Best of 2017
Here we are, one of the last days of 2017! I cannot believe how quickly this time has passed. These last 12 months made for quite a year of growth for Shaina Lee Photography, one grander than I ever could have imagined! Arturo came on to assist with more engagement sessions and weddings, and we also moved into our first studio. It took a bit of time for both of us to adjust to him moving from behind-the-scenes to the forefront of the business with me, but it's definitely a move I'm so thankful we decided to make! We've learned to work efficiently as a team since I enjoy focusing on all of the fun and creative aspects while Arturo is definitely the numbers guy with a business brain. I've loved having him at more sessions and weddings with me, and our clients do too! One major thing we've learned is that Arturo always has been, and always will be, the better one at making our clients laugh!
I started offering boudoir photography and have loved connecting with beautiful women of all shapes and sizes to help them feel confident and empowered! It's been so much fun to photograph bridal boudoir sessions because it combines the art of boudoir photography with brides who are wonderfully giddy about their upcoming wedding day! 2017 has been a year of a year of a few new business ventures for me, one of which includes having started to offer lifestyle headshot sessions to fellow entrepreneurs! It was never a photography service I even thought of offering, but it started to organically grow towards the end of this summer, and I'm so thankful it did! I've met so many amazing female creative entrepreneurs in this last quarter of the year, something I truly cherish. I love being able to connect over entrepreneurship and small business challenges with them, as well as the victories we have to celebrate together!
When I was looking through all of my 2017 photos, I was truly humbled by the clients we have the joy of serving. As small business owners, Arturo and I face plenty of competition in the wedding world (don't worry, I totally expected it when I decided to dive into this industry)! There are some amazing and inspiring people in this post who we are so incredibly thankful for and the fact that they chose us out of a sea of other photographers to document such a beautiful time in their lives!!
With 2018 right around the corner, I'm so happy to be sharing some of my favorite moments of 2017 with you!
This was the first of several times I had the pleasure of working with Kiki of Belle Noelle Beauty Group. I loved photographing Amanda's bridal portraits on her family's farm in North Branford, Connecticut!
February and March brought several boudoir sessions. Jasmine was the first beauty I photographed after Arturo and I moved into our Bridgeport, Connecticut studio this year!
Katie & Ryan's Chamard Vineyards engagement session in Clinton, Connecticut was our first session of the 2017 season! It was mine and Arturo's first time at Chamard, and we absolutely fell in love with it. We're so excited to celebrate these two this July at their Whitby Castle Wedding in Rye, New York!
Julia and Matt's Waveny Park engagement session in New Canaan, Connecticut took place during one of the most spectacular golden hours of the year!
Two and a half weeks later, they were married at the Guilford Yacht Club! Julia and Matt planned a beautiful wedding in Guilford, Connecticut which included a tropical-nautical theme and plenty of pineapple décor sprinkled in!
As June came to a close, Arturo and I headed into New York City to photograph Elissa and David for their Grand Central Station and Central Park engagement session. Elissa was one of the first people I met when I began my freshman year of college almost 10 years ago, so this session is one I hold near and dear to my heart!
The weekend before the July 4th holiday was a busy one for us, but the highlight of it for us was definitely documenting Chris's wedding proposal to Melissa at Harbor Point in Stamford, Connecticut!
Jacqui and Avery were married at the same venue where Arturo and I exchanged our vows!
We headed into the end of the summer season by photographing Landon's surprise wedding proposal to his girlfriend (now fiancée!), Kara, at Chamard Vineyards!
Jasmine and James are high school sweethearts, and tied the knot this August at Saint Clements Castle in Portland, Connecticut! Look at her beautiful smile!
Kelley and Jason opted for an in-home engagement session at their house in Fishkill, New York. These two are bright rays of sunshine, and we're so excited to be kicking off our 2018 wedding season with them in May at Windrift Hall in the heart of the Hudson Valley in Coxsakie, New York!
