Summer Waterfall Engagement Photos

Happy Friday, everyone! Boy OooO boy do I have a wonderful couple for you all to meet on this sunny Friday!  They’re amazing.  They’re fun.  They’re easy to photograph.  I could go on and go on and on!  So, if you’re new to the Hannah Barlow Photography blogs…buckle up!! This is going to be a long one because last night was THAT great! EEEKKK!!! Everyone, meet Marissa and Kyle!! They’re the newest couple on my blog and it’s a goodie!  Enjoy!

Marissa reached out to me a few months ago and booked me for their 2021 Oglebay wedding.  I remember her being SUPER fast when asking for information and then booking.  She’s also hired DJ Brian Oliver and Jay Morris so there was really not any way you could go wrong with their wedding.  And then…we started emailing leading up to this engagement session.  I’d email her..she’d get right back.  She’d email me…I’d get right back.  It was just flowing so nicely…and then I met her and her husband-to-be, Kyle, and it was pure perfection!  I could tell they were a little nervous.  Most couples are at these sessions!  Heck, I’m SUPER weird in front of the camera!  I later read their couple fun fact survey (which she also sent RIGHT back to me).  She even admitted they were nervous at first but ended up leaving with big smiles on their faces.  I’m telling you…I did too!!! We had so much fun!  I told Kyle he earned himself a WHOLE bunch of photos on his wedding day.  You’ll see why…they were really stars for this session!  It didn’t matter if they were perfectly posed or laughing their hearts out…the photos just worked!

So, we laughed…a lot!  I always tell my couples to just laugh through it any time they start feeling that…”I don’t know what to do” feeling.  These two ROCKED IT!  Sometimes you meet two people you just “click” with and magic happens.  Marissa and Kyle were that way with my camera…and me, of course!  Their wedding is going to be TO DIE FOR…and the wedding blog will most certainly be obnoxiously long!

So, these two met in college.  They both played basketball at Wheeling Jesuit.  It makes sense that Kyle is so tall but Marissa…GIRL…tell me about this!  Their height difference makes me giggle (she’s even got heels on).  BUT ANYWAY…they dated for five years before they were engaged!  Kyle popped the question on Valentine’s Day weekend up on Mt. Washington!! I HEAR there are photos and videos but I don’t have my hands on those babies yet!  Marissa said they had gotten all dressed up for a “surprise dinner” Kyle had planned and she REALLY wanted photos so they invited some friends who happened to be in town to take them!  They were taking those photos when Kyle started to pull something out of his pocket.  Marissa says neither one of them actually remember what was said at that point but I think we ALL can guess he asked, “Will you marry me?!” and she said, “YES!”…because here we are taking their engagement photos!

You all know how I name my poses, right?!  Well, a new one was born last night.  Ironically, I can’t remember exactly what I called it at the time.  “Bear Hug Snuggle?”…or something like that.  BUT…Marissa and Kyle have landed themselves in the Hannah Barlow Photography posing guide with…”The Bear Hug”!  Their height difference makes this work JUST perfect!  At this point, I think they’d gotten rid of all those nerves because JUST LOOK…they were just rolling with it and I was just snap…snap…snapping away!

Marissa described Kyle as “patient, dependable, and adventurous”.  I can totally see it!  He never missed a beat when we started getting adventurous with our photo locations.  Kyle, on the other hand, described his wife-to-be as “sweet and caring”.  If I had had to describe them prior to asking those questions in my survey, I’m pretty sure I would have been able to nail those descriptions!! I’d like to also add that Marissa seems pretty adventurous too!! Maybe she was just doing it for me and the photos but she didn’t bat an eyelash over getting in the water…or hiking to a location.  They were both ALL IN for these photos and I think it shows!

I had given them my tips at the beginning of the session and they both took them VERY seriously – even making sure that ring was perfectly straight (per my request).  Those little details make all the difference, I tell ya!

At this point, I was “all in”, as well.  Laying on the ground…hooting and hollering…you name it!

Then, we went for a real hike to get to that waterfall!  Even in those heels, they were keeping up with me!! I kept trying to get ahead of them so I could capture these moments!

…and these ones, ladies and gentleman, are some of my VERY favorites!

The water was cold and the rocks were slimy but that didn’t stop them from jumping in the water!

Ok…so maybe they didn’t jump but they went right over to the spot I love!

This was the moment I just KNEW they were feeling good about all this.  They were laughing and joking and I thought…just thought…that maybe I heard Kyle say something about a dip!  You ALL know I love a dip…and if you don’t…well, I love a good, old fashioned dip so much I always start to squeal.  I didn’t want to interrupt the moment though so I just let this one play out.  Kyle was telling her he was going to dip her.  I was smiling from ear to ear.  Just look at her reaction…”You want to do what?!”

I’d like to call this the… “I’m not sure what’s happening here” look and I was just dying laughing while photographing it all!

Kyle’s trying to get her on board here in this photo below and I was just thinking…”Yea…I’m going to let this one play out”!  Let’s see what happens.

Nope.  Nope.  Can’t say they nailed it but I’m giggling my heart out even watching this play out today while editing and blogging!

So, I went over and gave them a few quick tips and…just like the rest of the photos…THEY NAILED IT, of course!  AHHHHHHH!

I mean…just look!  Can you get ANY more romantic that this?!  I don’t think so!  It was perfect!

At that point, my wedding photographer heart was full and I knew we could call it a night so they headed on out of the water and I sealed up this gallery with just a few more!  Can you just imagine what next June is going to bring?!

One more Hannah squeal from me!! EEEEKKK!!! For real though, it’s going to be great.  We’ve got a dream team of vendors coming at ya and an amazing couple!  They tell me they’re going for a rustic feel with greenery EVERYWHERE!  YESSSSS! YES YES YES!  I already know which one of my second shooters is going to want this one!  Check back next year!  It’s going to rock!  Thanks for reading and have an AMAZING weekend!