Oh my heart… I just adore these two.
Steve and Mikey’s Summer Brookside Gardens engagement session was one that felt extra sweet—partly because they are such a joyful and easygoing couple, and partly because it took us a few tries (and a lot of weather app refreshes) to actually make it happen!
The forecast kept throwing us curveballs, but when we finally got a dry day? It was so worth the wait.
We met up on a warm summer afternoon at Brookside Gardens, one of my favorite places in the DMV for pretty blooms, glowy light, and a peaceful escape from the busy world. The gardens were bursting with flowers, and these two showed up with huge smiles, incredible energy, and a willingness to roll with whatever the evening brought. From dogwood trees to golden light to sweet quiet moments between laughs, it was the most perfect celebration of their engagement.
These two just radiate joy when they’re together.
They’re fun and affectionate and silly in the best way— and watching the way they interact, encourage, and love on each other is the kind of thing that makes you believe in true partnership. Their chemistry and ease together made photographing them such a dream.
Steve and Mikey first met on Hinge (as most beautiful modern love stories begin!) and quickly realized they had found something really special. When it came time for the proposal, Steve pulled off a surprise that was perfectly “them”: at a winery, witnessed by their best friends and parents, with one of Mikey’s favorite rocks— because when your person is into geology, sometimes you just know what will make the moment meaningful. It was perfect!
When I asked them what they love most about each other, their answers honestly melted me:
“Mikey is my partner in crime—I know he’s always down for a new adventure and is there when I need him.” – Steve
“Steve is the ying to my yang in some moments and the Bonnie to my Clyde in others. We make the perfect balance.” – Mikey
These two balance each other in such a beautiful way.
You can feel how deeply they trust and support each other, whether they’re laughing over an inside joke or quietly soaking in a moment together.
Steve and Mikey were married in an intimate celebration in September of 2024 (you can scroll their afternoon here!), and it was every bit as heartfelt and intentional as their engagement session. (And wouldn’t you know it… after all of the reschedules for their engagement session, we had the most gorgeous weather for their wedding day. Proof that patience—and flexibility—really do pay off.)
To Steve and Mikey: thank you, thank you, thank you for trusting me to capture this sweet season. Photographing you two was such a joy, and I’m so grateful our paths crossed!
Scroll on for just a few of my favorites from a golden summer engagement session at Brookside Gardens
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