Elizabeth & Alex’s Engagement Session at Maclay Gardens
Some sessions feel like work. Elizabeth and Alex's felt like a long walk with friends who happened to be very much in love. We spent the afternoon at Maclay Gardens in Tallahassee, and from the first frame under the oaks it was clear these two were not going to need much direction from me.
Their wedding is on February 20, 2027, and if this session is any preview, it is going to be a beautiful day.
Under the oaks
We started on the brick path that runs beneath the live oaks, with Spanish moss hanging overhead and that soft, filtered light Maclay is known for. It is one of my favorite places in Tallahassee to begin a session. Couples get to simply walk, talk and get used to the camera, and the setting does most of the work.
Elizabeth leaned her head on Alex's shoulder within the first few minutes, and from then on they forgot I was there. That is always the moment I am waiting for.
The reflection pool and the ivy arches
From there we moved through the formal gardens. The long reflection pool gave us one of my favorite images of the day, with the two of them mirrored perfectly in the still water. A few steps away, the ivy archways framed them like a painting as they walked toward me hand in hand.
We also took a quiet moment on the old brick steps, which is where some of the most natural laughs of the afternoon happened. It is also where the ring got its close-up.
A little bit of everything
Around the historic house we played with black and white, a big lift-off-the-ground hug on the front steps, and a few sweet moments by the columns. Then we finished out in the open lawn under the moss-covered oaks, near the white gazebo, where the light was starting to turn golden.
The last stop was my favorite part: I asked them to run. No poses, no instructions, just the two of them holding hands and racing across the grass, laughing the whole way. Those frames are a little blurry and completely full of joy, which is exactly how an engagement should feel.
Thinking about an engagement session at Maclay Gardens?
Maclay is one of the most varied locations in Tallahassee. In one afternoon you get oak-lined paths, formal gardens, water, historic architecture and wide open lawns, so your gallery never feels repetitive. I like to start in the late afternoon and work toward the open spaces as the sun gets lower.
Elizabeth and Alex's outfits were a great example of what works here: warm, earthy tones next to a soft light blue. Colors like these sit beautifully against all the greens of the gardens without fighting them.
Congratulations, Elizabeth and Alex. February 20, 2027 can't come soon enough!
