She put her earrings down on the nightstand, careful to put them on her airline ticket so she wouldn’t forget them. The many trips back and forth to St. Louis to see him were always fun and welcome, but she was known for leaving something behind  each time.  She smirked.  Well, she always left him behind, earrings were hardly a comparison.  And that was something they were working on solving – this was her last visit before moving here.  ”Reservations are all set!” he said, striding into the room.  ”Great, I’m starved.  The in-flight snack was awful.”   He walked up behind her and wrapped her up in his arms.  ”Won’t it be great when we aren’t restricted to the time between flights?” he asked.  ”I can’t wait!” she said, kissing him.  He crossed the room, searching for a blazer in the closet.  ”What are you wearing tonight?” he asked her.  ”Just this” she said, gesturing to the outfit she was finishing off with a scarf.  ”Don’t you want to dress it up with some jewelry?  Maybe a ring?”  he asked as he turned to her, a little glint dancing in his left eye and an impish grin spreading on his face.  She looked at him, a little perplexed.  He didn’t usually question her fashion choices.  ”No, I don’t think so, I didn’t bring any.”  she replied.  ”Oh, well how about this one then?”  he offered, holding out a gorgeous diamond ring, his smile bigger than she had ever seen it.

Liz & Andy met at Taylor’s and were steadfast friends for years as each worked their way thru school at the popular bar.  You rarely saw one without the other, but they didn’t date then.  In fact, they insist they never even explored the idea.  It wasn’t until Andy moved home to St. Louis, and Liz found herself randomly in town for a friend’s wedding, that they saw each other in a more romantic light.  It wasn’t long before Andy was buying her plane tickets to come visit him, and the two were well on a path to getting married next summer in their favorite getaway spot, Door County.

A windy, blustery Friday in November calls for something comforting in my book.  So today I bring you part two of Ashlyn & Chris’ engagement session.  The sun was setting fast and the light was incredible.  There was a breeze, and a couple in love, and suddenly we had a set of images that I think are the essence of these Ashlyn & Chris.  Soft, creamy, relaxed, yet vibrant and sparking with electricity.  There is something about this little set of black and whites that feels wonderfully vintage to me – and yet so fresh at the same time.  Easily some of my favorite images from the year.

“I really don’t want to go on this date”  she confessed to her roommate.  ”I’ll bet he’s a great guy” replied her roommate reassuringly, drying the last of the glasses in the sink.  ”Yeah, but…..oh, where is the wine?” she asked taking a deep breath and searching thru the cabinet.  Her roommate put the towel down.  ”Look, it would be good for you to go out and practice dating.  You don’t have to marry the guy, just go on the date.”   She was right, and Ashlyn knew it.  Besides, this blind date had been set up by someone who knew her well – how bad could it be?  A little while later she found herself standing outside her back door, looking for the guy.  A few panicked moments of doubt later she heard the door click and spun around.  And there he was; tall, dark, handsome, with dimples and a relaxed, reassuring smile.  He greeted her with a hug.  ”You must be Ashlyn”.  She smiled.  ”Yeah.”  Maybe she didn’t have to marry him, but she sure could.

Ashlyn and Chris love to golf, so it only made sense we would shoot part of their engagement session out on the links.  Their competitive but loving nature shined as bright as the golden sun that fall day.  We found plenty of fun and laughter in and amongst the sand traps and putting.  Something I’m sure will be on repeat for their summer wedding – plenty of love and laughter in and amongst the vows and dancing.

Oh, and how could we not mention sweet little Griffin?  Seriously, one of the cutest dogs I’ve ever met.  It’s even cuter when you learn he was Chris’ dog first. I think he could give Ringo a run for his money.  You just want to cuddle the little guy he’s so adorable and spunky!

Stay tuned tomorrow for part two….

Her hand touched his knee, a playful gesture that was so familiar, so commonplace in their relationship, and yet it still sent shivers up his spine.  She had made that same gesture years ago, on their first date.  And at that moment, the one where her fingers grazed his kneecap, he fell.  Hard.  It was all over from that moment on.  He knew in that instant that one day they would be here, in this moment.  Snow swirling around them, sitting in an intimate courtyard in Colorado, a ring burning a hole in his pocket, the most beautiful girl he could imagine staring up at him adoringly, and a question on his mind.

We met up at Morgan & Joe’s horse farm for their fall engagement session.  Such a gorgeous piece of property!  Yet, somehow they managed to outshine it with their fun personalities and energy.  Morgan is a life-long horsewoman, and Joe finds himself competing with her horse for her affections.  He also finds himself competing with their little boy.  Brayson is stiff competition – all ingenuity, boldness and a huge dallop of personality for his six-year-old frame.  But from what I saw, when Joe is around, not much can take Morgan’s eyes off of him, and it’s that connection that makes me all the more excited for their winter wedding in December!