Dayton couple stars in epic ‘Beauty and the Beast’ photo shoot

Time will tell if Lydia Bianchi and Patrick Charker will have a fairy tale romance.

 

Based on their engagement photos, the Dayton-area couple is off to a great start.

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Local photographer Sarah Babcock collaborated with the couple for a session that French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve would be proud of. Babcock is a multiple winner and finalist in Best of Dayton's Best Local Photographer contest.

 Babcock was a Best of Dayton finalist in the Best Local Photographer category, her studio came in third behind first place winner Chelsea Hall Photography and second place winner Studio 22.

Her "Beauty and the Beast" photo session has been featured by the entertainment website Pop Sugar. 

Credit: Sarah Babcock

Credit: Sarah Babcock

Babcock said Bianchi, who works in customer service at Wright Patt Credit Union, is a major fan of the Disney animated film based on Villeneuve’s classic story of a beauty falling for a misunderstood beast.

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“We just wanted to bring it to life, a real-life version of the cartoon,” Babcock said.

Bianchi found a Belle style dress on a cosplay website.

Charker, a Five Guys manager,  played along.

“Her fiancé is just a really good fiancé,” Babcock said. “He even put on tights underneath his outfit and he just went for it, and it was really cool.”

Credit: Sarah Babcock

Credit: Sarah Babcock

The photo session happened eight months ago at Wegerzyn Gardens and Dayton Art Institute.

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The grounds of the 100-year-old museum is a great place for photos, Babcock said.

“It is one of the centerpieces of Dayton,” she said.

The Art Institute had seven Best of Dayton wins, with first-place honors in Best Art Gallery, Best Festival (Oktoberfest), Best Gala (ArtBall) and Best Wedding Venue.

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Credit: Sarah Babcock

Credit: Sarah Babcock

The Art Institute also won second place in Best Dayton Landmark, Best Museum and Best View of Dayton.

Wegerzyn is also a popular site.

“They’ve have some that are cool and unique and then they have some that are more traditional,” Babcock said of the couple’s photos.

Credit: Sarah Babcock

Credit: Sarah Babcock

Credit: Sarah Babcock

Credit: Sarah Babcock

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