It’s always an honor to get to photograph your memories, but I think it’s time you get to read about your forever photographer’s love story! Honestly, it’s wild to think about how Austin and I officially met on November 28, 2020. Before that, our lives were like two parallel lines that just never crossed. We had the same friends and hung out at the same places, yet somehow managed to miss each other until we were both in our mid-20s. It’s like the universe was playing a cosmic game of hide-and-seek or something.
Here is the very first photoshoot we had together on my tripod during golden hour on Purdue University’s campus in Indiana:
If you believe in soulmates, I can wholeheartedly say he’s mine.
Our first encounter happened when he was visiting back from Indiana for the holidays. My girlfriend posted a snapchat of them partying together. I jokingly asked who he was. She connected us, and we ended up meeting for breakfast the next day. Of course, it was during that COVID lockdown when restaurants closed all indoor seating, so we got takeout and found a spot on my couch to chat.
We got to know each other a little better between November and December with texts here and there. When he was back for Christmas time, we made plans for a “real” date. We planned on making cookies, wrapping gifts, and driving around to check out the holiday lights. Spoiler alert: our cookies were a disaster! We had no idea what we were doing back then, but we had a blast making those memories in my tiny kitchen. So much laughing as flour flew everywhere and with our cookies looking more like pancakes. That night, we had our first kiss on my couch while watching a Christmas movie. Needless to say, the Christmas lights adventure never happened!
I never thought a long distance relationship would be in the cards for me.
But, we casually dated, making the three-hour drive to see each other whenever we could. On February 2, 2021, we made it official —we’ve been inseparable ever since! Against rational advice from everyone, he moved in with me in May. We were quite cramped in my 780 square foot house, so we found a bigger place together in October. It was in our new home that Emma, my daughter, asked if she could call him “dad,” which officially sealed our little family. We had so many firsts in that new home and made so many incredible memories. Just in that first year, we adventured to Washington State, Florida, Indiana Dunes, and South Dakota!
Fast forward to 2022 …
Austin asked me to marry him in November 2022 while we were at Bryce Canyon in Utah. It was the easiest “YES” of my entire life. Our legal wedding was in April 2023, then another elopement at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in October 2023. Here we are now, living life to the fullest! We’re traveling, learning to cook (with some ups and downs, of course), and creating a life that feels so authentically ours. We’ve now got two doodles, our daughter, and one more on the way! It’s just the right blend of chaos and love. Magic happens when you least expect it, and our story is just one beautiful example of how life can surprise you in the best ways.
Looking back on moments like these,
it’s clear how important family and authenticity can be. Finding your soulmate means discovering someone who feels like home, and finding a space that you can be so unapologetically yourself. Whether I’m capturing forever moments as a photographer or living my own story, it’s about the love we share and the journey we’re on with the people that matter most. That’s it for now on your forever photographer’s love story, but it’s definitely not over yet!
Photos below by APaige Photography from our very first official photoshoot together:
