Shelby and Chris were wanting a winter engagement but never expected to have the perfect snowy day. Shelby and Chris met back in 2015 and quickly realized they had an instant connection. This Saint Mary’s/Notre Dame power couple is tying the knot next August at the beautiful Basilica on campus.
Shelby and Chris came into town for the holiday and we were able to have their engagement session too. Their session started at the studio with hair and makeup and lots of catching up. Even though there was a fresh blanket of snow, it was still pretty cold outside. So instead of having their entire session outdoors, we started in the studio.
These two starting smiling and never stopped. 😊
A quick backdrop change and it was time to get cozy together. 😉
LOVE! 💕
Shelby and Chris threw on their coats and off we went to Saint Mary’s College. Despite the deep snow and freezing temperatures, these two still managed to have a case of the giggles. 🙂
Hallmark card worthy! 😍
We walked across the bridge to the island for some snuggles. 🥰
Picture perfect! 🤩
Just off the to left was Le Mans Hall where the light was just heavenly.
Before we left campus, I wanted to do something creative in front of the main doors. I’ve seen photos of these doors a thousand times so it was my job to think outside the box for Shelby and Chris. I decided to illuminate the doors with a blue gel and turn Shelby and Chris into a silhouette. By removing the natural light, the blue is able to show through and make them pop off the frame. It’s so unique and (to my knowledge) has never been done here before. Win-win! 😊
Shelby and Chris first met at the Notre Dame bookstore so it seemed only fitting to revisit such a personal spot for them. I loved the idea of shooting down the aisles and all the colorful books add more visual interest to each photo. 😊
For their ring shot, I placed Shelby’s ring on top of a garden puzzle. Shelby loves flowers and puzzles so it was the perfect spot. 💍
We headed back outside and started walking towards south quad. Along the way, we stopped at these beautiful, snow-covered pine trees for my favorite, the ‘burrito’ spin. Props to these two for doing the spin in the snow. ❄️ 🤣
As the sunset, the sky turned deep blue and purple. It was too pretty not to shoot. First I lit them from the front and then I removed the light and turned them into a silhouette. Which one is your favorite? 🤩
On our way back to our cars, I couldn’t help but feel like there was one more photo we needed to take. As we were walking through the row of trees, it came to me… snow! I put the light behind Shelby and Chris so that it would not only light them but also pick up the falling snow. Since it wasn’t snowing, I had Grace throw snow in the air. It was cute but we needed for the snow to come from both sides of the frame. Thankfully, these complete strangers walked by at the perfect time and were nice enough to help us out. Everyone grabbed a huge handful of snow we were able to create our own personal snow storm. EPIC!
The perfect ending to this winter wonderland engagement!
To Shelby & Chris – Thank you for your willingness to shoot in the cold and snow and for your patience as my mind worked, lol. Grace and I had an absolute blast and we can’t wait for your wedding day! I’m beyond thrilled to be on this journey with you both. All my love – S
To see their full session, click here.
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Photography: Sarah Sage Photography LLC
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