Initially, I wrote a novel-length rave review for Lauren, but realized that most wedding vendor websites have a character limit. There is no way I'll be able to express my gratitude and recommendation for Lauren as our wedding photographer in ...3500 characters, so I'll bullet point this review as best I can.
*THE BUBBLIEST PHOTOGRAPHER YOU'LL MEET: For a while, I had this dream of getting my wedding portraits taken at the National Mall. Unfortunately, most photographers I reached out to either refused or, at the very least, were hesitant, to do this for us. Some suggested that I do a National Mall photo shoot the day before or sometime after my wedding, but I wasn't willing to shell out the money to get all dolled up again on a separate day. Others were worried about tourists, the timeline, and logistics. My now-husband was gently nudging me to forego the portraits at the Mall. However, when I got Lauren's response, it was a breath of fresh air. I could tell just from her email that she was enthusiastic about her job; she told me that she LOVED the idea of portraits at the Mall and reassured me that it would not be a logistical nightmare. I think my then-fiance was so relieved by Lauren's response that he told me to book her without even looking at her work. On the wedding day, Lauren and her associate, Nichole, were so upbeat and had such a can-do attitude. It was clear that the entire bridal party was feeding off of their energy and positivity on what was otherwise a stressful day! My bridesmaids kept commenting that my photographer had "such great energy" and "the best personality". I have been in bridal parties before where the photographer is a bit cold or a bit inflexible and demanding that it makes the whole photo-taking experience a drag. Lauren was the complete opposite of this! She was our own personal wedding-day cheerleader :) One of the most memorable moments was when Lauren gave me and my husband five minutes to just enjoy the Jefferson Memorial and not have to pose for photos. We were able to breathe a sigh of relief, regroup, and share some words of encouragement with one another. How sweet and thoughtful of her!
*A CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL: Don't let her bubbly personality and can-do attitude fool you! She is a true professional and works incredibly quickly. I was surprised how quick and painless she made the engagement photoshoot, since both my husband and I weren't the most comfortable with the idea of posing for photos in public. She walked with us to one location, got a variety of shots and poses, and then soldiered onto the next. Even when my husband and I had trouble posing because we were getting bitten by mosquitos, Lauren didn't flinch or complain and troopered on until she got all of her shots. Her turnaround time for getting us the edited photos was also lightning fast. In fact, we were able to enjoy some of our wedding photos while on our honeymoon!
*BEAUTIFUL BLOG-WORTHY PHOTOS: We were so pleased at how our engagement and wedding photos came out. I love the aesthetic of her photos; to me, they seem very romantic and ethereal, but in a very warm and unpretentious way. She even brought some props to our wedding to make our accessories and decor appear more swoon-worthy in the shots than they were in real life!
Those who are blessed to have Lauren as your wedding photographer will only have one regret: that the time you spend getting to know her and work with her is too fleeting!