Wes and Rachel are one of those couples I won’t easily forget. Let me explain.

First, on the day of their engagement session they showed up with my favorite coffee drink, a La Colombe Draft Latte. You’ll always get points for that, I’ve not above being bribed with coffee . Second, I simply didn’t want to stop photographing them! They are one of the most easygoing and relaxed couples, with a playfulness and spontaneity that was the perfect recipe for a great engagement session.

Wes and Rachel will be getting married later next year in DC, their hometown, at the regal Carnegie Institution for Science. Because of that, for their engagement session they wanted to go opposite of their wedding venue and embrace their love of the outdoors. They ended up choosing the stunning Sylvanside Farm.

As a retreat center, bed and breakfast, and wedding venue, Sylvanside Farm has a wonderful mix of areas for photography. We walked around the grounds, moving from the garden, to the barn, to the lake, to the fields, and more. Along the way I encouraged Wes and Rachel to act like they were on a date and remember their ten year history together!

It all began in 2010 on the National Mall at a summer movie night. Their happenstance meeting that night turned into a relationship where they, in Rachel’s words, “went through a lot together, including just being friends, dating, and breaking up twice. It’s true for us that the third time’s the charm!” The were engaged along the Tidal Basin in Washington DC and now these two DC sports fans are excited to be able to share their lives together.

Thanks Wes and Rachel, and the Sylvanside Farm team for a great engagement session!