It takes a very special couple to wake up before sunrise on the day after their wedding for a photo session. Katie and Jason have such an adventurous spirit that they were completely game when I (crazily?) suggested the idea months ago, after our planned sunrise engagement session fell through. Their wedding was absolutely incredible. This day-after session truly felt like a dream.

We briefly toyed with the idea of photographing somewhere closer to where Jason and Katie were staying in Alexandria, but I just couldn’t get the vision of them among the memorials and cherry blossoms in Washington, DC out of my head. This was one of those rare, beautiful times when reality far surpassed any high expectations I had. This image was in my mind for months leading up to the shoot, and we made it happen.
Let’s start from the beginning, pre-dawn.
At one point I mentioned my disappointment about the Washington Monument being under construction. Katie sweetly replied, “It’s okay! It’s a moment in time!” Isn’t that the best outlook?

A view of the White House and cherry blossoms from the top of the Jefferson Memorial:

It was somewhere around this time when Katie declared, “I’m just in a fog of happiness!”
A dream.

People at the wedding kept insisting we were nuts for doing this. But this session – with this amazing couple – on this gorgeous morning – it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I would’ve been crazy not to do it.

Katie and Jason, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for this.