Good morning! Happy Thursday! Thanks for stopping by today to take a peek at Nate’s and my anniversary photoshoot in Paris from this past summer. I received a few questions about the logistics, so I am happy to answer them here! First, I have to give a shoutout to the gals at Inspired By This for featuring our story on their amazing website. Make sure to go check it out for more photos! And, secondly, Katie Mitchell our photographer is quite fabulous– don’t you think?

Keep reading for a little Q&A with the most frequently asked questions I received. I hope you find this helpful!

What made you decide to have a professional photoshoot in Paris? My goal is to have fantastic photos taken for our anniversary every five years so we can line them all up one day starting with our wedding and reminisce over our years together. Traveling to Paris has been a goal of ours since our honeymoon, so I thought it would be the perfect setting. Obviously the architecture and scenery is beautiful, but it also represents our love of travel and our first trip without Waverley.

How did you decide what to wear? I looked for attire that portrays our daily style and gives off a classic vibe. I love wearing white and thought it would photograph well, so chose a simple white shirtdress. I also wanted the scenery to stand out as much as possible and did not want our clothes to detract from the views. I tried on several outfits and sent them to my girlfriend for her opinion before she helped me settle on the dress! I love that this dress has pockets and hits at my knee, because shirtdresses are often too short on me. My shoes were a last-minute decision that I randomly threw in my suitcase. I am so glad I did, because the other nude heels I brought killed my feet! At the time of the photos, I was cringing and crying because I had so many blisters from walking. The wedge on these shoes really saved my life, yet I still slipped into Birkenstocks every chance I got. Nate wears a suit and tie to work everyday so he wanted to wear something that was dressy yet played on his casual personality. And I looove a guy in a suit vest, don’t you?? (Scroll down to the bottom for the direct links!)

Was your husband up for it? Nate has learned to appreciate that I love having professional pictures of us taken, whether it’s for holiday cards or a random happening. I am usually the one behind the camera and there are few pictures of Nate and I together, especially since Waverley has come along. He has grown more agreeable to them as the years go on since he knows they are important to me. Our photographer, Katie, was such a joy to work with and made us both feel extremely comfortable. Nate really liked how he didn’t have to look at the camera and smile the whole time and that it felt like we were just hanging out with a friend. In Paris. Who happened to be photographing us!

How did you choose a photographer? I started my search early and scoured websites and Instagram for photographers in Paris who speak English and photograph sessions like this. There are surprisingly quite a few so I narrowed down the field by looking for a style of photography that I enjoy: casual, bright, artful, and with a journalistic feel. Katie is all of those things and is such a talented photographer! I just fell in love with her portfolio immediately. Also, cost is obviously a factor and she is very reasonable!

This photoshoot was definitely a highlight of our trip for both of us. Katie was so fun and engaging which made the experience exceptional. We learned more about Paris, saw areas we may not have seen otherwise, and she gave us the best recommendation for dinner.

Katie asked for three locations we’d like to shoot at, so we chose the Eiffel Tower, a garden, and having coffee. Once we had that established she handled all of the details, like which garden to go to and transportation between spots. What a dream! Since Nate and I are legitimately all about drinking coffee and grabbing snacks, we thought this would be perfectly “us.” We wanted a few with flowers and greenery since we love the outdoors. And, of course, having pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower is absolutely a must!

These are just a few of the leftover images so definitely head over to Inspired By This for more! If you are considering a little photoshoot on your travels I highly recommend it. It was such a fun way to document the trip and I am sure we will always look back on these fondly. Where would you go and what would the occasion be?

{More information: Dress, Serena & Lily. Belt, J.Crew (old– similar). Shoes, Via Spiga (old pair– similar pairs here and here). Nail color, OPI Get Ryd-of-thym Blues. Lipstick, Tom Ford Flamingo. Purse, Chanel.}