Rachel + Steve | Classic Red, White, and Blue Engagement, Detroit, MI
There I sat with the smell of coffee and the hum of conversation in the air and I thought to myself, "Wow, I really liked them!" I remember listening to Rachel tell the story of how her and Steve met in high school and eventually became engaged. She had the biggest smile on her face and at one point Steve grabbed her hand during the re-telling of the proposal.
I am all about that kind of love. That kind of love that just comes out naturally in two people and their need to be connected to one another in even the most simple of ways. That kind of love that you can't help but smile about as you talk about it with someone new.
On the day of the proposal, Rachel and Steve were enjoying the warm sunshine and sand in Cocoa Beach, Florida. They decided to take a late night stroll along the beach and unbeknownst to Rachel, Steve had a very important question on his mind. They stopped by the water, watching the surf, and Steve asked, "Will you marry me?". To which Rachel excitedly replied, "Yes, of course!" As if having a proposal on a beach in Florida wasn't already romantic enough, and almost on que, right then a dolphin swam by them! I guess he wanted to be the first of many to congratulate Rachel and Steve!
After the initial surprise of the engagement, and dolphin encounter, Rachel and Steve sat under the dark canopy of stars and contemplated this crazy moment in their lives and imagined their life together. Steve must have an "in" with someone in the universe because that's when a shooting star streaked across the sky! This almost fairytale proposal is almost too good to be true, but it couldn't be for a more deserving couple!
Rachel and Steve, I had so much fun getting to know you both even better at your downtown engagement in Detroit! I cannot wait for your wedding day and I know that if it is anything like your proposal that great things are definitely in store!
Love Always,
Courtney Carolyn
During our pre-engagement planning, Rachel and Steve mentioned that they enjoy visiting Campus Martius Park in Detroit, especially for ice skating in the winter! I love it when we are able to incorporate an activity or a location that my couples love to visit into the engagement session because it instantly makes the session more personal!
As we walked around downtown, we came across this rustic door that ended up framing these two perfectly!!
We also discovered this hidden gem that overlooked the amazing Detroit skyline!
Want to know how we got these images on the rooftop without any shade, yet we were still able to capture beautiful light without any harsh shadows? Answer: An overcast day and golden hour timing! Despite what you may think, cloudy days are actually amazing opportunities for photography because the harsh, direct sun is softened and diffused by the clouds.
On top of that, scheduling your portraits during the golden hour, which is when the sun is lowest in the sky either after sunrise or before sunset, also helps achieve these amazing results!
Could this be any more romantic?! Rooftop view. Check. City skyline. Check. Two people in love. Check!
Aren't Rachel and Steve just adorable!? Seriously, they were so much fun to work with and by this point in the engagement they were laughing and making silly faces at one-another non-stop.
I was particularly happy with the intersection of the Red, White, and Blue in these images!
Isn't Rachel just beautiful?! Her red pea coat went perfectly with Steve's uniform and it really adds a wonderful pop of color!
There is something so honest and wonderful about the way Steve looks at Rachel. . . and when they looked at each other during the engagement, they were instantly connected.
I can't get enough of these images on the marble steps of the Detroit Institute of Arts because they are just so classic and timeless. It was almost like we were on a grand marble staircase in Europe somewhere!
Photography: Courtney Carolyn Photography
Location: Downtown Detroit and Detroit Institute of Arts
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Meet Courtney
Welcome to the CCP Blog! I'm Courtney Carolyn a wedding photographer based just outside of Detroit, Michigan. I hope you grab a cup of coffee (or sweet tea) and enjoy viewing my latest work, reading up on resources for brides, and getting a little peek into my life! I'm so excited you stopped by! Read more . . .
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