There’s a great love story about to be told. It’s a story of love/hate and it goes a little something like this. Nadine and Reza met through a mutual friend at Emory. It was the first day of classes of junior year and actually walking between classes through campus. It didn’t start off well as Nadine recalls but her friend suggested they ask Reza to help them with homework, something happened. Could they actually bond over something as simple as similar music style? Nadine accepted a date with Reza and they went out for dinner, ice skating and star gazing via a star projector on the ceiling. Seven years later, here they are!
What better place for their engagement session than where it all started. And we can’t agree more.
How did Reza propose?
In November, Reza whisked Nadine away to Chateau Elan for two nights as a “decoy” to make her think that’s where he would propose. As they headed back to Atlanta, Reza rented out the ice skating rink where they had their first date, flew her family in from Los Angeles and proposed to her on their 6 year anniversary. Nadine described it as incredible.
What are you most excited about for your wedding?
Nadine said she most excited to see their friends and family from all around the US and Canada come together for the first time and celebrate with them. And then they’re REALLY excited to escape it all and go on their honeymoon adventure! Where could that be?
Has this session got you wanting more? Check out a little video slideshow.
How was your overall engagement session experience with Viridian Images Photography?
Nadine confessed they have so little time where they get to hang out for 2-3 hours uninterrupted so for them it was an amazing bonding experience at minimum. “We really loved your energy and patience with us.” She continued saying “your ‘photographer’s mind’ was always churning and you were so creative with us and the final photos are truly incredible”. Awwww, words like these makes us work that much harder for all our couples. This is exactly what our aim is.
Nadine and Reza, you two are an absolutely unbelievable couple and we can’t wait to photograph your wedding at the Four Seasons Atlanta.
Stone MountainPark is usually crawling with tourists and locals on a spring afternoon. However, with rain in the forecast the park was surprisingly empty as we decided to move forward and meet up with Emily and Jimmy for their long-awaited engagement photo session.
With 3200 acres of scenic views, a colorful shopping and dining village, a covered bridge, a historic old mill and of course, the mountain; this is one of the best locations for an engagement shoot in Atlanta. Not to mention a great place for wedding photography overall.
We had already spent some time getting to know this couple before today’s session and it was clear from the start, they had an unbreakable connection. How they met is an interesting story.
Jimmy messaged Emily on eharmony.com and she agreed to meet up for a coffee date. They immediately hit if off. She laughed at all his stories and Jimmy was simply thankful to have met a southern gal. Later that day when Jimmy got back home; he changed his eharmony profile and never looked back. They dated for several weeks before officially becoming a couple and the rest is history. We hope you enjoy this spring engagement session in Atlanta, Georgia. Please be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram for updates on the latest with Viridian Images Photography, Atlanta’s premier wedding photography. If you’re recently engaged and ready to create unique images for your wedding journey; contact usnow to secure your dates!
The start of 2020 will hopefully mean a chance to catch up with posting on our website but in the mean time we decided to do something we haven’t done in a long time. A year-end summary of our favorite images from 2019. It’s not just a “best of” compilation. But a collection of images that have a little extra meaning to us. A big thank you to all the couples that partnered with us in 2019 as well as those whos weddings take place in 2020. We can’t wait to document new memories and create visual art for you.
If you like what you see here, please share with friends and loved ones. So, with further delay, here we go. Check out the video slideshow first as it will include more images beyond the stills posted here. Enjoy!
In our line of work as wedding photographers we are constantly meeting new couples each year. Each one of those couples, fantastic. Occasionally we come across people that totally embody sweetness at the purest definition of the word. Such is the case with Casi and Kyle. Both are smart and easy going with a great sense of humor.
Kyle was a pilot with Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Casi was a personal style blogger under howyouwearit.com and now represents Beautycounter as a consultant.
So, how did they meet? Well, this is how Casi breaks it down:
“Kyle and I met through Match.com, but later realized we were members at the same church. I knew Kyle was the one when I watched him get baptized. I had always prayed for a man who loved God with all his heart and seeing the man I loved get baptized was confirmation for me of that.”
The rest is history as they say.
