I had the best time in Jefferson City with Hayley and Ashton on Wednesday! These two are truly something special. Their connection is undeniable and you cannot help but smile when you’re in their presence. Ashton keeps Hayley laughing non stop and they are both alway smiling when they are around one another. Documenting their sweet connection was easy as can be. I loved strolling around Jefferson City with them. We ventured to Hayley’s grandmother’s farm to end the evening. We were joined there by their sweet little guy Cayde. From beginning to end, the session was perfect with these two in front of my camera!
How They Met
Hayley and Ashton met at Dave’s Tavern in Taos. It wasn’t until four to five months after officially meeting that they would go to dinner together. They decided to get sushi together as “just friends.” Little did they know, that they both kinda liked the other. Hayley had a New Year’s Eve party at her parents house (Ashton actually met her parents for the first time this night!) and the two flirted pretty hardcore all night long! Everyone else had gone to bed and they just stayed up and talked and laughed until about 7 am! Hayley and Ashton weren’t even officially dating until that New Year’s Day but the conversation was so natural, and so easy and Hayley was pretty confident she picked a winner.
How He Asked
Hayley and Ashton decided to get some family pictures taken for their sons 6 months! It was the week before Easter and they had talked about marriage a lot. They discussed what it would look like and Hayley and Ashton actually looked at engagement rings a little before that! Ashton had Hayley convinced that he hadn’t even thought about actually buying a ring yet and Hayley remembers thinking, “ok..what the heck man?!” They spent the whole Saturday before Easter with Ashton’s family before heading out to have their family pictures taken that evening. Hayley and Ashton took some down at her family cabin and the photographer had Hayley hold their little guy facing the river with her back to Ashton. When Hayley turned back around, Ashton was down on one knee asking her to be his wife and the tears started flowing (Hayley is not the most outwardly emotional person so the immediate tears were a shock to him). Obviously, Hayley said yes!
It’s evident that Hayley and Ashton are a pair made for one another! I cannot wait to photograph them again at the wedding next summer. Enjoy some of my favorites from their session.
