Dylan and Rochelle { Lake Brophy County Park Engagement Session }

There’s a new park in town…and she’s a beauty! Lake Brophy County Park has been open for a year or two now but we haven’t had a lot of opportunity to get out there and photograph until this engagement session. The night was lovely, perfect temperatures with the sun filtering through the trees. The mosquitoes had yet to make their debut so we didn’t have to apply the usual layer of bug spray.
It’s hard to actually say what type of session is my favorite to photograph because, honestly, there are such amazing and unique things about every type of session, but engagement sessions have always been in my top three. I think it’s something about this very short and special time in a couple’s life, it’s so easy to gloss over but it is SO worth remembering.
Engagement is this strange period in which you know you want to spend forever together and yet, “forever” isn’t quite here yet. You’re paused, like a jump in a mid-air, no longer on the ground of dating but also haven’t landed on the other side: marriage. This time is easily glossed over as you look forward and plan for the future. Weddings plans and marriage preparation take the front seat and this unique time is watered down and almost forgotten. So, we encourage you to take a moment to pause, set aside all the wedding planning and prep, and just enjoy this time for all that it holds.

I’ve known Rochelle for quite some time and was so excited when I saw that Facebook post saying “We’re ENGAGED!”. Sitting down with Dylan and Rochelle to go over details was such a treat. They are so easy-going and sweet with one another and with a couple of fun quirks thrown in it felt like sitting down with friends over coffee. That’s just the best.
Dylan and Rochelle met at a mutual friend’s house and hit it off quickly. They began dating and, as they say, the rest is history. Dylan was ready to propose. He had a plan in place, a ring picked out. This was it.
They headed downtown for dinner at a sweet, little, local restaurant but as they pulled up their plans would be changed. The restaurant was CLOSED! Not wanting to give away the plan, Dylan kept his cool. They changed their plans and headed over to the movie theater, this would give Dylan a chance to figure out a new plan…would he rather wait for a different night and a perfect plan? Would this ring burn a hole in his pocket? Could she tell he was acting strange?
After the movie ended, he still wasn’t sure of a plan…but he wanted to keep the evening going. They drove randomly around town for a bit before Dylan suggested grabbing some coffee at Caribou Coffee. Then he drove across the street and parked in the empty lot of the car wash…was this getting suspicious?

She could tell he was nervous…something was up. He was definitely not acting like himself.

This definitely wasn’t the plan, it really wasn’t even a back up plan. But sitting in that dark parking lot, sipping coffee with this girl that is the love of his life, Dylan couldn’t wait. The place didn’t matter, the delivery didn’t matter. What mattered in that moment is that he loved her.
Neither of them can really even remember what he said in that moment. Everything gets a little blurry when you’re so full of happiness.
What they do remember is that he asked…
And she said YES.

We had a blast with these two as we photographed them, capturing love and laughter all mixed together. We felt so honored to get glimpses into their lives and their love for one another: how they met, when they knew the other was the one with whom they wanted to share forever, and that sweet proposal story.
We love photography and all that it offers simply as itself. But we are photographers because we love people and we love their stories. We invest into the lives of those we serve. We want to understand and know their story because we have the greatest honor of getting to tell it through images that will last for the generations to come.

Dylan and Rochelle, we mean it when we say that we are so EXCITED for you two as you quickly approach marriage.
It. Is. The. Best.
We can’t wait for your Fall wedding!