Another gorgeous engagement session from Robyn Van Dyke Photography! She’s spoiling me with submissions lately and I love it!!! :) This sweet fall shoot is so, so pretty!! The love she captured – my heart be still!! That photo of him picking her up on the dock is a beyond beautiful moment captured. Caroline and Will have a sweet as can be love story, too. They’re long distance, he’s in the Navy, and they’ve been writing hand-written letters for as long as they can remember. So, so, so sweet!! I love everything about these two!!

Caroline and Will were first introduced by two of their dearest friends (also a couple) during their senior year of high school. They met at their friend, Elizabeth’s house, where they watched a movie and talked for hours. Will was leaving for the Naval Academy within the next few months and very hesitant about starting any kind of relationship, but, as it turned out, nothing could keep him away from Caroline.

After that first night, they came up with any and every excuse to see each other again. Like cutting Will’s hair. Caroline did it. And they hung out every afternoon after that. Lots of movies, 2 proms, and a lot of graduation parties later, Caroline and Will knew they wanted to make it work.

After only two months of dating, Will had to leave for summer bootcamp at the Naval Academy. This meant no communication by telephone for nine weeks straight. The only way they could talk was through hand-written letters, and they did just that. Caroline wrote a letter every day, and Will did his best to write when he could, which included one letter written in the middle of the night in a bathroom stall. Even though it was hard on both of them, it absolutely made them grow closer and learn a lot more about each other.

At the age of seventeen and eighteen, they never expected to fall for someone or fall in love like they did. The night before Will left for bootcamp, they spent the whole day together. After coming home from dinner , Will told Caroline how much he was going to miss her and how much he loved her. Caroline was so happy and relieved because she’d been thinking the same for a while already. Their relationship started off young and fast, but they knew they were put together for a reason, and wouldn’t change one thing about their journey up to this point.

Caroline had her fall break the first weekend in October and went to visit Will in Texas where he was training. Since there isn’t much to do in Kingsville, they decided to drive out to Fredericksburg, a small German town known for its beautiful vineyards. After doing some wine tasting at a few different vineyards, they did some shopping, and then headed to dinner. Will’s plan had been to propose on the hill overlooking the mountains behind their cabin, but after seeing it was closed off to construction, had to resort to Plan B. They headed back to their cabin after dinner so they could open a bottle of wine they’d picked up earlier in the day. On the way inside, Will caught Caroline completely off guard by proposing on the front porch!! Even though it wasn’t the first idea or plan, it was completely perfect. They say they’ll never forget that moment, especially since she said yes!!

{Behind the Lens with Robyn Van Dyke} I absolutely adore this sweet couple. From the first moment I met Caroline, we clicked, and I knew I was going to have the best time photographing her and Will. Caroline is truly a gem – incredibly beautiful inside and out! And Will is the perfect southern gentleman! I love the way he cares for and loves Caroline. And I LOVE their story. Being able to survive a long distance relationship for SIX years takes a powerful love and commitment. And these two definitely have it! An epic love that endures through anything.

I had loads of fun with them on their engagement shoot. I loved how comfortable they were with each other, and they totally rocked it in front of the camera. The one shot of Will lifting Caroline and hugging her on the dock is one of my all-time favorite shots! To me, it represents that epic, romantic moment at the airport when they finally see each other again after being apart for several months and run into each other’s arms! *swoon* :) Since their engagement shoot, we’ve become great friends with the couple, and that makes me so happy! We can’t wait to photograph their wedding in a few short months and celebrate their love!

Congratulations, Caroline and Will, and thank you so much for sharing your love story with us! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together, and a beyond beautiful wedding day too! Many, many thanks to Robyn Van Dyke Photography for sharing this sweet shoot with us today!! xoxo

My romantic heart be still. This winter engagement session is one for the record books, or at least the favorite books. It’s sweet as can be, and I haven’t even told you about the love story. If you can believe it, it’s even sweeter. Goodness me! Rebekah Hoyt Photography did an AMAZING job capturing the love and smiles this couple shares. You’ll have hearts for pupils before you even get close to the end of this feature. It’s a wonderful side-effect that’ll last all day :)

Alicia first spotted Jimmy at a Young Life summer camp back in 2002. They were both in middle school and there with separate youth groups (from separate states even). Jimmy was wearing bright orange swim trunks and Alicia was a “go-getter” – when she saw something she liked, she went after it. She went up to Jimmy to say hello. He was a little weirded out at first by this random girl, but they wound up spending most of the rest of the week of camp together.

