Anna + Jake: A Riverside Romance in Autumn

I recently had the pleasure of capturing Anna and Jake’s engagement session, and let me tell you, it was a real-deal adventure. We found ourselves back at the Indian Caves along the river in Bourbonnais, and the setting was nothing short of magic.

The weather gods decided to play nice with a break in the rain, turning the landscape into a vibrant canvas of fall colors. And yeah, they went barefoot in the chilly river – talk about commitment!

We did the outfit change dance, and my personal favorite was their casual look – tan and maroon against the river’s natural palette. It was like they were made to blend with the beauty around them.

Their session was fun, laid-back, and easy. Their natural chemistry worked well with the camera! I can’t wait to photograph their June wedding next year!

How did you meet?

“We first met through a mutual friend our freshman year at Illinois State, though we didn’t start dating until we had biochemistry together our junior year. Jake asked Anna out to coffee several times under the guise of friendship. He kept asking deeper and more personal questions until Anna made him admit that the reason for their coffee dates was that he had feelings for her. She told him “I don’t know” (she had a lot going on that week). Jake took that as rejection, but about two weeks later, Anna had made up her mind that she did in fact have feelings for him, and they officially started dating.”