Since Fall time is officially here, it’s about time to gear up for crisp air, apple cider donuts and fall foliage. However, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t totally swooning over how beautiful our most recent summer engagement sessions were. Maybe this is our way of trying to hold onto summer a little bit longer… who knows. When Alex and Courtney first inquired with us and we heard their love story, we were beyond hooked. We knew that their radiating personalities and magnetic love were exactly what we were looking to capture. While planning their wedding, we had scheduled their summer engagement at Cantigny Park and let’s just say… 100% totally and completely epic.

Alex & Courtney = A Love Story

Alex and Courtney both met during their first week at the University of Kentucky at a party. They found out they had mutual friends and were both from Naperville, and that’s how their connection started. At first, they were just friends. However, as time went on it was undeniable that these two were more than just that. Their connection began growing stronger and stronger until finally, someone had to make the first move. They had their first date on Valentine’s Day six years ago and since then they have never looked back. Cue sappy rom-com music because we are absolutely crying here!

When it came time for the proposal, Alex knew it had to be perfect. He began planning a trip to Lexington, Kentucky where they first met in college. It took months of planning in order to create the ultimate proposal for his future fiancé… everything had to go smoothly. Alex ended up surprising Courtney as they walked hand in hand towards tons of roses and a picture of them. At the time, Alex told Courtney they were going on a “private tour of Keeneland”… oh how Courtney was shocked. She screamed with excitement and was the easiest yes she’s ever said. After riding on cloud 9, Courtney was surprised by family and friends at the horse racing track. The same one that Alex and Courtney used to frequently go to while in college. Such a special moment for such a special couple!

Summer Engagement at Cantigny Park

For their engagement session, Alex and Courtney decided that the perfect spot would be Cantigny Park. Cantigny Park is actually the 500-acre former estate of Colonel Robert R. McCormick, a longtime editor, and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. Surrounding you are beautiful flowers, gardens, and sculptures that make it a no-brainer for your engagement session. It’s actually one of our top favorite engagement locations! Keep in mind that if you are wanting to have your engagement session at Cantigny Park that you need to purchase a permit. Find out more about purchasing a photography permit!

We were able to do a few outfit changes throughout the engagement session. This not only makes you feel like you are getting more out of your engagement session, but you also get to show the different sides of one another. Keeping some of them soft and romantic, while others being a lot more fun and casual. It was the perfect blend. Oh and don’t get us started on those golden hour photos… we die.

“The sunset pictures we took felt so romantic and Nicole was able to capture the moment perfectly. We loved having a couple of outfit options to change into so we could show our different sides. We can’t wait to work with Nicole and Michael for our big day!“

If their engagement session was this magical, we can only imagine how amazing their wedding day will be. Counting down the days until next June that we get to celebrate their love all over again – woohoo!

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