They exchanged phone numbers and screen names before parting at the end of camp. They talked on the phone or AIM almost every single day after school during the school year. About nine months after they first met, they started “dating”. Their parents made efforts to meet halfway to exchange them. During the summer, Alicia would spend a week with Jimmy in Maryland, and he would come and spend a week with her in Virginia. Because they were so young, “dates” weren’t really permitted but their parents would take them to movies and the like and sit apart from them. One day, after swimming in the pool all day, Jimmy walked Alicia to her room to say goodnight. He paused for a moment and then kissed her! She was elated! Her first kiss! Little did she know that he would one day also be her last.

Their middle school relationship lasted about nine months. They would see each other about once a month during the school year and as often as they could over the summer. But when Alicia entered high school, and became involved with clubs and sports, began to experience midterms and exams, she realized it wasn’t fair to Jimmy that she could no longer devote as much time to him. They mutually agreed on breaking up, but remained very good friends throughout high school. It was during this time that Jimmy’s mom said they would get married someday!

They spent their high school years trying to get together as often as they could. Living an hour away made it difficult. And when Alicia graduated high school a year before Jimmy and went off to college at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, a distance of two hours kept them apart. They did their best to continue to see each other face-to-face. Otherwise, they were only a phone call away, for both the good and the bad. They became each other’s best friend and secretly wondered if they would ever get back together one day.

In the summer of 2011, Jimmy started an internship that moved him to Ashburn, Virginia. It was destiny, moving to Alicia’s hometown for the summer! This was the first time that they lived near each other and they spent as much time together as possible. By summer’s end, their friendship had grown, but then they separated again, Jimmy to finish up his senior year, and Alicia to work on her Master’s Degree.

In February 2012, Jimmy was offered a job in a company that was just ten minutes from Alicia’s hometown. In the spring, Jimmy visited Alicia at school a lot. He came down to celebrate her birthday, came to a concert she was in, and finally, asked her out on a date in April. He took her to a very nice, local restaurant in Harrisonburg. They got all dressed up and everything! They officially started dating in May after Jimmy asked Alicia’s parents for their permission, telling them he had intentions of marrying her if they approved.

Jimmy gave Alicia this cross ring during that time in middle school, and even though they spent many years not in a relationship, she always wore it and always treasured it.

They spent the summer of 2012 together going to local concerts and exploring the Northern Virginia area together since Jimmy was still new to the area. Alicia returned to JMU one last time for the fall of 2012. They made the long distance work, but actually felt spoiled only being two hours apart. Jimmy made every effort to drive down to JMU and see Alicia on the weekends.

It turned out the distance had nothing on them. While the weeks were long, they so looked forward to spending time together on the weekends. There were some weeks that they couldn’t stand to be away from one another, and often made late night drives just to be with each other! Honestly, they would leave at like 10pm, and get there at midnight just to be with the other person for a few hours, then wake up at 6am to drive back again. That’s the best kind of love.

Jimmy met with Alicia’s parents early in the fall of 2012 and asked for their daughter’s hand in marriage. Once he had their permission, he began to plan how and where he would ask her. He finally decided to pop the question near his home in Maryland. Everything was set. And then he got wind that Alicia had a feeling something was up. He changed his plans just a few days before everything was supposed to happen.

On November 3rd, Alicia’s parents, Jimmy’s parents, and a couple of Alicia’s good friends met in the park that Jimmy picked out with cameras in hand to witness their engagement. Alicia’s sister, Michelle, took Alicia to get her nails done that morning, and dropped her off at the park on the way back. All she told her was to get out of the car. Confused, Alicia watched her sister drive away, before turning and spotting Jimmy waiting for her at the end of a path. On the dock, overlooking the lake, Jimmy got on bended knee and asked Alicia to marry him. She absolutely said yes!

{Behind the Lens with Rebekah Hoyt} I LOVE shooting engagement sessions. As a photographer, my experience with my couple isn’t complete without doing an engagement session before the wedding. It allows the couple to become comfortable in front of the lens and it provides me with a relaxed opportunity to get to know them, observe how they interact, and create the best images that reflect their relationship and how they naturally relate to each other. This time takes away from the “warming up” period on wedding day, allowing us to make the MOST of the portrait time with the bride and groom.

