Susie and John's Classic Black Tie Wedding at Daughters of the American Revolution Headquarters - DAR

One of the best parts of photographing weddings in DC is having a handful of favorite wedding venues to photograph at. For me, one of those locations is Daughters of the American Revolution Headquarters, or DAR. DAR is one of those wedding spaces that has so many different options for photographs, you don’t really need to dress it up too much! Most of DAR consists of indoor and outdoor spaces with gorgeous white color and an abundance of natural light. DAR also has multiple levels with different rooms: a balcony, a library, a portico, staircases, and covered areas that work exceptionally well as a rain backup plan. It’s truly a gem in terms of wedding photography in DC!

Susie and John’s wedding was no exception when it came to beautiful wedding photos at DAR. Their wedding day was stunningly gorgeous outside, which set the tone for a truly magical outdoor/indoor wedding. Their wedding day began at Hotel Dupont, before we made our way over to DAR for the first look on the third story balcony. Susie absolutely wowed in her Sarah Seven gown and it totally showed on John’s face when he saw her for the first time! I always get a little choked up during first looks and I definitely did with Susie and John.

Their ceremony took place on the outdoor portico of DAR, which has a gorgeous view of the Washington Monument. The ceremony altar was delicately decorated with hanging ivy on the portico by florist, She Loves Me, to keep things very simple and minimal. Simple gold chairs were used for Susie and John’s guests to watch this special occasion, and it couldn’t have gone better! 

One of the highlights of the ceremony for me was getting to photograph Susie and John’s dog, Larry, walking down the aisle! Larry wore a little tux and walked with Susie and John’s junior bridesmaid. He couldn’t have been happier to participate alongside his owners for their happy occasion. He was a true joy to photograph in portraits too!

After the ceremony, cocktail hour was located indoors in the library while Brielle Davis of Brielle Davis Events and her team wrapped up the finishing touches of the reception space, located on the other side of the portico and in the O’Byrne Gallery. The decor was minimal, simple and timeless, with touches of green, gold and black. Most of Susie and John’s reception area was draped in gorgeous green ivy, and white and green flowers to match in the gold or black centerpieces. Brielle Davis Events did an amazing job pulling everything together for a magical reception!

Susie and John spent the rest of their evening dining in the O’Byrne Gallery or dancing the night away with friends and family under the rotunda, located just outside the gallery. I always love photographing the excitement of dancing after the formalities of the day are over! The happiness is intoxicating and I soak it up as much as I can. Before leaving for the night, Susie and John indulged me in one final photo in the library among all of the books. It was a great way for me to get creative at the end of the night, but also provided a nice break for Susie and John as well.

Being a wedding photographer in dc is so much fun no matter where my couples choose to host their wedding. But, it’s always nice to work at a favorite spot or two, and DAR is definitely one of those locations for Lisa Boggs Photography! Many thanks to Susie, John and their family and friends for choosing me to photograph their special day. If you’re interested in having your wedding at DAR, make sure to reach out to the Events and Meetings Coordinator at events@dar.org. And, if you’d like to inquire with me about photographing your wedding at DAR (or even a different wedding venue), please email lisa@lisaboggsphotography.com. 

DC Wedding Vendors Team

Photography: Lisa Boggs Photography

Design/Planning: Brielle Davis Events

Venue: DAR

Caterer: Well Dunn

Florist: She Loves Me

Hair & Makeup: Makeup by Ana B & Erwin Gomez

Bridal Gown: Sarah Seven

Bridesmaid Gowns: BHLDN

Cake: Baked & Wired

Ceremony Musicians: Bolero Soul

DJ: Bela Sono Music

Videography: Paperboys

Rentals: Select Event Group & Table Manners

Stationery: Artisan Matchmaker & Minted

Tenting: Capital Party Rentals

Photo Booth: Extraordinary Entertainment

Alcohol: Ace Beverage

About Lisa Boggs

Lisa Boggs of Lisa Boggs Photography has been photographing weddings in the greater Washington, DC area for over 16 years. Her photos have been described as classic, romantic, candid and artistic. She has won several accolades over the years, including Editor's Pick by Washingtonian Weddings, WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards and several Fearless Photographers Awards. She has over 130 five-star reviews on WeddingWire (with more five-star reviews on The Knot, Facebook and Google) and is incredibly thankful to all of her clients for their continuing love and support. When Lisa isn't photographing, you can find her networking with other photographers as the leader of Capital Area Photographers, a DC wedding and portrait photographers group that promotes continuing education for local photographers. Lisa is also a huge fan of her family, friends, wine, coffee, chocolate, popcorn and Netflix. To learn more about Lisa Boggs and her work, please contact lisa@lisaboggsphotography.com or call 571-432-8469.

