get to know ME more!

Hi Thank you so much for visiting the blog! Whether you're looking for more pretty pictures, inspiration for your wedding day, or some useful Deep Creek info, I hope you'll find a comfy seat, maybe a cup of coffee, and read on!

The Wedding & Family photographer with the MOST Deep Creek experience!

Holler! I'm Jessica

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Why Deep Creek Is A Good Place For Engagement Sessions

I recently wrote an article for Railey Vacations‘ Deep Creek magazine and thought I should share it here, too! (With some added personal thoughts, of course!) It’s all about engagement sessions and why our Deep Creek area might be is a good place to make them happen! 🙂

Engagement sessions are such an important part of the wedding planning process, at least in my opinion. You get to know your photographer and your photographer gets to know you. As a result, the pictures on the big day are easier and you’re more comfortable because you’ve had practice. Your photographer may ask you to snuggle or fake laugh or flash a model look (I’ll ask you to do all three…and I promise, it’s just because I want to encourage some genuine interactions. 🙂 ), and sometimes it just doesn’t come naturally right away. So you practice it during the engagement session and nail it on the wedding day.

Engagement sessions are also a great way to snag some additional pictures, maybe with a big mountain or lake in the background!? If you’re marrying at an elegant barn venue, for example, that mountain or lake will give you a completely different look than your wedding day pictures. So you’ll have more pictures and you’ll have variety overall from your being-engaged-to-being-married experience!

One of the things I love most about our corner of Maryland is the natural beauty. Everywhere you turn there are trees, farms, mountains, and of course our beloved lake. Engagement sessions give you a chance to capture such picturesque scenes and places like Swallow Falls and Deep Creek Lake State Parks are definitely at the top of my list for location possibilities!

We also have beautiful seasons! Leaves burn bright with colors of yellow, orange and red in the fall and we’re covered in beautiful snow in winter. While you do need to wait until at least mid-May for the lush green of spring, our warmer months offer less humidity and milder summer temperatures than our neighboring areas, which is welcomed and more comfortable when posing for pictures.

You could take your engagement session one step further by incorporating an activity or a meaningful place. If you and your fiancé are avid skiers or boarders, consider taking some pictures on the slopes at Wisp (I actually did an engagement session at on the slopes at Wisp in February and it was an absolute blast!) Maybe you’ve been visiting Deep Creek for years and family boat and canoe rides are part of your summer traditions. Consider pictures while floating on the water at sunset! It has been said that people feel more comfortable in front of the camera when they have something to do with their hands or are engaging in an activity. The slopes and a boat certainly help with that!

Engagement sessions are also a great excuse to plan an over-the-top date night or weekend getaway. Garrett County and Deep Creek can EASILY make this happen! Dutch’s at Silver Tree is a delicious option for fine dining here, but there are also plenty of casual options – Mountain State Brewing at Deep Creek, Deep Creek Seafood, The Cornucopia Cafe, Brenda’s Pizzeria, Alder Street Diner, and UNO Pizzeria & Grill are some of our favorites. If you’re wanting to spend the night, Lake Pointe Inn offers a lovely lakefront B&B option, Wisp Resort has traditional hotel rooms, Savage River Lodge has yurts, and Herrington Manor and New Germany State Parks have very affordable cabins for rent. Make it a “stay and play” kind of experience. After all, the wedding planning process should be an enjoyable way to strengthen your relationship.

So smile for the camera, get to know your photographer and then treat yourselves as a couple. At Deep Creek and in Garrett County, the possibilities are plentiful, even beyond the picturesque backdrops.

get to know ME more!

Hi Thank you so much for visiting the blog! Whether you're looking for more pretty pictures, inspiration for your wedding day, or some useful Deep Creek info, I hope you'll find a comfy seat, maybe a cup of coffee, and read on!

The Wedding & Family photographer with the MOST Deep Creek experience!

Holler! I'm Jessica

Browse the Blog:

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Scenes and thoughts from deep creek

Well hey now! I thought for sure it had been more than seven months since I blogged last! Wish I could do it more…and plan to as soon as the new JFP website comes out.

I’m not sure I’m starting anything consistent here, just sharing some random thoughts and scenes from Deep Creek on this random Wednesday…

Scroll through some favorite blog posts!

- Dani

Jessica is amazing and she made us feel so comfortable! Having her capture our wedding was like having my best friend with me for every moment! Jessica's photos are fun, whimsical, and sophisticated!

We are not a stoic couple and did not want posed (or trying-too-hard) photos! Jessica was able to capture our personalities and the elegance of the day! I can't stop looking at our photos!

"Jessica is amazing!"

- Jessica and brandon

The best decision I could have made for my wedding was hiring Jessica Fike as a photographer! I was in a wedding prior that she was a photographer for and seeing how organized and easy and strategic she was to work with is what convinced me! She makes you feel so comfortable and helps teach you how to pose and smile and look so natural! She keeps you on schedule throughout your day and captures so much emotion in her photos. She is worth every penny plus more!

" the best decision."

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