Tana & Derek’s Engagement Session at Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Happy Wednesday friends! Can we all agree that it’s been a pretty eventful week? First off, we want to send out good vibes to everyone else and hope that you all are staying safe! It’s overwhelming how quickly our lives can take a turn [for better or for worse]. I personally have been occupied with rescheduling my spring weddings, and possibly our very own. My heart goes out to all the couples currently affected by this, and also all the vendors in the wedding industry. I personally know how you all feel. Heartbroken. Unsure. Stressed. I want to let you know… we CAN get through this. Fear is highly contagious, but so is LOVE, and POSITIVITY. Let’s all choose to spread that instead of fear and chaos!

Before everything seemed to have escalated overnight, I’m grateful Carmen and I got to go through with our engagement sessions and wedding. Last week, we finally got the pleasure of meeting up with Tana and Derek for their engagement session just an hour north of where we live. They were currently enjoying their ‘stay-cation’ by the beautiful Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Both of them were more than willing to let us join in on the fun they were having that week! I know I say that we have fun with all of our couples [and we do!], but when I tell you we had fun with these two, there’s not a lying bone in my body!

When we arrived to their Airbnb, we were greeting with a box of heavenly looking doughnuts from Jupiter Doughnuts. Now, if you know me, I mean REALLY know me, you’ll know I can’t say no to sweets. I don’t care if I’m on the strictest diet, I will break it for a worthy doughnut. So when Tana opened up to reveal the handcrafted doughnuts accompanied by the most infectious smile, she completely won me over when I spotted a red velvet one.

I. Love. Red Velvet.

One of our favorite locations to shoot is at the beach. If you remember Sarah and Brian, and Yingfei and William’s engagement session portraits by the ocean, it always come out beautiful! Tana and Derek suggested a beautiful spot within the state park that they loved, to begin portraits at. Hanging out with these two felt like spending the day with long time friends. I forgot the entire time that it was Carmen and Derek’s first time meeting that day. Tana and I talked about everything. From wedding plans, to non-prescription contact lenses (which I bought two sets yesterday online), to how they met! Speaking of how they met, fate led them to meet through their time in the Marines. Tana will tell you that it was her who first laid eyes on Derek. For a good while, she admired him from afar, until one day, she finally caught him laughing with his friends, and fell in love. As they say, it was history from there. After what probably seemed like forever, and dating long distance, Derek finally got down on one knee to ask for Tana’s hand at his family’s beautiful home in Washington.

Tana and Derek, Carmen and I had so much fun with you both. You both are fun, full of joy, thoughtful, and it’s clear you both have so much love for one another. So many times throughout that afternoon, it felt like Carmen and I were staring into a mirror. From the way you both spoke to each other, to the moments of absolute love you both had for one another that we captured through the lens when you forgot for a moment the cameras were on you both. We can’t wait to get together again with you. Enjoy this wonderful time of your lives, and all that joy and love you have in your relationship… don’t ever let that go.