JOE + JESSICA [engagement]

My brother and I were pretty close growing up. We have similar (but very different!) personalities, so we got along very well. We decided that if neither of us ever got married, we’d live together. I’d clean the house and he’d make food and we’d come up with ways to spoil/torture our sibling’s children and be the most AWESOME uncle and aunt ever.

THANKFULLY, we both grew up. I found a man (*ALL THE HEART EYES*), and he finally found his princess. That’s LITERALLY who Jess is – you’ve never met anyone so sweet, graceful, and kind.

PS – check out that ring. He ordered the stone and the band from two different jewelers in NYC and had a local guy put them together into that beautiful, timeless creation. I got to see it in real life for the first time during their engagement session, and I’ve gotta say: proud sister moment. He did good.

Mason takes much responsibility for Joe and Jess’ relationship. One August two years ago, Joe and Mason met up in Oregon for the commissioning ceremony (which means he became a Marine Corps officer) of one of their mutual friends – who just happened to be Jessica’s cousin. That weekend started EVERYTHING. And Mason made sure they spent a lot of time together (I have the pictures to prove it).

I would’ve had the chance to introduce Joe and Jess if he’d gotten home ONE DAY SOONER that June when he came to visit – Jess was up visiting her sister and I tried to get them together (I really did). But God waited until August, and the rest is history.

Their session was such fun. We met for breakfast before shooting in the FREEZING cold. Naturally, we mainly hopped in and out of two different coffee shop doors… inspiring much laughter and many looks from all the normal, normally-quiet customers.

PS – and I’ve always wanted to shoot through a window. I literally tramped through a frozen garden for this one. Worth it? Yes.

Look at her perfect smile. And her perfect hair. And her perfect ring.

Needless to say, I’m glad the one sister-in-law that gets to marry INTO my family is a pretty much amazing keeper.

Plus, they make each other laugh like nobody’s business.

Our second (and most favorite) stop was Paul’s Coffee. Best. Coffee. Ever. I say that every time I post anything anywhere about it. But it’s truth. Ask anyone.

And to top that awesome coffee off: he has amazing window light in there. And this time, a gorgeous wall of watercolors by local artists.

Chewelah, Washington, was one of the coldest places on earth that day. I promise. We woke up to eight degrees below, and it didn’t warm up too much before we finished. But take a look at these next few shots, and you won’t believe it was FREEZING out there – they were such troopers.

By the end of this, I couldn’t feel the shutter button anymore, so we decided to call it quits… but I could’ve gone ALL DAY taking pictures of these adorable faces.

xoxo,
Hannah