vanessa + ben | engaged

wine themed engagement session

The most important part of your experience with EBJ is your in person consultation before your session. This time together allows you to share your favorite hobbies, favorite places and all the things that make you you. But the most valued information revealed through is about your personality. Knowing how you feel about being in front of the camera allows me to craft a session that will make you feel comfortable which creates the best images.

Like most guys, spending a day having his picture taken is not one of Ben’s favorite things to do. But, for his sweet fiancé Vanessa, he’ll do anything.

From Ben: My favorite memory with Vanessa is seeing her reaction when I surprised her on the plane on our way out to Vegas to see the Backstreet Boys. We bought tickets to the show when we booked our hotel and plane tickets several months before we were supposed to leave. The closer our trip got the more I started thinking about getting her a Meet and Greet to make the concert extra special for her. So about a month before we were to leave I called to get the details for how the Meet and Greet works and then ordered one for her. I was so excited and could hardly keep it a secret for that month. About half way through our flight, I couldn’t stand it anymore and I told her she would be meeting the Backstreet Boys before the concert. She was so excited and couldn’t believe I did that. She is the most unselfish person I know, always putting her family and friends ahead of herself. I wanted to treat her to something special the way she always does for others. She was a VIP that night at the concert, but she is my VIP everyday.

Ben and Vanessa knew from the beginning they wanted to do a wine themed engagement session. Vanessa even created some on theme props using corks and had a custom save the date wine label made for us to use.

We started their engagement session at Hauser Estate Winery at golden hour. Golden hour is the magical time an hour before sunset where the lighting is just perfect outside. Scheduling outdoor sessions during this time gives Expressions images the most consistency in producing a beautiful outcome for my clients.

Vanessa and Ben have an adorable chihuahua named Titan they also wanted to include in their session. After finishing up at the winery, Vanessa ran home, changed outfits and picked up Titan for the second half of their engagement session at Carroll Valley Park.

From Vanessa: My favorite memory with Ben was when we met little Titan exactly two years ago today. We originally thought we wanted the female puppy from a family friend because Ben likes smaller dogs with spunk. When we got there, Titan won both of our hearts. Seeing Ben’s face light up when holding Titan was the best feeling. He made my dreams come true by allowing me to bring this sweet little puppy into his home. If I were to describe Ben to a stranger, I’d say he’s the sweetest man I’ve ever met. He is so giving each and every day. He always makes sure I eat when I get home after a long work day or picks me up ice cream when I have a bad day just to cheer me up. He is a family man, and family is so important to me. He may not seem like much of a talker, but he is to the people who know him well, especially if you ask about fishing or hunting.

Dressed in a little bowtie Vanessa had made special for him, Titan certainly stole the show. His bowtie even served as the perfect prop to get some detail shots of Vanessa’s gorgeous engagement ring. Incorporating personal details like your fur baby make your engagement session that much more special and I’m so glad Vanessa and Ben included Titan in theirs.

Vanessa and Ben, thank you for spending the evening with me and allowing me to capture this chapter in your lives together. I can’t wait for your wedding and know it will be as fun and special as you both are.