She is the epitome of grace and beauty and still one of the most down-to-earth people I’ve met. He’s charming and boyishly goofy, the perfect foil to her sweet demeanor. Photographing Lauren and Sam’s Arbor Hills Nature Preserve engagement photos was nothing short of refreshing, and it was an honor to get to spend my afternoon capturing their love story.

After our initial meeting over coffee and several email exchanges, I knew that an outdoors engagement session filled with greenery, fields, and trees would be the perfect fit for Lauren and Sam. A soft, romantic feel allowed the couple’s personality to shine as we explored the walking paths and fields for beautiful backdrops. I’m very familiar with Arbor Hills Nature Preserve and knew that the light was going to be warm and perfect, but I have to admit I was a little anxious due to the crazy winds! Luckily we decided to tough it out…and honestly, you can’t even tell that the wind was even a small issue in Lauren and Sam’s engagement photos! Plus, Lauren has the type of hair that gives others total hair envy…it gave her a windswept look which really added to the romance of their engagement session! Mad props to The Styling Stewardess for doing Lauren’s hair and makeup – she looked natural and absolutely stunning!

Watching couples interact during their engagement sessions is something I love to do. It was so sweet seeing how Sam cared so well for Lauren, acting every bit the consummate gentleman. You can tell nothing makes him happier than seeing her smile! And the way that Lauren kept smiling up at Sam with this adoring look was as if she could see nothing else but him. Ahhhh, love! This is what makes my job so special! Lauren and Sam’s engagement session has me so excited to capture more photos of them at their November wedding! They will be tying the knot at the newly opened Bella Woods in Midlothian, Texas.

The three of us had such a blast laughing and getting to know one another better while taking Lauren and Sam’s Arbor Hills Nature Preserve engagement photos. I could truly go on and on about how wonderful they are, but as you know I like allowing the couple to share about themselves interview-style! Read on to learn more about Lauren and Sam!

A Few Words from the Couple…

How did you two meet?

Lauren: “We first met through our college social clubs, but I was dating someone else at the time. Then when I was single, one of my friends who was really good friends with Sam’s housemate invited me to go over to their house one night to hang out. Sam and I ended up hitting it off and talked for about an hour non-stop! I was totally crushing on him, so the next weekend I asked him to my social club’s formal and we had so much fun. The rest is history!”

How did he propose?

Lauren: “Sam TOTALLY surprised me. His parents invited my family and I to get together for a nice dinner on New Year’s Eve. When we got there, Sam “was running late”, and his parents wanted to show us the really pretty garden area in the back. We made our way out back which had a beautiful lit up patio and walkway over a pond, and I noticed a small table in the distance with some candles on it – it was all so romantic, but I didn’t think anything of it! Sam’s dad led me further out and told me to take a closer look. I took another look at the table and saw there was also a vase of beautiful roses on it and some photos of Sam and I. At that point I realized exactly what was happening and was smiling ear to ear. Sam stepped out from behind the shrubbery and popped the question, and we celebrated afterwards with such a fun dinner with our families! It was the best way to end 2016!”

Tell me about the details you’re most excited about for your upcoming wedding!

Lauren: “We’re both really looking forward to getting to celebrate with all of our friends and family. We’re also excited about our venue! It was under construction and wasn’t even close to being finished when we toured it, but we new it would be the perfect place to celebrate with everyone!”

What did you each wear to your session?

Lauren: “I wore a couple flowy, floral dresses with some dusty blue heels. Sam wore his favorite navy blue sports coat with jeans, and then changed into his navy suit.”

What kind of look were you going for?

Lauren: “We wanted a romantic and natural feel, but also wanted to dress up a bit.”

Do you have any tips or advice for other couples about to have engagement photos taken?

Lauren: “Have your outfits picked out ahead of time. Sam and I were scrambling around at the last minute and ended up being a little late. Of course Emily was totally understanding and it was all fine, but we were a little flustered at the beginning!” (Emily: I couldn’t tell they were flustered at all! They were total pros!)

Sam: “My best advice would be to use Emily Chappell as a photographer! :)”

How was your overall session experience?

Lauren: “It was great! We had a blast laughing and cozying up to each other as well as getting to explore more of the trails. Emily was so sweet and made us feel super comfortable.”

Tell me one interesting/unique/funny thing about one another!

Lauren: “Sam is a total music, movie, and sports buff, so he always keeps me in loop on anything pop culture. His memory on this kind of stuff continues to surprise me!”

Sam: “Where do I begin? Do I mention that she NEVER finishes a cup of water? Should I talk about her killer dance moves? Nay. Those are not near as interesting as her absolutely amazing ability to write calligraphy. Her writing is beautiful and her finished products have been mistaken as professional before. It’s something I think she should take on as a profession in the future.” (Emily: I hope I see some of that handwriting at the wedding!)

Lauren and Sam, thank you for the honor of capturing your love story! It was a privilege to take your Arbor Hills Nature Preserve Engagement Photos. I can’t wait for November to arrive!

Did you enjoy these whimsical Arbor Hills Nature Preserve engagement photos, and now want to see more of my work? Feel free to view my website with galleries of more Dallas engagement photography! Whether you’re planning a wedding in Dallas or elsewhere in the DFW metroplex, I would love to hear about your special day and all of the moments leading up to it. Contact Emily Chappell Photography and let me treat you to coffee. I can’t wait to hear from you!