“Hey, Stefanie! We are hoping for a cozy, farm feel for our engagement session. Do you know of any good place?”

You bet I do. First off, Ballenger Farm in Purcellville, VA, isn’t just a farm. It is the cutest Airbnb in Northern Virginia with an equally charming host, Liz. Liz- I love you dearly. Baby George says hello to Baby Fiona. Secondly, they have free-range chickens that follow you around. Enough said.

I texted Liz when I got that email from Jasmine, hoping for a reply of yes. Happily, the farm can be used as a backdrop for a small fee. We set the date and I prepared Jasmine for what was to come next: the rooster, Elvis, who does have a way with entering the frame unannounced and staying there. Oh, and Pumpkin, the goat, who does the same.

But it wasn’t Elvis or Pumpkin that photobombed most of these pictures, it was the farm’s newest addition, Sherlock the cat. Formerly known as Remus, I was so glad Sherlock was a part of our shoot; he made the shoot just that more charming.

What I love the most about this couple is their easy-going mentality when it came to photos; Jasmine told me she already favors those in-the-moment photos. With a mixture of prompts, poses, and jokes for photos, we wandered around the property for different backdrops and opportunities with the residents – the goats, chickens, etc. – the wild turkeys weren’t having it though.

I can’t wait for their wedding in April in Maryland, it is going to be a stunner for sure.

Thanks, Jasmine and Andrew, for being good sports and being adventurous. Especially when I asked you to practice your first dance as goats were all around you.

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