7 Spectacular Fourth of July-Themed Pregnancy Announcements

Photographers Casey and Tony Chapa are known for taking beautiful photos in the late evening using different light sources, including fireworks. So when they learned they were having their own "little firecracker," the couple knew exactly how they wanted to share the news. Friend and fellow photog Rebekah Pernell took the pictures, which the Chapas shared on social media. "Everyone loved the idea and thought the photos were so beautiful," Casey says. Baby Rylynn arrived a little early, in June 2016.

It's not often a birthday girl gives presents on her big day, but that's exactly what Brianna Hill did when she and husband Cory showed up to her celebratory dinner on July 3, 2015, with a handful of envelopes. Tucked inside of each was a series of adorable Fourth of July-themed photos taken by photographer Crystal Edivan. They showed the Hills' then 1-year-old daughter Layla holding a sign announcing she was going to be a big sister. "My father-in-law was the first one to open the envelope," Brianna says. "The tears came.…It was such an incredible moment." Daughter Paisley was born in February 2016.

When it came time to announce her pregnancy with baby number two, blogger Claire Cervino found inspiration from an unexpected source: her husband, Tom. "I knew that by July 4th, I'd be about 12 weeks pregnant, so I decided I wanted to do some type of July 4th-themed announcement. I'd been brainstorming different ideas for a few days when my husband said, 'Hey, what about red, white, blue, and baby number two, and each of us wears one of those colors?' And for once, I decided he had a really good idea." After sharing their so-sweet photo on social media, the happy couple were flooded with phone calls and texts from excited friends and family. Their son, Tripp, was born in January 2016.

After a devastating miscarriage, Mamas and Makeup blogger Allix Rawls figured she and her husband would wait a year before trying again for baby number two. Instead, much to her surprise, she conceived a few months later. "Fate had other plans," Rawls says. She was 12 weeks along around July 4th—a favorite holiday—and decided to tease the news on her blog. She dressed daughter Claire, then 4, in a red, white, and blue outfit, wrote the chalkboard message, and started snapping photos. "I published the post on the 4th of July, during our family cookout, and then asked everyone if they would go read my latest post," Rawls says. "It was incredible. They were mostly speechless, lots of tears, and it was a happy, happy day! The rest of my friends and family, along with my readers, were also ecstatic for us." Adlee Joyce, or AJ, was born in December 2015.

Brittany and Wesley Sharp showed up to their family's Fourth of July party bearing a very special gift. To break the big news, the couple snuck in a bucket of sparklers emblazoned with a sign that read, "We're excited to say our little firecracker is on the way." They enlisted cousin (and wedding photographer) Christy Kissick to call the family to come outside and grab a sparkler. "They didn't say anything when handing out the sparklers—they just let everyone figure it out," Kissick says. "So one by one the smiles and squeals started as everyone read their little note and then turned to Brittany and Wesley, who were beaming with joy!" (Kissick also recorded the happy moment for the couple.) Brittany likened the big announcement to setting off a firework. "A big boom—something beautiful and exciting that everyone can enjoy!" she says. Daughter Ella Peyton was born in March 2016.

Sarah Vickers and Kiel James Patrick's pregnancy announcement was brimming with all-American style and charm—which should come as no surprise considering Vickers is a style blogger and Patrick is a fashion entrepreneur. Still, that's not to say the picture-perfect photo was easy to pull off. The couple struggled to get one of their three cats into the picture—she's not on friendly terms with Bennie, the dog, Vickers says. But the hard work was worth it. "Our family and friends are beyond excited," she adds. The couple's baby is due in October 2017.

Josie Holdburg has always loved the glamour of the 1940s, so it was only natural that she brought an Old Hollywood vibe to her pregnancy announcement photos. And since her husband, Gunnery Sergeant Nathan Holdburg, is a Marine, it made sense that the photo shoot take place at Camp Pendleton, where he worked. Using a series of images taken by photographer Olguta Goddard, the couple created a slideshow for loved ones back home set to Josie's favorite song, "With Your Love," by Cher Lloyd."My family and friends were so elated and in shock," Josie says. "My husband and I had waited a long time to start a family, so this news was icing on the cake. Our baby was the one our family was waiting for for so long—or at least that's what it felt like after we made the announcement!" Son Brennan was born in November 2016.