The more couples I work with, the more my eyes are opened to the different ways we fall in love. For some, it’s a single look across the room, for others, it begins after withstanding the time and trials of friendship. For Layna and Cody, it began in their high school Spanish class.

While that was a short (almost) 5 years ago for them, it was refreshing to see how effortlessly they interacted with each other. Cody, a firefighter, hunter, and fisherman, has such a big soft spot for Layna. And Layna could easily giggle her way into a friendship with anyone.

Layna chose a wonderful little spot that spoke to both her and Cody. Montissippi County Park, located in Monticello, MN, is home to a lovely grove of Norway pines, access to the Mississippi River, and a vast and gorgeous grassy field.

This location was perfect for their outdoorsy and cozy engagement session. The sunset shining through the trees cast a glowy, warm backlight for their portraits.

As much as I love the vibe that pine trees give to a photo, I have to say that the central Minnesota prairies provided my absolute favorite photos.

Luckily, Layna and Cody are the type of couple that are down to try anything that speaks to the adventurous sides of them. They played one of my favorite childhood games (and my new favorite prompt), “Ring Around the Rosie”, which you can see in these photos! They really got into it!