Sam and Ali are the IRL Chip and Joanna from Fixer Upper. We had the best time on their Austin Texas destination engagement session! Sam has a knack for building things from scratch and Allie’s design vision is unmatched. Together, they purchased their own fixer upper and let the hammers and sparks fly! A true testament to the relationship IMO. There is no better place to capture an engagement session than somewhere that really speaks to the couple. I packed my bags and booked a flight to their home in Austin, Texas!

Austin Texas Destination Engagement

An Austin, Texas, destination engagement session is a lot of fun. While we book a lot of surprise proposals, the engagement shoot is great for a number of reasons. While one half of the couple is traditionally more involved in the proposal, it gives the other half the opportunity to plan out the engagement as well! These sessions are also great for capturing photos that can be used on invites, save the dates, bridal shower thank you cards, and my favorite – to hang on the wall.

In this case, it was a great opportunity for Ali and Sam to get to know me and test out the chemistry between us! Ali and Sam chose me to be their wedding photographer as well, and it really helps the couple feel at ease if we’ve already met. It also gives the couple a chance to look at photos as themselves and see if the style is what they envision for the wedding. While you can learn a lot about a photographer based on their website and social media, having the engagement photos gives you an opportunity to understand what it would really look like with YOU! Again, chemistry can also not be overstated. You are spending A LOT of time at your wedding with your photographer, let’s have a blast!

Back to Texas for an Austin Texas Destination Engagement Session

After my last visit to Austin Texas where I photographed Ricky and Jenn’s wedding at Ma Maison, I was even more excited that my photography was taking me back! Being a Texas wedding photographer is so much fun. I love the energy of the city! After getting to know each other virtually, I was stoked to meet Ali and Sam in person. Ali is a California girl so I knew we would hit it off.

For Austin Texas Destination Engagement sessions, I always get there early so I can scout locations. I have a few places in mind going in, but getting a feel in person makes a difference. As a Pebble Beach Wedding Photographer, Austin Texas is a completely different landscape and it’s like stepping into a new world! Seeing the world through photography is something I love to share with others.

Arriving at their home, I could tell why Ali and Sam chose it. The home has so much history and charm that you don’t see in new builds. The railing around the porch was so inviting, I was ready to pull up a chair and join them for some tea and neighborhood-watching.

Welcome Home!

To kick off the morning, I brought two bottles of champagne and we promptly opened the first one. Over some bubbly, we went over how they wanted the session to feel and their vision for the day. I can’t recommend enough taking half a day for photos and enjoying several locations and outfits. In Austin, there are so many great Austin engagement session locations – Laguna Gloria, Enchanted Rock, Camp Lucy, Bull Creek. While those are all beautiful, Ali and Sam had a vision in mind that included places that weren’t only beautiful, but meaningful to them.

Starting with their home, I captured a really charming photo of Ali and Sam playfully on the stairs that SAM HAD BUILT. Did I Say Ali and Sam or Ali and Noah?? The kitchen was also a focal point for the shoot with its beautiful new wooden floors, cozy breakfast nook with an oversized window, and handmade charcuterie board. I was obsessed with the green island with gold hardware. Like I said, Ali had a vision. For a couple who loves to host get-togethers, capturing these photos for Ali and Sam was more than a single moment. It was truly a chapter in their lives they will be able look back on and tell stories about. Photos are a part of time and extend deeper than one day, one hour, one minute.

Taking Their Love Story Out on The Town During an Austin Destination Engagement Session

Next, we took Austin by storm! I really loved Ali’s style on this one with her navy blue dress paired with cowboy boots – so Texas! Sam rocked green pants and a nice jacket, looking fresh. Wed Society in Austin would be proud. They advise, “The most important thing when determining your engagement picture outfits is to be true to yourself. If you and your partner usually wear simple pieces, now isn’t the time for over-the-top ensembles. You need to wear what makes you feel most comfortable and beautiful.” Comfortable and beautiful they were!

The thing about Austin is that it’s going to give you something to talk about. We ventured to the University of Texas where Ali and Sam met. The pair showed me around their old stomping grounds. The couple attended business school at UT and met the week before orientation. They immediately clicked, bonding over their love of food and cooking during a school meet-up at Tiniest Bar in Texas. We had to check out where their love story started, and I give it five stars. It is home to multiple food trucks, several craft cocktails, and DOGS! Sold.

We ended up in the midst of graduation celebrations and champagne pops everywhere. While I was there to capture an Austin, Texas engagement, it was so fun to see other photographers around celebrating a new class of graduates. Ali and Sam smiled reminiscing on their own graduation day.

How do you tell your love story?

After UT, we made our way through Austin full of colorful backdrops on an urban casual stroll, had a mid-day brewery stop, and ended our adventure with a picnic for two.

The downtown Austin engagement session included some fun poses and a pair of shades to complete the everyday look. Ali and Sam enjoyed an incredible engagement shoot. While I love a Pebble Beach engagement, it was a lot of being in an urban setting for the day.

This was an Austin destination engagement session I will always remember! Looking back, I am so proud to have captured the place they met! At Tiniest Bar and UT, they enjoyed so many seemingly average moments that made up their incredible love story. From their love growing from a feeling into something tangible with their home that’s a true labor of love, it is all so very special.

Whether I travel to a couple or they travel to me, I love that it’s not just a simple pose, it’s a lifestyle we’re envisioning. Especially for the destination engagement sessions that lead into weddings, my goal is to get to know a couple as best as I can so I can photograph their day as if we’ve been friends all along.

If you are ready to book your own destination engagement session or even an Austin Wedding Photographer, reach out! Let’s make some magic together.