Oregon State University Engagement Session

From the photographer: "A brisk autumn walk to the covered bridge on campus, cuddling under blankets as they sip on hot chocolate and make their 2014 wedding plans. Followed by a walk to the nearby campus park to read some books and simply enjoy a quiet Saturday afternoon. Jacob and Rebecca are two laid back individuals who like to relax and simply enjoy slow moving days as they bask in the glory of their love. Hence their engagement session needed to stay true to that. Rebecca will soon be graduating this term with her elementary teaching degree and so they decided to add a little "teacher flare" to their breath taking engagement session."

Photographer: Imago Dei Photography

Outdoors Engagement Session

Sometimes life works in mysterious ways when we meet someone special.. This beautiful couple shares their unexpected love story which had a happy end as you may guess,  and welcomes us to stop by at their cozy place to see how newly engaged people celebrate their big step. Isn't it just charming when two people spend time decorating their Christmas tree just to celebrate the end of that sweet chore with hot chocolate and giggles?! Cuddling on a couch and reminiscing about the past they shared, and talking about some adventures they will enjoy together.

The talented Valentina of Valentina Glidden Photography beautifully captured the love of two inseparable people whose faces radiate happiness and peace! 

Their love story: We met two years ago (November 2011) online. Shout out to Match, with the help of God of course. If it were not for the Lord, we would definitely not be together.

John messaged me on Match asking for my phone number and I told him that I don’t like to talk on the phone, but we could chat online if he wanted (that was my way of not having to get to know him). We did chat online and finally I gave him my number, but was clear that it was for texting only. He would text me each night after he got off work to ask how my day was and we would text here and there. John asked me out around the 1st of November for bowling or miniature golf and I agreed, but told him I was very busy so he was going to have to wait for a week and I couldn’t go out with him right away. He sweetly agreed (I don’t know how I ended up with him after all I put him through). We picked Wednesday November 9th to go out and I told him probably 3 different times before that, that I would go out with him, but he needed to know nothing was going to happen and we were not right for each other. To which he would ask, “ok what does that mean exactly?” He would ask if that meant I didn’t want to go out with him and I would tell him, “we can go out, just don’t expect anything.” He responded by telling me that he is a good guy (and he was very right). You see, I had been on dating sites for over a year and to be honest, I was over first dates. I am not a fan of dating to begin with (outside of a relationship that is) and at that point, I won’t lie, I had a bad attitude and didn’t care to try. I wasn’t angry at men or life, I just was not really focused on giving much effort to the whole dating scene. I wasn’t trying to play games with him, I just really didn’t think anything was going to happen with us. Now this is where I know the Lord was at hand, because knowing what I know now, I can see why things happened the way they did. John likes to win… I mean… he really, really likes to win. I have never met somebody so competitive and good at everything. He wins pretty much everything he puts his mind to. NOT. EVEN. KIDDING. From where I was at in my life, I needed a man who was going to put all his effort in to trying. At the time, I didn’t really fully realize that, but I was burnt out and I needed to see someone who was in the same place in their life as I was and ready for more than just a first date. So I laugh looking back, because I see what the Lord was doing… here I was making John really pursue me and having to “win” and here he was showing me, he really was interested, even if I was going to be a brat. The Lord knew what was best in putting us together and how to make it happen. Back to the beginning of November when I told him I was too busy to go out with him. Through his text messages he started to grow on me. He was such a good balance of pursuing me, without being desperate. He never came across as some desperate guy (which he wasn’t), just very genuine and nice (which he is). Friday November 4th came along and after texting him through-ought the day, I decided I really did want to meet this guy. So I told him that if he wanted to go out that evening for something small like hot cocoa, we could go out… and we did (we never did have hot cocoa, we ate pizza at BJs instead). He came to pick me up that night and it was raining, and it rained the entire first week of our relationship. That night at BJs, we talked, but I was pretty short in my responses and conversation. I didn’t plan on going out with him again to be honest. We got to the end of the date and as we were walking to the car he said, “so what are we doing on Wednesday (the day we were originally planning on meeting)?” He is good hahaha. He tells me now, that in sales, you have to assume the sale. So for dating, he assumed the date I was like, “uhhh I don’t know.” at this point thinking that there was not going to be another date… BUT… we got in the car to drive home, got to my house, and talked in his car for 4 hours. That is when I learned he is nicer than I thought to begin with, which is very nice because I already thought he was a nice guy. I realized this guy is the real deal and is a good guy, I was so impressed by him. My heart got softer for him in that moment... We ended up being inseparable from that week on and have been together ever since.

How he proposed: Our proposal was perfect! We always take walks in the park behind John's house and for the proposal he took me in the park for one of our walks (some of our engagement session took place in the park) he brought up all kinds of memories, asking me if I remember this and that from the past two years and it was a journey through our relationship as we walked. We got to the place we had one of our first dates (which was a picnic in the park) and he took me to our table and we sat down and talked a bit more. He then got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. It fit us and our relationship so well. I never told him I wanted him to propose in the park, but I could have never dreamed or imagined a better place for him to do it and he said he never had any intention of proposing anywhere but there :)

Photo credit: Valentina Glidden Photography // Ornament: Thread Therapy 

Portland, Oregon Engagement Session by Jamie Rae Photography

Autumn in Oregon is magical.. The sun in Oregon seems to be a rare guest, but the nature in Oregon is welcoming, rainy days are filled with rejuvenating power and we count many shades of green..But no matter where you are, let your love show!

