Sentimental Engagement Photos for J+Z

Because I know this sweet bride so well, I was able to take these sweet sentimental engagement photos outside her house in Nashville, TN. Let’s have storytime, shall we?

We all remember how 2020 caused the world to shut down. As most of us were quarantined and worked from home, we started to feel isolated. Not seeing our friends, families, and even our neighbors was hard on a lot of people. Because we long to be connected and a part of a community, it is important for us to have an outlet to connect.

The Sidewalk Project is Born

Jenny, who happens to be my darling cousin (Ty’s cousin actually, but I 100% belong to the Sowers family!), is thoughtful and kind. During the pandemic, she would sit at her home desk and look out the window at the passers-by (and there were a lot of them) walking their dogs or kids or even just walking themselves to get out of the house. An idea struck and she began writing questions and prompts on her sidewalk in chalk, and then would leave pieces of chalk for them to fill in their answers.

I noticed it on Jenny’s Instagram account because she would post the question along with answers. It started out small, but then grew and grew. Some of the questions were just fun, and others were more personal. What inspired me most about this Sidewalk Project was that it built community at a time when people needed it most.

Honestly, that’s just Jenny. She builds people up when they need it most. Jenny is a cheerleader and her friends’ biggest fans. She lifts people up, and this Sidewalk Project is but one example of her care for others.

The Sidewalk Project Today

This week, her prompt was: “Marriage Advice: (I’m getting married this weekend).” To me, it was a beautiful way to end the Sidewalk Project (I’m getting a little teary just thinking about it). I looked forward to seeing the answers on her Instagram, but then an idea struck me.

Even though I’m in Nashville now about to shoot her wedding, I didn’t get to photograph Jenny and Zac’s engagement photos (thankfully her lifelong friend is a fabulous photographer and took some really beautiful photos of the couple). As Tyler and I were driving to Nashville, I told her my idea and she loved it:

I wanted to capture an image of the couple surrounded by the comments and well-wishes from the community Jenny built. I wanted to photograph her surrounded by the love that she inspires. To do this, I brought my drone to Nashville for this set of sentimental engagement photos that would help her remember this home before she moves away to her new home (and marriage).

The Sidewalk Project Inspired these Sentimental Engagement Photos

Sometimes when I pre-conceptualize a shot, it doesn’t work out for some reason or another; however, this shot was exactly what I hoped it would be! I had the couple lie down on the ground centered under the prompt and then filled the frame with the marriage advice and well-wishes. While there are certainly more artsy shots in the world, there aren’t many that are more meaningful. To me, a memorable photo is more about the story and the relationship than the perfect light or composition.

I’m so happy I was able to give Jenny and Zac this gift. I hope they treasure it in their new home, and remember the importance of community and cheering on those around you. Above all, I know that Jenny and Zac will continue to spread kindness.

sentimental engagement photo of a couple surrounded by wedding advice written with sidewalk chalk

Little Things Make a Big Difference

One of the things that set luxury wedding photographers apart from other photographers is that we usually get invested in our couples’ lives. We have fewer weddings per year which allow us to get to know our couples more intimately. It’s this level of intimacy that helps tell love stories deeply. I love people. I love getting to know them, and I love telling their love stories. It’s one of the things that make me the best at what I do. If you’re looking for a fine art wedding photographer who takes the time to get to know you and your partner to better capture what your love looks like (like I did in these sentimental engagement photos), let’s chat!

Talk to you soon,
Dale