Miami Design District is a super cool neighborhood in Miami, Florida minutes from Wynwood, Downtown, and Miami Beach! Miami Design District is full of creativity, shopping, fashion, design, art, architecture, and restaurants. It was built in the early 2000s by developer Craig Robins, president and CEO of Dacra and is home to over 130 art galleries, showrooms, creative services, architecture firms, luxury fashion stores, antiques dealers, restaurants, and bars. Miami Design District is listed at the #12 thing to do in Miami on Trip Adviser. Here is a huge list and directory of Miami Design District stores to check out too!

Miami Design District is the perfect location for wedding, elopement, or engagement pictures because of all the incredibly unique back drops but also super close and amazing restaurants and hotels! This first picture, for instance, is a giant bubble surrounded by water that is actually the entrance to a parking garage! SO COOL! You can only find stuff like that in the Miami Design District! I loved how this elopement was a little more high fashion and editorial. So of course I thought of Miami's Design District as the perfect backdrop! 

I teamed up on this Miami Design District Elopement with the following awesome Miami wedding vendors:

• Couple: Cindy & Tim
• Dresses: Merlili Bridal & Boutique in Coral Gables 
• Florals: Posh Petals Miami 
• Assistant: Marla Manes Photography

There are SO many great Miami Design District Hotels! But I prefer AirBnbs! If you want something beyond Miami Design District hotels, check out this list of AirBnbs in and near Miami Design District and Wynwood!* I put this together picking the highest rated AirBnbs with either awesome views or something special to offer like a pool or mural! When looking for Miami Design District hotels or Airbnbs, consider the following:

1. Rating - If you plan far enough ahead, stay at only 4.5 stars and above!
2. Reviews - Does it have 5 stars but only 1 review? Is it loud? Host welcoming? Comfy bed? Coffee provided? Pets allowed?
3. Parking availability? - Miami is a big city and sometimes parking isn't aways easy to find!
4. Safety - Wynwood and Downtown Miami, like any big city, have parts that might not be the safeest, so be sure to look up crime maps!
5. Walkability - Can you walk out your door and go grab an amazing meal or do you have to Uber/Lyft?

Let's talk Miami Design District Restaurants! Miami Design District has awesome eateries, food halls, and bars! Drew and I LOVE taking our out of town guests here! Our top 3 favorite Miami Design District restaurants are:

1. Politan Row Miami Food Hall - This awesome Miami Design District Food Hall has SO many delicious choices! We brought my parents here because every food stall is changing and revoloving and everyone can find something. I am gluten free and vegetarian and my mom is gluten free and soy free, and my dad eats bland. So food halls are a great choice for group meals! 
2. Michael's Genuine Food & Drink - This Miami Design District restaurant is a CLASSIC. We always love going for happy hour! We love the oysters and cocktails! They have a great outdoor area which is perfect for Covid safety too! 
   
3. Mandolin Aegean Bistro - This Miami Design District restaurant is a little outside of the neighborhood but I promise it is worth it! This Mediterranean restaurants literally feels like you're stepping onto a Greek Island. So much out door seating, surrounded by the iconic blue and white stucco and tropical plants. I recommend the Halloumi and Turkish sampler! 
   

Living in Miami, weather is super unpredictable. It's a tropical climate so rainstorms can come out of no where. It can pour for 5 minutes then be sunny. So checking a weather radar is the most helpful. Miami's Design District is on the mainland and next to the city, so it's often prone to more rain than the beach because the heat gets trapped in the tall buildings and concrete. So I definitely recommend checking weather before visiting Miami's Design District and always bringing an umbrella. Here are the best times to visit Miami and Miami's Design District:

• Summer - It rarely gets above 90! If it does, it rains. Living in NC I think our NC summer months are hotter and more humid than Miami. Miami at least has a breeze. But be warned, it rains EVERYDAY in the summer. It might be for a few minutes. It might be on and off. Rarely, it's all day. 
• Sunrise - I recommend sunrise in the summer months for elopements for less chance of rain! 
• Winter - January through March is magical! You might catch some sub 80 days and those are magical! 
• Be aware of hurricane season! August, September, and October are all prone to hurricanes. If you book during this time check refund policies incase a storm does hit, grow, or turn! 

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Nancy and Jeff are sooooo much fun! Typing this I want to use all caps because their energy is so contagious! They are from New York and escaped the city to the sunshine and warmth of Miami! Miami is special for them because it's actually where one of their first dates happened and where they got engaged! I loved that they wanted something more non-traditional and just wanted to have fun! That's what engagement sessions are all about! Celebrating your authentic self! So naturally, we had to start off with the best Boba Tea around at Bubba Tea. Caffeined up, we hit the streets in search of fun murals around Wynwood! The Wynwood Walls are iconic and every changing so every session here in different! We ventured to Domino Park on the water and we wanted to keep having fun even with the sun set, so we went to the highest point in Miami, a parking deck in the Design District for sunset! 

Thank you both for an awesome afternoon together!! Sending so much love from our new home in Durham! 