My approach to engagement sessions is to create moments where the couple can naturally interact and express their love to each other. Unlike a wedding day, where things are always happening and candid moments are everywhere you look, an engagement session is just you and the couple. It’s their first time in front of the lens, and there is definitely some posing and explaining involved with everything I do. That being said, my goal is to always produce natural, relaxed, and genuine images. I want the couple to be smiling because they are in love, not because I told them to smile. I want them to walk away feeling great about themselves and falling more in love with each other!

Alicia and Jimmy are one of those couples who are so much FUN to be around! They have a really sweet chemistry, full of smiles and laughter, and I really wanted to capture that during their shoot. I’m a goofball at heart, so I usually become quite the jokester during my sessions, trying to make my couples relax and feel as comfortable as possible. We laughed A LOT on this particular afternoon, so hopefully, anyone looking at the images can see how much fun these two are together.

{Advice for Couples} We were blessed to know each other for such a long time and form a friendship. We think that building a strong friendship with someone makes the romantic side of the relationship a smoother process.

Congratulations, Alicia and Jimmy, and thank you so much for sharing your love story with us! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together, and a beyond beautiful wedding day too! Many, many thanks to Rebekah Hoyt for sharing this beyond beautiful shoot with us today!! xoxo

Robyn Van Dyke Photography has this uncanny ability to send me engagement shoots that always make me smile. Always. Every time. And this sweet, colorful, fall engagement session is no exception. It’s completely beautiful. The love and happiness that exudes from the couple insurmountable. Their smiles are contagious, so watch out for those. Actually don’t. Let them wash over you so you can share your smile with someone and make their day happy too :)

Bridgette and Rob are one of those rare couples that got set up by friends… and things actually worked out! Bridgette was hesitant at first but soon convinced after learning his name was Robert Langdon (the name of the main character in one of her favorite books, The Da Vinci Code). She thought he was incredibly funny, good-looking, talkative, and made her feel completely at ease the first time they met.

They got to know each other by cheering on the Tar Heels at UNC basketball games, going to shows, trying new restaurants, and enjoying many conversations that lasted to the wee hours of the morning. She knew he was different, and she loved every minute she spent with him.

Their relationship has been ever-evolving as they’ve shared graduations, big moves, new jobs, and exciting travels together. Some of their favorite memories have been the meals they’ve cooked together, road trips with great music and great conversations, and fulfilling a dream of seeing the 2012 Olympics in London together.

Through it all, Bridgette knew there was something incredibly special about Rob and about their relationship. From the very beginning, he’s made her laugh like no one else and is the most thoughtful person she knows. The love between them has built steadily throughout their relationship and they imagine it will only grow stronger with marriage.

They decided to take off work Friday, June 1, 2012, and swing through Chapel Hill for a relaxing day in one of their favorite places before visiting Rob’s family in Raleigh for the weekend.

Their first stop was the always delicious Carrburritos. Rob had to go to an event at the business school after lunch, so Bridgette went to one of her favorite spots on the UNC campus, Graham Memorial, to read. When they met up again after Rob’s event, Rob asked if she’d like to take a walk around campus. They walked through Upper Quad, and then stopped at the Davie Poplar tree. Legend goes that if you sit on the bench under the tree and kiss the person you sit with, you’ll marry that person. So they sat and kissed, before continuing on to the Old Well, the most iconic structure on Chapel Hill’s campus. Rob took a sip from the fountain first, then Bridgette. When she turned around, Rob took her hand and said the most important and special things she could have ever hoped to hear from anyone. He got down on one knee, pulled a ring from his pocket, and asked if she would marry him. Of course she said, “Yes!”

{Behind the Lens with Robyn} Bridgette and Rob are crazy in love, and it’s so apparent to everyone around them. They just radiate with happiness! I had actually photographed them dancing the night away as guests at another wedding we recently shot, and I immediately knew when I saw them that they had something special. Fast forward a few months, and I was ecstatic to get an email from Bridgette and that they were engaged and wanted us to photograph their wedding! So with this gorgeous couple madly in love, photographing their engagement session was like a dream. 

When they told me they met through a mutual friend while they were both students at UNC (my alma mater too!), we knew UNC’s gorgeous campus would be the perfect location for their engagement session. And, as fate would have it, we had the most gorgeous fall day you could imagine on the day of their shoot! The leaves were all perfectly colorful, providing the perfect backdrop for their lovely session. We had a lot of fun throwing the pretty leaves around too! ;) The Old Well, a famous landmark on campus, was also where Rob proposed, so we of course had to get a few shots there too! I had so much fun laughing and hanging out with them that day, and am so in love with their sweet, colorful, fall engagement session! I can’t wait to capture their wedding in a few short months!

