As I was prepping for Kristin and Chris’s wedding later this month, I realized I had never shared their engagement session! It’s a good one and I can’t believe it took me this long to get this up on the blog.
I was really excited to meet them as we had such a great consult call. We connected right away over a few funny coincidences. We’re both in relationships with someone who shares our name, just the opposite gender, and we both had our first dates at the Art Institute of Chicago. That just felt like a good sign. Their engagement photos took place on a fall afternoon in November. The air was cool, there was still leaves on the trees, and the light was soft and golden. And while wind might sound like a downside, I actually love it. It adds just enough movement to bring the photos to life.
Kristin and Chris are the kind of couple who feel completely at ease together. From the start, this session felt less like a photo shoot and more like spending time with two people who genuinely enjoy being together. Between quiet moments and bursts of laughter, they moved through their town like they always do, relaxed, connected, and completely themselves. This place matters to them, not because it is picture-perfect, but because it is theirs.
Toward the end of the session, Kristin said she had a slightly unusual request. She wanted to stop at the grocery store for a few photos. In their town, Kristin and Chris are known as the dancing couple. They dance down the aisles while grocery shopping, turning an ordinary errand into something joyful. It is one of those small details that says everything about their relationship. So off we went to the Strack & Van Til.
What stood out most during Kristin and Chris’s engagement session was how naturally they showed up as themselves. It was never about doing something trendy or staged. It was about honoring what makes their relationship uniquely theirs. No pressure, no performing. Just real moments, shared glances, and laughter that came easily. These are the kinds of photos that matter most over time. The ones that bring you back to how it felt, not just how it looked. The ones that remind you of who you were together in this season of life.
