I am just itching to share these beach engagement photos I worked on with Savannah and Brook. They were super excited to find a unique spot to commemorate their engagement. At first, we toyed with the idea of going all the way to Colorado. After talking logistics, we zeroed in on the breathtaking scenery of Northern Michigan. While I love CO, this was such an awesome choice (and the most reasonable)!
We first picked Sleeping Bear Dunes as our main location. As we got closer to the day of our session, of course, Mother Nature had other plans. The forecast was looking pretty grim with rain, overcast skies, and strong winds. But no worries! I pride myself on finding hidden gems, so I scouted around and discovered this stunning spot that I thought would be perfect for them. After sending this over, they went to check it out for themselves, and luckily, they fell in love with it.
I really think this location made these beach engagement photos incredibly unique.
What made this place even better was that it had both a beautiful Lake Michigan beach and a cozy inner lake. I knew it would be the perfect opportunity for not only some fun shots, but convincing the couple to get some engagement photos in the smaller beach’s much warmer water. I was very aware of Savannah’s hesitation about getting into that cold Lake Michigan water. Especially with the wind whipping around us, so the smaller lake was a great option to have! As luck would have it, we moved forward with no rain. It was definitely a windy day, so we started the shoot using the dune to block some of those gusts. We eventually made it out near the big lake’s waters where we were blown away (also literally) because the skies looked incredible. There were these dramatic clouds with beams of sunlight breaking through. The photos are great, but it was that much better in person.
Capturing real colors and movement as Savannah and Brooke soaked in the moment was unforgettable. We had such a blast playing around in the sand and water, and I really tried to bring out their fun side. The photos turned out so beautifully. I love being reminded why I love what I do — getting to make magic with such lovely couples, despite whatever challenges we might face. The winds and clouds only added character to their love story, and I can’t wait for you to see these images.
