Siera Nie & Michael Sturdivant | Engagement Photos in The Raleigh Rose Garden
Engagement Photos in The Raleigh Rose Garden
Roses are red, violets are blue, Raleigh Rose Garden, we love you! Isn’t that how the poem goes? Something along those lines. Lucky for you, we’re NC wedding photographers and not poets. Siera Nie and Michael Sturdivant’s engagement photos in The Raleigh Rose Garden look like scenes from your favorite romance novel or movie (Except better, because this love story is real!)
The Raleigh Rose Garden is a local gem nestled just behind Raleigh Little Theatre at 301 Pogue Street. Open 365 days a year, guests can explore the garden from dawn to dusk. Want to know the best part? Visiting the garden is free! Professional photographers are welcome, but must obtain an annual film permit from City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department. The Raleigh Rose Garden has over 60 rose beds which bloom between Mother’s Day and the first hard freeze (typically in November). But there’s a lot more than roses in this gorgeous garden.
Keep scrolling to learn more about taking engagement photos in The Raleigh Rose Garden!
Meet Fancy This Photography’s Newest Team Member
It’s our pleasure to introduce Courtney Collins, Fancy This Photography’s newest team member. She is the artist behind Siera and Michael’s romantic Raleigh Rose Garden engagement photos! Courtney joined Fancy This Photography in January 2022 because she wanted to work with a team of supportive women.
“I respect Nikki’s approach to photography and style, and I wanted to be a part of a team where I could also grow as a creative,” Courtney says.
Her love of photography began in Staley, North Carolina, where Courtney’s father built a darkroom for her in high school. She went on to enroll in a program focused on photography at Randolph Community College. Courtney then moved to New York to pursue her career as a photographer. In New York, she managed the studio of a photographer of the New York City Ballet for twelve years. Upon returning to NC, she brought back a unique perspective influenced by over a decade’s work in NYC.
Above all else, Courtney values authenticity in her work.
“In each engagement photo session, I love finding a place to photograph that is special to the couple and that they both feel like themselves,” Courtney says. “I want couples to laugh, have fun and feel good about themselves.”
Courtney has photographed over fifty engagement sessions, and yet, each one is as unique as the couple behind the lens. She describes her photography style as romantic realism, and we couldn’t agree more. Siera and Michael’s engagement photos in The Raleigh Rose Garden are proof of the pudding.
Siera & Michael’s Love story
Siera and Michael first met during their sophomore year of high school in Charlotte, NC. They had no idea at that time that they would say “I do” 15 years later. Siera and Michael went on their first date seven years after high school graduation. They caught up about life after college and reconnected over warm cups of coffee. But coffee wasn’t the only thing warming Siera’s heart. That day, Siera caught feelings for the man Michael had become.
The Proposal
Some secrets are too big to keep. In Michael’s case, his secret proposal was spoiled by a letter. The letter, sent by a jeweler, landed in Siera’s hands at their Durham home summer of 2020. Being a good sport, she hid the letter and pretended it never existed.
On the day of the proposal, Michael’s birthday July 24, 2020, the pair went for a stroll before dinner. During this walk they decided to take the next steps in their relationship as husband and wife. They celebrated over dinner and drinks at Luna Rotisserie & Empanadas. Siera’s daughter Aveena was excited that “Mickey” proposed. Aveana is 13 years old and will be a junior bridesmaid in Siera and Michael’s upcoming wedding. Their two furry family members, an Abyssinian Guinea Pig named Carla and an American Guinea Pig called Cheesecake, will not be in attendance.
How Siera & Michael Found Fancy This Photography
Siera first met Nikki Whitt Belch, Fancy This Photography owner, at a bridal showcase in Durham. She even won a free engagement photo session with Fancy This Photography! Prior to the first engagement photo shoot, Nikki met with Siera and Michael via Zoom to walk them through the process and give them an idea of what the session would be like.
“The day of the shoot, she put us at ease given that this was our first professional shoot together and made it really fun,” says Siera. “The photos were beyond amazing. Because of that experience we decided to book Fancy This Photography. Working with Courtney on our second engagement photo session was a blast. She has an eye for a perfect location, light, and her personality is so infectious you are bound to have a good time during the shoot and not to mention the photos. They were phenomenal and we cannot wait to work with her on our big day.”
Engagement Photos in The Raleigh Rose Garden
The Raleigh Rose Garden was a perfect location for Siera and Michael’s engagement photo session. There’s plenty of space across the garden’s 6.5 acres to take romantic photos without feeling pressure from the public gaze. Engagement photo sessions are a great opportunity for couples to relax and get used to being in front of the camera. It also gives the photographer a chance to see how couples interact with each other and what works best for them.
As if roses aren’t romantic enough, even their names will make you swoon! Keep an eye out for “Marmalade Skies,” “Elizabeth Taylor,” “Reba McEntire,” “First Kiss,” “Glowing Peace,” “Starry Night,” and “Fragrant Cloud” during your next visit. In addition to roses, perennials, shrubs and trees, The Raleigh Rose Garden features beautiful trellises, statues, fountains and arbors to take photos by.
The Raleigh Rose Garden: A Very Brief History
Although not officially dedicated until 1951, The Raleigh Rose Garden’s beginnings date back to the creation of The Raleigh Little Theatre in 1939. Catch a glimpse of the Stephenson Amphitheater in Siera and Michael’s engagement photos! Enjoy outdoor drama, festivals, weddings, concerts, yoga and even Pokémon Go in this historic theatre complex year round. Please keep in mind that there are no public restrooms.
Engagement Photos in The Raleigh Rose Garden
“[Siera and Michael] were so much fun and supportive of each other in their endeavors,” Courtney says. “They were both attending school simultaneously, and I could see that they respected and championed each other.”
Courtney used a R6 camera and the Canon 50 1.2 RF lens to capture Siera and Michael’s engagement photos in The Raleigh Rose Garden. Although she always carries backup gear, Courtney prefers to shoot engagement photo sessions without too many pieces of equipment. She believes that engagement photo sessions should be a time for the couple to enjoy each other and celebrate their love in a space that’s stress-free.
“Do it,” Courtney says. “It's okay to feel nervous, everyone does, but it's worth it!”
Stay tuned for photos from Siera and Michael’s wedding on June 26, 2022 at The Cotton Room in Durham, NC. Looking for more engagement photo inspiration? Click here to see Victoria and Cody’s engagement photos in Historic Oakwood Neighborhood.
Photographer // Fancy This Photography
Engagement Photo Venue // The Raleigh Rose Garden