A magical maternity session in an enchanted garden for Alexa & Bobby
This stunning maternity session starring parents-to-be Alexa and Bobby is absolutely the dreamiest, most amazing thing you’ll ever see! The simplicity of Alexa in white, surrounded by wildflowers, makes this session one of my favorites so far from this summer.
Bright florals and lush green shades
Alexa contacted me from her home in Chicago when the COVID-19 shutdown was in full swing. She was planning a trip to Houston with dad-to-be Bobby, and they wanted to celebrate the upcoming birth of their son with a sweet maternity session. Alexa’s family was also planning a baby shower for her the same weekend.
Don’t miss Alexa’s beautiful photo sneak peek video!
When she shared her vision of the perfect maternity photos, I knew Alexa would love the gorgeous landscape of Mercer Arboretum. The only trouble was, we had no idea what June would look like in terms of the shutdown when we were making plans in mid-March. All we could do was cross our fingers that the plans for a stunning session would work out.
Fortunately, everything fell into place, and Alexa and Bobby have such wonderful memories to share with their son someday!
A beautiful mama-to-be in white
I love the simplicity of soft, earth-toned dresses at Mercer. It allows mama to pop in any setting because the landscape is full of so much color. This flowing ivory gown looked so beautiful on Alexa; the detailing on the top adds just a touch of visual interest.
Bobby also looked great in a white polo, jeans and boots. They are such an adorable couple, and it’s clear that their son is so very loved!
Gorgeous backdrops for a magical maternity session
We only had an hour at Mercer to fit in all of the photos Alexa was dreaming of, so we had to work quickly. There are a handful of “must-have” backdrops in this sprawling garden, including the stone staircase, field of sunflowers and walkway dotted with bright multi-colored flowers.
The forecast had indicated heavy rain all week, but fortunately that changed in the days leading up to Alexa’s session. This worked out in our favor because we had the garden all to ourselves; it was so peaceful and easy to forget we were in the middle of Houston.
Alexa specifically requested photos in the sunflowers and near water features. There are two stunning spots overflowing with bright yellow sunflowers, so we made sure to get photos in both places. There is a small pond at the arboretum that features tiny purple flowers, and I love how they add a soft pop of color.
Adding in a little romance
For most couples, a maternity session is the first set of professional photos they’ve had taken since their wedding. Everyone starts out a little bit nervous; after all, most of us aren’t totally comfortable right away in front of the camera.
It always helps get rid of nervousness to begin with couples portraits where no one looks at the camera. Through gentle prompting, I guide my clients through natural poses that highlight their love for each other – and of course the baby bump! As this sweet couple shares soft kisses and little jokes, I’m able to capture authentic moments between them. Those are the kinds of memories they’ll want to hang on their walls forever!
Additionally, I include a brief posing guide in the latest version of my Celebrate Motherhood magazine. This way my clients have some idea of what to expect as we work together.
Ready to welcome baby DJ
Alexa and Bobby are so anxious to welcome their son in early August! This little guy has a nursery all ready to go, and his parents have amazing memories of a beautiful maternity session to share with him forever.
View more photos from Alexa’s enchanted garden maternity session below
