Kaitlyn & Evan
Blithewold Mansion in Bristol, Rhode Island
November 4th, 2018
The reason most photographers encourage a couple to do an engagement session is simple: They can use the photos to put on display at their wedding or for their Save the Dates. But there's also another, much more important reason: to get a feeling for who the couple you're working with is and to get an idea of their relationship together.
And as I pulled into the parking lot at Blithewold Mansion on a slightly chilly but beautifully fall-like day in Bristol for Kaitlyn and Evan's November engagement session, I knew right away I was in for some fun.
Kaitlyn and Evan are a beautiful couple and two truly vibrant personalities. Even if Kaitlyn didn't have fire red tips in her hair, I would have known instantly just how colorful she can be and Evan is an amazing compliment to her.
Together, the two were an absolute blast to work with and as we made our way through the foliage at this unique site for an engagement session, I knew their photos would show those personalities off well.
Boy did they ever.
My session with Kaitlyn and Evan started off with a bang right away as Blithewold was FULL of cool scenic spots and colorful trees/leaves the moment we walked out of the parking lot.
Though our area typically starts to lose the foliage in mid-October, this year has been a nice exception as it wasn't until a day or two before Kaitlyn and Evan's session that Mother Nature took its toll on the trees and that was perfect timing as we had a beautiful balance of leaves in the air and on the ground for an engagement session that just SCREAMED fall in New England.
This made for some really fun shots of Kaitlyn and Evan as the two had no qualms about showing off their unique spirits and dancing/playfully kicking each other through the walking paths on the mansion grounds.
I adored Kaitlyn's outfit choice for the first half of our shoot together as the white shirt she picked out looked awesome with the hint of red coming from her hair.
Evan's choice of a black t-shirt and jeans showed off his relaxed vibe and, together, the clothing worked for both the future bride and groom as it balanced well off each other.
Not to be outdone, though, Kaitlyn and Evan went the "matching colors" route for their second outfit and I knew well before this shoot how excited Kaitlyn was for this part of the afternoon as a friend of hers had made the beautiful and bright blue flowing dress she wore to close out our time together.
I loved working with Kaitlyn and Evan as they were down for whatever angles and poses I thought would suit them well and weren't shy about telling me when something didn't feel natural.
Together, that bit of teamwork paid off nicely as the sun started to set and we headed over to use the mansion as a backdrop itself, which acted like a great contrast to the blue the bride and groom chose in their attire.
By the time Kaitlyn, Evan and I headed to our cars, well over two hours had passed and we didn't even notice. Turns out we were so focused on getting the best photos possible that we lost track of time and if that's not a good sign of things to come when these two walk down the aisle next July, I don't know what is.
So Kaitlyn and Evan, thanks for including me on your journey down the aisle. I have a very strong feeling this shoot is just the top of the iceberg when it comes to what I can expect to see when you're big day comes and, I'll be honest, I'm excited to get there with you. :)
-PJS
