Braden + Meilani’s Beautiful Avonlea Farms Wedding

An Avonlea Farms wedding was the perfect setting for Braden and Meilani’s beautiful June wedding day! From the gorgeous Virginia venue to the joy surrounding these two, this was one of those wedding days that was simply so much fun to photograph.

I photographed this wedding at the end of June, and I am finally getting the chance to share some of these beautiful images on the blog! Looking back through their photographs has brought me right back to such a sweet day.

Braden and Meilani are a truly beautiful couple, inside and out. Braden serves in the United States military, and Meilani is a nurse—two people who have chosen lives of serving and caring for others. Getting to spend their wedding day with them and the people who love them was such a privilege.

A Wedding Day That Felt Extra Special

This wedding was especially meaningful to me because I have known Braden’s family for years. I had the privilege of working with his mom years ago, and truly, this entire family is just the sweetest.

There is something special about photographing a wedding when there are familiar faces woven throughout the day. Braden’s brother even helped me photograph a wedding once, so getting to see him again—this time celebrating his brother—was such a fun full-circle moment!

One of my favorite things about being a wedding photographer is getting to reconnect with people throughout different seasons of life. You never quite know when your paths will cross again.

A Gorgeous Summer Wedding at Avonlea Farms

And then there was the venue!

Avonlea Farms was absolutely stunning. The beautiful property created such a gorgeous backdrop for Braden and Meilani’s wedding photographs, and I loved getting to explore the venue with them throughout the day.

A late-June wedding in Virginia brings all of the beauty of summer, and Avonlea Farms complemented it perfectly. There was so much natural beauty surrounding us, and everywhere we turned seemed to give us another beautiful place to photograph.

But as gorgeous as the venue was, my favorite part of the entire day wasn’t a particular portrait or detail.

It was seeing how genuinely happy everyone was.

There was so much joy surrounding Braden and Meilani. Their families were happy. Their friends were happy. And most importantly, the bride and groom were happy! Those are the wedding days I love photographing most—the ones where you can actually feel the joy of the people around you.

Combine that with an absolutely gorgeous Virginia wedding venue, and it made for such a memorable day.

Photographing Braden + Meilani

Braden and Meilani looked incredible together, and it was such a joy getting them in front of my camera.

Wedding photography is about so much more than creating beautiful portraits. Of course I want my couples to walk away with gorgeous photographs, but I also want their images to bring them back to how their wedding day actually felt.

The laughter. The excitement. Their families surrounding them. The quiet moments between everything happening. The celebration once they were finally husband and wife.

Those are the things that become more valuable as the years pass.

I hope that when Braden and Meilani look through these photographs years from now, they don’t simply remember how beautiful everything looked. I hope they remember just how loved and celebrated they were.

A Fun Day With Our Summer Second Shooter

I also had Liam with me as our summer second shooter for the day, which made this wedding even more fun to photograph!

Having a second photographer allows us to capture the wedding day from multiple perspectives—the big moments happening in front of everyone as well as some of the smaller moments unfolding elsewhere.

It was so much fun having Liam alongside me for this one, and Braden and Meilani’s wedding was certainly a beautiful summer wedding to photograph together.

Thank You, Braden + Meilani!

Braden and Meilani, thank you so much for allowing us to be part of such an important day in your lives.

It was truly an honor to photograph your wedding and witness the love and joy surrounding the two of you.

And to your families—thank you for being so incredibly kind and welcoming. It was such a gift getting to reconnect with familiar faces and spend the day celebrating alongside all of you.

Braden and Meilani, I pray your marriage is filled with many, many years of love, laughter, friendship, and beautiful memories together. Thank you for trusting me to preserve the beginning of this new chapter for you.

What a beautiful couple, a beautiful family, and an absolutely unforgettable Avonlea Farms wedding!

Avonlea Farms Wedding FAQ

Where is Avonlea Farms?

Avonlea Farms is a beautiful wedding venue in Virginia offering couples a picturesque setting for their wedding celebration. The property provides gorgeous natural scenery and plenty of beautiful locations for wedding portraits throughout the day.

Is Avonlea Farms a good venue for wedding photography?

Absolutely! As a wedding photographer, I love venues that provide variety without requiring the couple to spend a large portion of their wedding day traveling between portrait locations. Avonlea Farms offers beautiful scenery and multiple opportunities for romantic wedding portraits, bridal party photographs, family photographs, and candid moments.

What is a summer wedding at Avonlea Farms like?

Braden and Meilani were married toward the end of June, and the property was absolutely gorgeous for their summer wedding. Virginia summers bring lush greenery and beautiful natural scenery, making this venue especially lovely for couples dreaming of a romantic outdoor or farm-style wedding setting.

What time should couples schedule wedding portraits?

The best portrait time depends on the season, ceremony time, timeline, and available light at the venue. Whenever possible, I love building some portrait time into the softer light later in the day. However, a thoughtfully planned photography timeline allows us to create beautiful images throughout the wedding day without keeping the bride and groom away from their celebration for too long.

Should we have a second photographer at our wedding?

A second photographer can be incredibly valuable, particularly when several things are happening at once. While one photographer is focused on the bride, for example, the second photographer may be documenting the groom or capturing reactions and candid moments from another perspective. For Braden and Meilani’s wedding, I loved having our summer second shooter, Liam, alongside me for the day.

Do you photograph weddings throughout Virginia?

Yes! Vinluan Photography photographs weddings throughout Virginia, including Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, Hampton Roads, and beyond. I love photographing celebrations at Virginia farms, estates, historic properties, waterfront venues, and other beautiful wedding locations.

Looking for an Avonlea Farms Wedding Photographer?

If you’re planning an Avonlea Farms wedding and are searching for a Virginia wedding photographer, I would love to hear about the day you’re planning!

Your wedding photographs should be beautiful, but they should also feel like you. My goal is to create timeless photographs of the portraits you’ve dreamed about while also preserving the laughter, relationships, emotions, and little in-between moments that make your wedding day uniquely yours.  To contact us about your wedding, click here!