I met Vanessa and Jeff at their apartment in Downtown Chicago for their engagement session before we headed off to explore their neighborhood park and the lakefront. The two met while working at the same restaurant together. They were friends at first and kept things casual – but as they started to see each other outside of work more and more because of their mutual friends, they realized there was more to their relationship than that. Jeff said he always knew it was meant to be from the moment he started to get to know Vanessa and she says she knew it was meant to be when she saw how many passions and priorities they had in common…between their love for their families, the desire to travel the world, and how much they both value having a partnership – she knew he was the one.

Vanessa

“I thought Jeff was different than any other guy I had ever spoken to. He genuinely wanted to get to know me and put the time in to do so. When he first met me he asked me all sorts of questions just to get to know who I was and what I liked. He was sweet and super personable. I love Jeff’s natural desire for adventure. I know life will never be boring with him by my side because he is always wanting to learn or try something new together. I also love his sense of humor (a good portion of our day together is spent laughing). I am most attracted to his drive and determination. He is always challenging himself to try something new. And he is one of those people who is always giving to others.”

Jeff

“When I first met Vanessa, I was thinking, wow this type of girl does not come around that often. She’s genuine, kind hearted and not just a party girl. Only a really lucky guy could be with someone like her. I love Vanessa’s sense of humor. I always thought I was funny and then I found someone who is even funnier than me. A day does not go by that Vanessa can’t make me laugh. She is open to trying new things in life like exploring different places and being my partner in crime. I love her strong personality; she’s not afraid to say what she’s thinking; but she genuinely takes the time to listen to other people and learn about their life.”

 

To see photos from similar shoots click here and here!