I love engagement sessions because they give us a chance to really get to know the couple, and they give our couples the perfect opportunity to get to know us as their photographers before the big day. It also allows us to just have fun and do something different to represent what makes them unique. And I love becoming friends with our couples during engagement shoots, because it makes the wedding day so much more relaxed, and our couples can truly be their authentic selves and just enjoy the wedding day! Because developing deep connections with our clients and getting to know them is so important to us, we actually include a complimentary engagement session for all our wedding couples. (And I mean, who doesn’t want more gorgeous photos of themselves to decorate their future house with?)

{Advice for Couples} Go into it with an open heart! Find someone who you can be completely comfortable with and who can bring a smile to your face on even the worst of days :-)

Congratulations, Bridgette and Rob, and thank you so much for sharing your love story with us! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together, and a beyond beautiful wedding day too! Many, many thanks to Robyn for sharing this beautiful shoot with us today!! xoxo

Let me tell you a little something about today’s featured engagement shoot: it takes my breath away!!! From the complimentary colors the couple chose to wear to their lovey-dovey goodness in the park and on the beach. Nothing compares to the gorgeous golden light Danielle Capito Photography captured. And the ring story – oh, how I love the ring story!! So much so that I think I’ll do this, too!! :) They picked an eternity ring as the engagement ring because they decided from the moment they agreed to be husband and wife they were eternally bound. The solitaire ring will be for the wedding, to make it a “sparkly day”! Oh yeah, I’m most definitely making that happen for me someday!! :)

It all started at Long Beach Airport. They were both flying back to San Francisco after an extended weekend in Southern California. The terminal was pretty busy and Robert was getting ready to board a plane. He was looking around while standing in line when Elizabeth caught his eye. She was playing on her phone (Scrabble as he later found out). He proceeded to board the plane and took the middle seat assigned to him. As he got out his iPod, she approached, and then smiled. She had the window seat :) which he, of course, viewed as an invitation to talk to her the entire flight.

As they began to talk, Elizabeth quickly made sure to tell Robert that she had to work on her master’s thesis during the flight. He, of course, viewed this as a challenge. They proceeded to talk the entire flight.

As they landed, he asked for her number by saying, “and what was your number?” It seemed to work because Elizabeth gave him her number! As he wrote her full name into his phone he began to laugh. She looked at him as though she were rethinking her decision of giving him her number, and he told her she’d laugh too once she knew his last name. His? Rackleff. Hers? Retzlaff. Tee-hee.

Less than thirty minutes after parting ways, Robert called to set up their first date.

They started spending a lot of time together after their first date, and could never seem to get enough of each other. One afternoon, they went to a wine tasting event and got stranded on Angel Island. They managed to find a way back to the city and they said “I love you” for the first time that night.

Robert popped the question on Friday the thirteenth, a lucky day for them, about a year after they met. He led her on a love path through the city, leading her to all the places they went on their first date. Each place had a letter and some small thing for her to bring along. Finally, she found him in the middle of Golden Gate Park, under the beautiful trees with a picnic, waiting to ask the question. She, of course, said yes!!

{Behind the Lens with Danielle Capito} I really love engagement sessions. Portraiture is what started my love of photography, and will always be my favorite thing to photograph. Getting 1-2 hours with my couples to hang out in a fun, relaxed setting is the best. We get to talk and get to know each other, I get to hear all about how they fell in love, and we get some great pictures out of it!

I’m the kind of photographer who is Facebook friends with all of my clients, who talks to their clients often, and who wants them to be more than a client, I want them to be a friend. I think having personal relationships with each of my couples is super important, and the engagement session helps start that bond, or helps continue it.

Elizabeth and Robert wanted a park setting and the beach, so we started off at this amazing park in Carmel and got so lucky with the weather and the amazing light coming over the mountains! When we headed to the beach, the sun was setting and the sky was just perfect. My favorite time to photograph at the beach is right after the sun goes down and the sky is lit up.

Elizabeth and Robert are one of the nicest couples!! They love laughing together, they don’t take anything too seriously, and are just happy to have each other. Their passion for life and romance is what makes their relationship so strong.

{Advice for Couples} Always be open and up front about your feelings and help your partner do the same. Working through things together may be hard at the moment, but it will make your relationship stronger, and your connection even deeper.