How to Apply for a DC Photography Permit - National Park Service - Washington DC Wedding & Engagement Photography

Updated: 01/29/2024

What a lot of couples don’t realize when it comes to engagement and wedding photos in Washington, DC is that most of what they’re interested in photographing with is under the umbrella of the National Park Service (aka NPS). This would include the National Mall, with all of the iconic monuments like The Jefferson Memorial, The Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and really any memorial/monument in the immediate surrounding area. Yes, even the iconic DC Cherry Blossoms that circle the Tidal Basin are considered part of NPS! So, if you’re interested in any kind of wedding or engagement photography with those elements, you have to apply for an NPS permit to photograph there (and pay a couple of fees).

The process to apply for a DC photography permit is not that complicated! Here is a link with a long description of what to do from NPS. Or, just read my version:

• Fill out the Application Form: This is the form you need to fill out (should open as a PDF): APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT STILL PHOTOGRAPHY (Short Form) There is a nonrefundable processing cost of $90.00 when you turn in your application. Write this fee in the “Amount to be Billed to Card: Application Cost” on the Credit Card Authorization page.

• Figure out Your Location Fee: In addition to the $90 application fee, there is a location fee based on the number of people being photographed. For an engagement session, that number is 1-10 people, so that will cost you an additional $50 ($140 total). For a couple and their wedding party, if you go above 10 people, that lands you in the 11-30 person range, which is an additional $150 ($240 total). Here is the breakdown:

Motion Pictures/Videos Location Fees
1-2 people/$0
3-10 people/$150 per day
11-30 people/$250 per day
31-49 people /$500 per day
50+ people/$750 per day

Still Photography Location Fees
1-10 people/$50 per day
11-30 people/$150 per day
30+ people/$250 per day

Once you determine your location fee, write this in the “Amount to be Billed to Card: Location Cost” on the Credit Card Authorization page.

• Fax, Mail In, or Walk in Your Application: You can fax your application to 202-475-2216, which is what I recommend. However, if you’re short on time, you can also drop off your application to this address:

National Mall and Memorial Parks
Division of Permits Management
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242

You can also mail it to the address above as well. It typically takes 7-10 days for the application to arrive by mail.

• You will be notified by a permits specialist of the status of the application and the necessary steps to secure your final permit. If you are in need of a permit quickly, you can call 202-245-4715 to try and move things along a little faster. Once your final permit is available, a permits specialist will send it to you via email as a PDF.

• Have Your Permit Ready on the Day of Your Session: Since the permit is sent in a PDF via email, you can save it to your smart phone and have it at the ready should a park ranger approach you during your session. I always like printing a hard copy to have on hand as well.

Other helpful facts:

• You can apply for a permit up to one year in advance and a minimum of four days from your session.

• If you need to change the date of your session, you can email/call the permits office and have it changed. It’s typically done very quickly and easily.

Still confused? Here’s a Permits FAQ’s page with all of the answers you need. Not sure if the place you want to photograph in is part of NPS? Here is a helpful map to see what falls on NPS territory.

I hope this information has been helpful! Thanks so much for reading.

Love,

Lisa

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About Lisa Boggs

Lisa Boggs of Lisa Boggs Photography is a DC wedding photographer located in Great Falls, Virginia. Lisa Boggs has been photographing weddings, engagements and portraits for over 13 years and primarily photographs in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Her photos have been described as classic, romantic, candid and artistic. She has won several accolades over the years, including Editor's Pick by Washingtonian Weddings, WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards and several Fearless Photographers Awards. She has over-100 five-star reviews on WeddingWire (with more five-star reviews on The Knot, Facebook and Google) and is incredibly thankful to all of her clients for their continuing love and support. When Lisa isn't photographing, you can find her networking with other photographers as the leader of Capital Area Photographers, a DC wedding and portrait photographers group that promotes continuing education for local photographers. Lisa is also a huge fan of her family, friends, wine, coffee, chocolate, popcorn and Netflix. To learn more about Lisa Boggs and her work, please contact lisa@lisaboggsphotography.com or call 571-432-8469.

Anuj & Krishna's DC Cherry Blossom Proposal - Washington DC Cherry Blossoms

It’s been almost a year, but I’m so excited to share one of my favorite cherry blossom photo sessions from 2019: a proposal! When Anuj first contacted me about proposing to his girlfriend, Krishna, I got really excited. It’s been a long time since I’ve photographed a proposal in general, but to plan one out around the cherry blossom peak bloom at the Tidal Basin sounded really fun.

