Marisa and David
The photo locations are endless when you shoot in Winston-Salem, NC! The fall colors were so pretty for Marisa and David’s engagement session at Reynolda’s Gardens! From the orange and red trees, to the tall wheat fields and the curvy roads, this North Carolina location was perfect for their engagement photos!
The current gardens, grounds and estate have been preserved from over a century of local history. R.J. and Katherine Reynolds, a known family connected to the tobacco industry, were married around the turn of the 19th century. They began purchasing lots of acreage in the Winston-Salem area. These land purchases eventually were turned into the family estate, named Reynolda. While the house was being constructed, the formal plans for the gardens were laid out. In addition to bushes, trees, and flowers, fruits and vegetables were added later as well as pathways, fences, and arches. During the 1950’s, the gardens were donated to Wake Forest University by the family. The estate and gardens have had multiple restorations over the years, and all 134 acres are currently owned by Wake Forest.
Marisa and David were such a joy to work with during their engagement session at Reynolda. Marisa and David live in Roanoke, VA which is my hometown! They were both traveling to Winston-Salem where David is from, so we decided on this area for their photos. Marisa and David met when they were in college at Roanoke College. Marisa put up a flier saying she needed a roommate. David was looking for a place to stay and ended up becoming roommates with Marisa. They were roommates for two years, but they never dated until after he moved out. David is now a football coach, and Marisa teaches preschool.
We started their session near the main road of the estate grounds. This was such a pretty spot since the trees were showing off their gorgeous fall colors! Later in the afternoon, we found a pretty wheat field and stayed there for almost the remainder of their session. All through their session, I could tell that they are best friends! They laughed all throughout their engagement session. Marisa and David were so natural in the front of the camera and they had a great time just being themselves! I had such a great time shooting Marisa and David’s engagement session at Reynolda’s Gardens!
I can’t wait to shoot their wedding in May at The Preserve at Crooked Run in Virginia! Congratulations Marisa and David! If you’re interested in booking your engagement session with me, hurry to my contact page! My dates are really starting to fill up for 2023!
