Nicole and Clark’s Engagement Session

Oh, Nicole and Clark…you two are the CUTEST and watching you effortlessly love each other is pure MAGIC!! ✨ Venturing up to The Parklands in Jasper, Indiana for their engagement session at sunset was perfect!!  The creamy sunset, those sweet giggles, the glorious weather, the trendy outfits, the sweetest pup…GAH…we are obsessed with it alllll!!😍 Get to know the sweet couple a little more by reading some fun Q/As and see some of the most dreamy photos ever below!!✨

How did you meet?!

“We met at a bar in Evansville, IN. I was just about to start graduate school at USI for Occupational therapy and Clark graduated the year prior from Rose Hulman as a chemical engineer. He was working in Evansville during the time, but was about to start a new job traveling, and I was out with friends before starting school. It seemed like fate- we sat next to each other at the bar and Clark found out all too quickly how big of an instigator for fun I am. Clark had a few too many and ended up having to leave the bar early in an Uber with friends. He luckily got my number before leaving and made it up to me on our first date.”

What was your first date?

“Clark took me to my favorite restaurant (Texas Roadhouse) and we talked for hours there. We then went back to my house and sat on the front porch. We continued to talk until 2am about our hopes, dreams, and how nervous I was to start graduate school the next day. Clark started traveling for work shortly after, and I started graduate school- so we were only able to see each other about once a month after our first date.”

Do you have a favorite date you’ve ever been on together?

“We both say no. Clark and I do a “date day” once a month to focus on ourselves in the midst of crazy life. We take turns planning- Clark has even months and I have odd:) and have two rules- We have to try or do at least one new thing and we spend the entire day together! These days are our favorites!”

When did you start dating?

“Clark and I started dating Friday, October 13, 2017 (spooky we know). Our first year of dating was long distance, but we have lived together since.”

What would the perfect date night look like or include?

“Our perfect date night includes exploring somewhere new, doing something active, then snuggling in with our pup, Soph!”

When did you get engaged?

“We got engaged December 18, 2020.

How did he propose?!

“Christmas is my favorite season and gives me all the feelings. I am one of those people that decorates for fall in August, and Christmas in November. I LOVE everything about the holidays. During the pandemic, Clark and I searched for ways to get in the spirit, but still be safe, as I worked with the elderly and was fearful of exposing them at work. Clark surprised me on a date night in late November with driving in our car to a Christmas light show and having a picnic like meal. Every weekend after that we went to a different Christmas light show. Some of them we could walk around outside at a safe distance, and others we stayed in our car and could drive through. The last one we had to do was the downtown Monument light show in Indy, where Clark surprised me with a proposal in front of groups that had gathered to watch. My brother and sister in law were there to take pictures. It was freezing so we quickly went home to pop champagne and call everyone we know!:)”

What are your favorite activities to do together?

“We love going to the gym, hiking, walking our dog, and doing car Karaoke together. We recently started Car karaoke during the pandemic and spend the night driving with our windows down and blaring songs of our choice. We are both terrible singers but it works for us! We also recently bought a house and joined a soccer league in Indianapolis. When we aren’t adventuring, we are doing home projects. Needless to say, we love to stay busy!”

What are your favorite movies?

“We don’t have a particular favorite, but Clark does go on Disney movie kicks and will insist we watch his favorites- then continues to sing the songs the rest of the week. He’s truly a child at heart!”

What is your favorite drink?

“Clark- Hazy IPAs, and Mt. Dew Nicole- Sour beers and Sprite”

What’s your favorite animal?

“DOGS!”

What’s your favorite way to spend the weekend?

“Going to the gym in the mornings, attending our local farmers market for food and music, and spending the afternoons/evenings with our amazing families and friends. We have the best!”

For the bride: What are three things you love about your groom?

“Only three things?!?! How much he loves and respects my friends and family. Friends and family are the most important thing in the world to me. I don’t think I could ever date someone if my friends and family did not like him. Luckily, I have never met a soul that does not like Clark. He supports and listens to my friends, and treats them as his own best friends-whether it’s through a break-up, to vent, drive them around for their own wedding or event, or even take thousands of pictures for photoshoots. He is a big supporter of girls nights and will always volunteer to DD to make sure everyone gets home safely. He helps my family with whatever they need and hangs out with my brothers/dad all the time, and even takes on my mom’s crafty projects too. Did I mention my grandma is obsessed with him?! Ha! It was mentioned earlier, but how he makes me adventurous. When I was in graduate school, I was a stressed mess all the time. Clark took me on a vacation every single break I had from school. We went to Florida, road tripped through California and Nevada, explored numerous national parks, went to Hawaii, and so much more. He is the fun to my serious and gives me all the laughter I need when I am stressed, from when we first started dating until now. Clark is the most driven person I know. He works full time, has some side hustles, and does every home project I could ever dream of. He does everything he can to provide for our little family and make sure both Sophie and I are happy.”