I met up with Anuj during the week before the proposal to scout some areas in the Tidal Basin I thought might work photographically. We began at the Jefferson and walked down to the FDR and MLK Memorials. We knew the proposal was going to happen that weekend, which would be incredibly busy and overrun with people. So although we had some pretty ambitious spots in mind for the proposal, we ultimately landed on a quieter area at the FDR Memorial, in front of a cherry tree, where we could have a little bit of privacy and keep people out of the background.

The day came for the proposal and the weather was absolutely perfect. Of course, the Tidal Basin was packed with people! However, Anuj and his friends were able to secure the spot we’d decided on and we waited for Krishna to arrive.

Krishna’s arrival was perfect, and as she rounded a corner and realized what was happening, I did my very best to stay focused and photograph, even though I was dying (and crying a little!). Anuj waited for Krishna to get closer, then got down on one knee and proposed. Krishna was so shocked, but ultimately said yes, and the crowd that had gathered to watch cheered valiantly!

After the official proposal was over, I took photos of Anuj and Krishna’s family and friends hugging and celebrating, along with a few group photos of everyone. Then Krishna, Anuj and I walked around the Tidal Basin for a bit and took some photos of just the two of them with the cherry blossoms. It was so much fun and I really could not have been happier for Anuj and Krishna. Here are some photos of the experience below:

Thanks for reading and looking!

Lots of love,

Lisa

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When Do the Cherry Blossoms Peak in DC?

Generally, DC’s cherry blossoms (aka, Yoshino cherry blossoms, aka the Tidal Basin cherry blossoms) bloom during the last week of March into the first week of April. However, it changes every year due to weather conditions, so sometimes it can be a little earlier or a little later than that time period.

This year the cherry blossoms peaked on March 20th, 2020 (earlier than normal) due to warmer winter temperatures. Last year, the cherry blossoms peaked on April 1st, 2019. You can also count on the Kwanzan cherry blossoms to peak roughly two weeks after the Yoshino’s. Those trees are a little more scattered throughout DC, but there’s a really lovely grove of them on Hains Point if you ever want to go check them out!

For up-to-date information on the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC (Yoshino or Kwanzan), I always keep an eye on two websites: the National Parks Service and Cherry Blossom Watch.

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About Lisa Boggs

Lisa Boggs of Lisa Boggs Photography is a DC wedding photographer located in Great Falls, Virginia. Lisa Boggs has been photographing weddings, engagements and portraits for over 13 years and primarily photographs in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Her photos have been described as classic, romantic, candid and artistic. She has won several accolades over the years, including Editor's Pick by Washingtonian Weddings, WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards and several Fearless Photographers Awards. She has over-100 five-star reviews on WeddingWire (with more five-star reviews on The Knot, Facebook and Google) and is incredibly thankful to all of her clients for their continuing love and support. When Lisa isn't photographing, you can find her networking with other photographers as the leader of Capital Area Photographers, a DC wedding and portrait photographers group that promotes continuing education for local photographers. Lisa is also a huge fan of her family, friends, wine, coffee, chocolate, popcorn and Netflix. To learn more about Lisa Boggs and her work, please contact lisa@lisaboggsphotography.com or call 571-432-8469.

Jessica & Andrew’s DC Cherry Blossom Engagement Photos - Washington DC Cherry Blossoms

It’s 2020, a brand new year! Even though we are in the throes of winter right now, I can’t help but get excited about the next season (which happens to be my favorite): Spring! And, as I’m sure you can imagine, because I’m a dc wedding and portrait photographer, my mind goes straight to the  Cherry Blossom Festival DC. I used to love visiting this festival and the blossoms before I was a professional photographer, but I love it so much more now. Photographing couples among those puffy pink blossoms is so magical.

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite sessions from the cherry blossoms in 2019: Jessica and Andrew. Believe it or not, it was actually pretty chilly the morning I photographed them, even though the sunrise at the Tidal Basin looked nice and warm. But they were total superstars and looked so sweet and in love, regardless of the cold temperatures.

What I really love about photographing at the cherry blossoms is the ability to get so many different looks out of my couples within a small amount of space. As I’m sure you can tell in the first silhouette photo, there are a lot of people around, whether they be tourists, photographers, runners or cyclists. So it’s always a fun challenge to see what I can create among this slight chaos. I actually talk about that a little bit in an article “5 Ways Photographers Get the Perfect Cherry Blossom Engagement Photo” the Washingtonian interviewed me for last year.

