Lakeside Engagement Session | Payton + Chris

I love this session for so many reasons but here are just a few:

1. This is Chris’s family lake house. He grew up playing in this yard, tubing on this boat and playing in these wooded areas. So many memories are tied up in this piece of property and I love that in 50 years they will be able to point to these images and say, “THAT’s where …… <insert all the childhood memories>”.
2. Chris proposed to Payton right near the lake shore, in the same exact spot we took a photo. So much more meaningful than some random location. The images have so much more sentiment behind them and I am here for it!
3. This girl never stopped smiling! She has the most charismatic, contagious personality and she’s freakin gorgeous. Chris, you aren’t so bad yourself but DANG, you bagged yourself a looker! haha! Both of them were so easy to photograph.
4. Right before we started shooting, Chris left out a big sign and said: “I’m so nervous!” and I thought it was the cutest thing ever. At the end, he says, that wasn’t so bad! He was such a good sport and now he’ll be a pro on the wedding day!
5. I have photographed their family a few times before and I love that I got invited back to document another

Indian Lake, Central City, PA  Engagement Session

 

“The proposal was extremely unexpected! I truly had no idea what so ever it was happening. It was a Friday in August and as we usually do, we go to the Gangey’s lake house for the weekend. So after I got off work I was gathering my weekend bag and Chris told me we were going to stop at a local brewery before we get to the lake. We met up with Chris brother, his sister in law, and one of our friends for a drink or two. We hung out for a bit and then made our way to the lake house. And, as we usually do we eat dinner at the Lodge. Chris apparently hardly ate any dinner and was nervous (I had not picked up on any of this!) After dinner we went back to the lake house and gathered a few things for our evening boat ride. As I made my way down to the boat with Chris he stopped suddenly and the next thing I knew he was down on one knee asking me to marry him! Of course I said yes, I was shaking and couldn’t believe it was happening. After I calmed down a little, I asked Chris if my mom knew, Chris said to me “Well, actually if you turn around” and as I turned around my mom started walking down to greet me. I was so thrilled my mom was there to experience the whole thing with me. That added surprise was so special to me. After all of this we finally went on our boat ride, and Chris had yet ANOTHER surprise for me. He had made a slide show of all of our memories we’ve made over the last 4 years to the song ‘What my world spins around’ by Jordan Davis. It was the cherry on top of what was the best night of my life! After we got back from the boat ride we continued celebrations with cake and champagne! It was the best! ” -Payton

 

Tell us 3 random things about each of you!

“We had only known each other for about 6 months. Chris and I went on a cruise together, only after knowing each other for a short period of time. We went on a 5 night cruise to Cozumel and Costa Mya. On one of the ‘at sea’ mornings, Chris and I decided to go to the gym. I was doing some cardio and Chris was doing his own thing. Once I was done, *I thought* I told him I would just meet him right outside the gym for when he finished up. Keep in mind, on this cruise ship we didn’t have any cell service, so we really didn’t have any form of communication to each other. I was siting right outside of the gym on the bench for about 15 minutes, and out of no where I see Chris come around the corner in a panic, (in his fast walk, Chris is the fastest walker I know). I asked him “what’s wrong, are you okay?” and he means to tell me “I couldn’t find you! I ran down to check the room, and all on the ship deck and was panicked someone took you away!” I’m laughing to myself because I couldn’t believe he did all of this within a 15 minute time span, the ship was pretty big and I can only imagine him running around the ship looking for me (heehee). Meanwhile, I was sitting on the bench right outside of the gym the entire time, I never left even for a second…. we still laugh about it to this day. But it was that moment I always knew he would take care of me.”- Payton