Andrew & Jessica's Backyard Elopement in Covington, VA

I am SO excited to be sharing Andrew & Jessica’s wedding with you guys! This sweet couple has had so many ups and downs with planning everything! With COVID, they had to move their big wedding day celebration until June 2021, but they didn’t let that stop them from having a fun celebration with their families and closest friends.

I was so surprised to see how much planning they had put into this day! From selecting a totally different color and style of bridesmaids dresses, florals, cake- they truly thought of everything! They got ready in their beautiful home in Covington, Virginia, and then had a gorgeous ceremony overlooking a neighbors pond, and had a reception with burgers and hot dogs in their back yard!

Congratulations you guys! It was such a stunning day and I cannot wait to see you get married again next year! (and honestly- how many people can say that?! haha!)

The Wedding Day Timeline || Lynchburg, VA Wedding Photographer

There’s a lot of big decisions you’ll have to make for your wedding day- from caterers and bakers, to what dress you’re wearing, and who you want in your wedding party, etc. Yet, one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is your wedding day timeline. You want to make sure you have enough time to ensure that you have the time set aside to get those wedding day photographs, to be able to capture the memories of your Dad seeing his little girl in her wedding dress, your Grandparents dancing together, or your groom seeing you for the first time!

Here are a few tips when prepping your wedding day time:

1- Remember, everything always takes longer than you expect. You may be expecting your ceremony to be 10-15 minutes, but also counting in the time it takes for everyone to say hi to each other, and walk over to the cocktail hour, it will most likely be closer to 30 minutes.

2- Check the time of sunset! Especially if you aren’t planning on doing a first look! I recommend scheduling the end time of your ceremony an hour before sunset so you have time for family portraits, photos with your wedding party, and of course time for pictures with your new hubby!

3- Make a list for family photos. Talk with your Mom, and your future mother-in-law so everyone is on the same page, and create a list of about 10 groupings for family photos. I recommend immediate family, grandparents, parents, siblings, etc! Then anything else can be captured at the reception!

4- Build in extra time. I usually recommend 30-45 minutes before the ceremony of “extra” time in case your hair or makeup is running late, a groomsmen forgets his tie and has to run back out to get it, etc!

5- Make sure you prioritize Bride and Groom portrait time! The day goes by in a blink and it’s easy to rush through these, but these are the photos that you’ll want to remember the day by!

Hope these tips helped you! I believe creating a great timeline is crucial to a successful wedding day that is stress free! Because of this, I include a custom timeline creation meeting with each and everyone of my couples!

Happy New Year! A look over 2019! || Lynchburg Wedding & Portrait Photographer

Happy New Year Friends!

If you’re starting out this new year with me, know that I am just so thankful!

2019 was overall a great year for us in the Eiban house! I took a few steps back from my photography business to be able to focus on a growing baby, who is now a full fledged toddler, and our daughter who is practically a teenager now at 8! ;) I will never understand how fast the years fly and how much they grow in a year!!

To think we’re at the end of a decade and how much our lives have truly changed in the last 10 years! We have bought a house, shot my first wedding, had our first baby girl, changed jobs, renovated a house, started preschool, changed jobs again, found our favorite beach location, sold a house, bought a new house, gone full time with my photography business, started & completed kindergarten, joined a swim team, had a baby boy, made some amazing friends that have turned into family, traveled, grown, and so much more! It’s so fun, and crazy, to look back over the last 10 years and see where we are now. I am just so thankful for where life has gone!

As an enneagram 1, you know I’m always a fan of the New Year. I love the Fresh Start- the brand new planner pages, goals, and the motivation and organization that January brings with it! (As I’m typing this, I’m also writing out a list on how to organize the kids toys better! ha!)

I usually think through a “word for the year” but haven’t this year, and I’m going to give myself some grace this year, with the craziness of the holidays, burn out being SO real, and balancing family and work and house and friends- you get it! But, I want to know, do you have a word for this year? What are your main goals for this year?!

2019 Weddings in Review

This is one of my most favorite blog posts to put together each year! Because I get to look over every single wedding from the year and truly remember the joyful days of each and every one of my amazing couples! It’s just a reminder of how quickly time passes and how much of a blessing it is to be able to celebrate with these couples on one of the biggest days of their lives!

2019 was an amazing year! I was able to schedule all of my weddings within Lynchburg and the surrounding areas, which was very needed with a little one at home! I loved shooting at venues from The Trivium Estate, The Virginian Hotel, Wintergreen Resort, Sorella Farms, The Glass Hill Venue, and more!

Thank you to each and everyone of my amazing couples that trusts me with something as important as their wedding photography! I do not take this job lightly and am so appreciative of you!

Getting Married?! I would LOVE to talk to you about your wedding day! I am currently booking a limited number of weddings for 2020 and 2021. Let’s chat!!

Jesse & Lilya's Virginian Hotel Wedding || Lynchburg, VA Wedding

My last wedding for 2019 and oh my goodness was it an AMAZING day! Jesse & Lilya had a small, intimate wedding at The Virginian Hotel in Lynchburg, Virginia. I LOVE this venue so much- it’s so helpful to have your getting ready space, ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception spaces all in one area!

Jesse & Lilya were so sweet & so super laid back! I loved their family and friends that all came in to celebrate this sweet couple! Jesse & Lilya had a small, intimate wedding day, and didn’t need a full day of coverage, but instead an elopement style package! The perfect amount of time to get some getting ready moments with her bridesmaids through dinner and cake cutting!

Thank you to the amazing vendors that made their day so wonderful!

Venue: The Virginian Hotel in Lynchburg, Virginia

Florals: Bloom by Doyles in Lynchburg, Virginia

Coordination: The Virginian Hotel in Lynchburg, Virginia

Cake: Kissed Cupcakes in Lynchburg, Virginia

Catering: The Virginian Hotel in Lynchburg, Virginia

DJ: QCS Finest DJ in Charlotte, North Carolina