Fall Southern Illinois Engagement Session

I first met Kaitlyn back in 2011 when I took her senior portraits. She graduated the following spring and after all this time we’ve kept in touch through Facebook. I’ve caught up with her and what she’s been up to and vice versa. It’s a good thing Facebook has been around so long because I’ve had the privilege of watching so many seniors grow up, graduate college and get married, etc. I never really thought about that 9 years ago when I first because a photographer. I never realized how shooting a simple senior session could lead me to one day taking that very senior’s wedding photos!

Kaitlyn and Ryan met through online dating. They decided on going to a Cardinal baseball game for their first date and met in a mall parking lot. That very parking lot is where Ryan proposed! How sweet is that?! It was even better because it was Kaitlyn’s birthday, so it’s definitely a day she’ll never forget. Of course, through Facebook, I saw that she and Ryan were engaged and I was so happy for her and it didn’t take long before I heard from her about booking me for wedding services.

Naturally, when booking a photographer, you discuss the engagement session. Kaitlyn and Ryan live in D.C. and they wanted to get fall photos taken so they had photos for save-the-dates. Since my schedule is crazy busy there was no way I could make it to D.C. for a session. They were planning a trip back to the Pinckeyville area and they were gracious enough to work with me on a time. I had a wedding that weekend and they got up super early and met me for their session before I needed to run off to that wedding. They are clearly morning people, and they better be, because I’m planning on hitting up D.C. in the early spring for more portraits of them during the cherry blossom festival. We’re going to have to wake up pretty early and get there before all the people show up LOL.

I had so much fun with Kaitlyn and Ryan and I just have to say that they were such troopers! Not only was it super early for pictures, but it was so darn cold! Poor Kaitlyn’s toes were froze and the grass was so darn wet as it was dooy and fogy that morning. Gotta love the unpredictable southern Illinois weather LOL. All and all, their session went amazing. They even brought along their puppy Millie for pictures too and OMG just wait till you see her below. She’s adorable!