Congratulations, Elizabeth and Robert, and thank you so much for sharing your love story with us! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together, and a beyond beautiful wedding day too! Many, many thanks to Danielle for sharing this beautiful shoot with us today!! xoxo

Get ready to be overwhelmed by cuteness when you see today’s engagement session! The couple is cute, sure, but their chocolate lab puppy, Charlie? He’s completely adorable!! Oh, alright, fine, it’s a tie!! Because everything about this woodsy, in nature engagement session is too cute for words! Beth Hamilton Photography describes these two (and their session) as full of sweetness, lightheartedness, and love. And we couldn’t agree more!! The proposal story is a must-read as well! ;)

Jordyn and Kyle met at the county fair! She spotted him from across the field and knew she had to meet him. She approached him with one of her girlfriends and introduced herself. Turns out, Kyle was REALLY SHY, so they enjoyed the fair with a group of mutual friends. At the end of the night, they exchanged numbers… and that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship that soon became so much more!

Their first “romantic” encounter was at Cold Stone Creamery when Kyle timidly asked her for a hug. Cutest. thing. ever.

Jordyn realized she was completely in love with Kyle when every minute they spent together was better than the minute before. She could not imagine her life without him.

It was Christmas Eve. They were celebrating their first Christmas living together alone in their apartment. Kyle surprised her with so many amazing gifts, including a diamond necklace, that led her to believe an engagement wasn’t a possibility yet.

Next thing she knew, Kyle jumped up off the couch, claiming he “forgot” about one last present for her out in the car. He ran down three flights of stairs to retrieve said gift and back up, while Jordyn anxiously awaited his return. She thought that maybe, just maybe he would still propose. When he came back in, he had a wrapped shirt size box in his hand. Her heart sank a little when she saw it. Then she opened it. Inside was a Bridal Magazine, wrapped with a bright pink bow, an engagement ring tied to the end of it. As he got down on one knee, the only word on Jordyn’s mind was yes!!

{Behind the Lens with Beth Hamilton} I LOVE doing engagement sessions! I really enjoy making my couples feel comfortable and feel like they can be themselves. I have no expectations that my couples be super-chic models who know exactly what they’re doing. Part of the process is allowing them to get comfortable with me and showing them how awesome I think they are! I hope that all of my clients walk away from sessions feeling like supermodels! I include engagement sessions in all of my wedding packages because they give my couples a chance to see how I work and get comfortable in front of my camera so that pictures on their wedding day are a piece of cake! They know exactly what to expect from me and that’s just one less concern for them to have on their big day. It is also a great opportunity to just hang out and get to know one another. I love to think of my clients as friends, which makes capturing their wedding day even more exciting for me!

Jordyn and Kyle’s session was on an unseasonably warm day in Smithfield, Virginia in January. I loved every bit of it! I was THRILLED when they asked if they could bring along Charlie, their brand new chocolate lab puppy! I love my pets like children, and it makes me so happy when couples include their pets in sessions, especially when they’re as adorable as Charlie! This was the first chance I’d gotten to hang out with Jordyn and Kyle as a couple and they were so obviously comfortable together. There was a sweetness and lightheartedness about their love that made my job so easy. When a couple is so obviously in love, I know it’s going to be a great session. I am so lucky to be a part of it all!

Congratulations, Jordyn and Kyle, and thank you so much for sharing your love story with us! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together, and a beyond beautiful wedding day too! Many thanks to Beth Hamilton for sharing this super cute shoot with us today!! xoxo

Can you believe we’ve come to the end of our month-long celebration of love and engagements? I can’t because it FLEW by!! But I couldn’t think of a sweeter way to end than with this warm and fuzzy engagement shoot and love story!! Kim J Martin Photography always does such an amazing job photographing her couples in love. Looking at an engagement shoot like this one always gives me the warm fuzzies :) And the love story? Well, it may just be the sweetest one I’ve ever told on this blog. I teared up the whole time I was writing it. From how they met in grade school (when cooties were still around) to their first Valentine’s Day date that included Chipotle, tailgates, and dancing under the starlight. I love the way they interacted in their engagement shoot. It’s a perfect representation of their love story. But you’ll have to read it to find out for yourself. Trust me, it’s the sweetest thing you’ll read all day!!

Zach and Natalia met in the second grade. He thought she had cooties and she thought all boys were gross. How adorable! And yet they somehow managed to strike up a friendship on the bus rides to and from school. By high school they were great friends with a flirtatious streak. She thought he was pretty cute but never thought he’d be interested in her as anything more than a friend. He always had a crush on her but thought she was too good for him. I love the mixed, non-verbal miscommunications going on here.

