Mammoth Lakes Winter Engagement Session

We are always so excited when a couple gets engaged and begins planning their wedding and future together. But when Erin and Jake got engaged, we were especially excited because it meant that Erin is joining our family! Jake is one of my many awesome cousins, and it has been so fun growing up together, and now getting to watch him take this step into marriage with such an amazing person.

When Erin reached out to us about doing an engagement session for her and Jake at Mammoth Lakes in December, we did two things right away. First, we did a happy dance (duh). And second, we started praying for snow! We knew that a snowy winter wonderland would only make their session even more amazing.

After an extremely dry fall, our hopes for a snowy session were dwindling. Then, as our luck would have it, the week of their session, a storm came through and left a foot of fresh powder on the mountains! This made choosing a location for the session challenging because everywhere we went was absolutely beautiful. With each turn up the mountain road, our jaws dropped! We decided on one spot in the forest that made us feel like we walked through the wardrobe into Narnia, and then we ended their session at the breathtaking Convict Lake.

But honestly, as stunningly beautiful as the scenery was, nothing shined brighter than this sweet couple. When we talk about long distance dating, these two are experts! Even though they met and began dating in college, they have spent the majority of their relationship apart. Jake lived in Germany for two years playing professional football, and just this year he joined the United States Army and left for basic training in Georgia this past August.

Even though Erin and Jake have been engaged for about 4 months, the day we did their session was only their 5^th day together since Jake proposed. He had to leave for basic training just days after asking Erin to be his bride!

Not only have these two not been able to see each other in person since August, but Jake also hasn’t been allowed to have a phone for the majority of his training. They have only been able to communicate through letters and a handful of brief phone calls. Can you imagine no texting, no Facetime, no DMs for months? Beau and I dated long distance for one year during college, and let me tell you, it was not easy. But we had the luxury of texting throughout the day and planning skype dates to help us stay connected. It’s hard to imagine going for months without those luxuries!

Erin and Jake, we know this season apart has not been easy. But it is only going to prepare you both for a lifetime together, and make the time you do have together that much sweeter. It was such a joy spending time with you and capturing the memories of your engagement. Even though you haven’t been able to set a wedding day yet, we are already counting down the days until we get to celebrate with you! Congratulations, and welcome to the family, Erin!! 🙂