It’s hard to pick a favorite photo from the bunch, but I do have a few. I actually love the photos I took near a beautiful old cherry blossom tree that has a hole shaped like a heart in it. I knew if I found that tree one day I would want to use it in a photo, so it was a real treat to track it down and shine a light on it. However, I really love the last two photos from the session because those photos were totally unique. Can you guess what it is you’re seeing? It’s Jessica and Andrew’s reflection in a puddle! It’s such a different perspective of the gorgeous blossoms and I really like that it’s a little perplexing at first glance. Plus, they’re just so adorable laughing and having a good time that it’s hard not to love it. And them!

Thanks so much for taking the time to check out one of my favorite cherry blossom tidal basin portrait sessions!

Love,

Lisa

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When Do the Cherry Blossoms Peak in DC?

If you’re a big fan of the DC cherry blossoms and want to attend/photograph the Cherry Blossom Festival DC 2020, make sure you keep a close eye on those projected peak bloom dates. Last year they peaked on April 1st, and all of my portrait sessions happened between April 2nd and April 6th (at least with the yoshino cherry trees. Kwanzan cherry trees bloom roughly two weeks later). For up-to-date information, I always keep an eye on two websites: the National Parks Service and another called Cherry Blossom Watch 2020. Hope that helps and fingers crossed those yoshino cherry blossoms look magical again this year!

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About Lisa Boggs

Lisa Boggs of Lisa Boggs Photography is a DC wedding photographer located in Great Falls, Virginia. Lisa Boggs has been photographing weddings, engagements and portraits for over 13 years and primarily photographs in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Her photos have been described as classic, romantic, candid and artistic. She has won several accolades over the years, including Editor's Pick by Washingtonian Weddings, WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards and several Fearless Photographers Awards. She has over-100 five-star reviews on WeddingWire (with more five-star reviews on The Knot, Facebook and Google) and is incredibly thankful to all of her clients for their continuing love and support. When Lisa isn't photographing, you can find her networking with other photographers as the leader of Capital Area Photographers, a DC wedding and portrait photographers group that promotes continuing education for local photographers. Lisa is also a huge fan of her family, friends, wine, coffee, chocolate, popcorn and Netflix. To learn more about Lisa Boggs and her work, please contact lisa@lisaboggsphotography.com or call 571-432-8469.

Jessica & Tom's Autumn Inspired Larriland Farm Engagement Session

Jessica and Tom's autumn inspired engagement session took place at Larriland Farm. While there, they picked beets, walked in wildflowers, and also picked their own apples in the orchard. The weather was cool and crisp, the perfect fall inspired day!

Lisa Boggs of Lisa Boggs Photography is a DC wedding photographer located in Great Falls, Virginia. Lisa Boggs has been photographing weddings, engagements and portraits for over 13 years and primarily photographs in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Her photos have been described as classic, romantic, candid and artistic. She has won several accolades over the years, including Editor's Pick by Washingtonian Weddings, WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards and several Fearless Photographers Awards. She has over-100 five-star reviews on WeddingWire (with more five-star reviews on The Knot, Facebook and Google) and is incredibly thankful to all of her clients for their continuing love and support. When Lisa isn't photographing, you can find her networking with other photographers as the leader of Capital Area Photographers, a DC wedding and portrait photographers group that promotes continuing education for local photographers. Lisa is also a huge fan of her family, friends, wine, coffee, chocolate, popcorn and Netflix. To learn more about Lisa Boggs and her work, please contact lisa@lisaboggsphotography.com or call 571-432-8469.

Arielle & Hugh's Snowy DC Engagement Photos

If you know me well, you know I love extreme weather. Whether it's a good thunderstorm or several inches of snow, I am always excited about it...and even more excited to photograph in it! So when I received a call from Hugh and Arielle on one of our snowiest days this spring asking if I'd be interested in photographing them in the snow, you bet I was thrilled! I packed up my things and left quickly to meet them at the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC.

Arielle and Hugh were already slated to have a cherry blossom engagement session with me, so I was pretty pleased when they spontaneously switched it to a snowy engagement session. I knew they were going to bring their two dogs, Champ and Charlie, regardless of what we did, and I have to say...those dogs loved the snow! I think I can speak for all of us that the snow was really magical that day. We were all in such high spirits and I was able to capture very fun, playful and joy-filled photos. I really can't get enough of this adorable couple and their dogs!