This sweet engagement shoot by Jamie Rae Photography is delicate and romantic. Walking down the gravel road with her husband to-be, the lovely bride wore a beautiful flower crown reminding us of a nymph playing in the forest. Escaping the busy city life, the newly engaged couple picked a quiet spot for their special moment to be captured way from vanity and hecticness. The couple included their puppy into the fun process of creating fun memories, and we can bet the lovely trio had so much fun! 

Their love story: The course of true love never did run so smooth. I’ve always considered myself a hopeless romantic… cliché, I know but a lover of love I have always been. Which is why I inevitably fell in love with the sweet words of William Shakespeare’s love stories while grappling through my awkward teenage years, the same time I met, unbeknownst to me, my fiancé, Collin. In savoring every last word in Much Ado About Nothing or Midsummer Night’s Dream, I dreamed of “happily ever after” and what my wedding would one day be. High school led to college and college led to graduate school and graduate school led to a career, which left me trying to make sense of adulthood and get to that “happily ever after” which presented itself one late autumn night over racks of shirts, ties, and suits. It’s like Shakespeare once said, “When I saw you I loved you and you smiled because you knew.” But staring at this impeccably groomed, handsome, tall, blue-eyed man, I actually felt Shakespeare’s words within for the first time and realized it was the same Collin I once knew. Although Collin and I shared the halls of high school it wasn’t until that moment, one late night in Nordstrom that our love story sparked.
And while I would like to say it was as easy as that… it wasn’t. But I knew what I felt and I knew we were meant to be. Some may call it fate or destiny… but after that moment I knew and while my other friends would joke about crushes like Tatum Channing or Ryan Gosling, I would joke Collin Wright. It was weeks later that on the night of New Year’s Eve, sitting there with no one to kiss as the clock struck midnight, that I finally found the courage to have a friend message Collin for me. Disappointingly but not surprisingly, there was no response for quite some time until he finally messaged my friend back saying he was interested in getting together with a small group of friends. And the rest is history… through a series of events or fate or destiny or just true love, each of our friends dropped from the small get together and Collin and I were left alone. And yes, did our love ever run so smooth. Our friends would joke that it was as if no one else existed when they were with us. We were inseparable; pained by the time we had to spend apart.

Photographer: Jamie Rae Photography // Floral headpiece: Swoon Floral Design // Hair & Make-up: Blow Out Beauty Bar

Rustic Engagement Session by Eryn Kesler Photography

From the couple: "Eryn was AMAZING to work with! We had requested a country feel for our engagement pictures and she picked the perfect location - a private 300 acre farm in Vancouver, WA. It was so country, in fact, we had to shoo some horses before we could start pictures. It was one of our beautiful and very hot days we had in late June so we waited for the day to cool down before we started the photo shoot. This led to some great locations with the sun peaking through the trees in just the right way. During our engagement we have learned lots about the wedding planning process and have spent countless hours looking for and meeting with vendors. This was one event where we could just have fun! It was a beautiful night where we were able to get dressed up and just focus on one another while (temporarily) forgetting about everything left on our to-do list. It had the perfect scenery and perfect company, making for the perfect evening."

Photo credit: Eryn Kesler Photography

Their love story: We got this from our wedding website (www.weddingwire.com/misleyprincehouse). Feel free to change anything and let us know if you need anymore info! It all started in the Oregon State University library. Ben first noticed her fiery red hair and sweet presence. Melissa had noticed his unforgettable blue eyes and country western dance moves. From afar, they both knew right away there was something different. After weeks of missed opportunities, Ben finally worked up the courage to talk to her - they hit it off immediately and became great friends. Shared study time led to shared laughs, conversations, and hardly any studying. Their friendship grew over the next year and a half through working together, hanging out with a common group of friends and plenty of country dancing at Western Wednesdays. However, it was with just two weeks left until Ben's graduation that they both knew their time together at OSU was short. It was now or never. After a few late nights staying up talking until 5am during finals week (sorry Mom and Dad!) and watching the sun rise at Mary's Peak, everything had changed. It was the start of their new adventure together and life together.

The proposal: After 2 years full of adventures, laughing and falling in love - Ben brought Melissa back to Mary's Peak for another sunrise, but this time it was different. Mary's Peak marked the start of their courtship, and now it was about to mark the start of their engagement. Reminiscent of their first date, Ben waited until the sun had just started to peak over the horizon to get on one knee and propose. With the view across the valley and the rest of the world waking, Ben told Melissa how he couldn't live without her and how he wanted forever with her. Catching her off guard, tears swelled in her eyes and she said "Yes!"