Seattle has some of the best outdoor locations for an engagement photo shoot if you just know where to look!
Whitney + Reidar reached out to me all the way back in early 2022 to capture their upcoming wedding. At the time, they were living out of state and attending law school. But we made tentative plans for their engagement photo shoot the next time they were in town. As luck would have it, we weren’t able to schedule their session until the Tuesday before their wedding. However, working with and meeting my couples before their wedding is a huge cornerstone of the experience I provide through photography. I want to get to know my couples on a deeper level, I want to see how they interact with each other, how they make each other laugh, and how they go in for a kiss.
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But most of all, I want to give them the opportunity to get in front of the camera before their wedding day. A wedding day is a very personal experience. And it can be a stressful situation to meet your wedding photographer on the day of your wedding while we follow you around with a camera and you attempt to be present in each moment. My goal is to completely avoid that stress level for my couples. Their engagement session is an amazing way to do that. So, when Whitney and Reidar told me they were available the Tuesday before their wedding for their engagement photo shoot, I jumped at the opportunity!
That day, Whitney and Reidar were planning a walk-through of their venue, Jackson Manor. The property this venue is located on was filled with beautiful doorways, paths, and garden trellis’ to explore. It was a fun way to kick off Whitney and Reidar’s outdoor engagement photo shoot in the Seattle area. During this time I got to witness Whitney and Reidar’s interactions. Reidar, with a distinct sense of humor, and Whitney with a soft, sweet giggle.
The Details
Whitney and Reidar met a few years back on Tinder! Whitney was just returning as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine when they decided to set up a coffee date in Ballard. Once they started talking they quickly bonded over the fact that they were both in the process of applying to law school. Isn’t life so funny sometimes? They both eventually applied to and attended UVA in Charlottesville. With law school in place, it wasn’t long before Reidar proposed.
His proposal to Whitney included a custom-made ring from Valerie Madison. A black owned, woman-owned business that specializes in sustainably made & ethically sourced fine jewelry. Their wedding planning process thus far, has been all about leaning into the details and connections they cherish most. Whitney has been hard at work putting together items for her wedding party. She confided in me that what she loved most about it was that it gave her the ability to reflect on the women in her life who have supported her and will now be present on her wedding day. I love Whitney’s intentionality and I’m even more impressed to know that she made her own wedding veil!
Outdoor Engagement Photo Shoot Seattle
With the portion of their engagement photo shoot at their venue complete, we moved on to a second location. Reidar’s family cabin by the lake. Whitney and Reidar had a quick wardrobe change before scooping up their “baby”. A fluffy little fur baby named Keating. During their days in law school, their go-to show to watch together was “How to Get Away with Murder”, so they named their pup in honor of Annalise Keating.
With Keating in tow, a golf cart to get around with, and our best walking shoes on, we explored the area around the cabin a bit more. This whole area was breathtakingly beautiful and exactly what you might expect of a sprawling landscape in the PNW. A serene lake, mountains in the backdrop, and lush greenery at every turn. Scroll through the photos below to see more details from Whitney and Reidar’s outdoor engagement photo shoot in Seattle!
