*An Engagement Session at Government Cove, in the Columbia River Gorge*

I love Aubrey and Brad! Talk about a couple who love to laugh and have a great time! I swear, from the moment we jumped out of our cars to the last instant of untangling them from the twinkle lights we used in the last few shots, Brad and Aubrey’s joyful laughter continued to warm my heart.

Brad and Aubrey met years ago and on their first date they ended up changing the spark plugs on Brad’s 65 Plymouth Valiant where Aubrey was impressed with Brad’s mechanical aptitude, and Brad loved that Aubrey didn’t shy away from him needing to do the work. Aubrey even laughed when she told me one of the more significant moments of she and Brad’s relationship was when, after many years together, she could place her hand on the hood of a car and tell Brad which cylinder was misfiring! Needless to say, these two were meant for each other!

Aubrey is also quite the artist and crafter and we’ve been chatting back and forth about a few of the amazing DIY projects she’s been working on for their upcoming wedding at Abernethy Center next May. For her engagement session she even brought along a few fun props to use and had a really artistic idea for a post-sunset photo involving 16 separate strands of twinkle lights! Scroll down to see the end result!

Besides being a mechanical wizzard, Brad is also a bit of a lumberjack and also has a hobby of creating wood burning art, and I’m crossing my fingers that one or two of his pieces end up making an appearance in their wedding decor next spring.

Together, Brad and Aubrey love fishing and camping, as well as just snuggling up together on the couch with their adorable dog Shepard who came along for the engagement session and was honestly one of the most well-behaved dogs I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing!

Aubrey, Brad, Shepard, myself and my associate photographer Gabby had a blast walking all over the hills and trails of Government Cove for their engagement session. I was especially impressed with Aubrey’s skill at walking in heels over some pretty rocky terrain, but her grace as a former dancer kept her on her feet despite the challenges of uneven ground.

Brad kept an eye on Shepard who was off-leash for about 90% of the shoot, despite it being a more crowded day at Government Cove, Shepard’s training as a service dog definitely coming in handy as he deftly avoided the distractions of all the other people doing photoshoots around the area.

We stopped for a quick outfit change as the sun began to head down below the hills and Aubrey showed me that she had brought along her Mother’s and Grandmother’s Engagement rings to be photographed alongside her own. Brad told me the story of picking out Aubrey’s ring which was a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but which ultimately ended up in the absolutely stunning cushion-set diamond engagement setting that you’ll see in the images below.

After a few fun photos with some signs Aubrey brought along, we headed to the tip top of the hill on Government Cove and since all the other groups had left as “Blue Hour” faded into twilight we had the prime spot for a few creative shots Aubrey and Brad wanted. One of those images included wrapping Brad and Aubrey up in a set of twinkle lights, allowing the golden glow from the lights illuminate their embrace in the last few minutes of their engagement session celebration.

Just before packing up and heading back, Brad and Aubrey found a comfy spot to watch the last light of the day fade behind the hills surrounding the Gorge, Aubrey’s head falling to Brad’s shoulder as they snuggled together, breathing deep and looking forward to the wedding planing ahead of them.

It was a magical evening and made me so excited for Brad and Aubrey’s amazing wedding next May!

Enjoy this small selection of highlights from their engagement shoot and be sure to drop some love for Brad and Aubrey in the comments section below!