“I just love this part of Charleston,” she said, a bit breathlessly. I heartily agreed that Rainbow Row was absolutely stunning; the perfect mixture of romance and whimsy. But for Brittany, I knew the affinity ran much deeper.

Brittany and her fiancé David are a charming couple, both full of personality, wit, and charisma. Each on their own are engaging, but together they are a magnetic pair. This is what makes the two a total power couple.

Charleston, South Carolina was the perfect location for Brittany and David’s engagement session. I was so fortunate not only to be able to capture the two just being themselves, but also to quite literally be walked through their love story. We began at a restaurant called Prohibition (back then called Mercury) which is located in the hub of Charleston on King Street. This is where their story begins.

Both David and Brittany happened to be in Charleston for different reasons, making this a chance meeting in every way possible. While socializing at Mercury, David approached Brittany through a casual conversation his brother was having with one of Brittany’s friends. As it happened, a chair next to Brittany just happened to be open, so David took a seat and stimulating conversation immediately flowed from there. A mutual connection was felt right away as they talked into the night, spending two hours sharing their lives with one another.

As the night came to an end, Brittany gave David her phone number, but David wanted more of this girl he just couldn’t believe he had met. David asked Brittany to share lunch with him the next day before they would part ways, but being more invested in her friends at the time, she actually stood him up and instead hit the beach with her pals! David was disappointed to say the least, but they continued communicating and soon drew closer and closer. Brittany eventually admitted to her strong feelings for David after which they officially began dating.

One year later, David weaved together a dream proposal for Brittany at the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina. He worked through all the details and even had all of her family and friends join them without Brittany knowing so that they could share the moment as it unfolded. Brittany remembers being so overcome with emotion as David drew the ring box out of his pocket and asked her to marry him, that she questioned, “is this real life?” When she finally recovered from the shock of the moment, she screamed “YES!”

Going into their engagement session, Brittany was awesome about planning out the location, outfits, and even props! We actually got together for this session on her birthday, so she brought along balloons and worked in lots of bright colors for a cheery birthday themed engagement session. They even brought their adorable pup, Lily, who was the perfect little model!

I asked Brittany what her biggest piece of advice was for couples who were preparing for their sessions, and she expressed the following: “Go with your gut and do what feels natural. The biggest thing is wear something that is comfortable for you. Don’t go too outside your comfort zone and natural look or it will look awkward in the pictures. We wore what we wear in our everyday lives and had a blast!”

David and Brittany will be exchanging vows this July at the River Road and Jasmine House which is one of my personal favorite venues! They chose this location for the wrought iron detail and lush gardens – just perfect for a summer wedding. As excited as she is about the venue, Brittany is even more excited about her dress, and seeing the look on David’s face when he sees her in it! I just love when a bride and groom are not only both so into all of the planning of their special day – but when they actually enjoy it together, as well. It can be such a special time to continue bonding and sharing life.

From the couple: “Our session was amazing! We are so thrilled for Emily to be our photographer and couldn’t have asked for anyone better! Not only is she a great photographer but we enjoyed spending time with her as well! Joking around, telling stories, she even let David run with some of his ideas for pictures! She was so easy to work with and we definitely recommend her to anyone looking!”

Thank you so much, Brittany and David! I feel so blessed to know you two, and can’t wait for your wedding day this summer!