For their engagement session they chose Piedmont Park. A popular spot with many couples in Atlanta for its vast array of scenes, including an epic skyline view. If you’re interested in Piedmont Park for your engagement photos; look at some of our other sessions at this wonderful location. Sarah Lyn and Jef, Chinyere and Kyrone, Yaqui and Alex. You’ll notice that even though we’ve photographed engagement photos here many times, we can always find new ways to transform our images to make this location look fresh and unique. In the meantime, please enjoy Casi and Kyle’s session on a chilly fall afternoon.
We first met Isabelle and her mom as they begun their search for all things wedding related at our local bridal show. Isabelle knew exactly what she wanted regarding her wedding and engagement photography. After an extensive conversation discussing her vision for the wedding, we agreed to set up a second meeting to include Charlie, her fiancée. Coffee and tea at Café Intermezzo is always a good choice on a cool afternoon. So after getting a cozy table off to the corner we had our first chance to meet Charlie. What a delight it was to spend some time with him; very relaxed and laid back. A perfect compliment to Isabelle’s personality.
Meetings like these are always essential to our storytelling style of photography. Getting to know our couple’s back-story, how they met and what makes their relationship so unique really shapes the types of images we create down the road. So off we go.
Isabelle is originally from Quebec, Canada but moved to the United States with her family at the age of 12. After briefly “visiting” Denver, they settled in Seattle where she later earned her International Studies degree at the University of Washington. Shortly after, she decided to leave the Seattle rain for sunny San Francisco with her furry best friend. Little did she know, this is where her life would really begin when she met Charlie.
Charlie’s story began in China where he is from and where he grew up. His parents decided to sacrifice their careers and everything they had to bring him to the United States. They wanted to give him the chance to fulfill the “American Dream“. At age 11, they first settled in “Hotlanta” where he completed secondary education and received his degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. After graduation, he had a few setbacks. So he decided to move the “Golden City” for a fresh start.
So, how did they actually meet?
Well, it’s interesting to hear each one describe how this all came about.
Isabelle:
I had seen and talked to him before – casually. But I really saw him that day at the Venetian Expo. He looked good in his relaxed boot cut jeans and fitting white t-shirt – a welcome sight to the throng of solution architects, engineers and sales guys swarming the convention center floor. There ensued burgers, shakes, long walk and long talks. For me, it really was a combination of his raw confidence, his honesty, his unwavering loyalty, and the dimples when he smiled.
Charlie:
I had noticed her before. This young, beautiful, exotic and yet unassuming and down to earth woman with big eyes and luscious, thick brown hair. I was drawn to her mannerisms and way of speaking that was not quite American… but not quite European either. After spending some time to get to know her, I was amazed at how much we had in common, from our immigrant experiences growing up, to our sense of humor.
How did their relationship bloom?
Isabelle:
We got to know each other in the Golden City, through hikes on the cliffs by the sea and strolls and picnics in the wine country.
Charlie:
Our relationship blossomed in the city by the bay; our frequent trips hiking across the austere and majestic mountains by the pacific coast, the peaceful and often chilly Muir Woods (then again Izzie is always cold), and our relaxing drives through the wine country affirmed that our bond would be eternal. Through our times together, I also learned about her strong family values. Those same values led us and our little furry pup (not so little at 70lbs) to trek across the country and settle back in the peach state.
And then…?
Charlie:
For a frequent traveler with over three million miles, it seemed only appropriate that I make our engagement official at 39,000 feet.
Isabelle:
Yeah, it was a few months before we moved into our home on our way home from exploring the Christmas markets of Munich, in the middle of the Atlantic on a long flight, he asked me to marry him. It was probably the easiest question I ever had to answer.
The engagement session
They both knew they wanted to do something extra special for their engagement session. So they made arrangements at Lake Lanier to get access to PineIsle Pointe. This is one of the most popular wedding venues on the lake; but we had it all to ourselves! All week long we had torrential rains and the forecast was threatening more rain for the day of the session. However, miraculously the sun broke through and we had one of the most magnificent afternoons of the year.
