lighter occasion (figuratively and literally), it was fun to do something a little different for a change.

Check out their photos below!

Are you interested in scheduling a unique engagement portrait experience? Email me!

 

Ponderosa Walking Park Engagement Portraits

Earlier this spring, I met up with Tanner & Olivia to take their engagement photos at the Ponderosa walking park on the north side of Houston.

A lot of times, I pick an engagement portrait location virtually (meaning I don’t always visit it until the day of). This location was one of those virtual picks. It looked good from google maps, and my google image search. I realized, as I drove up to the park that it was in Shirley Acres back yard. It’s crazy to me how I find new locations right next to places I’ve been before.

I love how lush and green everything looked in these engagement photos. Tanner & Olivia looked amazing and had fun goofing off and dancing to the cicadas for their engagement portraits.

Check out Tanner & Olivia’s engagement photos here:

 

Downtown Houston Engagement Photos

Nick & Jennifer’s Engagement photos in and around the Post building in Downtown Houston.

I met Nick and Jennifer on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the park just across from the Post building downtown. This was my first time exploring the park in that part of town. We started on a cute hill overlooking the city skyline then explored the lower parts of the park where bikers zoomed past us every few minutes. I was pleasantly surprised to find a man-made waterfall there just by a cute wooden bridge.

After walking around in the lower parts of the park, we made our way to the top of the Post building to get some more of the skyline then we took photos on the different types of staircases (there’s such a variety!) Check out Nick and Jennifer’s Houston engagement photos below

 

Brazos Bend Park Engagement Portraits

Brad & Christy’s Brazos Bend park engagement portraits were set on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The birds were chirping and the bees were busy pollinating. Spring had officially sprung!

I enjoyed walking around to some of the places I’ve been before and exploring some new locations within the park. Check out the engagement photos below.

 

A Southwest Houston wedding photographer
Richmond, TX
kelly@kellyurbanphotography.comKelly Urban Photography

A Southwest Houston wedding photographer
Richmond, TX

A Southwest Houston wedding photographer
Richmond, TX
kelly@kellyurbanphotography.comKelly Urban Photography

A Houston wedding photographer