Ryan + Deb | Engagement Session | Grant Park
Ryan + Deb
A romantic winter engagement session at Grant Park
At first glance, you may think this is just another engagement session – but it’s so much more than that! Deb and Ryan have an amazing story and testimony to share! Both of them were married before and both of them lost their spouses to illness after 30 years of marriage. They could’ve easily said, “this is it, I guess my life is over as well.” But that’s not what happened. After a time of remembrance for their loved one, they chose to pick themselves up and say “God’s not done with me yet”. So when they met at church through a mutual friend, they could easily connect because they had both been through the valley. They’ve both experienced love, loss, and hope.
Deb and Ryan’s first date was at the Golden Mast a little over a year ago. It was the day after the Wisconsin polar vortex, and they were the only guests in the restaurant. Deb and Ryan said it felt like something out of a movie! In late summer, Ryan proposed during halftime of Deb’s grandson’s football game. Deb’s daughter witnessed the proposal, which was very special to Deb because they have a close mother/daughter relationship. Deb’s ring is gorgeous! She calls it her “snowball ring” after seeing the same ring in an ad while on a mission trip in Europe and falling in love with it. She thought she’d never see it again, but Ryan remembered and proposed to her with the “snowball ring”. 🙂
We chose Grant Park in South Milwaukee as the backdrop for the engagement session. First, I have to say, this session almost didn’t happen! Since Ryan and Deb have been married before, they wanted to keep things simple for their upcoming wedding and wanted to opt-out of an engagement session. When you see their photos, aren’t you glad they didn’t cancel on me!? How photogenic and totally in love are they!? I loved their romantic and fun personalities! I educated them on how to pose and they learned quickly and totally had fun with it. Grant Park during the winter is a beautiful place. I especially loved the fact we got a little time close to the water and on the beach. Who says you can’t do engagement photos on the beach in winter! Everything was perfect!
Ryan and Deb love to be outdoors and out on the water during the summer, doing fun things like swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and sailing. They also enjoy going to concerts, hanging out with friends, and eating at great restaurants. I can’t wait to photograph their wedding this May – which is just around the corner! Enjoy some of my favorites from Deb and Ryan’s romantic winter engagement session at Grant Park!
