First Impressions

When John and I first met Rachael and her parents at a Milwaukee bridal show, we immediately picked her out of the crowd and thought how much we would love to have her as one of our brides. She has the cutest smile, and her parents were just as adorable! Rachael has an energy and excitement for life about her, something we could tell by meeting her for the first time, and something that was just as evident when we met over tea a couple weeks later. She and Mike are absolutely adorable together, and they compliment each other in so many ways. Mike might be a little quieter to begin with, but he has a sense of humor that you can detect by the twinkle in his eye.

Marquette University Engagement

For this adorable sunflower picnic engagement session, we decided to head back to their roots and the place where it all began: Marquette University. These two met in college on a night when Mike heard the voice of ladies in his all-guys’ dormitory. Of course he had to inquire; and when he did, he met Rachael! On their first date, Mike was so nervous that his friends said he looked sick; but it was well worth it as you look at these two together today. {Seriously, look at how perfect they fit together!}

How He Proposed

As Mike says, he had a fantastic plan: first he was going to take her to a picnic on the beach. Then her friends were going to surprise her at the picnic at the beach, and then he was going to propose to her. They had the plan (picnic plan, to Rachael’s knowledge) for weeks, but come the day of the picnic, it was gloomy, cold, and rainy. So while things didn’t go completely according to plan (the beach picnic didn’t last long and Rachael’s friends got lost and never quite made it there) the end result was the same. After they had escaped the cold, rain, and wind into the wooded portion of the park, with the seclusion of nature around them, Mike got down on one knee and asked Rachael to spend the rest of her life with him. {Cue happy tears! I always love a good love story!}

Rachael loves chocolate cake, and Mike’s weakness is Oreo cookies, so what’s a good styled engagement session without the snacks you love?!

One of the best gifts they’ve ever received was a hand made cribbage board and the adorable personalized Iowa-Wisconsin pillow! It’s so sweet to incorporate little details that tell a bigger love story. (And it’s just fun to catch a quick game of cribbage during your engagement session, too!)

This is their special bench! Lots of memories spent here during their college days.

R+M, we’re definitely looking forward to continuing the celebration of your love on your wedding day! Thanks for the sweet story and for being so adorable together!

XOXO

Love this post? Here’s more of our styled engagement sessions!