Alex & Catherine – Sand Harbor Engagement Session

I feel like I start off every blog post being excited about sharing the photos that I just took of sweet clients that have turned into friends, however this post is a bit different. Alex & Catherine were already friends of mine, that turned into sweet clients. Catherine and I started brainstorming on their engagement session and all of the possibilites. As adults, we know how precious and scarce free time is and how hard it is too coordinate schedules. Luckily for me, they already had a trip to Lake Tahoe planned and I was able to tag along with them. Catherine and I decided on Sand Harbor State Park for the engagement session location.

These photographs have such a special place in my heart. Alex & Catherine, thank you for letting me document such a special occassion in your lives.

How They Met:

Alex & I met on Tinder in January of 2020 - we both hated online dating, barely responded to other people, and were both about to delete the app. I find it to be complete fate that we swiped right and chose each other to reach out to. We went to Romacelli, and we immediately bonded over a shared love of food, wine, and a desire to see more of the world.

Shortly after we met, Alex was promoted and transferred to San Antonio, Texas. The pandemic hit the US a week later, and the Louisiana and Texas border was closed for a period of time. We faced many external challenges early on in our relationship, but in August of 2020, I moved to San Antonio to be with him. San Antonio is where we really fell in love and grew as individuals and as a couple. We started hiking on the weekends, we met some incredible people that we still keep in touch with, and we shared so many great meals at restaurants all over the city. In April of 2022, we moved to Memphis, Tennessee after Alex was promoted and transferred again. His job has allowed us to see cities and states we’d never have gotten to experience, and we anticipate more moves together in our future.

Alex & Catherine's Adventures:

We finally got to start really traveling together in 2021. We visited Big Bend National Park with a group of friends in May, and in November, we went on a cruise to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and St. Maarten with his parents. I try to do one thing a year I’ve never done before, and Alex has joined me in every venture since the day that we met. We have been jet skiing in the Bahamas, twilight ziplining through the rainforest, horseback riding cliffside in St. Maarten, snowmobiling in Lake Tahoe, and hiking all over Texas. We’ve done a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert in Phoenix, Arizona and more. He is my safe space, my adventure partner, and my very best friend.

How He Proposed:

For Christmas last year, we decided not to exchange gifts but to spend the money on a weekend getaway. We chose Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. We drove there on a Friday morning, and we grabbed brunch, walked around Bathhouse Row, and did a couples spa treatment at Quapaw Bathhouse & Spa. On Saturday, December 17, 2022, we hiked Peak Trail to the base of Hot Springs Mountain Tower and took the elevator to the top.

For a few moments, we were the only two people up there. I turned around to Alex getting down on one knee and asking me to spend the rest of our lives together. I screamed yes, we cried, we hugged, and we rode the elevator back down as an engaged couple. The rest of that weekend was full of complete bliss. We celebrated with drinks at sunset at The Rooftop Bar at the Waters Hotel followed by a fine-dining experience at Vault.

Alex & Catherine, I am so excited for this next chapter in your adventure of life. Can't wait to stand by you both on your wedding day. The next time any of you reading this post are in Lake Tahoe, stop at Sand Harbor State Park for a visit. You can visit their website here.

Check out Catherine and I's previous trip to Banff National Park. 

Follow Catherine's food/hiking blog Bites, Hikes and Other Likes.