A colorful beach engagement with one of the most incredible sunsets I have ever seen!  This is just the beginning…

Katy and Brian shared, “We chose you as a photographer because we loved the real emotion you captured in your images. We enjoyed looking at your portfolio of engagement photo sessions and weddings, the way the images were taken makes you feel like you were at the event! We also liked how you really get to know each couple, who they are and what they are looking for.”
They explained their wedding photography checklist:

1. A true professional who would put us at ease and help us to be comfortable in front of the camera
2. A good mixture of candid shots and posed traditional photos that capture genuine emotion and connection
3. Multiple package options to choose from to really curate exactly what we wanted
4. We also really love the blog post that you create and thought it would be fun to share the ‘story of us’ with friends & family members through your blog.

Well I’m thrilled to hear that I checked those boxes for you two!  Here is *your* BLOG!  And since I started with a more candid shot my second photo will be a more traditional image, giving you that eclectic mix ;).

They explained, “We were really stuck on where to have the engagement shoot, until you suggested the beach. It’s where we spent a lot of time when we first started to date. In the summers we would go to the beach almost every other weekend and Brian actually started his Career in Seaside Heights so the beach brought up fond memories for us.”

Katy shared, “I met Brian when I was 18 years old and a freshmen in college.  He was my roommate’s boyfriends best friend at the time and I met him for the first time in the parking lot of a Fuddruckers, haha! All throughout college we stayed together and challenged each other on bettering themselves. I knew Brian was the one for me because every time he left, I immediately missed him.  We have been through a lot together from graduating college, new careers, moving into an apartment, getting engaged, and now were closing on a house in June.”

Brian agreed.  He said, “It was very easy falling in love with Katy.  She exposed me to a lot of new things like traveling and other adventures.  She is also very easy to get along with and immediately became my best friend.  I really knew that Katy was the one for me because I would miss her even after a couple of hours which attracted me to her even more and I’m always excited when I see her.”
Brian and Katy are adorable together– smiling, laughing, he even picked her up on a few different occasions, literally!

Brian continued, “The proposal was such an exciting time for me.  I remember when I first told Katy I loved her, she told me knew I was going to say that because of of how happy I was that day.  So, it was important to me, to surprise her with the proposal.  I had Katy’s ring designed and once it was completed I picked it up immediately.  I was going to try to plan on doing something a few weeks from then but couldn’t wait and decided to propose the very next day!”

Brian went on, “It was a normal August weekend for us.  We decided to go hiking and enjoy the weather.  As we were leaving our apartment, I pretended to forget something inside– I was actually calling her father and asking for his permission.  I was very excited the whole time we were hiking with the ring in my pocket.  I waited until the end of the hike to propose to her.  When I got down on one knee, Katy thought I was just tying my shoe.  I’ll never forget the look of disbelief on her face!”
I don’t recall if your package includes a canvas print, but this shot would look amazing on canvas– if you are only looking at it on your screen, you almost have to zoom in to get the full effect!

Katy added, “I was surprised!  I think he had to actually ask me a couple times before I answered!”
I loved their wardrobe and thought it worked perfect for their aesthetic.
Katy shared, “I tried to incorporate beachy attire by wearing a flowy maxi dress and our wedding vibe with some rustic looking flowers on it. As for Brian he kept it light and bright too with a chambray light blue shirt and khaki colored pants to match the colors in my dress.”

I love playing with light and color.  Here I silhouetted the happy couple against the vibrant blue sky– and positioned the sun between them.  To me, the sunburst in this image looks like a heart.

I wanted you to feel the softness of the light and grass and the intimacy of this moment while still giving them a bit of privacy as well, haha…

Katy shared, “I was drawn to Brian instantly– I think it was his blue eyes! Since the start of our relationship it was very easy and natural to be around him.  I feel like we have a mutual understanding of each other and we both know our strengths and weaknesses. I love that I can just be myself around him and everything is just easier when your living life with your best friend by your side.”

As the sun got lower in the sky it illuminated the tall beach grass into a fiery yellow-orange tone.  It was so incredibly romantic!  It almost looks like a painting to me…

Brian shared, “Katy and I are both pretty easy going people and can totally be our true selves around each other. I think we had that connection right from the start of our relationship. We both feel so fortunate to have met and fallen in love!”

I showed Katy and Brian the initial sunset photo that opened this sunset image that I opened this blog with– they were stunned!
Katy said, “The sunset image we saw was unreal! It looks like a painting or book cover. Watching the sunset after our engagement shoot was definitely a highlight of the day and the perfect way to end it. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the images look like!”
The sunset got even more intense with reds coming it to play– mother nature really put on a show for these two!

Katy and Brian, thank you for sharing your story with me and inviting me to join to the two of you at the beach!  I hope you enjoy your blog post and am really looking forward to your wedding at The Palace at Somerset Park this September!  Please feel free to comment below or share with your friends and family!