We can’t help but swoon over an e-sesh that features so many thoughtful details. The stunning couple, the sweeping scenery, an adorable pup, and don’t forget about that ring! Thanks to Britta Hundertmark’s captures, this couple now has a gorgeous set of photos to add to their ever-growing list of memories together. Take peek for yourself.
From the Bride… Michael and I met in 2009 in Cancun, Mexico while we were both on spring break. While there, mutual friends introduced us. That led to us staying up all night talking and watching the sunrise. When we returned to school, Michael asked me to attend his spring formal. We had a blast, continued to have fun dates and eventually started dating! He even stuck by my side through my crazy year as Miss Nebraska USA! In 2012, after graduating from the University of Nebraska, we both moved to Chicago, where we lived for the past 2 years. Since then, we are now back in Nebraska so Michael can attend dental school!
Proposal: Traveling is one of the many things we love to do together, so when we planned a trip to Mackinac Island, MI over Memorial Day weekend, we were both ecstatic to explore a new place together. Mackinac is unique because there are no cars on the island, so you get around by bike or horse and buggies while there! (We celebrated our 5-year anniversary in April, so of course the entire time I was thinking that this beautiful place would be the perfect place to get engaged. It was so magical!)
After checking into the the historic and beautiful Grand Hotel, we biked the entire perimeter of the island. Later that evening we had a 5-course dinner planned at our hotel. Being the avid picture taker that I am, we took some photos on the porch with the breathtaking views before dinner. (Fun fact, the Grand Hotel has the record for the world’s longest porch!) There were professional photographers on the porch, so Michael went to ask them to take our photo. As they were snapping a few, Michael said, “Lets take a goofy photo.” I didn’t think anything of it, because, like I said, we had taken a ton of photos, so I thought he just wanted to change it up. At that moment he proceeded to get down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I barely remember it, but all I know is that I was overjoyed with happiness! When we finally took in our surroundings, we noticed that everyone inside was smiling and clapping for us! We then had our amazing dinner, celebrating with champagne, just the two of us. After dinner, we couldn’t contain our excitement anymore, so we enjoyed coffee in the foyer while we told our family and friends the exciting news. We had two days left on Mackinac (one being my birthday), and they were both so wonderful to spend together as a newly engaged couple.
Engagement Session: Every location we chose to capture our engagement photos was a special place to us. First, since we are both homebodies at times and seem to spend a lot of time in our apartment (especially during the cold winter months) either hanging out watching movies or hosting parties, we wanted to capture a few photos in our home with our pup. Next, since we love going on walks, we wanted to capture some photos at North Pond. We always say it’s our little secret, because it’s never overcrowded with people and it’s tucked away from the street and is surrounded by trees! It’s so quaint and romantic and we love going on walks around the pond. Lastly, we wanted to capture some photos by the water. Being on Lake Michigan makes Chicago such a special city, and since we lived in the Lakeview neighborhood, we spent a lot of time by the water either biking along the lakeshore path, running or going to the beach in the summer. We often went to the beachfront in the evenings to unwind from the hustle and bustle of city living. When it came to photography, we were immediately drawn to the magical and airy feel that Britta’s photography has. Her work is timeless and just simply beautiful. Once we met her energetic/fun personality, we were sold! She truly made our engagement session so special. When it came to our outfits, we knew we wanted them to be timeless with a subtle touch of elegance. We chose classic colors and luxe fabrics/textures with lace, chiffon and pearls. Now, since we have moved from Chicago, we look back on these photos with even more happiness, reminded of all of our favorite memories in our favorite city!
Wedding Plans: Although Michael and I both love the city, we have a special place in our hearts for the country since we grew up there. We’ve decided a countryside wedding was how we wanted to celebrate our special day. There’s something so beautiful and relaxing about being surrounded by the outdoors and only hearing the humming of birds and the breeze in the trees. We’re having our ceremony and reception at a beautiful estate in Nebraska, where our nearest and dearest will celebrate under a white tent. We want all aspects of our wedding to be elegant, timeless and bespoke with shades of white and ivory, gold and all white flowers with greenery galore. August 8, 2015 can’t come soon enough!
Photography: Britta Hundertmark | Shoes: Michael Kors | Jewelry: J.Crew | Blush Dress: Alice And Olivia | Film Developer: At Your Side Planning | Navy Sweater: All Saints | White Dress: For Love And Lemons