Well, I’m WAY behind in getting our 10th anniversary photos up on the blog – but in my defense, we did find out we were pregnant just a few weeks after we took these, and then we found out a few weeks ago that we’re having a little BOY (!!!) so between catching up on client edits and surviving the 1st trimester (ha!) through December, and then sharing our pregnancy announcement and gender reveal photos last month, our anniversary photos just got put onto the back burner for a bit!

BUT, that changes today!  And y’all, honestly, I’m kind of OK that it took me this long to get these up, because it’s been really fun to look through my favorites from this session again, especially in hindsight.  When we took these photos to honor our 10th year of marriage, we had been trying to start a family for over a year and a half.  Little did we know that just a couple of weeks after we took these, we’d FINALLY have a little babe on the way!  In so many ways, the timing of our pregnancy has just been such a blessing, and the fact that we squeezed in this one last anniversary session (with our first “baby” – our furry girl!) only weeks before this great new adventure would begin – that’s a sweet little gift all on its own.

And this session, y’all … it was everything I wanted it to be!  I had wanted to shoot a milestone anniversary session at this particular location for several years.  It’s this lovely old marble mansion near Waynesboro, Virginia, called Swannanoa Palace.  It’s got all the pretty Italian-renaissance-inspired architectural details that make me swoon, and it was just the perfect backdrop for a milestone session like a 10th anniversary!  It feels grand and romantic and straight out of old world Italy.  And of course, for such a milestone session (a whole DECADE of being #teamrickards!), I knew I wanted to dress it up quite a bit!  I knew I wanted something full-length, flowy and romantic for my outfit, and a full suit for Jason.  (And if you’re interested in the details of where our outfits + accessories are from, I’ll add some links/info at the bottom of the post!)  And I even tried my hand at DIY florals, which I think turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself!

Okay, are you tired of me rambling on yet?  Haha!  Here are my favorites from our 10th anniversary session early last fall!  (Also, a HUGE thank you to Kaitlyn Phipps for capturing these for us!)

I mean, really though, how stinking cute is our Mona girl with her flower corsage and that rope leash I picked up off amazon??  I can’t even.

I’m not going to lie, I’m a little obsessed with every. single. one. of these twirling shots Kaitlyn took of me!  (I think really, I just love how much movement is in that skirt!)

Close-ups of our florals, because I’m a little obsessed with how they turned out:

Would y’all judge me if we wore these florals again for our maternity photos??  Haha!

This next one on the right … one of my top favorites!

This next one is another fave …

Love these next two shots, too – my most favorite guy (looking so dapper in that suit!) and my best girl. <3  (Also, those big old coonhound ears, though – aren’t they just the BEST?!)

Can you tell I’m obsessed with this spot on the veranda (above)?  I just love what it does for the composition of these images, between the archways and those columns!  all. the. heart eyes!

More than 10 years in, and I’m still not sure how I got so lucky to call this guy mine … but I’m forever grateful.

Aaaaand I think this next one might be my most favorite image from the entire session … I’ve already ordered a print of it and I’ve just got to figure out which wall it belongs on!  (Also, I feel like there’s no way we have enough wall space in our house for all of my faves from this session!  Kaitlyn, I can’t thank you enough for these!!)

GAH!  Last fave of our sweet, sweet girl:

Y’all, if you stuck with me all the way to the end of this post, thank you!!  And even more so, thank you for being part of our lives and sharing in some part of our journey over the last 10+ years!

p.s. it was 100% a dream come true for me to get to have our own anniversary session at Swannanoa – and now it’s also on my bucket list to visit again, but on the other side of the camera – so if this breathtaking place has captured your heart like it did mine and you want to have your own session / elopement / vow renewal here and you need a photographer … I’M SO YOUR GIRL!  😉

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Also, as promised, here are the sources for our outfits + accessories, if you’re interested!

(And if you want a full list of the shops I *always* check first when I’m planning a session of my own, plus my best tips for finding high-end pieces on a budget, snag my Photo Session Shopping Guide here!)

my short-sleeve lace top | Morning Lavender

my full-length blue chiffon skirt | retails from Revelry  (but I got mine for a steal by purchasing secondhand – aka following my own advice in the Shopping Guide!)

Jason’s slim-fit blue suit | H&M

Mona’s rope leash | Amazon

photo session florals | diy flower crown, boutonniere + pup corsage