Ella & Ben’s engagement session part I

This goes better with some good music so feel free to hit the play button:)

When Ella & Ben contacted me and asked if I would be available to document their wedding I was as happy as a wedding photographer can be when the possibility of shooting a wedding is offered. Then I got to know them better and I realized how lucky I am that they’ve chosen me. Their love story is a fairy tale and they will have a wedding to match it. I wish the wedding was sooner.

The past weekend I made the 6 hours trip to Kalkaska,MI to shoot their engagement session. We had a great time together and they prepared very well for this. 5 outfits and 6 locations. We got up bright and early at 6am and didn’t stop until in the afternoon.

I hope you’ll enjoy their proposal story and first part of pictures from the engagement session. Too many pictures for just one post:)

It’s the best proposal anyone could ever ask for: He created a scavenger hunt for me, sent me to the first clue then mysteriously disappeared. I had to solve clues that led me to various locals and friends who had clues, then ultimately out to the theater where he was on the stage freezing since it was the off season and the building is so old, built in the 20’s and so we don’t heat it in the winter. The orchestra pit was literally sheer ice and I slipped as I made my way up to the stage. He gave me a flower and read to me from a book of Pablo Neruda’s poems (he’s my favorite!) and then handed me the book telling me that I could choose the next one he would read. I opened the book and there, sewn into a small square that he had cut out of the corner, was the ring. He got down on one knee and was crying, it was just beautiful.

How can you not be romantic when you lived most of your life in a place like this

Kalkaska, Michigan lake
Engagement pictures taken at dusk
On the bridge
Engagement pictures on the lake shore in Kalkaska, MI
Engagement photo session
We got on the boat and had fun getting these pictures

After we had so much fun on the lake it was time to hit the town for some other cool locations for the rest of the session. Kalkaska is also known as the Trout Town. Apparently there’s a huge trout festival held here each year and they have a huge trout fountain:)

Picture taken by the Trout fountain in Kalkaska,MI

Some strobist fun

Engagement photosession poses
On the train tracks