I hope you enjoy the photos below! And many thanks to Arielle, Hugh, Champ, Charlie and dog-wrangler extraordinaire, Niki, for such a fun time. P.S. Love the photo of Niki hitting Arielle and Hugh with a surprise snowball! Ha!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Nicole's Cherry Blossom Washington, DC Bridal Portraits

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for spring! So today I'm sharing Nicole's cherry blossom bridal portraits from this past spring to get everyone ready for warm weather and flowering blooms!

Nicole and I both are a little obsessed with cherry blossoms. If you were around this past spring, you may recall that the Yoshino cherry trees in Washington, DC's Tidal Basin were a little lackluster! However, both Nicole and I know that right after the Yoshino trees bloom come the Kwanzan cherry blossoms (think a little more pink and extra puffy)! So, we knew we had to at least check out the Kwanzan cherry trees on Hains Point in East Potomac Park. 

We were thrilled to discover that the Kwanzan blossoms looked amazing! So Nicole turned on her inner model in her Berta bridal gown and Jimmy Choo shoes and we got some stunning photos of her. Yay! I hope you love these photos as much as I do!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Sarah and Daniel's Reagan National Airport Engagement Session!

I'm so excited to share Sarah and Daniel's engagement photos with you today!  I have known Daniel for a long time now, as I've photographed both of his siblings weddings (Hi JP and Jacqueline!).  So when Sarah, Daniel's fiancée, reached out to me about photographing their wedding, I was beyond thrilled and I cannot wait for their big day!

Sarah and I became immediate friends and we both decided it was a good idea to do an engagement session so she and Daniel could get comfortable in front of the camera.  We went back and forth with location ideas, but when she suggested Reagan National Airport as an option, I was totally in.  Sarah and Daniel both LOVE traveling and they really wanted photos that represented travel well. Daniel is also an architect and is a fan of gorgeous architecture (of course!), so that played a huge role in choosing Reagan Airport as well.

So, one bright, sunny afternoon, we met up and drove to Reagan Airport!  We had luggage in tow so Sarah and Daniel looked like legit travelers.  We stayed mostly in the terminal C area, grabbing a lot of wide architectural shots on the main floor, then some fun departure area photos on the second floor.  We took a little break in the airport restaurant for some drinks  (yay!) and then moved on to the Metro station area for some train photos.  After that we decided to head to Gravelly Point Park to get some sunset photos with the planes as they landed.  I am beyond thrilled with how all of the photos turned out and hope you enjoy them below!

Sarah and Daniel, thank you so much for having me photograph the most unique and fun engagement session I've ever had!  I hope you love the photos as much as I do!

Update: This engagement session was featured by Washingtonian Magazine! Squee!

Stephanie and Brian's Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Engagement Session!

I'm so excited to share Stephanie and Brian's Meadowlark Botanical Gardens session with you today!  Stephanie and Brian are two of the nicest, most laid-back people I've ever met.  And, as it turns out, Stephanie and I discovered she went to grad school with one of my closest friends after she booked me!  Bonus for working with friends of friends!  :) Stephanie, Brian and I met up on a cold October day to begin their engagement session with their pup, Charlie.  I'm a sucker for dogs, so of course I couldn't resist having him in a few photos!  After we left Charlie at Stephanie and Brian's house, we drove over to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, the location for their wedding.  Even though it was cold outside, everything looked so warm and inviting!  The colors on the trees were looking bright and lovely and some of the lighting at Meadowlark that day was spot on.  Brian was great and kept Stephanie nice and warm, which is what every fantastic fiancé should do during a cold engagement session, amiright?  ;)  My favorite photos of Stephanie and Brian were at the very end when the sun was going down.  Brian and I concurred that, even though we were on our way out of the gardens, the light was too good to resist photographing with!  I am so glad we stopped and made those photographs happen!

Stephanie and Brian (and Charlie), I love you guys and these photos and I cannot wait for you upcoming wedding this year at Meadowlark!  Hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Woltering Family Portraits!

I'm so excited to share photos from a recent family shoot I did with the adorable Woltering family!  This is such a special portrait session for me because Astrid (the gorgeous mamacita in the pale pink skirt) is a dear photographer friend of mine.  She's one of the kindest, most hilarious, no-nonsense and talented gals I know and I'm so lucky to call her my friend.  Her husband and daughter are just as adorable as she is, and with a new Woltering on the way in just a few short months, I leapt at the opportunity to photograph all of them together! Astrid, Chris and Charlotte were such a joy to photograph.  Charlotte is one of the cutest, most energetic toddlers around and is officially obsessed with picking flowers, hugging/kissing trees and running everywhere instead of taking photos!  However, she did a fantastic job of interacting with her mom and dad (and even hammed it up for a few photographs in between her activities!).  My favorite photos are definitely of the these three laughing and loving on one another.  I love this family to pieces and cannot wait for the next baby Woltering to come along!

