I adore in-home engagement sessions. Capturing engagement photos is already intimate, but doing it inside a private living space is even more so. Beyond just getting to know the couple and their dynamic with each other, I also get to step into their lifestyle and see what they choose to surround themselves with every day. For Michaela and Colby, we extended this personal experience out to their favorite places to spend time together in their neighborhood.
Even though I had never stepped inside their apartment before, I felt right at home. From their silly pup Oscar to their regal kitty Stevie Nicks, I was introduced to the whole family. We lounged around on their various sofas before heading downstairs to the street. We spent a few moments at Pop’s, an old-school ice cream and soda bar complete with antique kitchen appliances. Perhaps our favorite place to explore was the Grandin Theatre, an old local theatre with wonderfully classic flashing lights and tiny screening rooms.
Michaela (pronounced “MIKE-el-uh”) and Colby are the kind of couple that could be intimidating if you don’t know them, simply because of how darn stylish they both are. They make being cool look so easy. Their apartment has these gorgeous old windows looking over Grandin, the cutest neighborhood in Roanoke. Their house plants are arranged in thoughtful little still-lifes throughout. They each have interesting tattoos. Neither of them is afraid to commit to an expression in front of the camera. And, of course, their collective sense of fashion is as easygoing as it is chic. I admire their taste.
But more important than their impeccable tastes, Michaela and Colby are a delight to spend time with. As college sweethearts, they’ve been together for many more years than their youth would lead you to believe. They are relaxed in their own skin, relaxed together. Sometimes they would look at each other and suddenly enter their own world where I and everyone around them ceased to exist. I would catch my breath and remind myself to keep pressing the shutter button. And then, other times they would laugh and I couldn’t help but join in. I can’t wait to see what kind of life these two build together.