We had a total blast in Estes Park with Jessie and Zach at their Lily Lake engagement shoot. After spending time with them, it was impossible to ignore their playful energy and sweet connection. Clearly these two were made for each other! 

What made this engagement extra special though, was my connection with the bride-to-be Jessie.  I’m nervous to put an actual number on how long I’ve known this sweet girl, but I’d venture to say it’s well over 15 years, maybe even close to 20.  EEP!  

We first met Jessie and her family through our theater company, Up In Lights Productions.  Jessie was truly born with a gift for music and singing, blowing everyone away as a young girl with her incredible voice.  And now Jessie has graduated from Sam Houston State University in Texas, with a degree in Vocal Performance.  We’re just so proud of her and can’t believe we get to say, “I knew her when.” 

Skipping ahead and adding the charming Zach into the picture, we were beside ourselves when Jessie reached out to me about her December wedding.  (Which may or may not have been before she was actually engaged.)  But come this past January, Zach didn’t make Jessie wait any longer.

Jessie’s cousin invited her to lunch one afternoon. When the bill arrived, her cousin looked inside and pulled out a piece of paper. Holding it up, she asked with a questioning tone, “What is this?” 

It turned out to be a poem that was also a riddle. It led to a scavenger hunt, and Jessie was immediately aware that she was going to get engaged that day! The riddle involved getting clues from other family members that eventually led them all the way to Huntsville, Texas. This location was special, because it’s where Jessie and Zach met when they attended school together.

At that point, Jessie had to wear a blindfold while her cousin drove to a final mystery location. When she removed the blindfold, she realized she was standing in her sister’s house. Jessie’s entire family was also there to celebrate the occasion! 

She stood in the house, surrounded by a trail of rose petals leading to the backyard. As she followed the trail, Jessie approached a huge sign illuminated with the words “MARRY ME.” There she discovered an archway with flowers and a display of pictures featuring the couple throughout their relationship. 

Zach stood in front of her, holding a bouquet of flowers. One of the flowers opened up to reveal the most beautiful engagement ring. He told Jessie she was his best friend, and he couldn’t imagine spending his life with anyone else.  

At that moment, he bent down on one knee and asked Jessie to marry him. It comes as no surprise that she emphatically said “yes!”  

One of the most amazing things about our BGP Couple’s is their creativity, thoughtfulness and ability to completely embrace life.  Which is why we just LOVE getting to learn about how they met, how they got engaged, and what they love to do on date nights.  

Jeremy and I are SUCH big believers in dating your spouse.  In fact, we block out time every week to spend intentional time together.  So learning about the amazing dates our couple’s get to share always gives us a few ideas and keeps the two of us connected.

Being adventurous foodies, Jessie and Zach shared that their favorite date actually took place at the same restaurant where they also had their first date. They visited a place called Katy Asian Town where they went to a revolving sushi bar. After dinner they got dessert at a bakery called 85 Degrees. (You can never go wrong when incredible food is involved!)

After a yummy meal, they shopped around a bookstore called Kinokuniya. Finally, the two of them went to a pool where Zach taught Jessie how to swim! They wrapped up the date with a relaxing soak in a hot tub. 

These two just pack in so much fun and adventure any time they’re together. It’s so refreshing to see a couple completely and fully embrace all the fun life has to offer. So it came as no surprise to hear that their engagement was also quite an adventure in and of itself! 

We absolutely LOVED getting to spend the day with you two up in Rocky Mountain National Park, during your visit to Estes Park.  Capturing your love next to the mountain lake and hiking up to the top for some epic views was the highlight of our week.

We can’t wait to have you back in town for your December winter wedding at Boulders and Black Canyon Inn.

Are you newly engaged? We’d love to be considered for your wedding day photo and video team. Get instant access to our Wedding Collections Details here. We can’t wait to learn more about you!