A Garden of the Gods Engagement Session

Oh, Kenzie and Jourdan…you two are the real deal and watching you guys effortlessly love each other is pure MAGIC!! ✨ Venturing up to Garden of the Gods in Herod, Illinois for their engagement session was literally EPIC.  The views, those giggles, the weather, the outfits…GAH…we are obsessed with it all!!  Get to know the sweet couple more by checking out their Q&A below!!💕

How did you meet?

“Our families have been friends since we were in grade school. Kenzie and Meghan (Jourdan’s sister) are friends, and that is how we started dating later in life. Our families have always hung out, our parents went to school together (Kenzie’s dad and Jourdan’s step-dad). Jourdan worked for my father when he was 19, and my 15 year old definitely took notice. We connected at an outdoor event. I was the “friend” who Meghan brought with her to an event called “Trucks Gone Wild”. Meghan always jokes that Jourdan stole her friend! We hit it off that weekend, and never looked back!”

When did you start dating?

“This one’s sort of funny. So, we went to the Trucks Gone Wild event on June 6, 2013, which we made our “first day of dating”. I asked him when we first started hanging out, getting to know each other, what our first day he considered us dating, and he told me to pick a day, because we were basically inseparable from the first day we connected, so we picked that as our day.”

When did you get engaged?

“August 15, 2019”

How did he propose?

“Like mentioned we are pretty simplistic people, especially Jourdan. We connect through relationships and friendships. Jourdan had no idea he was going to propose to me that day!  He had purchased the rings awhile back and had already asked my parents for permission (unknown to me), and was saving them until he thought the time was right (I still don’t know where he hid them! And to this day he still won’t tell me!)

Earlier that day, we took Moxen to his 6 month milestone session with Exhale Photography in Newburgh. On our way home, we got ice cream from the little ice cream shop in Newburgh….(Jourdan told me this part later) but apparently when we got home, I got out of the truck and went to the back seat to unstrap Moxen from his car seat.  As I was playing with him, he was laughing SO hard and Jourdan was staring at me & smiling (I could see in my peripheral vision), but I did not think anything of it.

Later, I found that this moment was when he knew that this was going to be the day he proposed.

We did some things around the house and cooked dinner together. Afterwards, we went out to the barn and drank a few alcoholic beverages while Moxen was cackling & laughing in his “jumper” outside in the barn with us. We were just talking and hanging out, when I asked him to grab me another drink. He came back with an unopened can, and on the top of the can sat my rings. I looked at him and said “what is this?!”… But, before he could answer I said “Is this a joke?” (I hate myself for saying that but hey, when you have been together for 6 years at that point, I just kind of thought it was never going to happen! lol!)

He looked at me and said “it’s not a joke…will you marry me?” Instantly, I start balling my eyes out! We kissed, and I shoved my ring on (it was too small but I was wearing that thing…I didn’t care). I was in shock I kept crying and saying “This isn’t real!”— I was truly shocked! I kept asking him questions about the ring and how long he had been thinking about asking and whether or not he asked my father (my father always said whoever I marry better ask him first), but as you can imagine…I got nowhere with my questions.

I FaceTimed my family immediately after crying and all and the first words out of my mouth were “Why didn’t you guys tell me he asked you to marry me?!” (My family is very close, and secrets are rare, I was genuinely surprised!!)

My mother and sister came straight over after we got off the phone to congratulate us (And to look at my ring, plus ask me all the questions about his proposal…they were excited can’t you tell?!)

We ended the night in a comical way — with me crying (differently now) because I could not get the ring off my finger. (It was too small and my finger was swollen from me forcing that puppy on it) I tried soap and everything, eventually Jourdan had to yank it off and we had a pretty good laugh (Happy engagement right?! Ending the night with yanking the ring off my finger that I was too eager and inpatient to wear!!) That’s our story!”

Describe yourselves as a couple.

“Jourdan-Busy (LOL, yep)

Both- fun-loving and easy (Our relationship is easy in regards to maturing and growing through different stages in our life, we understand each other, so loving each other is just easy)

We have been together for 8 years come 2021. We have a son, Moxen, who is 19 months. We live very busy, hectic lives, but can’t wait to reap the benefits of increased family time and early retirement after our goals are met!”

If you could go anywhere on a vacation, where would you go?

“SOUTH, far far SOUTH, somewhere with a beach”

Do you have any pets together? If so, what are they and what are their names!

“Our sweet little pittie (pitbull) Rocco”

What was your favorite part of the engagement session?

“YOU GUYS DUH. The ease and flow of everything.”

Bride, did you get your hair & makeup professionally done for your session?

“YES!!! Alysha Tilley @alyshatilley did both make up and hair, co-owner of Hey Lovely”

Advice for other couples who are prepping for their engagement session?

“Brides: splurge for your session!!! I was pampered and had my hair, make-up, and nails done for my session- I felt bridal, and I think it will definitely show in my pictures and completed boosted my confidence level in front of the camera!

Get your outfits first – then match your fiancé to you.

Do the spontaneous, outrageous shot, you only get married once!

Bring comfy shoes to walk in between pictures.”