Having a couple that loves the outdoors just lends to having a great photo shoot. The entire session was simply a delight to shoot. Running through the fields and jumping in the water for the sake of photography? No problem! Hey even their labradoodle Boomer got into the mix. Thanks Charlie and Isabelle for a super esession! We can’t wait to share their wedding next!
Weather in Georgia for an engagement session can be…
By Georgia standards Atlanta had a very strong winter. Temperatures stayed unusually low throughout the spring and rain seemed like a constant fixture almost every other day. Then out of nowhere we get a day in the low 90’s with scorching sun for Michael and Grace’s Ponce City Market and Beltline engagement session. That’s okay since this couple has all the warmth to match the setting.
A chance meeting
Grace and Michael met through their church. She had recently moved to Atlanta and really didn’t know many people. Thankfully her sister-in-law arranged a big lunch with many friends and invited her to come along. That’s where Michael came into the picture. They bonded immediately over the terrible Chinese buffet food they just had and how much they loved talking trash about each other’s favorite NBA teams. The rest is history as they say.
The details on their proposal
So, when the time came, how did he propose?
“He proposed at the Garden Lights, Holiday Lights show at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in front of the lighted trees that changed colors according to the musical arrangement. It was magical and I was shocked (had no idea it was coming)!”
We met inside Ponce City Market which has quickly become a favorite spot for most Atlantans. Located on the Old Fourth Ward, this old Sears, Roebuck & Company building was renovated into a contemporary marketplace with a focus on food that reflects many of the flavors of this great city. The Atlanta Beltline connects right up to the market providing quick access to 45 great neighborhoods such as Virginia-Highland, Midtown and Inman park. The Beltline itself is a 22-mile loop of multi-use trails, parks and streetcars – all based on railroad corridors that formerly encircled Atlanta. It runs right through Piedmont Park(Atlanta’s version of Central Park) and it is packed with murals and sculptures from an eclectic mix of artists; becoming the largest temporary outdoor art exhibition in the south. As you can imagine, a location like this feels like a gold mine for both art-loving couples and photographers.
Our session began inside the market so we could take advantage of the backlit colored windows located throughout the Central Food Hall. Not to mention the air conditioning was cranking! A perfect way to kick off an engagement session with a couple so they could ease into the process. This couple truly has a blend of modern style with timeless elegance. Michael was rocking a navy bespoke suit with Allen Edmonds wingtips. His suit was a surprise gift from his future father-in-law during their most recent trip to Taiwan. Grace was glowing in a bohemian hunter green dress with Clarks Spiced Ava sandals. Both providing great contrast against all the backgrounds we used across the afternoon. From there we jumped directly on the Beltline so we could photograph one of their favorite murals at Paris on Ponce. A richly colored flower mural with a mini faux Eiffel Tower sculpture. The heat was starting to kick in a bit so we huddled up in a slightly shady corner of this display to catch a few silly moments with a rusty gorilla. Then we were off again, doubling back to the cartoon mural just over North avenue and a somewhat new favorite; the Tim Frank columns sculpture. Once again we scurried for some shade and managed to find some interesting green benches under an overhang adjacent to the entry back into Ponce. It was cooler there which gave us a chance to grab a few quick shots before we had to move on. Grace and Michael had some other murals they wanted to photograph with so we hopped in the car and drove a bit further down the Beltline so we could keep them nice and cool in their nice outfits. That trip brought us to two very popular pieces of art. First up their personal favorite, the Hense mural by Alex Brewer. Or as they call it, the “bubble” mural. As one can imagine, a beautiful warm day in Atlanta means there was a lot of foot traffic going through this area. So, we decided to incorporate shots of joggers and bikers coming through our shots using a slow shutter drag. Directly on the opposite side is the second point of interest. Brandon Sadler’s / Rising Red Lotus masterpiece. A large mural featuring a circular pond of brightly colored koi.
Before we knew it almost 3 hours had gone by since we first began the shoot. A testament to how much fun we had with this couple and their incredible disposition. They were willing to go along with every crazy request we threw their way to obtain the most artistic imagery we could create on the spot. Battling large crowds, long walking distances and blistering temperatures in a suit and dress, no less. Thanks Michael and Grace for allowing us to share our love of artistic photography with you. We can’t wait to continue our adventure with you this summer at your wedding, where we look to document so many friends and family coming in from various destinations from around the world to share in your special day!
