Virginia Wedding Photographer - Snowy Winter Elopement in Hampton Roads

Virginia Wedding Photographer - Snowy Winter Elopement

On a cold and snowy day, Tia and Eric exchanged vows in a quiet little ceremony in Virginia Beach. Though the atmosphere outside was cold and brisk, the warmth these two radiate was as big as the sun. It was an honor to witness their marriage ceremony, and to be able to record these special memories for them. 

They traveled from North Carolina, to be married close to family. The ceremony took place at a quaint Virginia Beach home.

After the elopement ceremony, we headed to nearby Regent University for some outdoor wedding portraits. The snowy white landscape was a gorgeous backdrop for our session! I just love that clean, crisp snow blanketing the cool evergreens. 

Don't they look amazing?!

We shot outside around the snowy campus, until our noses and toes were numb. Then we popped indoors for a few quick shots, and a little dramatic window light, until we warmed up again.

What a beautiful and memorable day it was! Congratulations Tia and Eric!! May your hearts always be warm with love. - XOXO Melissa

Virginia & Destination Wedding and Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Moments in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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Military's Couple's Rustic Engagement Photos - Norfolk Engagement Photographer

Military's Couple's Rustic Engagement Photos - Norfolk Engagement Photographer

I have a lovely rustic, fall engagement session to share today for this sweet Norfolk military couple. For privacy, I won't use their names but do have permission to share some images from their recent engagement session. We opted for the rustic, romantic setting at Windsor Castle Park in Smithfield to capture some charming and colorful photos that perfectly suited this fabulous duo. 

These two were introduced by a co-worker who had a hunch they would be a great match for each other. They met at a friendly gathering, and soon bonded over their love of Mexican food and adventuring. They often enjoy a spontaneous weekend road trip to explore the coast, while sampling some tasty cuisine along the way!

Though they grew up in different parts of the country, they both love spending time outdoors and traveling to new places. As we wandered the grounds, stopping for photos here and there, I found their sweet and playful bond absolutely endearing. I have no doubt that they will have many memorable adventures together throughout the years.

I love that Windsor Castle Park offers such a great variety of scenes to explore. And barn light is the dreamiest! It makes my photographer heart swoon every. single. time. I was a bit disappointed to see that the city had recently done some repairs to the historic barns and buildings on site, including putting vinyl *gasp* siding on the ramshackle old house on the corner of Jericho.  I'm sure those old buildings require quite a bit of maintenance, but the modern "upgrades" just seem to kill some of the rustic charm of the place. It is still a beautiful park, and quite unique, but this nostalgic dreamer cried a little inside, ha ha. 

During our consultation, Miss K confided that her fiancé never smiles for photos. She was really hoping to get at least one smile for their engagement announcement.  Mission accomplished. But really, how could he not smile with that gorgeous girl on his arm??

I loved getting to know these two during our session, and I wish them a lifetime of happy adventures together!

Virginia Wedding and Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Moments in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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Intimate Virginia Beach Oceanfront Wedding

Intimate Virginia Beach Oceanfront Wedding 

I have been so busy this fall that I have a backlog of sessions and weddings to blog. Things are just starting to calm down a bit and it is high time I shared this beautiful, intimate, sundrenched beach wedding with you! 

When I met Elaina and Matthew at Cure Coffee to chat about their wedding plans, I knew it was going to be an emotional event. They had been together for many years, and I could tell the bond they shared was deep. In fact, they had been together so long that their friends and co-workers had practically given up on them ever getting married.

They planned a small beach ceremony just for immediate family, and kept everything hush, hush. That way, they could surprise their friends and extended family with a big announcement and party in the spring. Of course, wedding photos were important! They would need proof after all. :)

They were married on a gorgeous, sunny September day at the oceanfront in Virginia Beach.  When I say sunny, it was full sun for the ceremony. Not exactly ideal lighting conditions, but I love how the contrast of the harsh light brings out the blue sky! 

Their personal vows were so sweet, heartfelt, and funny - there was laughter and tears all the way through. 

After they tied the knot - yay, finally! - we headed toward the dunes for some family portraits. 

By the time we were through, the sun was setting and softening.

That glorious golden glow was perfect for some intimate bride and groom portraits!

We took full advantage of all that buttery sunset light! I have to say, September beach days are my favorite. The beach is calmer, less crowded, and the light is just stunning!

It was such an honor to witness and photograph this beautiful wedding! Congratulations Elaina and Matthew! All my best wishes for many happy years as Mr. & Mrs.  - XOXO, Melissa 

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First Landing Virginia Beach Engagement Portraits

First Landing Virginia Beach Engagement Portraits

Well now that the crazy season has kicked in, I am up to my eyeballs in editing! I am working long days trying to crank out session galleries as efficiently as possible, while juggling wedding & portrait season appointments and all of the other "to do's" on my very long list. I wanted to share some peeks from this amazing engagement session though, so I'll keep this short and sweet. Getting right to the good stuff!

