It isn’t every day that one of my couples lands the most picture perfect golden hour known to man (and woman!). It also isn’t every day that it ends up being the hottest day of the year, at a not so lovely one hundred degrees. But for Caleb and Alexa’s engagement shoot, this was in fact… that day. 

Despite the hotter than hot Midwest summer temperatures typical of Iowa and Minnesota, Caleb and Alexa were total champs and made the most of their joy-filled time romping around in Jester Park, creating core memories as they went.

Using Prompts to Help My Couples Get More Comfortable

My couples never have to worry that they will look awkward or ‘won’t know what to do with their hands’ in an engagement shoot. I know that you probably haven’t been in front of a camera a whole lot. I know that it doesn’t necessarily come naturally to have a lens pointed at you and your fiancé on a little faux date night where you have a third wheel tagging along in the most literal sense of the word (hi, it’s me!). 

But I also know that you two are so silly in love with each other. I know that you know how to be together; it comes easily to you. I know that you are playful and gentle and warm with each other. 

And all of that will naturally show up in the photographs because it’s simply the way it is, simply the way you are, together. 

Caleb and Alexa were such an amazing testament to this truth. They started out dancing in the golden-lit field because it just so happens to be something they already love to do together. They started with their comfort zone, which is exactly how it should be. Eventually, we headed down to the docks, where I started giving them little prompts to inspire them and bring their personalities out even more. 

For example, one of my favorite go-to prompts is to have the groom-to-be give the bride-to-be a piggyback ride and try to (disclaimer: cautiously) knock her off. As you can see from Caleb and Alexa’s photos, this little nudge to try something new resulted in the whimsical, movement-based photographs indicative of my style. All I did was give them an idea to take or leave, and they ended up in fits of giggles and with photos that marked a moment with a memory. 

Creating Core Memories in Your Engagement Shoot

You see, your engagement shoot isn’t just something you check off the Imaginary List of Things Every Engaged Couple Does. It isn’t just about the photographs that you’ll post to your Instagram and plaster all over the walls of your home together and send to the family group chat with ALL of the lovey-dovey emojis. (My personal go-to’s are 🕊🤍🤸🏼‍♀️, if you wondered.)

It’s also about the core memories that you create during your session, the things you’ll feel in slow motion– almost like it was yesterday– when you pull out the photos five, ten, forty years from now and every day in between. 

Caleb and Alexa left this engagement shoot with an abundance of core memories made: Caleb tenderly tucking a wildflower behind Alexa’s ear. The sunlight reflecting off of the water on the docks as they set aside the world for a little while and just let themselves to be totally and completely together. The tumble that Alexa took on her roller skates that I am SO glad I was there to catch on camera. The piggy back rides and golden hour twirls that just screamed ‘in love in summer.’

I was lucky enough to be there to document it all, but the real lucky ones are Caleb and Alexa. They have such a genuine, playful love that I was able to capture as the golden hour slowly turned to blue, as the earth slowly turned on its axis, as if just for them.