Our third and final 2017 visit to Chamard Vineyards was for Joey and Bill's engagement session. This was one of my new favorite spots for engagement sessions and weddings this year because the light is absolutely fantastic!
Rebecca of The Pink Orange was the first of several creative entrepreneurs that I had the pleasure of photographing and working with this year! We had a blast together during her lifestyle headshot session at Jennings Beach in Fairfield, Connecticut!
I loved photographing these two during their engagement session in Southport, Connecticut! I'm so excited for Meagan and Alan's wedding at The Inn at Longshore in Westport this coming August!
Lisa and Matt were married on a beautiful September day. Last year I photographed Lisa's sister's wedding, and I was honored that she chose Arturo and me to photograph her big day too!
I just adore my #shainaleecouples!
After only knowing each other on Instagram for a few years, I finally had the opportunity to meet Sandy and photograph her headshots this fall in Rowayton, Connecticut! Sandy is the talented stationery and invitation designer behind Roseville Designs, and I'm so excited to be working with her on a few weddings in 2018!
Arturo and I photographed these two for their engagement session at Tod's Point in Greenwich, Connecticut on what was probably one of the most humid days of the year! Alexa and I have known each other since we were in 4th grade, so when she reached out to inquire about engagement photos as soon as Peter proposed, I was ecstatic!
I believe all things happen for a reason. Emelia and Jon seemed to bring a wave of inquiries and good vibes with them when they booked with us this fall! Arturo and I can't wait to see these two tie the knot at The Waterview in Monroe, Connecticut this coming July!
Just when we thought Nika and Javier's engagement session at Harbor Point Stamford couldn't get any dreamier, their wedding day came along! Every year Arturo and I are so thankful that our clients turn into friends, and we couldn't be happier that Nika and Javier are just that!
I visited Maggie's beautiful Bella Bridesmaids shop in Westport, Connecticut for the first time this fall. I loved photographing her in her element, surrounded by all of those gorgeous dresses!!
I am honored to be have documented so much of Melissa and Andy's love story! In 2016, Andy contacted me looking for a photographer to capture his wedding proposal to Melissa. This fall, I photographed their engagement session at Yale University! I am so excited to see these two sweet souls become husband and wife this coming June and celebrate their marriage at The Inn at Longshore!
Rose and Chris's Twin Brooks Park engagement session took place at the peak of the fall foliage, and the colors were absolutely spectacular!!
Some of my favorite portraits of Joey and Bill's wedding day took place in front of this classic Rolls-Royce!
Amanda and I studied photography together in college, so to say I was honored when she reached out inquiring about wedding photography less than 24 hours after getting engaged would be an understatement! Arturo and I loved photographing them during their Walnut Beach engagement session in Milford, Connecticut this November, and can't wait to see them exchange their vows at their Fox Hill Inn wedding next November!!
Candlelit ceremony? Check. Beautiful venue? Check. A couple who is truly, madly, deeply in love? Check, check, check! Nika and Javier's Bedford Post Inn wedding was our last one of 2017, and we couldn't have asked for a better couple to finish with!
November brought in the last bridal boudoir session of the year!
I just adored photographing Sierra during her lifestyle headshot session at Waveny Park! The evening ended with one of the most beautiful autumn sunsets.
Arturo and I were finally able to cross "snow session" off of our photography bucket list earlier this month, though we'll always be more than willing to photograph a sweet couple during a snowstorm. We had Twin Brooks Park in Trumbull, Connecticut all to ourselves during Tori and Matt's snowy engagement session!! We can't wait to celebrate these two and their wedding day at The Washington Club in northern Connecticut this coming July!
Last, but certainly not least, my 2017 season officially ended with Meghan and Mike during their Saint Mary's By The Sea engagement session! These two are absolutely hysterical, and I know their wedding at Tashua Knolls this coming July is going to be a blast!!
As amazing as 2017 was, Arturo and I are eager for all that lies ahead in 2018. We feel like some of the luckiest people on Earth to work with the amazing couples we have! Cheers to each and every one of you!