Ariana & Jeff were so sweet and natural together! I loved working with them. We met at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. They were laid back and open to all of my creative shenanigans - which makes my job tons of fun! Their strong connection and deep love for one another is so evident in these images. I hope they cherish them for years to come.

Congrats on your engagement A & J! I wish you all the best that life and love have to offer. 

Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stories in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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VA Wedding Photographer - Lazy Days Winery Lynchburg Wedding

VA Wedding Photographer, Lazy Days Winery Lynchburg Wedding

Today I am rolling out some peeks from the amazing weekend I had. You see, my gorgeous niece, Ashley, did a thing. A BIG thing. She married this awesome guy, Chris, at a beautiful mountain winery near Lynchburg. (By the way, you can catch their engagement photos here.) It was fantastically fun! Annnnnd, I had the honor of photographing the wedding for them! 

It was SO lovely - the weather was perfect, the food was marvelous, the sunset was stunning, puppies were involved...I'm tellin' ya, it was an outstanding affair.  I couldn't wait to share some images from the festivities, so without further ado...here are some highlights from Ashley and Chris's Lazy Days Winery wedding. (You might want to grab a cuppa. I went a little crazy on the sneak peeks).

I loved the rustic setting at the winery, and they had a huge wedding party, which totally adds to the fun, festive atmosphere. It was one big ol' party!

Aren't they gorgeous?! Gah, so happy for these two!

Can you believe this crazy girl DIY'd all of the details - and almost the whole weekend! She did have help from some amazing family and friends, who pitched in to make it a perfect event. 

Cake smash! He went all in. 

We snuck away from the reception after dinner to capture this gorgeous sunset.

It was such a wonderful weekend! It was an honor to be trusted with capturing their wedding memories, and one that I enjoyed immensely. 

Mr. & Mrs. Carasella, I wish you guys big love and much happiness always. XO

The amazing vendors for this event were:

Venue: Lazy Days Winery, Amherst, VA, Day of Coordinator: Candace Kingrea, Caterer: Blue Ridge BBQ, Lynchburg, VA, Cake: Sam's Club, Cookies: Serena Beale, Florals: Sam's Club, arranged by Ashley Carasella, Hair: Ashley Carasella, MUA: Jessica Rose Makeup, Lynchburg, VA, Music: Braxton Mann & Jonathan Shirey, Invitations: Zazzle, Photography: Melissa Bliss Photography.

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Virginia Wedding and Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Moments in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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Virginia Beach Engagement Photographer - Oceanfront Proposal

Virginia Beach Engagement Photographer - Oceanfront Proposal

There is no doubt about it, surprise proposals are always fun and exciting to shoot! Amit & Jasmit's surprise Virginia Beach oceanfront proposal certainly was packed with anticipation and emotion. She had NO idea what he was planning.

They had finished up their spring college semester and were vacationing in Virginia Beach. Amit had  dinner reservations for Saturday evening, and he had also secretly reserved my services to shoot their marriage proposal.

Before dinner, Amit lured Jasmit down to the beach to watch him fish. It took some convincing to get her out on the beach. (She probably wondered why he was fishing in a dress shirt, ha ha.) As we waited for her to finish dressing for dinner, the anticipation mounted. After 30 minutes or so she finally appeared.

I hung out snapping photos of the sunset, while Amit tried to get her to check his line for him. She reluctantly agreed, and found a strange box on the end. When she walked back up from the shore, he quickly swapped the wet box for the real ring box and got down on one knee. 

She was totally shocked and overjoyed. Laughter and tears flowed freely and a small crowd of on-lookers cheered them on. 

Once the shock wore off, we spent some time taking a few engagement portraits before they headed off to dinner to celebrate. 

It was a thrill and an honor to be able to capture these moments for them. 

Congrats and best wishes you two!!

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Williamsburg Wedding Photographer - Spring Kingsmill Wedding

Williamsburg Wedding Photographer - Kingsmill Plantation Wedding

Sharing some sneak peeks today of Christina & Jerry's beautiful Kingsmill Plantation wedding! Christina grew up in Kingsmill and is now a talented wedding planner in Charlotte, NC. She met Jerry in North Carolina, and they have been enjoying adventures together ever since. After he popped  the question, they decided Kingsmill would be the perfect place to host their wedding event, as it is a central location for their family and friends. Plus, it's gorgeous!

When I speak to couples about wedding planning, I always recommend that they hire a professional planner, or day-of coordinator. It takes SO much pressure off of the couple and ensures that the day will run smoothly, no matter what hiccups occur.  When I learned that Christina has been a wedding planner for many years, I knew every aspect of this wedding would be well tended! I was right, she had every last detail buttoned up. All of that expertise and careful organization means I can fully focus on making beautiful photos throughout the day. 

Here are a few highlights from Christina & Jerry's gorgeous spring wedding in Williamsburg, VA:

Congratulations Christina and Jerry! It was an honor to document your wedding!

Wishing you love and joy always.  - Melissa 

If you would like to find out more about the MBP wedding experience, contact me today! melissablissphotography@gmail.com

Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer, Hampton Roads, VA & Beyond

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stores in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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