Thank you Astrid, Chris and Charlotte for spending an evening with me and letting me photograph your beautiful faces!  Love you to the moon and back!

Just a little ice cream before glamming it up for the shoot, duh.  :D

Credit to Astrid for this next photo!

This next photo looks cute, but really, Charlotte was having a meltdown:

Credit to Astrid for grabbing the camera from me to document the meltdown.  I know Charlotte's crying, but she's just so cute!

Aaaaand loungefest after the shoot.  Love it!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Heather and Greg's Bluemont Vineyard Wedding!

I recently had the pleasure of photographing two awesome people: Heather and Greg!  When I met Heather and Greg, I was instantly attracted to their positive energy, not to mention their humor, as these two had joked with me about being nudists!  Just so you know, they are not nudists, but they are the nicest couple ever and I was so thrilled to be a part of their wedding at Bluemont Vineyard.  Their wedding day was sunny, relaxed and a ton of fun.  There were times I didn't even feel like Heather and Greg's wedding photographer because their family and friends were so nice to me, which is truly a sign that I was with a great group of people.  Thank you, Heather and Greg, for having me along to photograph your special day.  I had an amazing time with you, your family and friends, and hope you enjoy the photos as much as I do!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Kim and Kevin's Springtime Engagement Session!

Today feels a bit like winter, but don't worry because those warm, springtime temperatures will be back in no time!  Also, why not warm up with these lovely engagement photos of Kim and Kevin?  Trust me, you'll feel the warmth with these beautiful, sun-kissed photos! I met Kim and Kevin down in DC last weekend to photograph their engagements among the newly blossomed trees.  First, I was introduced to their golden doodle, Macaroni (aka, Macki), who we took a few photos with before he had to leave us (he did so well, even for a four-month-old pup!).  Then we just spent some quality time among the gorgeous weeping cherry blossoms and weeping willows on Ohio Drive!  Kim and Kevin were all laughs and smiles the entire time, which really translates in the photos.  My favorite part though, was when Kim changed outfits and wore a tutu she bought specifically for the engagement shoot.  I about died when she showed it to me and couldn't wait to photograph it!  Conclusion: tutu's make everything better.  :)

Kim, Kevin and Macki, thanks so much for having me along to photograph your engagement photos!  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

 Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

A Chipmunk Is Living in Our Birdhouse

Breaking: I have discovered a chipmunk is living in our vacant birdhouse.  It's basically the cutest thing I've ever seen.  That is all.  :)

Happy Friday!

Lisa

Jessica, Brian and Saniya's Family Engagement Session at the National Zoo and Cathedral!

When I first met with Jessica, I was incredibly excited about the idea of working with she and her fiancé, Brian.  They're a very sweet, laid-back couple, who dress crazy well and have a ton of personality!  Jessica mentioned in our meeting that if we were going to do an engagement session, it would most definitely include Saniya, Brian's daughter.  For me, I thought this was an awesome direction to take an engagement session.  Sure, I'd snap a few of Jessica and Brian by themselves, but I absolutely loved the idea of including Saniya and having that family dynamic in their engagement photos.  I promise you, it made these photos even better! We started our session out at the National Zoo, because Jessica and Brian had indicated the three of them went their at Christmastime and had a blast.  I thought it was a fabulous idea and off we went traipsing about the zoo!  I have to admit, it was hard for me to focus on taking some family photos at times because I am a huge animal lover and wanted to "ooh" and "aah" at the animals along with Jessica, Brian and Saniya.  But I had to make sure to interact and pose with these three cuties as much as possible to get some stellar photos!  My favorites at the zoo are definitely the laughing photos where Jessica, Brian and Saniya are being total goofballs.

The latter part of our session took place at the Bishops Garden at the National Cathedral, and Jessica, Brian and Saniya made sure to change into some really gorgeous outfits for a more formal look (I admittedly was a little obsessed with Jessica's orange vintage fascinator)!  I was really excited that the garden was pretty lush and green, and even had a few tree blossoms to work with (our session was before the summer weather had set in!).  My favorite photo from the garden was of Brian and Jessica in the stone doorway about to kiss, but runners up of course are going to be the photos with the three of them acting sassy and hilarious.  These three really know how to turn out some gorgeous photos, and I'm sure you understand how hard it was for me to narrow them down!

