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!

Planning your wedding can be so frustrating. Planning your wedding during a pandemic, I can't even imagine how hard that that is! Dealing with rescheduling, getting all your vendors on the same page, talking to all your guests, that's a lot! Drew and I have been as accommodating as possible with no rescheduling fees. We want your safety and happiness first! Thankfully, I found a really easy website where everything you need is in one spot! Here comes Basic Invite to the rescue! There are so many cool features!

My favorite feature is how everything can match! From wedding website, to save the dates, to invitations, to thank you cards, to menus, to place cards. It's all there!

Basic Invite has an awesome wedding invitation maker (check it out HERE).

It was really easy to customize it! And I love that already had suggestions for other matching products! 
​

• COLORS: Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows customers almost unlimited color options with instant previews online. You can change the color of each element on a card, with over 180 different color options. The card can be exactly how you want it, down to the littlest detail. 
• SAMPLES: Basic Invite allows customers the ability to order a printed sample of their invitation so they can see the card’s paper quality and how it will print before they have to place their final order.
• ENVELOPES: Basic Invites is just as colorful with their envelopes as they are with their invitations. You can choose from over 40 different envelope colors so that they can make their invitation stand out even before it is opened. All of their envelopes are peel & seal so the envelopes can be closed quickly and easily. Yay no tongue cuts! 
• ​CHOICES: Over 900 Wedding Invitation Sets! Each of Basic Invite's wedding invitations is part of a set. They have all the wedding stationery you need, like save the dates, wedding invitations, enclosure cards, wedding menus, wedding programs, and even matching thank you cards!

FREE is the best word. Especially when it comes to weddings! Basic Invite wedding websites are completely customizable! Check out their wedding website maker HERE.  They're mobile friendly and super easy to use. You can instantly upload all of your wedding details, along with images, and a convenient map with directions for your guests. It's soooo helpful to have a website, especially when everything is up in the air with planning! Choose from 180 custom colors, and a design suite to match your wedding invitations!

Upload all our pics from our engagement session together!! It will be so personal and gorgeous! 

Another awesome perk is their Free Address Collection Service - Use Basic Invite's free address collection service to request your addresses with just three simple steps. Share a link via social media or email, collect addresses, and get free envelope printing.

Now that you have your save the dates, wedding invitations, your wedding website, your addresses already collected, it's super easy to log into your account and send custom Thank You Cards! See all the cute styles HERE! Match the style of your wedding invitations and save the dates! Upload our pictures from the wedding onto the cards and send them out to all your guests. 

Drew and I have had about 15 weddings need to change dates due to either venue restrictions or family unable to travel. Thankfully, Basic Invite has so many CUTE options to let your guests know about Date Change! Again, really easy to customize! Check them all out HERE! 

If you see anything you like on Basic Invite, you can get 20% off store wide by using my discount code in the graphic below! There's so much to chose from! Wedding invitations, save the dates, change the dates, thank you cards and even wedding day paper items like menu, place cards, programs, and even coasters! 

Be sure to visit Basic Invite's website and follow them on social media @basicinvite!
Facebook
Pinterst
Instagram
Twitter

Hellloooooo!

Drew and I have some fun and exciting news! We bought a house in Durham, North Carolina! Drew and I are both from Raleigh, NC and we are really excited and ready to be near family again. We have absolutely loved our 3 years living and being wedding photographers in Miami and around South Florida, but we are excited for this next chapter! This is not goodbye to Miami, we have tons of weddings that we can't wait to fly back down for! 

Drew got an amazing job with Duke University where he will continue his research on how parenting and families are similar and different all over the world. Did you know Drew is currently writing a book on his findings? YEAH! So cool! The Doctor, Reverend, Author Drew is doing big things! 

House Hunting in Durham, NC:
Once Drew got the Duke job we started looking on Zillow and Redfin for houses. We also thankfully have an amazing realtor, Mary! House hunting while we were in Miami wasn't as challenging as we thought We are so blessed to have our realtor and friends and family go through a few houses and take video and FaceTime us.  The most challenging part was the pandemic. Right during our house hunting window everything shut down which meant no walk throughs and very few listings. We honestly thought we'd have to extend our time here in Miami. But, a little miracle happened. We had been seeing some cute houses go under contract within hours of them going live so we were worried that by the time we flew up for houses it would be gone. BUT, due to the restrictions, there was this one house that we fell in love with that was just accepting digital walk throughs, so it didn't fly off the shelf as fast. First day it went on the market we bought tickets to fly up the very next day. Our realtor was able to get us in to see the house in person while we wore all the PPE and bathed in hand sanitizer to keep everyone safe. We immediately put an offer in. After a little battling, we got the house!! We are learning so much through this whole process! It's been so fun!