This gorgeous Wilmington elopement was a dream! I drove into Wilmington's historic district and on the cobblestone road hides Wilmington wedding venue, The Atrium! I am so excited to move back to North Carolina! Raleigh/Durham is only 2 hours from Wilmington! I can't wait for Wilmington Weddings, Wilmington Elopements, and Wilmington Engagements! I SO loved photographing at The Atrium! Now that I know all the best shooting locations, I am so ready to photograph another wedding or elopement in the gorgeous hidden gardens!

The Atrium by Ligon Flynn is tucked among the buildings in the heart of historic downtown Wilmington. At one time the building housed livery stables for the downtown community, but by the 1970’s the structure had fallen into complete ruin. Architect Ligon Flynn purchased the building in the 1980’s and redesigned it into a contemporary urban garden and office space. Ligon Flynn centered his design on the intersection of people and nature, and the philosophy remains apparent in the Atrium today. The area is filled with natural elements, local foliage, climbing vines, brick masonry, and water combined with the clean lines of modern architecture. The space has a magical quality and has been called “an open-air cathedral,” a hidden treasure,” “Wilmington’s secret garden.” 

Maintaining Ligon’s philosophy that humans should be touched by breeze, light, air, and earth, it only seems appropriate that his space be used for one of the most significant moments in a lifetime. 

Thank you Adorn Collective for hosting this amazing day! 
Host: @adorncollectiveworkshops
Stylist: @lionhouse.weddings
Venue: @atriumwilmington
Floral + Floral Arch: @fiorefineflowers
Invitation: @prettywrittenthings
Lounge, Table + Chair rentals: @marthamydearrentals
Tabletop Rentals: @partysuppliersandrentals
Runner, Napkins + Ribbon: @mosshound_designs
Neon Sign: @customneon
Beauty: @makeupbymadieee
Gown: @beautifulbridesofwilmington
Jumpsuits: @asos
Cake: @swankysweetsbakeshop
Bridal Earrings: @_poppy_co_
Shoes: @badgleymischkabride
Model Agency: @lockemodels
Models: @alexandriashekian / @minyonezekiel

This gorgeous engagement session was a dream! Of course the locations are stunning, but, these two are just so perfect! We met at Tree Tops Park and walked through the trails attempting not to sweat! I was so loving talking with them that I completely missed the Ancient Live Oaks grove and we just wandered on through the woods haha. THANKFULLY, they are so chill and so go with the flow they laughed at my extrovert-ness and we took beautiful photos surrounded by all this lush green! He is a pilot and she works in sales. They were living in different cities when they first started dating. They both said it was pretty apparent from the first few dates that they had found their person. It was truly love at first sight. Soon after, they moved to be in the same city and now they're engaged! Her red dress popped against the green of Tree Tops Park and he was a trooper wearing a jacket in this South Florida Heat. We then ventured to Dania Beach Pier for some sunset pictures! Taking pictures on the beach is my favorite thing! We frolicked through the white sands and then splashed in the waves under the Dania Beach Pier. They were laughing and soon forgot I was there and their love just radiated! Thank you both so much for letting me adventure around Fort Lauderdale with y'all! I hope you love these as much as I do! 

Drew and I had the privilege of being Nick and Zoie's wedding photographers this winter. (Relive their wedding in this blog post and relive their engagement photos in this blog post!) I'm always SO humbled whenever I get to keep taking pictures of my couples turned friends! These three are just the best! We always have the best time together, the 4 of us are totally kindred spirits. Like us, they love traveling, exploring new places, good wine, being outside, telling stories, caring for other people, fighting for justice, laughing lots, and making their friends feel loved. It took us a while to start taking pictures because were all just standing chit chatting haha, that's the best sign! Melvin, the English Bulldog, was a trooper in the Miami heat and loved playing model! They wanted, "we're happy, we're healthy, we're still so in love" pictures. Yes, please! I loved this park with the mid of palm trees, white winding paths, open fields, and the marina. Drew was there to help! He's the best and I always love having him there to support me. We of course followed pictures with drinks that the best outdoor drink spot in Coconut Grove, Glass & Vine. I can't wait to document more chapters of your beautiful lives and hopefully do some more exploring with y'all! 

High school sweet hearts Sarah and Patrick are an absolute JOY! Since they live in Atlanta, we've had to reschedule a few times due to the pandemic. Sarah is a nurse fighting Covid-19 on the front lines! So I'm so beyond happy they were able to celebrate their engagement with a relaxing and sun filled weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Florida! And of course be my gorgeous models!! They were troopers and woke up early on their vacation.

I love sunrise for photography because: 

1. The beach is empty! 
2. Not as hot
3. Gorgeous light! The sun rising over the ocean is just stunning! It's the morning version of golden hour
4. You have the rest of the day to do whatever you want! Especially on vacation, you don't want to have to worry about getting too sunburned or having too many drinks before an evening session haha. 

From the first frame, I knew this would be an amazing session. Normally, it takes couples (myself included!) a lot of time to get into a flow and get comfortable in front of the camera. But these two puzzle pieces just perfectly aligned and snapped into place and magic followed. I love how they look at each other, so deeply in love, genuine smiles and laughter, even at sunrise! I was so happy to be able to celebrate their love and (hopefully!) make them feel special after they have worked so hard. Thank you both for letting me be a part of your vacation and documenting this beautiful chapter! 