Jessica, Brian and Saniya, thank you so much for joining me in such a fun family engagement session!  I can't wait for the wedding later this year so I can photograph your smiling faces again!  Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Christin's Snowy Trash the Dress Session!

Yesterday we were supposed to get slammed with a ton of snow from winter storm Saturn, or more known to the local area, Snowquester.  Snowquester actually did dump a lot of snow, but most of the snow here in Great Falls only accumulated to about three inches.  Sad face!  Nevertheless, I wasn't about to throw in the towel in regards to a snowy portrait session of some kind, so my darling sister-in-law Christin graciously accepted the invitation to model for me!  I had purchased a vintage powder blue gown not too long ago and I was just dying to use it in the snow, and as luck would have it, it was Christin's size and matched her gorgeous blue eyes!  So we marched off to a nearby field (I know, I know, but it was the only thing left that didn't look like slush!) and took some photos.  These were my favorite photos from yesterday, and I hope you enjoy them.  Hopefully next year we'll get some more extreme snow to cheer up this meteographer and extreme weather junkie!  :)

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Lauren and Ryan's Capitol Hill Engagement Session!

Happy Monday, everyone!  Today I'm here to show off Lauren and Ryan's recent engagement shoot at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC!  Last fall Ryan proposed to Lauren at the Capitol, so it only seemed fitting for us to do their engagement photos there.  We met there the Saturday before inauguration, and although it took us quite a while to find parking and meet up with each other, we somehow managed to work around the huge crowd.  Although we really wanted to get some photos on the back side of the Capitol (facing the mall), everything was fenced off so we had to get really crafty!  We utilized the front side of the Capitol instead, where there was less foot traffic and we could make Lauren and Ryan look like they were the only two people there.  My personal favorites are the silhouettes of Lauren and Ryan and any of the nighttime photos where the Capitol was all lit up.  There's something about the Capitol lit up at night that is just so romantic (and props to Ryan for utilizing that!).  :) Lauren and Ryan, you two are such a fantastic couple to work with and I seriously cannot wait for your wedding later this year!  Enjoy these photos!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Dark and Spooky Hurricane Sandy Trash The Dress!

As I'm sure many of you know, I'm a bit of a weather nut.  Yup, since early last week when there were early projections of Hurricane Sandy hitting the mid-atlantic and northeast, I've been glued to all things weather related and reporting as diligently as possible!  Of course, this all by hobby, but whenever I can combine my love for extreme weather with my love for photography, my brain kind of implodes with excitement.  I wasn't sure if it would be possible, but somehow the rain and clouds aligned for me to photograph a Hurricane Sandy (well, at that point, Superstorm Sandy) trash the dress session! I had so many people volunteer to model for me, which I didn't expect and was so grateful for!  Ultimately, I decided it'd be a good idea to find someone who lived in the NOVA area not too far from me and in a spot where most power lines were underground (just in case we were dealing with really high winds). So when I saw that Laura Ritchie of Events in the City was interested, I immediately perked up.  She lives in Leesburg (not far from me at all) and I knew that most power lines there were underground.  We discussed a few location ideas, but ultimately decided on Ida Lee Park, where I could shoot out in the open and get a lot of cool sky shots.  I also decided that I wanted all dark details, whether that be a dark satin sash we use with the dress, or a dark umbrella.  I wanted everything to be dark, storm and spooky looking.

Our original shoot date was scheduled for Monday, which ended up being the worst storm day in terms of high winds and rain.  Luckily, we were able to reschedule and shoot yesterday (Tuesday), when the winds had died down significantly and we were really just dealing with some light rain and dark clouds.  It was perfect!  Laura arrived in her wedding dress along with Christie, another awesome Events in the City chick, who was there to assist with coffee, and coat and light stand holding.  Laura also brought along a really awesome dark and spooky bouquet made by Holly Heider Chapple that we were delighted to use in the shoot!  Laura was the perfect model and was incredibly optimistic the whole time, even though it was crazy cold and rainy.  I have so many favorites from the shoot, but below are my top 14.  The last shot is probably my absolute favorite from the shoot, but I'd love to hear what yours is!

Sooooooo many thanks go to Laura, Christie and Holly for helping me out with this!  I can't thank you enough!  It really made my day (heck, my week!) and I appreciate it.  And to all you other readers, I hope you have a Happy Halloween!  Eat lots of candyyyyyyyyyyy!  :D  Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Mia and Rob's Daughters of the American Revolution Museum Wedding!

