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JENNY + RYAN // cozy fall South City + Tower Grove Park engagement

The Days of Jenny + Ryan

My favorite answer on the engagement session quiz I gave to Jenny and Ryan was in response to the simple question: How long you have you been together?

“1,003 days or 972 days. Depending on who you ask.”

I’ve never seen that answer submitted in ‘days’ before, but I think it speaks volumes. Jenny + Ryan clearly don’t take their time together for granted. They’re thankful every day that they’ve found their person.

The Journey to Together: A Fateful Swipe Right

Like many folks today, Jenny was over online dating apps and was ready to swear off them entirely. The process of swiping, messaging and going on awkward first dates can be exhausting and sometimes you just need a break. But with a bit of persistent encouraging from her older sister to give ONE more date a try, she picked up her phone and cautiously swiped right.

Meanwhile, across town and brand new to the dating app scene, Ryan made a swipe of his own and created plans to go on his very first ‘app’ date at Urban Chestnut Brewery in the Grove. And that date, 1,003 or 972+ days ago, was the night Ryan met Jenny. He hit it out of the ballpark on his first try. (And needless to say, their Urban Chestnut origins needed to make an appearance in their session!)

young couple sitting on short front porch steps of a limestone house smiling as they cheers bottles of local zwickel beer

Warm Fall Memories that Feel Like Home

We started our engagement hang together in Tower Grove Park, capitalizing on warm summer-like weather and peak fall colors. We were immensely blessed by both! For Jenny and Ryan, Tower Grove park has been the destination of many long walks and lazy afternoon, so it’s a special place that feels like home for them both. And thanks to the park’s wide range of diverse spaces and landscaping we were able to create pictures that almost appear to span all seasons of life there! Scrolling through you’ll feel ‘summer’ optimism in by the willow blend into moody fall moments along the enchanted stone bridge.

wide far shot of a man in a green sweater and khaki pants hugging his girlfriend in a white floral calf-length dress in front of large green willow tree
waist up shot of a young couple turned togethers with a large green willow tree fills the background
close up of a young blonde woman a spring-inspired white floral dress leaning and smiling against her bald bearded boyfriend in a green sweater
young woman gleefully holds the arms of her boyfriend as he hugs her from behind and kisses her head in front of a giant willow tree
blank and white shot of young couple embracing and smiling toward the camera
tall far shot of couple holding hands and looking towards each other centered in front of a tall willow tree
young women in white floral dress and cream cardigan looks back and touches the cheek of her boyfriend as they stand along a stone wall on the edge of a pond
shot across the water to a couple sharing a bench together on the other side in Tower Grove Park
young woman kisses her boyfriend on the cheek as she sits on his lap and he smiles to camera in Tower Grove Park
black and white close shot of couple nuzzling noses
far wide image across the water to a couple sharing a bench together on the other side of the water's edge in Tower Grove Park
young couple erupts in laughter at the each other while sitting on a bench together
close up of a goose profile perched in front of water
yellow autumn leaves strewn about the grass with the center leaf rolled up slipped through large rectangle diamond engagement ring
couple slow dancing in a park filled with yellow fall trees and fallen yellow leaves on the ground
woman in floral dress, cardigan and fashion hat laughs with her classic sweatered boyfriend in a park
wide shot of a couple on the left side of the frame laughing and walking together through a peak fall park scene
moody black and white shot of couple sitting on the grass leaning against each other with eyes closed and surrounded by fallen leaves
far shot of a couple holding hands and walking away from the camera through yellow-leaf covered trees
side shot of a couple holding hands and looking lovingly at each other as they cross a crosswalk in a fall park
front shot of a couple holding hands and looking lovingly at each other as they cross a crosswalk towards the camera against vibrant fall park trees
front shot of a couple holding hands and looking lovingly at each other as they cross a crosswalk towards the camera against vibrant fall park trees
black and white side shot of a couple crossing the street in a park
far wide shot of a couple facing each other and holding each other close in the center of a small stone bridge in front of a rainbow of colorful trees
black and white of couple on a bridge, the boyfriend smiling off camera as his girlfriend smiles bashful towards the ground on his chest
centered shot of a couple peacefully looking to the camera while embracing in the center of a romantic small stone bridge
symmetrical shot of a couple kissing in the center peak of a small stone bridge in front of a rainbow of colorful trees
young man smiles back towards his girlfriend as she look up and hugs him from behind between a frame blurry red leaves in the foreground
young man smiles back towards his girlfriend as she look up and hugs him from behind in colorful fall scene
a gold engagement ring a large rectangular diamond sits on a red fall leaf sits perched on a stone railing
close up of young man smiling back towards his girlfriend as she look up and hugs him from behind

J+R’s South City Charm

After our upbeat stroll through Tower Grove, we made our way to Jenny and Ryan’s shared home in the cozy brick-centric rows of South City. There we pick up the final member of their trio – their dog Gracie – for a walk around their neighborhood. Simple walks like these are just one of the many small routines they’re really enjoying about this phase of life, and that’s reason enough to preserve it in stills. Someday in the future they may be called to move away from this charming spot they love, or crazy schedules may limit free ‘walking’ time, but now they’ll be able to revisit today’s simple joy whenever they please. How fall colored their little block. Walks together with the pup. Watching life unfold from the porch of their favorite first home. Ryan’s smile, Jenny’s eyes, and all the other small details they love about their days together so much. All 1,003 of them counting.

side shot of couple walking their dog on a leash on the sidewalk of a classic St. Louis South City-style neighborhood with small unique brick homes
young man smiles as his girlfriend laughing to camera as their dog perfectly poses for the camera in front of them in the middle of a tree covered sidewalk
young blurry couple seated on a pile of fall leaves kiss as their dog sits stoically in focus for the camera
front shot of couple walking their dog towards the camera down the sidewalk of a classic St. Louis South City-style neighborhood with small unique brick homes
young couple stops mid-neighborhood walk to pet their smiling dog
young couple smiles in casual sweaters walk across the street with their dog in a fall neighborhood
young couple sit on a curb covered in yellow fall leaves smiling towards each other and making funny faces as their dog sits between their legs
black and white of a young couple relaxing on a curb with their dog in a fall neighborhood scene
couple seated on a curb laughing as their dog jumps up to catch falling leaves in the foreground
black and white of young couple leaning in close and smiling towards the camera while seated on curb
young couple sitting on a leaf covered curb as they try to time throwing leaves up in the air simultaneously
fall leaves cover a brick wall lined sidewalk in a neighborhood and a young couple sits centered in the middle with their dog.
young couple sitting on short front porch steps of a limestone house smiling as they cheers bottles of local zwickel beer
close up of blurry couple nuzzling noses cheers-ing in-focus bottles of zwickel beer in the foreground
black and white shot of young woman peacfully resting on her boyfriends knee as he rest his head on hers while sitting on porch steps
mid-body portrait of a young blonde woman in a maroon sweater smiling to camera
cozy couple in sweaters erupting into laughter as boyfriend suprises his girlfriend with a hug from behind
mid-body portrait of a young bald man with trimmed beard in a chunky gray sweater smiling to camera as he leans his arms against his knees
close up portrait of young couple close together and smiling towards the camera
cozy couple in sweaters erupting into laughter as boyfriend suprises his girlfriend with a hug from behind
close up of couple smiling as they nuzzle noses together


Dreaming of photos like this of your own?

I LOVE helping couples level-up their photo adventures and create images that are hyper-personalized. To learn more about the unique couple/engagement session experience I provide, get in touch with me HERE!


Love the setting of this session?
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