I first met Maggie years ago when I photographed her brother’s wedding, so getting to photograph Maggie and James for this season of their lives was extra special. After spending an evening with these two, I can confidently say they are one of those couples who makes my job feel effortless.

We started their engagement session at their home church, Shiloh Baptist Church. They had actually just attended a marriage conference there and James proposed to Maggie between day one and day two. Shortly after, Maggie planned their entire wedding in TWO DAYS. I think excited might be an understatement! Color me impressed!

One of my favorite parts of the evening was hearing James tell me about the proposal. He teared up while telling the story and you could see just how much he cares about Maggie. And honestly, I didn’t need much convincing. After just about every pose, James would give Maggie a little kiss, whether I was still shooting or had already put my camera down. Those little moments when couples forget I’m even there are always some of my favorites.

For the second half of their session, we drove down the road to Maggie’s parents’ house. While they changed outfits, I photographed Maggie’s ring on a muscadine vine, which felt especially fitting once I learned that muscadines are her favorite.

From there, we headed into the nearby pasture with their cows and dogs. They said they love dancing together, so I had them dance for a bit while the sunlight danced behind them. At one point, Maggie and James were sitting together when the donkeys apparently decided they needed to be part of the session too. They wandered over to investigate, giving us one of those completely unplanned moments that you could never recreate if you tried. I’m always here for an unexpected animal cameo. Just a few steps from there is the spot where Maggie and James plan to build their future home. We even found a fallen tree for a few more photos before calling it a day.

Maggie and James, thank you for choosing me to photograph such a fun part of your story! It was so good to see Maggie again and even better getting to know you both. I’m already counting down to your February wedding, and if the two of you are this much fun during your engagement session, I know your wedding day is going to be a good one!