Spring Bridal Portrait Season

Spring is just the perfect time for Bridal Portraits. 

I feel so blessed to walk out my back door and 

see all of God's handiwork...

which here at Magnolia Hill, Spring is a time for portraits! 

Ornate benches are ideal for a day of spring day's dreaming. 

The spring lake is so pretty and it is no secret 

we love to work with great photographers.

 Actual wedding days are so jam packed, 

that it is a calming feeling to get a portrait 

in your dress with no one around.

 It is a perfect time to try hair and makeup for the big day.

For a portrait session wear comfortable shoes 

as there may be lots of walking. 

Most of the time, the shoes

 do not show in the portrait.

Our historic dogwood tree

 is always in bloom by Easter. 

Look high up in the treetops too, for there 

is the wild purple wisteria that blooms 

profusely in the tree tops.

Perfect for a bridal portrait...

Looking closely, each petal cluster

 is shaped like a cross with two longer petals 

and two shorter ones.

 A crown of thorns is in the center

 and "blood stained" tips with

 nail scars on each petal.

The dogwood is seen from afar 

even with azaleas showing off their colors. 

Spring was quite cool this year and 

we burned our wood burning 

outdoor patio stove for warmth.

The Red Bud trees seemed to bloom early this year.

 They frame a bridal portrait session nicely.

The days getting longer, most portrait sessions

 are late afternoon and early evening 

after the sun goes down.

Gathering the spirit of Spring's soft beauty, 

I picked some wisteria and dogwood for the table

 and placed it in a vintage crock, as it smelled so delightful.  

From across the lake, as if from another era,

 the dogwood

 and the wisteria are blooming

 with a timeless point of view.

Covered in wisteria blooms, 

the dock on the water creates

 a cozy room draped with the dripping blooms

 pouring over the rails. 

Our private country house is found inspiration

 for photographers for our house 

was built in 1918 but only three families

 have lived in it previously. It is a house 

people moved to stay. It has always been 

a place that is loved by the families 

who lived here. The house is wonderful, 

but the location is also quite special. 

Life is newness and

 ever changing when you live by the water.

 

Friends meet, where memories live, and where LOVE grows.
Happy Spring to you....

blessings, 

You’ll find me on Instagram here:  Alda's Magnolia Hill 

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The Charm of a Bridal Portrait

Perhaps nothing expresses a brides style more than the dress
she wears on her wedding day.
A wedding portrait to be shared at the wedding reception
gives a glimpse of the next chapter in her life.

No more cold studio shots, photographers are
taking a step back in time with the outdoors as their background.

Drew Cason photography

 Sophisticated and elegant,
Here is an outdoor album with just such ideas for a portrait....

So many choices bedazzle the bride but when her eyes fall
on the perfect dress, she feels confident in her choice.

Ashley Murphy images

A romantic lace dress and abundant bouquet
is all that is needed for a portrait in our vintage carriage.

Lance Shingleur Photography

This classic train of the dress is showcased against the stillness of the lake.




Of course the groom is not allowed to see the dress before the wedding,
but it is most helpful
to have the hands of mother or a treasured friend
 for a bit of assistance dressing for the portrait session.

Once the dress has been final fitted  a bit before the wedding day
is time to make the portrait appointment .

Edwardian inspired outdoor photography
 depends on the weather...not rainy, but not too sunny.
A good photographer knows the perfect lighting.

Ashley Diggs photography

A glimpse of a brides personality shines
 through the portrait with their love of horses. 

Gorgeous smile and a strand of pearls...
A portrait is a good time to try the perfect
 hairstyle and makeup for wedding day.

A sweet glimpse of things to come
on wedding day
with Blue,
our French Percheron horse.

A look of English nobility with this
small side chair portrait underneath draping trees.

A look that appeals to brides with the water and floral decor on the  boat. 

Any bride can tell you that they never felt more radiant
than in their wedding dress
surrounded by roses and draping greenery.

The sweet personality comes out of the bride
when animals are in the background of this swooping lace gown
with tiny covered buttons dressing the back.

Delilah, our English Suffolk horse closes her eyes
 when she gets a kiss from a bride who loves horses.

Magic in the garden when this bride lifts her bow
eyes her aim
 and showcases her archery skills.

Step into the garden with our ivy clad garden wall
for a memorable classic clean and elegant portrait.

Hollywood glam in this portrait looks
as if straight from a movie.

A simple walk through the woods on a richly shaded trail
with the textures of a lace gown
 is the 18th century blending of earth and nature.

This is a wonderful time in life, showcase all the smiles of the wedding to come.

"Every girl has a fantasy of elegance 
And there is a moment when it comes true."
                                                           - Jessica McClintock




Blessings on your day,

“And a Sixpence in Her Shoe”

In the past, you have probably heard the saying a time or two: “ Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe.”  The poetic rhyme from the English and quoted in Victorian times seemed to catch on and is still often repeated today. Each item is usually applied to the wedding outfit rather than décor…something the bride would wear. The items serve as good luck tokens to a bride on her wedding day making her attire personal and sentimental.    

The “Something Old” symbolizes the bride’s family. Perhaps a strand of pearls or grandmothers broach fastened onto a hand held bouquet. It does not have to be from a female side…maybe a button from one of the brides fathers suits sewn into the hem of the gown.  

Megan wears her mothers and grandmothers pearls

A “Something New” symbolizes hope for an optimistic future with the marriage. The gown, the veil or even the rings, may be the “New”. “Something Borrowed” needs to come from a happily married woman thereby lending some of her own marital happiness and the item must be returned! The item reminds a bride that she can depend on that friend or family member. A “Something Blue” represents a symbol of faithfulness, love, purity and loyalty. It can be the bride’s garter or simply blue shoes underneath the gown. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color as well.

A sixpence was a coin used in the British Empire beginning in 1551. One sixpence represented six pennies and was last used in 1967. People used to be very superstitious in the middle ages and it was a good omen as a lucky charm. During the early 1600’s it was traditional for the Lord of the Manor to give his bride a piece of silver as a wedding gift. Worn in the left shoe, the tradition of the sixpence as a symbol of good luck continues today. Some families have passed down the same sixpence through the generations to continue the hope for good luck to future brides. It's also nice to seek out a sixpence minted in the year of your parents or grandparents wedding. If not a sixpence then a coin with a meaningful date should do!

Carlea lost her mother at a very young age. Here she wears her mother's wedding dress as she holds a picture of her mother wearing it on her wedding day.

Brides have been honoring the tradition of wearing an old, a new, a borrowed and a blue item during their wedding for centuries. The wearing of these items is supposed to share good luck but most important they express admiration for a few special people on a very special day. 

Spring at Magnolia Hill

April is one of the most colorful months of all at Magnolia Hill. Now I know what it means to say "spring green".  It is a green like no other time of the year. This week and every week around Easter, our glorious Dogwood tree is in full bloom. Azaelas are showing off their colors, and purple Wisteria sets off a wave fragrant blooms.

An antique trellis supports a white climbing hydrangea 

A popular month for bridal portraits !

The White Dogwood tree makes a lovey backdrop for wedding day.

The Pink Dogwood in front of the Guest House was given in memory of my mother and her loss to Breast Cancer. 

A vintage postcard from my ephemera collection shares The Legend of the Dogwood.

Spring green table decor

"He fills my life with good things"  - Psalms 103:5

A stone path beckons you for a walk to the lake.

The dock is draped in purple wisteria.

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.

A bride and her daddy wait on the carriage to come.

 "Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'"  ~Robin Williams