Talk about a love story! Ashlie and Kody have been in a relationship for over 12 years and are now engaged! When I first chatted with this amazing couple I fell in love with their gorgeous wedding vision of an enchanted forrest vibe at the stunning Anderson Lodge up by Mount Saint Helens. I’ve only been to that venue once, but I love the fact that it has lodging for family and guests and therefore extends the wedding experience to a full weekend of love and celebration rather than cramming everything into just one day.

Kody is an RN so this last year has been a tough one, but with the world starting to open up and return to normal, Kody and Ashlie’s family have been able to get together more and in fact, just the evening before their engagement session were telling me how they’d gotten together at Kody’s parent’s house for a DIY wedding decor party where they were attaching hangers to crystals they will be hanging in the trees to capture the light and add to the enchantment of their wedding vibe.

Ashlie is quite a talented DIY-er and was telling me about several project she had which were coming along really nicely for their wedding date this September. We laughed as I relayed my failed attempt at DIY-ing the candles for my wedding which ended up in hot wax being poured down a sink and a resultant visit from a plumber. >.<

As we strolled along the manicured paths of Hoyt Arboretum, Kody and Ashlie confided in me that they were a little nervous for this shoot, as neither of them had ever had any professional photography since their high school dance days, but were eager to follow any directions or even challenges I toss their way. Taking that to heart, I had these two up in a tree, cuddling together while balanced on just a single branch within the first fifteen minutes! They were troopers however, and Kody was the perfect gentleman, helping Ashlie up onto the branch with a deft princess-lift that was fit for a Hollywood Romance.

Kody and Ashlie love just spending time together and are self-proclaimed “home bodies” who love to cook. Ashlie’s mom was involved in catering, and helped her build a foundation of culinary expertise that both she and Kody have been improving as they try out new recipes and even experiment a bit! Ashlie is just the sweetest person you could ever meet, and toward the end of our e-session she even offered to send me some of their favorite simpler recipes after I laughed about my failed attempts at some internet recipes in the past.

As we continued on deeper into the arboretum, Ashlie’s gorgeous emerald engagement ring was sparkling in the evening sun of Hoyt, so I just had to ask about the moment of their engagement and once we found a cozy spot to sit and snuggle up, I had them relay the moment to me, producing quite a few laughs as the story is quite memorable! They’d gone on a walk along the beach while enjoying a trip out the coast when Kody dropped to one knee to “pick up cool shell he’s just found.” Not suspecting after so many years that this would be the moment of his proposal, Ashlie simply thought he was stopping to tie his shoe and practically ignored the initial gesture. Kody took her hand and had her check out the shell he saw which was really one he’d just put down to hide the ring in. As he ucovered this emerald treasure and asked her to be his bride, Ashlie admits that she still at this point wasn’t fully tracking and thought Kody was making a joke! Laughing once she realized this was indeed the moment she’d been looking forward to, she quickly stammered out a laugh and accepted as Kody rose and pulled her in for an embrace.

Their wedding will be this September at the beautiful Anderson Lodge and I can’t wait to be there for this enchanted event!

Enjoy this small selection of highlights from this beautiful engagement shoot and be sure to drop some love for Ashlie and Kody in the comments section at the bottom!