Jenny and Mike might be heading to Punta Cana for their destination wedding in January 2019, but they chose to get their engagement photos right here in Bloomington, Illinois! Their romantic engagement session was fully of love, magic, and fairytale kisses. Oh, and their sweet dog Jax! It was wonderful to see the chemistry between these two, and see how excited they are to start their forever adventure together.

When Blind Dates Work Out

I ask each and every couple that I work with all about their relationship – how they met, when they knew they found the one, and what they love to do together. I never tire of the love stories because each is so different and nuanced, colored by history and full of excitement for the future. Learning about Jenny and Mike’s story was no different. Jenny and Mike met on a blind date initiated by Jenny’s mom, Denise, who worked with Mike at State Farm. After a few conversations with her coworkers, Denise found out that Mike was single, so she worked her magic to hook him up with needed contact information. Jenny and Mike’s first date was here in Bloomington at a local bar. When Jenny met Mike, she immediately noticed his bright blue eyes. She thought Mike was funny, easy to talk to, and mature. Over the course of the date, Mike was drawn to Jenny’s sense of humor and ability to put up with his sarcasm. The rest is history!

Building a Strong Foundation

At the beginning of their relationship, Jenny traveled a lot for work. Instead of letting the travel cause them to drift apart, Jenny and Mike took full advantage of the opportunity to visit and explore new cities together. Through their adventures, their relationship blossomed and they knew they were meant to be. Mike knew he had found his forever partner after spending the first family Christmas together and extended time with each of their families. Family is important to both of these lovebirds, so seeing how well their families got along was confirmation for Mike that Jenna was the one. For Jenny, she knew it was meant to be after her second work trip to Michigan. Although it was a different relationship than either of them had signed up for because of Jenny’s travel, Mike made countless attempts to stay in touch, visit her on assignments, and move his schedule around to spend time together when she had weekends off. Jenny knew that Mike was special and put in the extra effort to build their relationship to what is today.

Couples Who Travel Together, Stay Together

Throughout their time together, Mike has grown to love Jenny’s loyalty to her friends and family. He also loves her honesty and that she can match (and even exceed) his own sarcasm. Jenny loves Mike’s drive, his compassion and how thoughtful he is, and his passion to help and be influential to others. Together, Jenny and Mike enjoy eating out, socializing with their families and friends, and traveling as much as their schedules and budget allows. They also love spending time with their dog Jax, who joined them on their romantic engagement session. As a couple, they have traveled to Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, San Francisco, Hawaii, and Arizona. With such an adventurous side, it’s no surprise that they are stoked about their upcoming romantic wedding in Punta Cana.

A Romantic Engagement

In preparation for their upcoming nuptials, I met with Jenny and Mike for their romantic engagement session. We snapped some beautiful photos in Bloomington, celebrating the place that holds a special place in their hearts. Their session was so perfect, and the lovebirds couldn’t take their eyes off of each other. I love sessions like this because the couples are true to themselves, and their love just radiates through their photos. Jenny and Mike also wanted a few shots with the other love in their life – their dog Jax. Each photo was unique, special, and full of fun! Yay for love and romantic engagement sessions!

Jenny and Mike will be saying their vows next January with the sun warming their faces, the ocean crashing at their sides, the sand between their toes, and their closest family and friends by their sides. Happy adventuring to these sweethearts!

For other romantic engagement photos, check out Mary and Pete’s photo session.