Big Bear Engagement Session

"We spent the weekend in Big Bear, CA. I was born and raised in Southern California so it was fun showing Nate a small part of my childhood. Sidney met us up at the lake for our session and it was wonderful! She is a dear friend and I couldn't think of anyone more talented to capture our engagement photos and wedding day. Half of our session was spent laughing, looking into each other's eyes, and running through a field of knee high wild grass." -the couple


How he proposedI was going to school in Utah and we had spend a little over two months doing long distance. I had just seen him a week before, which I thought would be the last time I would see him for the next two months. His parents had invited me to travel to bear lake Idaho that weekend and although I was so excited to go, the thought of spending a fun weekend with Nate's family, without Nate, was a slightly heartbreaking.

That same weekend Nate was "camping" with a group of our friends in Colorado. Friday night he told me he was heading to bed and his phone was dying so I probably wouldn't be able to talk to him until Saturday night.

I got up early Saturday morning and drove over to Nate's sisters house. When I knocked on the door a man answered. At first I was confused because there weren't any guys living there and I was extremely tired. I realized it was Nate. I was almost angry for a few seconds because of how well he had tricked me. I hugged him and tried not to cry. So then what? Well it turned out to be a long day of asking myself that. I tried so hard to be patient, but when you think you're going to be proposed to it's a bit hard to be patient.

Nate and I spent the day in Idaho. We hiked up to a secluded lake. We visited his Grandfather's ranch. He told me stories of his childhood and summer nights that he spent there. I loved every second of it but I couldn't help wondering when he was going to propose. By the end of the day I was convinced he wasn't going to propose. 

It was getting late and was close to time for us to head home. I fell asleep in the car and when I woke up we were parked on the side of a dirt road next to a creak. Nate told me he wanted to show me his favorite fishing spot from when he was a kid. We walked through the trees, over rocks and through the creek, to a lush green clearing full of dandelions. This was it! My heart started pounding. He looked me in the eyes, brought me close, and whispered, "I need to tell you something." He sounded solemn and my heart sank. "I don't want to be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore...." I hugged him even tighter so that he wouldn't be able to see me crying. I was so confused. "I don't want to be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore because I want to marry you!" Then he got down on one knee quickly enough that he could see my look of sadness fade to shock. 

He asked me to marry him and I said yes and pulled him toward me before he could even put the ring on my finger. After hugging for a while he laughed and asked if I wanted to see my ring. It was a gorgeous cushion cut diamond with a halo around it, set in yellow gold. It couldn't have been more perfect.


Vendor: Photographer: Sidney Morgan Photography