The runners up will receive a complimentary studio photography session, a 10 inch portrait with full artistry exquisitely mounted, textured and coated to last a lifetime. All winners will be able to enjoy their portrait experience without spending a penny. Please understand that not every entry will be selected - we are choosing a limited number of families to gift with a full Ever After Portraits Studio experience!

If you're like most of our clients and have never had the occasion to have a family portrait, now is your time! If you are notified that you are a winner, to reserve your session, please use the link you will receive via email or text to schedule a time to speak with our Booking Concierge. Our sessions are available from a few weeks to a few months in advance. Most people use this as an occasion to take a half day off school/work (as you would for an important doctors appointment).

Our gift certificates always represent a finished portrait. That means that if you choose the size and finish covered by the gift certificate, you will not pay anything. However, if you'd like a finish or size different than your gift certificate, you are welcome to do so. You will simply pay the cost.

When you come with a gift certificate you will have the same experience as all of our other clients. The experience will not be shortened. We take the same time and make the same effort for every one of our amazing clients.

As a winner, you do need to be able to participate in a phone call to pick your dates and plan your session. Mindy will begin planning your session and giving you some homework so that she can get to know your family and plan the artwork for your session. This is a part of her creative process to create the most meaningful portraits you've ever had. To claim your prize, you and your spouse need to be able to come to Sterling, VA twice — once for your portrait session and once for your ordering session.

The Ever After Experience includes a cinematic presentation of your portraits that showcases the story of who your family is to you right now. Don't worry; we'll have tissues on hand. It's quite an emotional experience! Be ready to fall in love with your family all over again.

The art you choose to purchase will then live on the walls of your home, (and maybe your office) showcasing for all that enter that your family is what matters most to you. These meaningful portraits will be a visual reminder of what is most precious to you – and as your children grow up, the portraits will constantly mirror back to your family how loved and important they really are.

We are Fine Art portrait artists for busy families who want to stop time and keep moments with their loved ones forever.

With a joyful and sensitive eye, Mindy, our primary Portrait Artist, brings something new to the art of family portraiture These masterful portraits aren't just for today, they're for passing down through generations as cherished family heirlooms.

We are most often commissioned by clients who are looking for custom artwork of that which is most important to them—their families.

Celebrating your loved ones and helping you experience those precious moments over and over again every single day is at the heart of what we do at Ever After Portraits.

Our process is custom to each family, and with impeccable custom service we will guide you through a Fine Art Experience that will rediscover the love you have for those closest to you.

Meaningful, authentic portraits will then live on the walls of your home. After all, it's what you do with the portraits that will determine if it will be treasured Art, or a distant memory which may be forgotten, lost like tears in the rain.

What we deliver to our clients is so unique - the products we create are not only the highest quality available today, but they provide more than the tangible; they deliver memories - something that will not only withstand the test of time but will be cherished even more with each passing year.

Sadly, the importance of portraits is often not appreciated until something happens such as the loss of a loved one. Portraits are oftentimes the only link to our past.

We are holding this contest because we want to help those who value their family and value art create meaningful artwork to showcase the ones they love. We truly feel that our art isn't complete until it's displayed.

Most clients have never experienced a portrait session like this. They are truly surprised by the incredible beauty of the meaningful portraits custom created for their family.

A client recently expressed, "I went in with very high expectations and they were absolutely met and then some! You guys were fantastic with my kids and really able to capture them at their finest. The whole shoot was fun and even the reluctant children admitted it wasn't so bad. The photos of my husband and I especially were really beautiful. It's not often we are both in the pictures together and the most frequent comment I have gotten about it was how great the photographs captured how Greg and I feel about each other and how we interact with each other. That's exactly what I was going for. The end result – absolutely fabulous! I will treasure these photographs for the rest of my life, truly."

We realize that the wall art that we offer is not for everyone. Mindy can review all of the Studio's custom artwork presentations during your consultation to ensure that working with us is a good fit. We do offer gift prints for parents and grandparents.

After scheduling your portrait and paying your refundable holding fee, you'll have a planning call with Mindy to discuss your session. At that time, you will work with Mindy to plan and design the perfect portrait session and wall art of your family.

Part of the Ever After Experience is to create meaningful portraits by photographing the things you love about your family through your eyes. In addition, as part of our Ever After Experience designed to create a deeper connection with your family, we will tell the unique story of your family at your ordering session.

