It’s said that there’s an exact moment when a man realizes he loves a woman, a moment that he can later easily pinpoint. Sometimes it’s a grand, sweeping moment. During a special day or gesture. Maybe on an unforgettable adventure. Other times it’s just a tiny, fleeting instant. A certain smile over the shoulder. Watching her laugh from across the room.
Although I can’t say if this is true, this is what Brittany told me she had in mind when she asked Bryan when he knew he loved her. And, of course, he was totally caught off guard.
We met for their engagement session at Parklands just outside of Louisville. It was a steamy June evening, the temperature dropping just below 90 when I arrived a little early to pick out a few shaded spots. As I wandered around I thought about how fortunate I am to be able to do something like this that forces me to get outside and walk around beautiful places and pay close attention to things like lighting, color, and composition. I love the challenge of calculating sunset time and angle and shutter speeds and aperture and all the facets of a great photo.
After Bryan was put on the spot about the whole “when did you know” thing, he made some mental calculations of his own. He realized it was when they had gone on a trip to Lawrenceburg almost a year previously. That was how he decided that he’d propose there, on the riverfront.
When our session began, the humidity made the air feel like you were walking through heavy fabric, like you needed to push it out of the way to get through it. We knew it was going to be hot, so we game-planned. Fans, ice water, towels, oil-absorbing sheets.
But beyond all of the stuff we could bring and beyond all the editing tricks, the key to an amazing session (or even wedding) in not-so-awesome weather is the ability of a couple to be so happy to just be there and to be positive. To keep smiling and laughing and maintain closeness regardless of what nature throws their way.
So, when Bryan and Brittany returned to Lawrenceburg he planned to take her down to the riverfront and propose but the weather was awful. It was cold and rainy and not at all ideal weather for asking the love of your life to marry you. So, what did he do?
They got pizza. And stayed inside.
And he postponed. Because sometimes you just have to roll with what nature gives you. The next day the weather improved and they went down to the riverfront and he finally told her that it was in that spot a year ago that he knew.
During their engagement session, some rowdy and giggly teenagers were leaving the park. One asked Brittany if she was getting her senior pictures done. We laughed and said no, they were engagement pictures.
“Oh! Well then I hope you have a really fun wedding and love each other forever!”
I thought this was adorable, this 15-year-old’s take on marriage.
Of course, I hope your wedding is really fun, Brittany and Bryan, and I can’t wait to capture those fun moments this fall… I’m already certain I’ll be laughing most of the day.
I also hope you love each other forever and am so grateful that you chose me to be a part of the early stretch of that journey.
But the not-15-year-old me also hopes that you continue to weather storms together regardless of what nature, or life, throws at you, just like you did in your engagement story and just like you did on a very hot, humid evening in Louisville.
Because look at how beautiful it can be.
Summer Jasmine Photography 