As a wedding photographer, when one of your very favorite couples refers some of their close friends to you, you know you’re about to meet another bride and groom that you just adore. And, that’s exactly what happened with Mike and Rachel!
When Mike and Rachel had to postpone their wedding due to the coronavirus, their original photographer wasn’t available for their new date. As a result, Logan and Becky (a 2019 VRP bride and groom), gave Mike and Rachel my info.
I’ve fallen in love with Mike, Rachel, and their go-with-the-flow personalities, and I’m so excited to share their Hamstra Gardens engagement photos in Wheatfield, Indiana on the blog!
Mike & Rachel met at a haunted house.
When I asked these high school sweethearts how they met, I didn’t expect them to say, “at a haunted house”!
Every year, Mike and Rachel’s hometown puts on a haunted house, and when they were in high school, Mike and Rachel both volunteered to help. (Mike and Rachel are a couple years apart, so they’d never met before.)
According to Rachel, “I fell head-over-heels for him the moment I met him and . . . He was completely oblivious to the fact I was crazy about him!”
While Mike and Rachel became friends the first year they volunteered, Rachel decided to make her interest in Mike a little more clear when they volunteered the next year. Once Mike caught on to how Rachel felt, they started dating.
Since then, these high school sweethearts have chosen careers (Rachel teaches kindergarten. God bless her!), discovered a love for breweries, and enjoyed countless date nights both out with friends and cozied up on the couch watching Netflix and eating pizza.
And, now, Mike and Rachel are getting married!
Rachel guessed that Mike was going to pop the question before he had a chance to ask!
On Valentine’s Day in 2019, Mike and Rachel made plans to celebrate the holiday with candles, wine, and Chipotle at home. They had a wonderful evening just spending time together.
Over the course of the evening, however, Rachel’s gut started to tell her, “Tonight’s going to be the night he pops the question.”
Not being able to hold her excitement or joy in any longer, Rachel became teary-eyed. Realizing that Rachel knew what was going on, Mike asked Rachel to be his wife, and she—of course—said, “Yes!”
Mike and Rachel then went to see Rachel’s family to tell them the big news and enjoyed their first Valentine’s Day as an engaged couple!
Mike & Rachel decided on Hamstra Gardens engagement photos in Wheatfield, Indiana.
Wanting to meet somewhere between northern Indiana (where Mike and Rachel are from) and Lafayette, Indiana (where I’m based), Rachel asked if we could do their engagement photos at Hamstra Gardens in Wheatfield, Indiana.
And, I’m so glad she did! I’d nearly forgotten about this hidden gem!
Mike and Rachel graciously allowed me to explore the grounds with them and photograph them all over the property. (Hamstra Gardens are beautiful, so Mike and Rachel seemed just as happy as I was to do a little roaming!)
During their engagement session, it quickly became clear to me that Mike is the rebel while Rachel is the rule follower (I’m sure this switches sometimes!); these two are both willing to go with the flow (They ran to Dollar General on their way to grab a ring, because Rachel forgot her engagement ring at home. No big deal!); and Mike and Rachel truly are best friends.
These are the kinds of couples I love working with, and I cannot wait for their June 2021 wedding!
Congratulations, Mike & Rachel!
Mike and Rachel had planned to get married on June 13, 2020. But, due to the coronavirus and wanting to keep their loved ones safe, Mike and Rachel decided to postpone their wedding until June 26, 2021.
As sweet as they are and as gorgeous as their blush and greenery-filled wedding at County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana will be, I have no doubt that their wedding day will be worth the wait!
Mike and Rachel, considering you’re friends with Becky and Logan, I had no doubt that you were wonderful people. But, after meeting you in person and seeing how kind you are to one another and others, I adore you both even more than I thought I would! Thank you for trusting me to be your wedding photographer!
I hope you love these previews of your Hamstra Gardens engagement photos in Wheatfield, Indiana, and I can’t wait to capture the best day ever for you guys!