Another strong, persevering, flexible, joyful, family first couple who's dream wedding had to be postponed. I'm so happy they finally were able to say their vows on their original wedding date. Drew and I were in Raleigh closing on our Durham house! So it was perfect I could be at Nick's house for a few hours capturing their day! Nick's dad got certified and officiated the wedding, how special! They also brought their 4 month old Ausiedoodle, Adler! He was my favorite and I had to actively not photograph him every moment haha. Viewing the situation through Drew's optimistic eyes, I love how my couples have been having small legal ceremonies before their bigger celebration. This way, once the big day comes around, there's literally no pressure because they're already married! Trial run of wedding day complete :D I love that their wedding was live streamed to those who couldn't make it and I love the live comments too! Excited to celebrate their wedding again with them in Raleigh next year! 

Jenn and Glenn's wedding had to be moved due to the pandemic. But that didn't stop them from having the most gorgeous day! Drew and I first met these two high school sweet hearts at Miami's Perez Art Museum and walked the art park and got coffee at Books & Books. Jenn is special education and has a heart of gold! So she and Drew talked all about psychology, learning, and funny stories with their kids. We were so happy we could still join their Miami wedding even after date and venue change. The guest list had to unfortunately be cut down, but thankfully, we found a wedding venue with wifi and family and friends Zoomed in! Redland Koi Gardens was SO pretty and thankfully didn't need many decorations! They looked dashing and radiant! My heart just overflows with how they look at each other! My favorite was throwing colorful pompoms as they walked down the aisle! I love how even a short and small wedding is still full of love and meaning. Their first look was so beautiful and her bridesmaid's crying made it all even more emotional! Their family and friends gave beautiful toasts and everyone was so supportive and joyful on their wedding day. Thank you for letting us be a part of your intimate celebration!!! 

Venue: @redlandkoigardens
Florals: @poncefloraldesign
Cake: @sweet_designs
Dress: @davidsbridal
H&MUA: @miamiglamteam

Italy is our 3rd home behind Raleigh/Durham, and Miami. We have been multiple times and lived in Rome for 3 months! We have so many beautiful family and friends there and we count ourselves beyond blessed to know the country so well! (If you go to my Instagram, you can check out my Highlights Stories and see all our fun travel memories!) During the pandemic, I had time to get to a "wishful thinking" to-do list. One of the items was start a print shop! When I travel, I actually usually don't bring my big camera because I want to stay present with Drew. But, one of the times I did bring it along was in Italy! And I'm so glad I did because these are some of my favorites. I was never confident enough to put my landscape work out there. But unemployment pushed me out of my comfort zone! It makes me sooo happy whenever someone wants a piece of me in their home! 

The gallery is actually super cool! I have so many products you can pick from! Prints, frames, canvases, but also metal prints, boards, calendars, and cards! These Italy pictures I always imagined as a set. Like 3 in a row (triptych)  or a collage! Perfect for over the bed or couch or office. 

I love the Italian Coast Wall Art Set below so much! The Italian Triptych would is the perfect tranquil escape with calming ocean vibes and fun pops of color! 

My first trip to to Italy was to Rome, Florence, and Tuscany with my family where my mom ran the Rome Marathon! I didn't have my big camera for that trip. But, our second trip to Italy we went to Milan, Venice, Positano, Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Rome, Naples, and Ischia! The Positano wall art, Venice wall art, and Cinque Terre wall art are some of my all time favorites! Look how amazing all three Venice Frames look together! I love mixing and matching all my Italy Wall Art Pictures!

Look at all these colors! The first pictures on the left is a Positano fine art print, followed by two fine art prints from Cinque Terre!

Vespa's are quintessential Italian! I love the stone wall and bougainvillea! The below Italian Vespa Wall Art was taken in Positano, Italy!

These black and white Italian prints make the gallery wall so cohesive! We have the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Spanish Steps in Rome, and the Colosseum in Rome. I like the black and white with the wood frames because it warms them up a bit and ties in with your furniture nicely! 

I love the greenery, vines, and bougainvillea here! The left picture was taken in Positano and the right was taken in Venice! The black frames are the perfect contrast for these colorful Italian Wall Art pictures!

This is from one of my favorite views in Rome! Rome is actually known as the City of 7 Hills! I love this hazy, sunset, ancient Rome skyline canvas! I think pictures with negative space, like the sky, look awesome blown up because they don't feel as overwhelming. Who wants this Rome Skyline Wall Art over their couch?!

Positano wall art looking fine as always! Positano metal prints are a really cool way of bringing in texture without a frame!

The Florence Wall Art below is from a sneaky view from the very top of Florence, Italy! I love that you can see the ancient wall. It's Italian but not so typical, which I love. 

Again, looove black and white mix and match! This Italy gallery wall feels so classy. From L-->R. Rome, Venice, Florence, Vatican! So technically two countries! I have a lot more Vatican Wall Art in my gallery too and even some Rome at Night pictures!