From there we jumped directly on the Beltline so we could photograph one of their favorite murals at Paris on Ponce. A richly colored flower mural with a mini faux Eiffel Tower sculpture.
The heat was starting to kick in a bit so we huddled up in a slightly shady corner of this display to catch a few silly moments with a rusty gorilla.
Then we were off again, doubling back to the cartoon mural just over North avenue and a somewhat new favorite; the Tim Frank columns sculpture.
Once again we scurried for some shade and managed to find some interesting green benches under an overhang adjacent to the entry back into Ponce. It was cooler there which gave us a chance to grab a few quick shots before we had to move on.
Grace and Michael had some other murals they wanted to photograph with so we hopped in the car and drove a bit further down the Beltline so we could keep them nice and cool in their nice outfits. That trip brought us to two very popular pieces of art. First up their personal favorite, the Hense mural by Alex Brewer. Or as they call it, the “bubble” mural. As one can imagine, a beautiful warm day in Atlanta means there was a lot of foot traffic going through this area. So, we decided to incorporate shots of joggers and bikers coming through our shots using a slow shutter drag. Directly on the opposite side is the second point of interest. Brandon Sadler’s / Rising Red Lotus masterpiece. A large mural featuring a circular pond of brightly colored koi.
It was a very muggy summer afternoon after the rain when we met up at Sope Creek Park along the Chattahoochee River in Marietta, GA. But, these two were troopers and never once complained. They were happy to be together, enjoying the afternoon and the beautiful scenery around us. Have I mentioned we’ve got the best couples. Our couples are always ready for adventure and accommodating every odd request we asked of them for the shot.
Jose and Jennifer met a few years back while doing some volunteer work. A year went by until they would see each other again. They briefly talked and once again lost contact. Jennifer was invited to attend a training school to help her better evangelize to those in the community and guess what?, there he was again. This would be the first time they actually had a conversation (Jennifer’s words). At that time, he was on his way to Bolivia for 5 months, but that didn’t stop that initial spark they had for each other from developing. They maintained communication while he was away and with time confessed his interest in Jennifer. They both agreed it was best to keep things open until his return. After his return from Bolivia, it was now her turn to leave the country and so she went to Colombia to volunteer for a few weeks. All this time he never stoped thinking about her and upon her return, they officially began dating. And in her words, the rest, well, is history…
If you know us or anyone who knows us, you’ll find out we love people, we love couples, and we love, love. We don’t get tired of it. It just makes us happy. We get to meet so many people, from our couples to their families and then their closest friends. Well, let me introduce you to Omar and Sam. We’ve known Sam for some time since we’ve hung out with mutual families from time to time. Talking about the small world again. It’s an ongoing theme. In any case, her wedding planner is a personal friend that I met when we first arrived to Atlanta, *ahem…*cough, cough* 20 some odd years ago. I can’t believe it’s been that long. Oh, focus Lissette, focus. Going back to our little story. I get an inquiry from our web site from our friend Samantha (although I know her by Sam so that threw me off). Well it so happens it wasn’t Sam emailing us, it was the planner letting us know our little Samantha is getting married. That caught me off guard again, I didn’t know she was dating anybody.
So, off to meet Omar and Sam for our consult. We had to find a convenient location for us to meet due to schedule conflicts and we end up at Starbucks. So what was my impression of Omar? Answer: a gentleman. While Sam and I were talking at our table, Omar excused himself for a minute and bought us all coffees. What a sweetheart! The planner Jaqueline had Sam so organized with a big binder with everything she needed to do for her wedding. Sam realized she didn’t need all that for us so we just talked and talked about the vision they all came up and all the vendors that were going to see this vision through. It sounded amazing and at a venue I hadn’t had the privilege to photograph. I was definitely looking forward to what Jaqueline and her team were going to create for their amazing wedding at Ambient+Studio.
