Carleigh & Ian = Duke University Engagement Session!

Duke University  | Engagement Session  | Carleigh & Ian | January 13, 2022

Our FIRST Engagement Session of 2022, ya’ll!!!! We’ll have another “first” with Carleigh and Ian in May – our first New York City wedding!!! How special is that?! We had the best afternoon with Ian and Carleigh walking around her alma mater on Thursday. Phillip LOVED talking all things football with them, and we enjoyed chatting about their upcoming wedding, our mutual love of Iceland, traveling, and hearing facts about the campus! 🙂

We had a “cold” North Carolina day for their session – especially with the sun hiding behind the clouds! But, since they’d just flown in from ACTUAL COLD in New York City, Ian & Carleigh loved the temperatures and walked around without coats! The whole Stiehm family also joined for the session – and helped carry all the outfits and assisted with making the outfit changes a little easier! (Maybe you’ll remember her sister Claire from THIS wedding we photographed in October 2019!)

I fell in love with Carleigh at her sister’s wedding – when she fed Claire a slice of pizza the size of her FACE before Claire got into her wedding dress. It was so fun – and I just LOVED her personality. We also love her mom, Mary, who I think of EVERY single day because I snuggle up with a comfy “chunky knit” blanket she made & gifted us!!! (Side note – check out AR Workshop if you’re in the Bristow, VA area!) So when they reached out to us TWO YEARS ago to photograph their NYC wedding – we said heck yes!!!!

Carleigh is so warm and kind – and Ian’s smile lights up a room (Phillip says it’s “infectious!”) They share so many hobbies/interests and I think that’s pretty dang cool. Although they BOTH are obsessed with football – their love is divided between the Giants and the Packers! (So you’ll have to scroll down to the very end of their blog to see Ian & Carleigh’s homage to their favorite teams!)

I can’t wait for ya’ll to see Carleigh’s custom ring up close in these photos. They worked really hard during their wedding planning process to choose female & POC vendors, and that also went for their ring designer! Carleigh’s ring is absolutely BEAUTIFUL, and I loved everything about it – the shape, the filigree details, the setting with the additional stones – it’s just stunning!!

I can’t wait for you to see all my faves from Ian & Carleigh’s Engagement Session below! ENJOY!!!!