There is so much to love about Mia and Rob's wedding that took place at the Daughters of American Revolution Museum!  First off, their color palette was amazing.  You'll know straight away with the photos what I mean.  I love that they used a paint splatter of yellow, pink and purple on their invites, and they carried those colors through their flowers, table decorations, and even their uplighting at their reception.  Secondly, they used their rottweiler, Paige, as an inspiration for their reception decor.  They even had people sign a portrait of her!  Anyone who is willing to use their dog as part of their wedding has my seal of approval! Mia and Rob's big day began at The Willard in Washington, D.C.  We were able to get some great getting ready photos, followed by Mia and Rob's super cute first look!  Afterward, even though it started raining slightly, Mia, Rob and their fearless gang (the wedding party) began the journey on foot over to the DAR!  By the time we arrived the rain stopped and we were able to capture some really awesome photos just outside the DAR and then on the roof!  Personally, I'm obsessed with that rooftop view.  I love that I can see the Washington Monument and then turn and get a really crazy picture of the green copper facade of the DAR.  So cool!

Due to the threat of rain, the ceremony was inside under the DAR's portico.  It was still really beautiful, and both Mia and Rob looked like they were having the time of their lives tying the knot!  Afterward I took a few more photos of Mia and Rob on the roof and then it was time for the reception!  I still can't get over all of the amazing bright colors they used and how it all tied in perfectly. After dinner, Mia switched into her second dress of the evening before their first dance.  I particularly loved the uplighting outside which was rotating all of their signature colors.  Another awesome detail Mia and Rob had was...a donut stand!  It was torture for a gluten-free eater such as myself, but man, those cake donuts looked amazing!  To end the night, I took Mia and Rob back upstairs on the roof and lit them up with the green facade of the DAR and the very beautiful Washington Monument.  I told you I couldn't get enough of that view!  :)

Many thanks to Mia, Rob and their families and friends for letting me be a part of their big day.  And also, many thanks to all of the incredible vendors they used.  This wedding was a WIN!

Photographer: Lisa Boggs Photography

Planner: My Simple Details

Catering: Susan Gage 

Venue: DAR Museum

Videographer:  Thomas Bowen Films

Makeup: Jan Scott

Hair: Hair by Jewels

Musicians: Chris Dunn

Officiant: Jesus  Rivera

Donuts: Carpe Donut

Cake: Fluffy Thoughts

Furniture Rentals: AFR Event Furnishings

Flowers: Petals and Hedges

Lighting: A2Z Music Factory

DJ: Mike Ramos of DJ Glyde and Washington Talent

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Sarah and Justin's Woodend Nature Sanctuary Wedding!

Not too long ago I had the honor of photographing Sarah and Justin's wedding at Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase, Maryland!  What I love about Sarah and Justin is that they're two of the most sincere people you'll ever meet.  There's no denying that they love each other with all that they have, and I absolutely loved seeing that translate in their photos! Sarah and Justin both elected to not see each other before their big Chuppah ceremony, and they even chose to not see each other during the traditional Jewish Ketubah signing!  I had no idea how those photos were going to turn out (their families and friends held up a barrier between them), but I actually really liked them!  At one point Justin winked at the camera which was just so dang cute.  The Chuppah ceremony outside looked amazing, especially with the pops of navy and yellow in the decor that Sarah and Justin included in the ceremony!  Both Sarah and Justin each had the most touching sentiments toward one another during their vows (and yes, even I got weepy), and you can tell in the photos how much they care for each other.  They looked just as stunning in their outdoor portraits before we came inside to par-tay!  And of course, Sarah completely stunned everyone later in the night with her worm dance that was, I'm sure, the best I've ever seen.  I mean, when a bride is willing to do that on the dance floor in her dress...she clearly is the winner of all the worm dances...ever.  :)  We wrapped up the night with a gorgeous night time shot under one of the huge trees at Woodend, and I could not have been happier!

Many thanks to Sarah and Justin and their families and friends for having myself and Mike tag along for this special event!  We had a blast!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Deanna and Joe's Whitehall Manor Wedding - Sneak Peek!

This past (very hot) Sunday, Deanna and Joe were married at Whitehall Manor!  Fortunately, storms were forecasted to come through the area...and boy did they ever!  But the stormy weather made the entire wedding so much more enjoyable in the cooler temperatures and lovely overcast skies.  I actually really adored the rain being in some of their photos!  Here are a few sneak peeks from Deanna and Joe's wedding that I hope you enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa