Weddings

Old Town Alexandria Fall Engagement Session

October 24, 2018

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I’m Manali
Coach, editor & brand photographer based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. When I'm not behind a camera or teaching about systems, you'll find me at a vineyard or cuddled with my cat Keegan on our cozy couch!
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My last session STARTED over a bottle of wine but this one ended with Maya & Darian GIFTING me a bottle of their favorite kind of white wine! Maya heard about me through her mom who knows Nakul’s mom, Arathi Aunty, which is so classic! If you’ve read through the blog you probably recognize Nakul because not only did I get to capture Nakul’s proposal to Lakshmi at Georgetown but I also got to capture their beautiful vibrant Harbour View engagement ceremony back in April! It literally feels like yesterday and these two just officially tied the knot (the phrase still stands with Indian weddings!!) this past weekend in Florida!! I’m so fortunate to have been able to capture parts of their engagement story and I’m SO lucky to have had Maya and Darian referred my way by these guys!!

I met Maya & Darian over FaceTime a couple of months ago when they reached out about having their Indian ceremony and American wedding captured next April! I generally will get to meet my couples in person when talking to them for the first time but for some reason we had decided video chat from the get go. Five minutes into talking with them I realized that not only did they live in Arlington, they also lived in Ballston (aka where I was living at the time!) and were like five minutes down the street from me!! We all totally wish we could have met in person that first time!! It was such a funny coincidence but it only made me even more excited to meet them in person for their engagement session. We debated doing their engagement session around Ballston since so many of their first dates had been around the area but ended up going with Old Town Alexandria which still ties in to their story well since they’ll be getting married in Old Town Alexandria at the GW Masonic Memorial in April next year!! The venue is GORGEOUS and I’m so excited but more than that I already know that Maya and Darian are going to be SO incredibly joyful and radiant on their wedding day! Maya has a patented Maya laugh that literally puts a smile on your face the second you see it and the two of them made me feel like such an old friend within five minutes of hanging out with them at their engagement session!! They were such troopers dealing with the onset October chill and stuck it out with me when I said “just a couple more!!” to get some fall colors in their images!!

As I was finishing up the session with some ring shots they were SO great and encouraging me as I set up some leaves for the ring shot! I was on the ground in probably the least flattering position you can imagine and they were SO supportive and cheering me on through the whole thing! Definitely made it worth lying on the cold pavement, anything for the shot am I right?! And MAN did their ring deserve it!!! Darian custom designed the ring for Maya and it’s INCREDIBLE!!! It’s unlike any other ring I’ve seen, you have to scroll to the end to check it out!!

Maya & Darian, I’m SO excited for your wedding day!!! I’m counting down the days that I get to see you guys again and capture your joyful love and soon enough it’ll be with your family and friends as well!! I know from talking to you guys that you each have so much respect for each other’s families and I know that it’s going to be such a big part of your wedding day story. I love the connection you guys have with each other and I can’t wait to capture it on your wedding day!! Until then, here’s a sneak at your BEAUTIFUL engagement session!!! I hope you guys love it as much as I do!

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Look at this CUSTOM ring that Darian designed!OldTownAlexandriaEngagementPhotographer-VirginiaWeddingPhotographer-ManaliPhotography-_0019OldTownAlexandriaEngagementPhotographer-VirginiaWeddingPhotographer-ManaliPhotography-_0032 OldTownAlexandriaEngagementPhotographer-VirginiaWeddingPhotographer-ManaliPhotography-_0023OldTownAlexandriaEngagementPhotographer-VirginiaWeddingPhotographer-ManaliPhotography-_0022

Ok seriously, her laugh!! She’s going to be the most radiant bride 2019 ever does see!

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If I can find one or two fall trees, I can make it work!!

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