What happens when a cold-weather winter guy meets a warm-weather beach gal? They compromise! And plan some of their favorite activities by incorporating a bit of both. And Joe and Courtney, one of my couples whose engagement I recently shot, perfectly embody this happy synergy. My groom-to-be Joe is a 100% chill-in-the-hill fellow, while Courtney, the pretty bride-to-be, is a 100% sand ‘n’ sea kinda girl. And for their engagement session, these two gorgeous people decided to go for breathtaking mountain views at Spruce Peak, Stowe, Vermont. And that just means I got stunning backdrops amid a cottony blanket of snow for Courtney & Joe’s Spruce Peak engagement session. Be it the majestic mountains or the aesthetically pleasing architecture, everything around us was gorgeous. It was a beautiful day, and the energy my couple exuded kept me in high spirits. Another thing that helped me bond with my couple was the fact that I’d had the honor of photographing their actual proposal back in December. So, meeting them this time around felt like having a get-together with a couple of friends. We had so much fun during this session and created some stellar engagement images.
Courtney & Joe’s Story
Before the engagement session date arrived, Joe told me about their love story and the couple also shared some fun details with me to help me understand them better so that I could highlight their personalities through my photos. And what a treat it was to get to know this lovely couple’s journey.
Joe said, “We met in Fall of 2019 when Courtney drove up to NH to go out to lunch with her college roommate (who just happened to be dating Joe’s friend at the time). Courtney’s roommate wanted to set us up, so picking her up at Joe’s house was her way of getting us to meet. Courtney was instantly greeted by Joe’s adorable bulldog, Darley, which pretty much sealed the deal for Courtney because she is a sucker for dogs.” This was the time when even though Joe thought he was “playing it cool” by ignoring Courtney’s Snapchat, Courtney persisted in getting to know Joe and hang out with him. After a couple of group hangouts, Joe and Courtney decided to give it a shot, and well, the rest is history!
Talking about their first date, Courtney told me, “Our ‘first date’ was a random day during the week when Joe was on his way home from work. He picked me up at work, and we went to Chick-Fil-A for chocolate milkshakes and French fries.” Gosh!!! How cute is that! Sometimes the greater joys are truly in the little things we do!
Elaborating on the sweet middle ground they have found for themselves to do fun things together, Courtney and Joe recounted, “Some of our favorite activities are skiing together in the winter and going on hikes or walks in the fall/spring. And then, Courtney drags Joe reluctantly to the beach all summer. When we are not skiing or at the beach or going on hikes with our dog, Darley, we both love to relax on the couch and binge-watch Netflix.” Well! Courtney and Joe, it is really heartwarming to see how the two of you make space for each other’s likes and preferences and work your way around them. That’s exactly how a strong team works!
Sharing about Joe’s funny quirks and habits, Courtney told me, “If anyone knows Joe, they know Firetrucks = Life! I’m not sure if you would call it a habit or a quirk, but one thing I have a love-hate relationship with is how much Joe talks about firetrucks. I love that he is so invested in his work and has such a strong passion for something he loves so much, but let’s be real, I know way more about firetrucks than I ever wanted to know! Firetrucks and fires are one thing that will NEVER not be mentioned in our daily conversations, and sometimes I think he likes firetrucks more than me!” Hahahaha… That’s so cute, Courtney!
Talking about our bride’s quirks, Joe said, “Courtney might be the pickiest eater I have ever met. She is so stubborn and 99% of the time refuses to try new things or claims she doesn’t like them even though she’s never tried them. When I met her, she ate precisely zero vegetables… Thankfully, I’ve gotten that number up to three, but they have to be burnt to a friggen crisp for her to eat them. Some things she won’t eat comprise all things that she likes. For instance, she likes chicken, anything bread-related, and cheese, but ‘doesn’t like’ chicken parm! I fear that I will be stuck cooking the same five things for dinner over and over for the rest of my life.” OMG! Courtney and Joe, you guys are so adorable, and I’m sure my readers will enjoy reading your cute quirks as much as I did when I first heard about them.
When it came to their wedding vision, this is what the couple had to say, “We both love the outdoors and the rustic look aesthetics. We are getting married outdoors with a snowy background (hopefully) and having the reception in a barn with giant wood beams, lots of greenery, and wood tables. We are going with navy/grey as our colors to get a winter wonderland feel.” Joe added, “As much as Courtney loves the beach, she also likes a beautiful wintery scene.” “So when we decided to have a winter wedding, Joe didn’t even hesitate to jump on board! (I think he was just glad that I did not make him get married in the heat of the summer on a beach, haha),” Courtney summed it up for me.
Spruce Peak Engagement Photography
For the engagement session, my couple decided to go with two different looks, and they nailed both. In fact, Courtney’s red top was a perfect pop of color against that white snow cover, while their second look blended beautifully with the surroundings. Those lovely winter vibes and mesmerizing lighting set the mood right and gave us many more reasons to stay upbeat and create dreamy and romantic engagement photos.
Light & Airy Wedding Photographer At Your Service!
Courtney and Joe, you two are adorable, and I love being in your company. Your engagement session was so much fun, and I’m happy that we got those gorgeous images done to document this special time in your lives. I want to thank both of you for choosing me to be your photographer and wish you two a happy wedding planning together. Also, I really appreciate your advice to other couples planning their wedding. I’m sharing it here just as you said it, “We like to make a lot of the big decisions together (although a lot of times Courtney tries to influence Joe’s decision, haha). Some of the minor details Courtney is making the decisions on, but for the most part, we are planning together! Our advice for other couples is to keep an open mind about things, communicate everything and listen to each other’s opinions! The last thing you want to do is to get into a fight over what is supposed to be the happiest day of your life! But let’s be real… “happy wife, happy life” :).” Hahaha… Courtney and Joe, that’s one sound piece of advice, I’d say! And also a recipe for many successful marriages, I guess!
To all my readers out there, if you enjoyed reading Courtney and Joe’s story and liked the images I took, I’ve got more light and airy photos for you. You can check out the photos from Sara and Jr’s light and airy session and Emma & Bryant’s Winter Elopement. If you are looking for wedding venues, you can also take a look at NH Mountain Wedding Venues. And if you or someone else you know is looking for a similar photography experience, feel free to contact me! In case of questions, you can email me or call me at (603) 703-2626. To see more of my work and get updates, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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- Venue: Spruce Peak
