Merlo Park, Stirling City Engagement photography: Chelyse+ Larry

"People are strange when you're a stranger..." Luckily for Jena and I, Chelyse and Larry didn't feel like strangers after the first 5 minutes of their engagement session. We met them at Merlo Park in Stirling City for this session which was perfect because it is a beautiful backdrop to showcase their love for one another. Chelyse has fond memories of feeding the fish there (even way back when there were Koi fish!) and she loved the waterfall while Larry was in awe of all of the different varieties of trees and flowers the park had on display; however, it all paled in comparison to how this couple lights one another up! They are so at ease in each other's company, making our job a dream! Everything about the time we spent with them just exuded genuine sweetness; from the way that they couldn't get enough of each other's kisses, to the dreamy grin on Chelyse's face when she talked about how Larry proposed with an adorable little teddy bear, to how Larry giggled and got the most mischievous twinkle in his eye when we asked him to blow a raspberry on Chelyse's cheek for a photo! They just made us swoon!

We chatted about their hobbies while walking around the ponds and through the trees and they spoke about how they love karaoke-- The Doors for Larry, specifically, "People Are Strange" (see what we did there 😉) while Chelyse loves singing to anything! They love their husky--not the fur so much-- and also work on building their garden and watching it grow. They are also so in love with their children; Chelyse has a grown son and Larry has FIVE daughters (bless that man!) You could tell by the way they spoke that they are excited to blend families and involve everyone in the wedding-- Jena and I CAN NOT WAIT to capture these moments for them! When families come together to grow by more than two, there is an extra special kind of magic involved; one that only has room for more and more love to bloom.

In just three and a half short months, “They are goin’ to the chapel and they're gonna get married!” Jena and I are both honored and excited to be the ones that get to document the day that they say "I do" and make it official for the rest of their lives.