For as long as I can remember, I’ve seen photos of Maroon Bells – in National Geographic, in calendars and as desktop screensavers, big prints and serving as the most incredible backdrop to incredible portraits and weddings. So, naturally, I have wanted to have a Maroon Bells engagement session and when Kayla + Edwin reached out a few months ago about meeting there for a destination session – I literally clapped and did a happy dance and “Woo Hoo’d” out loud. We planned for their shoot in the last few days right before our kids started school, so we made a whole family day out of it. We made the 10 hour round trip drive, hung out in Aspen and while I hung out with Kayla + Edwin, Randy took the kids hiking around the lake.

Edwin and Kayla are absolutely adorable together, too! They met back as high school sophomores, but it took Edwin asking Kayla out a dozen times before she finally agreed to a date. Edwin, however, wanted to know her from the moment he saw her across the hall and he spent all year talking to her, because he “constantly wanted to know more about her, to see her smile and to always show her how special she was.” Now, nearly a decade later, these two are engaged and planning their Wisconsin wedding next year! Edwin surprised her at the zoo in Chicago, with all her family around to watch him get down on one knee and propose. What made it even more special, was that he had gotten the word “angel face” engraved on the inside of the engagement band, as a tribute to Kayla’s late grandmother (whom she was very, very close with). He just loves her so much, and it just made me so happy to be a small part of their love story!

You guys: this Maroon Bells engagement session is my new favorite. I literally want to spend every minute here, I can’t wait to come back in the fall and the winter. It’s one of my new favorite spots in the world – the lake, the flowers and of course, the gorgeous mountains in the backdrop. We went on a pretty hazy day, but even still – the views were spectacular!!