one. || cantigny gardens, il engagement & wedding photographer

"What do you want to be married to me for, anyhow?"

"So I can kiss you anytime I want."

melanie + jake // sweet home alabama

Jacob & Annie: engaged || dallas, tx engagement & wedding photographer

Though they both attended the same college, Jacob and Annie's paths didn't seem likely to cross each other since music and nursing majors rarely interacted.  But they did cross, thanks to a bible study they both started attending just a few years back.  Jacob first knew Annie as the sweet girl that every guy in the group was crushing on, though she was seemingly unaware of almost all of this ;)  And while he thought she was pretty and fun, he wasn't interested in becoming just another guy on that list, so he kept his distance, and didn't even attempt much of a friendship with her.
Things continued like this for months, during which Jacob even cheered a buddy on as he became interested in Annie and eventually asked her out.  Annie wasn't interested though, and when she turned the guy down Jacob realized that he was ...relieved?  glad?  Because Annie WAS sweet, and beautiful, and loved Jesus more than any girl he'd ever met, and he was suddenly ready to fight his way through the crowd of suitors that seemed to always surround her and win her heart.
Fight for her he did, and though the process was slow at times, he won her with his quiet confidence, compassion and love for people, and his ability to "make everyone anybody and everybody around him feel important and at ease."  One of Annie's first impressions of him even before they started dating was that he was "more like Jesus than any person I have ever met."  They read books together, drank coffee and cooked together, and quickly became the best of friends.  When Jacob asked Annie to marry him last December she said yes and they're getting married next month!
Congratulations Jacob & Annie, thank you for including me in this special time of your life, enjoy a few of my favorites from your engagement session!  Can't wait for your wedding day!
Much Love, Jessica Shae

one || arbor hills dallas, tx engagement & wedding photographer

"Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss...

but every once in a while, you find someone who's iridescent,

and when you do, nothing will ever compare."

// flipped.

William & Greta: engaged || ft worth tx, engagement & wedding photographer

For months (maybe even years?) people had nudged and hinted to each of them that they would be perfect for each other.  They were from the same area in East Texas and when they were home they attended the same church, but that wasn't often.  Greta spent most of her year at college in Virginia and William was busy getting his degree at A&M.  So while they both had a mutual admiration for the other it wasn't until Thanksgiving one year when they were both home on break William finally took serious notice of the soft spoken southern belle with clear blue eyes and started to think all the nudges and hints might have been right, because she all of sudden seemed perfect for him.
It didn't take long for Greta to realize that she wanted to spend the rest of her forever with this "strong silent type" of a man who lived life with conviction, ("Oh, and he has muscles!" she told me ;) so for a year they worked hard at the relationship despite the long distance between them.  And on their one year anniversary he took her out to the family tree farm and proposed in the same place that he had asked her to be his girlfriend just twelve months before.
William & Greta, I loved getting to know you two better during your engagement session and I can't wait to be a part of your beautiful wedding full of southern grace and charm and the love of Jesus Christ, just like the two of you.
Much Love, Jessica Shae

William & Greta: preview || ft worth tx engagement & wedding photographer

There will be much more of this loveliness from their engagement session and later on from their wedding this summer!
Much Love, Jessica Shae

Caleb & Laken: engaged || keller, tx engagement & wedding photographer

Laken kind of (ok, totally) thought Caleb was a jerk the first time they met at summer camp.  He on the other hand was completely smitten with the adorable little blonde whose laugh was infectious.  When I asked what finally changed her mind about him Laken replied: "The way he pursued me.  He just wouldn't give up."  And so we have another case where the un-faint of heart won his true love ;)
As I watched them laugh and tease each other all throughout our hour long session it was evident to me that these two have become the best of friends throughout their 4+ year relationship and it would seem that they just have fun together no matter what they're doing.  Caleb & Laken, I loved getting to hang out with you two last week, and THANK YOU for being so sweet and bringing my little guy one of his first gifts!  He can't wait to wear the adorable fuzzy socks ;) Much Love, Jessica Shae