Greenspring Gardens and Old Town Alexandria Engagement Photos | Madeline and Tom

Green Spring Gardens and Old Town Alexandria engagement photos, photographed by Baltimore wedding photographer Cait Kramer.

Some sessions just stay with you. Madeline and Tom’s is one of those, and even though it was last summer, I still think about the gorgeous glow and the sweet way these two snuggle more than I probably should admit.

We started somewhere new to me, and it did not disappoint.

I had never photographed at Greenspring Gardens before this session, and am absolutely scheming all the ways to go back. It was peony season, which meant we spent the first stretch of our time together wandering through blooms so full and fluffy that I quite literally couldn’t believe my eyes. The light was doing that spring-meets-summer thing where everything looks a little golden even when we had a few hours until the sun fully set for the day.

We found all the most amazing corners that Greenspring offers (And it’s A LOT!) The pretty curly tree, the flowers that photographed like they were planted just for us, and at one point, the sweetest bumblebee even showed up and landed right where we needed it to. It sounds like a small thing, but bees mean something to Madeline and Tom’s relationship, so getting one on camera without even planning for it felt like the day was rooting for us.

Then we packed up and headed into Old Town Alexandria, and their pup, Bernie, stole the show.

From the gardens we drove over to Old Town, where we met up with Tom’s sister and, most importantly, Madeline and Tom’s dog, Bernie. This was Bernie’s official engagement photo debut, and he handled the cobblestone streets like a champ. We laughed the entire time. There were a lot of head scratches, a lot of treats, and by the time Bernie decided he had done enough modeling for one afternoon, his humans were ready to head down to the waterfront while he enjoyed the rest of the weirdest walk ever with Tom’s sister.

We ended the night on the waterfront, under the best sky of the summer.

The cotton candy sky that showed up for us that evening felt like it was saving itself for exactly this. Just the two cuties in love, the water behind them, and light that made everything look like it belonged in a movie. Madeline and Tom twirled, they dipped, they kissed their way through the last stretch of our time together, and it was the kind of ending you cannot plan for, only hope for.

A little more about Madeline and Tom, because their story is a good one.

These two are sentimental, silly, kind, and affectionate in a way that makes everyone around them feel instantly welcome. It is the kind of energy where you walk away from being with them feeling a little lighter.

Madeline says what she loves most about Tom is his patience and his emotional intelligence. Tom says it is Madeline’s smile, and how kind and compassionate she is. These two are rooted in all of the right things. You can tell by being around them that they are beyond smitten.

Since this session, I got to watch these two say I do on their glorious fall wedding day!

Madeline and Tom got married back in October at Stillmeadow Farm, and it was every bit as beautiful as this session promised it would be. If you want to see how their story continued, you can read their wedding day recap here.

PS If you loved these Greenspring Gardens and Old Town Alexandria engagement photos and you are dreaming up your own DMV engagement session, I would love to be part of it. Tap here to learn more about working together.

Green Spring Gardens and Old Town Alexandria engagement photos, photographed by Baltimore wedding photographer Cait Kramer.