Engagement Photos at Shaker Village with Spectacular Fall Colors

Asope and Nate’s engagement session was at Shaker Village in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. All the fall colors on the trees were absolutely spectacular! It is one of our favorite locations in the fall because of all the different colored trees and the rolling hills. We had so much fun exploring Shaker Village and finding all the perfect spots to celebrate Nate and Asope’s engagement. They are both so sweet and full of so much joy. It was so evident how perfect they are for each other and we loved hearing all about their love story. Asope and Nate met in November of 2012. They both attended a party at a mutual friend’s house. Neither of them thought it would be the night they would meet the love of their lives. Earlier that night Asope was having dinner with her parents in downtown Lexington to celebrate her mother’s birthday. Afterward, Asope agreed to meet up with some friends and Nate was doing the same. Asope and Nate arrived at their friend’s house at the exact same time. The started to chat about the University of Kentucky, their families, hobbies, nursing school and such. Their friends tried to get them to head to the next location but they enjoyed chatting so much that they both wouldn’t budge. Nate’s friends tried to get him to leave and he said, “I know you don’t think I’m about to go anywhere while I am talking to a girl like this, I am right where I need to be!” They realized they were both Catholic and he asked if he could pick her up and take her to church in the morning. Asope wasn’t so sure he would pick her up but the next day he arrived and they went to mass together at Christ the King. Afterward, they went to breakfast together at Panera. They talked and talked and realized that this was no average meeting between them. From the beginning, they both felt the spark and their love story began. The following Wednesday Nate then picked Asope from her apartment and they went to Outback Steakhouse and Common Grounds. Later that night they went back to Nate’s apartment to meet all of his friends. It was also the night of their first kiss. For both of them, their faith is extremely important. Asope and Nate love to lift each other up and make God the center of their actions, how they treat others and each other. They also love to travel and explore new things, especially new culinary cuisine. Nate and Asope love hanging out with friends and family which is very important to them both! They also love going out with friends, trying new breweries and exploring new parts of different cities! Nate is Asope’s better half. He allows her to be just who she is and is her everything! He stood by her through the long road of medical school, lifted her up when she was down, and he pushed her when she thought she couldn’t go on! For that Asope feels so blessed and happy to call him hers!

Nate decided he would propose on Septemeber 30, 2017. The night before, Asope’s brother came to town with his girlfriend Jessica. She thought they were coming in for a conference, but little did Asope know that Nate had some plans up his sleeve. That morning Nate took Asope to the North Side of Chicago to get her hair done because they were getting ready to go to Brazil the following week for the wedding of two of their very close friends. Nate then picked her up and they headed to Oak Park. On the way, she tried calling her parents but they wouldn’t answer which looking back she should have thought was unusual. When Nate and Asope got home she and Jessica went to get their nails done because she thought they were going to dinner with the boys later that night which was not uncommon for them to do at one of their favorite restaurants. The boys were supposed to be running “errands” and then picking them up when they were done. When the boys arrived to pick them up Asope noticed that there was no car and Nate had parked the car further down the road. Asope was frustrated that she had to walk in the cold. So they began to walk through a beautiful park in the city of Oak Park called Scoville Park. Asope noticed her brother and his girlfriend dropped back. Asope just thought they were being sweet love birds. Then she noticed that Nate slowed down and the next thing she knew he was on one knee asking her to marry him. Asope screamed because she couldn’t believe it and started jumping around. She then looked around to see her parents and brother, and his parents all running towards them. They had all come from different states to be there for this special moment. Together they hugged, laughed, cried and took many pictures. Then everyone went back to Asope’s apartment where Nate had arranged a party with all of her friends. Some lived in Chicago while others had traveled from Michigan, Kentucky, and Mississippi. They were surrounded by so much love, family and friends! It was the best day of her life! We can’t wait to celebrate their wedding day with them next summer!