As part of her creative process, Mindy will ask questions to get a sense of what is meaningful to you about your family. Having these conversations before your portrait session ensures your wall art portraits will represent that which is most precious about your family to you.

Prior to your portrait session, we will create and email wall concept designs, so you will know exactly how beautiful the wall art you purchase will look in your home.

As part of our custom service, we will also help you coordinate your clothing like a stylist would. And because we understand what life is like for busy families, all planning is done over the phone or through email.

On your portrait session day, Mindy will welcome you to her residential studio.

How do you want to be remembered by your grandchildren? Most families dress to impress and arrive ready to be photographed. (This often depends on the ages of the children in the portrait.) As soon as everyone is ready, Mindy will create your portraits in front of a carefully chosen backdrop, hand painted. She will prompt, pose and direct you so you know exactly where to put your hands and which way to stand and position yourselves in the most flattering way. Some portraits will be more candid, some might be more posed, but every portrait will be truly meaningful and beautiful to you and your family.

Your portrait session lasts anywhere between 30-45 minutes. Please arrive in the clothes you want to be photographed in. Most families take the day and celebrate by having a family day together, exploring Loudoun County after their portrait sessions. Whether you choose to peruse the rolling countryside, visit the animal park or historic locations - or indulge in your choice of casual or one-of-a-kind gourmet dining experiences, we know your family day will be unforgettable. With more than 40 wineries and even more on the horizon, Loudoun County offers the most wineries out of any county in the Commonwealth of Virginia, making this a true wine-lovers destination. Loudoun also offers fun local shops, art galleries, coffee shops, and even chocolate as art that kids (and adults) love!

This is an extremely special part of your portrait experience with Ever After Portraits. One to two weeks after your portrait session, you and your spouse return to the Studio for your cinematic presentation and ordering session.

This cinematic experience can sometimes be emotional, as we tell the story of your family. After, you will choose the portraits you love and see the beauty of your family on a large projection screen. We will help guide you as you select your favorite portraits to enjoy on the walls of your home. After choosing wall art, clients often add on an Album or Portrait Box. All orders are placed at your ordering session as there are no proofs to take home and no images that go online. The Ordering Session and Cinematic Presentation is often described as one of our clients' favorite and most memorable parts of the Ever After Experience.

We recommend waiting until your planning call to decide on and finalize your outfits. Mindy will create visual clothing suggestions to guide you in selecting the perfect clothing for your portraits. Many families prefer a formal or semi formal classic and timeless look for their Studio portraits, while others opt for a more casual style, such as sport coats for men, and dresses or skirts for women. Mindy provides all scheduled portrait clients with a detailed guide that includes wardrobe suggestions and ideas. For either style, Mindy will offer help; so whatever you choose to wear, the result will be the most beautiful family portrait you've ever had taken.

Here are a few suggestions… Ideally men will have haircuts 1-2 weeks before the portrait session and not immediately before. A close shave the day of the session for gentlemen is also recommended. For women, touching up hair color if needed is also ideal 1-2 weeks before the session. Celebrity/high profile makeup artistry and hair services is available to come to the Studio. Please inquire if you're interested in adding these services to your portrait session. Simple manicures and getting a good night's rest before your portrait session are recommended. Any additional time you invest in preparing for the portraits will pay off.

Please do not. No cameras, including cell phone cameras, are allowed in the studio. Because phones can distract and impede the portrait making process, photos are not permitted to be taken by clients during any part of the actual portrait session or ordering appointment. Thank you for your kind understanding.

Yes, of course! We are going to offer you more than your free portrait, so don't be surprised when you love them all! You do have the opportunity to purchase your beautiful portraits at your ordering session. Please note, no online proofs or printed proofs are available with our Studio. (No order is required, but since almost everyone does purchase, we have made information available since we specialize in wall art.) As a guide, the artwork begins at $500 and most clients spend $1500 and up on their finished art pieces.

Most commonly, clients choose to hang their artwork in areas of their home where they will see it frequently. The family rooms, living rooms, and playrooms are often favorite locations. Others enjoy hanging their portraits where they can be seen the moment they walk in the front door of their home. Some clients who already have art displayed throughout their homes choose to place their portraits in the children's bedrooms and playrooms, in their Master bedrooms, or in hallways, either upstairs or downstairs, or in a basement hangout. A stairway is also a popular option.

The safety and well being of your family is taken very seriously. Sessions are scheduled with ample time to clean in between clients. The Studio Team is vaccinated and wears a mask the entire time you are at the Studio.