Back to the engagement session. Omar and Sam wanted something rustic, abandoned, an urban vibe and we had that light bulb moment immediately….The Goat Farm. That’s it. They both LOVED the idea and were excited to work with us there. At first they were a little apprehensive when we started, they’ve never been in front of a professional camera before. But within a few minutes they were well into getting a modeling career going.
Talk about forgetting we were even there.
They are so much fun together. And literally forgot we were there. Just the way I like it.
We were having so much fun, I almost forgot to take a ring shot. I like taking these type of shots with a human element. It brings it to life. What do you think?
Sam’s getting the hang of this. That look, girl!
As the night was winding down, we decided to go by and grab a cup off coffee at the Warhorse Coffee Shop
Here’s a little more from their engagement session at The Goat Farm Atlanta.
It’s a small town or better yet, a small world. I first met Michael through where we usually meet our couples, through our online contact form. It so happens we have a mutual friend in common and I hadn’t seen our friend in a while. It’s so refreshing to have connections between people. There’s not enough of that in the world right now. In any case, we set up a time to invite them over and talk about their upcoming wedding. Elisabeth came first after work that evening and asked how her drive was. I was surprised to hear that it wasn’t so bad. She actually works right outside our community at a local dentist office. Talk about small world. A few minutes later, and Michael arrived. Well let me tell you, she lit up as soon as he entered. It was beautiful to see these two together. They are so kind and genuine. We talked and talked about their plans and the venue and how they envisioned the beginning of their new lives together. So much talk that we lost track of the time. We’re so happy to have been a part of your day!
So Michael and Elisabeth decided they wanted to have their engagement session in downtown Roswell. It fit just right for them since they’re familiar with the area and their wedding was being held at Primrose Cottage.
They just light each other up. Adorable.
We walked around a bit and ended up at Primrose Cottage and decided to take some photos here. Although it was a cold and cloudy day, they seem to bring out the warmth within each other.
Continuing our walk through downtown Roswell, we took a break and stopped by Provisions.
Can’t help but get excited with a solid blank wall. And they were having a ball being goofy with each other.
We’re so happy for you. Your wedding did not disappoint. Want to see their engagement slideshow. Well, wait no more.
From the very start Michael and Tyler always wanted something different for their engagement session. While they appreciate images of couples on a beautiful countryside or next to a glimmering lake, they were looking for something that could offer a unique visual experience. Something with rustic character, able to offer a wide array of scenes with varying textures and uncommon colors. In the past the Goat Farm Arts Center always fit the bill for similar requests with other couples. However this time around that venue was not available and we wanted to try something new all together. So where to go? Thankfully we came across Joe Silva and the Lindale Mill!
Is it a Mill or is it a movie studio?
Dating back to 1896 this structure served as a textile mill providing hundreds of jobs for Floyd County for roughly 105 years until the mill closed in 2001. During the next 9 years these buildings slowly began falling apart until a family from Seattle moved across the country to give this special place a brand new start in 2010. Currently the Lindale Mill is quite relevant again but with a brand new purpose. Providing spacious industrial locations, the mill is now used for wedding celebrations, stylized photography shoots and film projects including music videos and motion pictures. Most recently the Mill was used to film several scenes of the The Divergent Series: Allegiant
In particular the Mill provides cavernous rooms filled with rusted scaffolding and machinery, endless walls of original brick, a creek that can double as a moat and over 100 years of paint textures in vibrant shades yellow and teal.
This was the perfect spot to give Michael and Tyler the look they were envisioning. Talk about searching for that industrial vibe and hitting a home run!
Just as wonderful as the location, this couple was an absolute thrill to work with. Michael is smooth and easy going and Tyler is energetic and adventurous. Together they share a love for volunteer work and good food. They also share a love for cars. How can you not like a couple that love to race drift cars!
In any case our photo session was filled with so many options it almost went beyond 3 hours. Every time we turned a corner at the mill a new spot would appear with at least 5 different shot options. We are so thankful for the opportunity of working with Michael and Tyler on this engagement session. We also look forward to returning to the Lindale Mill with another couple sometime in the near future, as we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible at this fantastic location.
Need to see more? Take a look at their video slideshow.
