We met Katelynn and Zachary for the first time at their engagement session and we instantly knew their love would shine through in every photograph. They look so happy to be together, we hardly had to direct them. They are just naturally comfortable in front of the camera and it made our evening a breeze! Katelynn and Zachary are such a sweet couple! One minute, they are being serious and romantic and the next they are bursting out in hysterical laughter. Their fun personalities were contagious!! The way that Zach looks at Katelynn is the way every girl wants to be looked at by their significant other. It’s very evident that these two absolutely adore one another. They had so much fun at their session and weren’t afraid to show their goofy sides! We love when couples let loose and just have fun with the session. Of course we love those cute and cuddly photos where they are both wrapped up with one another, but we always love when we can show the couples silly side! I think it’s safe to say that Katelynn and Zach are still kids at heart and we love that!
Nifong Park in Columbia provided the perfect scenery for their session. The colors were looking extra vibrant on the overcast day. It misted all day long leading up to the session, and we were unsure if we should go ahead with the session or reschedule for another day. We are so glad Katelynn and Zachary were willing to brave the cold and a little bit of misty weather because their portraits turned out beautifully. All of the surrounding trees looked so rich with color. The day was dreary but the colorful fall foliage made up for it! Next, we ventured to Grindstone nature area where we strolled around and learned a little bit more about their love story.
Their Love Story
Katelynn and Zachary originally met in High School when they were introduced by mutual friends. They didn’t talk much at the time because college was taking them in different directions. Fast forward a few years, and the darling couple would reconnect while volunteering for Special Olympics. Volunteering set the stage for their relationship and they began hanging out and spending significantly more time with one another.
Katelynn was so excited to officially go on a first date with Zachary, but was then bummed when it got postponed due to him getting the flu. Katelynn was certain this was just his “nice” way of turning her down. She never thought they would go out again and Zachary soon learned of her suspicions and thought he had ruined his chances with her. Zachary really was sick and did indeed intend to take Katelynn out on an official date. The time finally came, and the two began the date volunteering at a Special Olympics event. Later that evening, they enjoyed dinner with each other before attending a haunted tour at the Jefferson City Prison. Katelynn loved her time with Zach but thought he was too nice and would never ask her out again. Boy was she all wrong! Zach new from the start that Katelynn was something special and that he didn’t want to lose her. After their first date, Zach remembers calling his brother to confess his feelings about a new girl. He told his brother that night, “I think I found the one!”
How He Asked
Their day started out normal until Zach sent Katelynn flowers at work stating “he couldn’t wait to see her when she got off work“. Katelynn didn’t think anything about this since they had just had a nice lunch date together. When Katelynn got off work, she came home and noticed that Zach wasn’t there. Much to her surprise, an outfit was picked out for her and she found a note telling her where to be for a dinner reservation. Katelynn didn’t think anything of the plans because she just thought that Zach didn’t want to cook dinner that night. Dinner reservations were set for Les Bourgeois Winery. Katelynn remembers that Zach kept checking the weather radar that evening and had no idea why. Little did she know, Zach had plans to propose while overlooking the river at sunset. Following dinner, Zach asked Katelynn to walk down to the platform that overlooks the river. The whole time Zach tried to get Katelynn to put her purse down so he could propose but she insisted she would keep it. Finally, Zach grabbed Katelynn’s hands and asked her to put down her purse as he was getting down on one knee. Katelynn said “Yes!” A few minutes after getting engaged and taking pictures, it began to rain.
We couldn’t be more thrilled for these two and we cannot wait to have the lovely pair back in front of our cameras next year! August can’t come soon enough. Congratulations again Katelynn and Zach! You two are something special. We are looking forward to celebrating your love story in August! Enjoy some of our favorites from the session!
