Neither Libby nor Joel was interested in the other when they first met during the summer of 2014. Only after they both moved to The Netherlands in 2016, and began to truly become friends, did romantic interest start to form. (Don’t all the best love stories start this way!? I surely believe so.)

Two years overseas, loads of coffees, bike rides, and lots of event planning later, Joel and Libby realized they both liked each other… a lot. So they started dating. It was serious from the start, and didn’t take long for talk of wedding bells and marriage. While out in Washington State, Joel took Libby for a picnic at a very scenic spot by a mountain lake. They left engaged, ready to take on the world (literally!). And they’ll be back out west, this time in Colorado, for a late August wedding. How about that!

Libby told me that one of the first things they discussed as a newly engaged couple (!!!) was checking my availability. It blew me away— still does!— that they were willing to work their wedding date around my already busy schedule. I’m SO honored to be their wedding photographer, and even more than that, I cherish their friendship! We had a wonderful time exploring Des Moines and fighting off giant mosquitos. Worth it for the ‘gram. ;) Check out their lighthearted and wonderfully fun engagement session in East Village and Water Works Park!

We switched up locations and outfits. Joel had gone on about his love of “water features” so I decided to detour a little bit at Water Works Park to shoot a few photos by the fountain. Why not, right!? It’s such a fun thing to include special places or items… this seemed like a good idea to make this a little more “Joel”!

How wonderfully perfect are these two together!?