Engagement on the Oregon Coast

Couples

Jan 5

Laura + Aman

Growing up, I could never quite decide what I thought my cousin Laura was going to be when she grew up. Would she be an athlete? I used to practice my french braid skills on her hair before she’d run off to soccer practice, where her long legs propelled her like a gazelle across the field. Would she be an artist? We’d scrapbook together, sharing our favorite paper and stickers, and I was in awe of her ability to draw absolutely anything she could imagine. Would she go into medicine? She is unfazed in the face of injury and blood, and can calm even the most panicked person with her even and nurturing temperament. It turns out that all of these came to be…and more! Laura is a graceful distance runner with incredible artistic talent - I have some of her original pieces on my own walls. Her love of medicine has led to a career as a Physician Assistant, a job for which she is perfectly suited.

While all of these are true, the beauty of her heart cannot be captured unless I also include her love for travel. I’m lucky to say I have been able to visit a few of the same destinations she has - like Ireland and Italy - but Laura has also spent time in stunning locations I’ve only dreamt of - think Alaska, Peru, and Bali. BALI! When it all comes down to it, we have her wanderlust to thank for her meeting Aman and bringing him into our family!

It was a fateful trip to Florida to visit her friend Brittany from undergraduate school when she was first introduced to Aman. He was in Navy flight school with Brittany and he and Laura must have made a good first impression on each other because it wasn’t long before they were dating long distance - Aman still in Florida and Laura back in Minnesota. I was lucky to be living only five minutes away from her at this time and to see how their relationship began to grow - Kevin and I met Aman on several different occasions before we all went on a cousins’ camping trip, where it became even more evident how well-suited they are for each other! We went hiking (got a little off-the-beaten-path even though our fearless leader at the time * cough * Kevin * cough * was convinced it was going to connect back up with a real trail “just up ahead”), cooked over the fire, and talked into the night around the flickering flames. Before the weekend was over, I was convinced: Aman was THE guy for my sweet cousin Laura!

Long before they got engaged, I told her that when it did happen (because I just knew it had to happen!) I wanted to take their engagement photos in a fabulous destination with scenery that we couldn’t find just anywhere. In the meantime, Aman graduated from flight school and Laura graduated from PA school; he was stationed in Washington and she found a great job out there and moved to the West Coast to be closer to him. I’d grown so accustomed to her living down the street that it was a tough adjustment on my part, but I fortunately have a husband who values both family and travel so it wasn’t long before I made my first trip out to visit!

I fell in love with Washington immediately. The stunning forests, untouched coastline…really how every little thing about the state felt like EXACTLY what I would pick for Laura if I were in charge of choosing where she lived. It just fit.

Kevin and I were THRILLED when Aman popped the question last summer, and we cannot wait to celebrate at their wedding this year! Because the Pacific Northwest is both their home and an amazing scenic destination, Laura and I knew it would be perfect for their engagement session. We shot in Oregon over the course of two days, which provided a gorgeous mix of light and locations - Saturday evening’s sunset was warm with gooey golden hues while Sunday’s mid-day bright light was cool and quiet, creating shadows and revealing hidden corners of the forest and beach we may have otherwise missed.