Why Durham?
Drew grew up in Cary and I grew up in Raleigh. We both went to high school in Raleigh. I went to UNC in Chapel Hill and Drew went to State in Raleigh. The Triangle is home to us. So we knew it would be somewhere in the Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill area. There are so many reasons we picked to zone in on house hunting in Durham. 

1. Family, Friends & Work
My sister and brother in law and most of of friends live in Durham and all love the city. We are super social and of course want to be near everyone for dinners, cook outs, and hangs! Also, Duke is in Durham so it's a quick drive for Drew. 3 amazing companies I've been working with, Better On, Pathos Ethos, and American Underground are all right in Downtown Durham!

2. Diverse City With Small Town Pride
Durham is so cool. There's SO much. To all my Miami friends, it's like a mini Wynwood with outdoor restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, character, wall murals, and an artsy/hipster feel. We honestly are less familiar with Durham! That makes it really exciting! While only 30 minutes from Chapel Hill where I spent 9 years, and only 30 minutes from Raleigh where we grew up, there's still SO much to be discovered about Durham and we love that! We already have a list of restaurants, shops, and places to visit and check out! Durham is amazing because it has all the perks of a city while also a really supportive and active diverse base! I love that I can walk around downtown and still hear several languages and see a mix of people. As a diverse couple ourselves, living in a diverse city was important to us.

3. Community Building 
The small town pride that we love about Durham makes it the perfect place to plug in, plant roots, and give back. Drew and I love giving back to our community! We love volunteering and supporting grassroots organizations. Durham has tons of non-profits and opportunities and we can't wait to give our time and talents back to the city! We've loved how Durham has come together and united for Black Lives Matter protests and events and how supportive the community has been of locally black-owned businesses. We are stoked to continue that love and activism! 

Our Casita!!
Our house is SO CUTE. It's not too big, so going from a 1 bed 1 bath apartment won't be too overwhelming. It is open concept which is perfect for hosting all our friends and family. And there are 2 spare rooms so we each can have an office, which will be a huge change and upgrade! (I'm currently typing this from our bedroom while Drew is doing a tele-health therapy session in the kitchen haha)
Our backyard is perfect. A small decks and lots of room for gardening! 
Our house is also walking distance to downtown! 15 minutes on the beautiful Greenway/American Tobacco Trail and we are right in the heart of Durham. We're close to baseball games, breweries, awesome restaurants, and small businesses. Walkability is something we'll miss the most about Miami Beach so it was really important that we weren't too far from the action! 

We are just really overjoyed for this next chapter! We officially move end of July! We can't wait to fly back to Miami to photograph weddings and we can't wait for all our awesome couples and weddings in Raleigh too! 

​Durham, NC (aka Bull City!) here we come! 

I love being a Miami wedding photographer and living on South Beach! Daniela + Zhen were cool enough to wake up at sunrise and meet me in the Art Deco district on Miami Beach! The beaches have sadly been closed due to the pandemic and the curfew. But, Ocean Drive was closed to cars so we were able to take some pretty cool photos frolicking down the the empty world famous street!! The college sweet hearts met through Cuban Students Club at school and are about to move to New York City for Zhen's residency. They both proposed to each other at a Harry Potter murder mystery party Zhen threw! They both wear engagement rings, heck yes! I loved that they leaned into the Covid situation and brought masks, a measuring tape, and Corona beer! I love even more that they brought a Darth Vader mask and were down for some "force" pictures haha. Just the coolest!! It makes me so happy when couples are so happy and are themselves! I'm not a posey photographer, obviously, and I love making sure each engagement session is perfectly unique to you! I love showing off your personality and your story. Sometimes that story involved champagne and Star Wars and that's really rad. 

Of course I had to get in on the fun!

I love being a photographer on Miami Beach with so many gorgeous locations right in my backyard. The pandemic has been tough on my wedding photography business, but I'm using this time as best I can to do complete projects I've had on the bucket list for years. I'm so excited to offer fine art prints and open my print shop! I am offering fine art prints, fine art beach prints + frames (perfect for gallery walls), beach canvases, beach metal prints, and even Miami Beach greeting cards! Right now, it's full of Miami Beach photos from lifeguard stands, to the blue ocean, and to colorful umbrellas. Today, I want to show off some of my favorite Lifeguard Stands from Miami Beach! One day I went to take pictures on South Beach at sunrise and it was cloudy. Then, a few weeks later, I finally caught a sunny day! Each block, the lifeguard stands are decorated differently and uniquely! I love these printed on their own or in sets. Hope these beachy prints bring some warmth and joy into your home! 

Visit my print shop and get 10% off your order!
https://bit.ly/laurasprintshop