There’s snow on the ground and it isn’t even Thanksgiving. Naturally, I’m over here daydreaming about warmer Fall days so I thought Erin and Shawn’s engagement session would be a perfect way to take me back to those feels! It was a cooler Fall day, but no where near 30 degrees! The fiery colors hadn’t even peaked yet, but there was just enough to get those Fall vibes and smell of the fallen leaves. Erin and Shawn chose Sapphire Creek Winery to shoot their session, and let me tell you, that venue did not disappoint! There was tons of beautiful scenery in the woods, outdoor fires to get all the cozy Fall feels and a stunning indoor area with floor to ceiling windows, soft, clean colors and, of course, wine! What could be more perfect?!
I started the evening off with a personalized tour from Ann, the owner. She’s a gem! She showed me all of the unique spots at the venue, and there are just so many! It’s a photographer’s heaven! The staff was also so accommodating as we strolled around the venue, wine in hand (of course). We took advantage of as much of the space as we could in two hours and shared a lot of laughs together. Shawn even had some poses of his own and I’m convinced he was trying to steal my job - or auditioning for a role as my assistant :P
We wrapped up the night in front of the beautiful fire and water display outside of the winery. With the glow of the fires and the twinkle of the winery lights through the glass windows, it really couldn’t have been more perfect. We even witnessed a surprise proposal!! (Congrats Tiff and Anthony!) It was magical!
One of the many things I love about Erin and Shawn is that they have a shared interest in coaching. They both met through mutual friends when they were Graduate Assistant coaches at Carthage College in Wisconsin. Shawn eventually charmed his way to a first date and they completely hit it off from there on out.
I love proposals - any proposal really, but I especially love ones that sneakily involve having a photographer capture the moment. Those are just so fun to me (duhhh, photographer here). Shawn had a plan to propose to Erin when they were on a family vacation in Myrtle Beach. Shawn’s mom wanted to have family pictures taken on the beach, so that seemed like the perfect time for him to propose! Now, they’re planning their wedding for the first weekend in July at The Club at Shadow Lake in Aliquippa, PA!
I have been vibin’ with Erin ever since her very first email to me. Her style is completely aligned with mine and the way she described her wedding was everything that I LOVE to photograph. Her Summer wedding will have soft colors - dusty rose, gold and tons of greenery complimented by touches of navy, flowy dresses and plenty of soft, natural light and personal touches. Erin has made a ton of origami paper cranes throughout the years and she is going to incorporate them into her wedding decor. How unique is that! She also told me that in Japan, people believed that if a person folded 1,000 paper cranes then their wish would come true. While Erin may not have reached a thousand, I’m pretty sure she’ll be living in her greatest wish in July :] It’ll be such a celebration, and even moreso since it’ll be the first time their families come together since they live 640 miles apart! I can’t wait!!
