Candid engagement portrait by Nacogdoches photographer Emily Joy Photography

 

The theme of flowers during a drought presented itself naturally for this post. You see, I scoped out locations for this moved-up-by-months engagement session, and one thing became obvious: Nacogdoches' prettily-flowered areas are suffering. It's August in Texas, folks. So, I had to re-employ a method I've used before:


"If you can't take your photoshoot to flowers, bring the flowers to the photoshoot."


I have a friend who has an artistic gift to grow and arrange flowers, even in this fever-heat of summer. So I messaged her and she had the exact colors I needed (Thank you, Lauren Ivy Sieja/First Light Garden)! I love the purple and white colors Shannon has chosen for her wedding (which I'm excited to shoot later this year), and this bouquet featuring physostegia virginiana, dara, African basil, cardinal basil, snapdragons, purple aster, and gomphrena was just the right touch for Shannon and Jake's engagement photoshoot!

 

A picture of a whimsy purple and white boquet, by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
An engaged couple smiles at the camera for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Candid engagement portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.

 

Shannon and Jake,

Y'all are a precious couple, and like I said at the photoshoot, I hope you always smile at each other the way you do now! May you know that youth and love and and lush abundance are gifts from God. Enjoy them to their fullest! I pray that you exult in the times of abundance and, when the time comes, that you grow into the ability to love one another well even through seasons of dryness or boredom or scarcity. May God give you the grace to acknowledge that life happens in seasons: delights wax and wane, though our commitments should not. So may He lead you often to green pastures and also show you where to find flowers in the drought.

 

An engaged couple walking and holding hands for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
An engaged couple walking and holding hands for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
An engaged couple walking and holding hands for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
An engaged couple walking and holding hands for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Engaged couple laughs as they are about to kiss for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Engaged couple smiles at the camera for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Engaged couple kisses at sunset for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Engaged couple shows off ring for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Engaged couple shows off ring while kissing for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Engaged couple kisses for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Engaged couple hugs for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Engaged couple cuddles for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Engaged couple cuddles for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.
Young man lifts his bride-to-be for a kiss at sunset for a portrait by Emily Joy Photography, now a wedding photographer in Memphis, TN.