For the groom: What are three things you love about your bride?

“This is hard to do since there are so many things I love about Nicole. One of the top things I love about Nicole is her determination and her drive. She is always striving to be better – mentally, physically, emotionally, and in something particular such as an aspect of her job, or anything else in her life. She goes above and beyond in everything and always gives 100%, even when she has a thousand things going on and never gives up, no matter what the challenge is. Her drive doesn’t just impact her, it is like an aura around her and impacts not only me, but everyone around her. It has truly inspired me and has gotten me through some of the hardest times of my life. Another thing I love is how genuine she is. Through all of the chaos that is life (starting graduate school, me starting a traveling job as soon as we started dating, multiple moves, multiple jobs, and everything else we have faced since the beginning), she has been the one constant and has remained true to herself. She cares for people more than I thought it was possible and always puts others before herself. Even when it is an inconvenience for her or if she just met you. We recently went to a wedding in Philadelphia and at the end of the night, she was handing out a full box worth of Liquid IV packets she had brought to everyone on the bus back to the hotel, and she hadn’t even met the vast majority of the people until that night. I know she will always stay true to herself no matter what. Since I am limited to 3 things, the last one I want to write about is how family oriented she is. Since our first date, I could tell her connection to her family was a big aspect of her life and it hasn’t waivered for a second since. To this day, the level of her connection, not only with her immediate family, but her extended family fascinates me. She constantly impresses me with the time she spends on, the devotion she has, and the unconscious ability to always strengthen the connection she has with her family. She is always helping however she can, making sure an accomplishment doesn’t go without a celebration, being a listener when someone needs to talk, and being that person that everyone can go to, no matter what the situation is or what time it is. It is truly remarkable.”

Describe yourselves as a couple!

“Together we are very outdoorsy and adventurous. We love to celebrate- ourselves, family, friends- no matter the occasion. We are also both pretty crafty as a couple (Nicole designs and plans materials and Clark completes the projects- Ha!) We are both organized and love our lists! We make one every week and checking things off is our favorite.”

What do you both do for a living?

“Nicole is an Occupational Therapist at an independent living facility in Indianapolis and Clark is a process engineer at Eli Lilly.”

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

“Hmm every national park in the U.S, Europe, Australia, basically anywhere outside the country. We have a pretty large bucket list.”

What’s your favorite place you’ve ever been?

“Hawaii (Oahu Island). We loved the variety within one island and how there was so much to do and see! We have some pretty memorable stories from this trip-especially the big Kahuna ;)”

Do you have any pets together?

“YES! The sweetest and cutest dog ever- Sophie. She is SO spoiled!”

What’s something you are both passionate about?!

“Traveling! We love to travel. We want to go to every national park. Funny thing- Clark has turned me (Nicole) into such an adventurous soul and a last minute planner when it comes to trips, when I have always been super type A about having a plan. He brings spontaneity to the relationship for sure! We’ve booked several flights the night before- even one vacation a couple hours before we had to leave for the airport at midnight. He is full of surprises and it’s always so fun to see where we will end up!”

What was your favorite part of the engagement session?

“How easy it was! We were so nervous! From the minute we met Bret and Brandie it seemed effortless and we both had a ton of fun! We loved how detail oriented Brandie was and how relaxed Bret was. Their fun personalities made us both extremely comfortable and we felt like we were just hanging out with our best friends.”

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

“YES! Give them all the love because they were both amazing! Audra Dilger did my makeup and Braylin Recker did my hair. They both work at the Beauty Bar in Jasper, IN and they are both incredibly sweet and so talented!”

Where did her outfits come from?

“Abercrombie and TJ Maxx :)”

Where did his outfits come from?

“J Crew and Kohls :)”

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

“It sounds so cliché but try not to be too anxious, and don’t be stressed about finding the perfect outfits! Brandie can attest to Nicole stress texting her a couple nights before our pictures. Bret and Brandie are amazing and absolutely perfect in every way! Everything about your engagement session will work out that way too!”