They lost touch after high school but were reintroduced at a friend’s party a couple of years later. The spark they’d always felt for one another, but had never acted on before, ignited. Now we’re talking ;)

Their first date was dinner and a movie with ice cream afterwards. Natalia remembers she was nervous as Zach was the first guy to ever take her out on a date. The evening was wonderful and had the perfect ending. He walked her to her door and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Aww!

Their first Valentine’s Day together also happens to be her favorite. Zach had planned to take her to a nice restaurant, but they lost their reservation and there was a 2-hour wait for a table. Instead of letting it ruin their night, they went and got Chipotle instead. Zach drove them to a lookout and they ate dinner on his tailgate by starlight. He even danced with her a little. Sounds utterly and completely romantic to me.

Zach told Natalia that he loved her about 2 months after they had started dating. They were sitting on the porch and she remembers feeling so relieved that he’d said it first! She’d known he was someone special from the very first date. Even though they’d been friends for so long, dating was still so new, and it showed her a completely different side to him. He was (and still is) respectful, kind, caring, and hilarious. His favorite thing in the world to do is make her smile. He treats her like a princess and is also completely capable of calling her out when necessary. He opens the door for her. He respects her parents (who absolutely adore him). He’s her best friend. And even though she knows she could live without him, she realizes that that isn’t the life she would ever want to live. She still doesn’t understand why he would choose her, but she’s so incredibly happy that he does (every day).

They’d been talking about marriage (and him proposing) for a long time, so that when it finally happened, it needn’t have been flashy or overdone, it just happened. In a parking lot. In the middle of one of their dates. And it was perfect.

{Behind the Lens with Kim} I LOVE doing engagement sessions. First and foremost because they’re just fun. It’s an awesome time for me and the couple to just hang out, get comfortable with each other, and get some fun images. I get to see what they’re like in front of the camera, and they get some experience working with me so they know what to expect on the big day. Plus the images created are always a more natural representation of what the couple is like on a day to day basis.

I’ve known Natalia and Zach since we were all 11. It’s kind of nuts, and it was such a huge honor when they asked me to photograph their big day after knowing them for so many years. We had kind of grown apart and didn’t hang out as much, but we were still friends on Facebook so we still kind of knew what was going on in each other’s lives. These two have been together for years and I would always see them posting such adorable pictures, and I always thought they seemed like such a cute and happy couple. When I saw Natalia was engaged, I was thrilled. And when I got them in front of my camera for the first time, I couldn’t even believe the dynamic between them. I barely had to pose them, or give them any kind of guidance. Zach would lovingly brush Natalia’s hair behind her ear, she’d nuzzle in to him and giggle, etc. It was ridiculous, in an incredibly awesome way. I’m normally guiding my couples and giving them cues for what to do next, but if they seem to be rocking it on their own, I just shut up and photograph the adorableness that ensues. Let’s just say I didn’t do much talking when I photographed Natalia and Zach. They just took it away on their own, and I could FEEL it…this beautiful sense of two people who had so much history, such an incredible story together, and who were so excited to spend forever together. They didn’t just exude this on their wedding day, Natalia and Zach show each other that kind of love story every day of their lives together, and it’s a beautiful thing.

For our session, Natalia really just wanted something rustic and outdoors, and I had the perfect spot in mind. Our first session was actually on her birthday (she loves pictures so this was like a birthday present!) and although I love so many of the images we got that day, it was overcast and I knew we could rock it out further on a sunny day. So we scheduled another session about a month later, and the sun was out in full force. So they have this range of kind of moody rainy day images, as well as some light and sunny ones, which I love. They look adorable the whole time of course.

{Advice for Couples} I feel that a lot of people view love and marriage as something that should be easy all the time. My love for Zach makes me incredibly happy and whole. But that doesn’t mean that at some times, our relationship isn’t messy or hard. We make a choice every day to love each other. No matter what the day brings. Not just by saying it to each other but by showing it through the things that we do for each other. Love isn’t just a fuzzy feeling that comes with butterflies and rainbows, it’s the most satisfying dirty work you’ll ever do in your life.

Congratulations, Natalia and Zach, and thank you so much for sharing your love story with us! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together, and a beyond beautiful wedding day too! And so concludes our month-long celebration of love and engagement shoots!! We couldn’t think of a more lovely way to end it, can you? :) Many thanks to Kim J Martin for providing us with sweetness today!! xoxo