Richard + Tara : ENGAGED
Truth be told, I have been lucky enough to watch these two fall in love and become parents to this adorable tiny human being -- Richard has been one of my husband's oldest friends, so I've had the privilege of seeing him grow up right before my eyes.
From his days as the "life of the party" to creating a life of his own, it has definitely been a transformation to behold.
His fiancee Tara was introduced to me during Halloween at the local bar and I did my best to make a good impression while wearing leather leggings, a corset, and giant false eyelashes. We were all pretty intoxicated so I'm not sure if I succeeded, but we had a great time and I remember thinking that she and Richard seemed to have quite the connection -- plus at that time my husband and I had been amongst the first of his friends to have children, so we had sort of fallen off the map only to reappear during special occasions worthy of a babysitter.
Kids can be all-consuming and it's difficult to keep your social life in tact when no one else in the group understands your new responsibilities. So it's safe to say we were rather ecstatic when we find out they were pregnant with Brayden! FINALLY! Friends with KIDS!!!
Daydreams of family BBQ's danced through our heads as we congratulated the couple on their news!
It was only fitting that we return to Beak & Skiff for their engagement session since this was where we did their maternity session while Tara was pregnant with Brayden -- little "Baby Beak's" newborn session was done in-home but we wanted to return to the orchard where he had his first ever professional photo taken (inside his mama's belly.) Yes, that's right. Brayden is "Baby Beak," the latest member of the Beak Family, sprouting off Richard's branch on the family tree. His family partly owns and operates Beak & Skiff 1911 in Lafayette, NY. The only distillery in the nation to make their spirits from apples. Yum!
It's sort of symbolic, I suppose.
When we chose this location for their maternity session, the ground was covered in ripe juicy apples.
Tara and Richard sat mesmerized by the fruit of her womb while amongst the trees that were all bearing delicious fruit just like the beautiful mama.
For this session, we returned to those same branches bearing blossoms symbolizing the beginning of a new season.
xx
“And when you crush an apple with your teeth, say to it in your heart:
Your seeds shall live in my body,
And the buds of your tomorrow shall blossom in my heart,
And your fragrance shall be my breath,
And together we shall rejoice through all the seasons.”
Kahlil Gibran
