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I'm Shillawna

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Alyssa + Reid

Engagements

Newfields is one of my favorite places in Indianapolis for Engagement Photos! Scroll down to see why I love it so much!

 


How They Met

Alyssa and Reid met when they were both in middle school. The first time Reid went to Alyssa’s childhood home, they were in 7th grade and Reid borrowed Alyssa’s clothes to dress up as a girl for Halloween. Bonding over silly costumes, animals, and Mario Kart competitions kept their friendship strong all throughout their teenage and early young adult years. When in college and Alyssa got her new puggle, Paisley, Reid insisted she bring the pup over to his apartment so he could meet her. That led to an invitation for Reid to join Alyssa on a trip to Bloomington, IN to visit a friend at IU for the weekend. Alyssa says, “By the time we headed back home, we were a couple.”



The Proposal

Family is everything to Reid and Alyssa so it was very important to Reid to make sure to include their families in his proposal. He invited both sides to dinner at Walton’s so they could all get to know each other better. After bellies were full of food, hearts were full of laughter, and the night was ready to close, Reid pulled out the ring and asked Alyssa to be his wife. Of course she said yes and everyone present was overjoyed. It was the perfect ending to a perfect evening.



The Couple

Alyssa spends her working hours at a bank, but is passionate about two things: baking and her dogs. She loves to bake cheesecake, cake balls, cupcakes, and any number of other confections. Animals of all kinds have her heart. Reid says one of the things he loves most about Alyssa is how affectionate she is to all kinds of animals. He says, “There have been numerous times where (Alyssa) has stopped what she is doing to rescue some frogs out of her window well. She regularly rescues spiders that are on her house as well. (Alyssa) makes sure not to kill them and carries them outside to set free. I think this really attests to how sweet of a person she is that she goes out of her way to help some of the smallest creatures and would do absolutely anything in her power to help a lost/ stray dog.” When she isn’t whipping something up in the kitchen or tending to her own puppies or other animals in need, Alyssa is a girl after my own heart and enjoys raiding the seasonal section at Target and shopping at Marshall’s.



Reid works as a Direct Support Professional where he helps individuals with varying intellectual and physical disabilities manage every day life. He also coaches baseball and wrestling and will graduate college with a degree allowing him to teach High School. If his job descriptions don’t convince you that he is one very kind and compassionate soul, Alyssa’s description of him will, “Reid is always down for whatever crazy ideas I come up with. I don’t think Reid has ever said no to me about anything other than when I ask for more foot rubs. He is always asking how I slept, what he can do to make my day better, and how he can help me. He is also extremely selfless. Even while working, coaching, and going to school full time, he will drop whatever he’s doing to help anyone who needs it.”



Reid and Aylssa’s favorite activities to do together are pampering their doggies, grubbing down on sushi and Mexican food, binge watching their favorite TV shows, and hunting down the best coffee in town. And they still, after all these year, love playing Mario Kart together, even making bets on who will win the match.



The Engagement Session

I met up with Reid and Alyssa at the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden in Owensboro. The gardens were lush with the end-of-summer greens and just a hint of Autumnal changes. The weather and light were lovely and this couple was up for any idea I suggested, which made for a dream of a shoot! I loved watching Reid gently snuggling all over Alyssa and I could tell she ate every hug, kiss, and compliment up. She, in turn, doted on her long time love and showered him with all of her affection. One of the highlights of the shoot came towards the end when a furry little photobomber joined our group. It’s as if the kitty knew how loving and affectionate Reid and Alyssa are, especially toward animals, and needed to get it’s share of snuggling in. I thought it was adorable that Alyssa was more than happy to include the cat in their photos, another testament of what an animal lover she is.



The Wedding

Although Alyssa and Reid were originally scheduled to be married in June, they have postponed their nuptials until August. They want to make sure they can include as many of their friends and family as possible. They will be holding their celebration at 20 West in Newburgh, IN. I can’t wait to photograph this beautiful couple on their wedding day! And in their own words, they can’t wait, “to celebrate with (our families) and officially start our life together.”

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