Aug

Lake Michigan Engagement Photos | Silver Beach | Nick & Miranda

filed under: All Categories, Engaged, Travel

Miranda was my first friend after I moved to Indiana. I was the “new kid” in my 3rd grade class and at a small private Lutheran school, everyone knows who the new kid is… and being from out of state, I stuck out like a sore thumb! As third graders, I’m sure we didn’t have too many exciting adventures but I do remember playing at recess together and being surprised when she opened the door to her house on Halloween night when I unknowingly went trick or treating in her neighborhood! From then on, Wednesdays were for Miranda’s house. I’d go home with her after school, have dinner with her family, and be a “Myers” for one night a week. If there’s one word that described our friendship, it was silly. For the three years I lived in Indiana, we were constantly trying to get a good laugh out of playing around… whether that was throwing a bouncy ball at top speed into the boy’s bathroom or making “Picasso” paintings by literally squeezing all of the paint out of the tube in aftercare (where my mom was the teacher). My elementary school memories with Miranda are all full of laughs and silliness and so much joy.

The first time I met Nick was 3 years ago. It was Justin’s second year traveling to Indiana with me and I was SO excited to meet Miranda’s boyfriend. I didn’t know it at the time, but we had started dating our guys right around the same time, with Miranda and Nick becoming “official” just two months before Justin + I did! Fast forward a couple of years and we were double dating every time Justin and I were in Indiana. Our times together weren’t quite as silly now, but only because we were doing grown up activities like shooting Nick’s 9mm pistol in his backyard or exploring his parent’s schoolhouse turned home renovation project (the gym is now a movie theatre… yeah. WHAT?!). Living 10 hours apart, our times together are now much more limited but always just as fun.

I can’t tell you how many times Miranda and I talked about each of our waits to be engaged when we were seemingly surrounded by engaged couples. The frustration, the impatience, and just plain whining at times (mostly just on my end, lol!)… we sought solace and comfort in each other. Because we didn’t know anyone else who had been with their boyfriends for 5 years and were still waiting to someday be married. Long relationships are beautiful but also kinda hard. They present their own challenges and I’m so thankful that Miranda and I were able to encourage each other over the last 5 years of dating our amazing guys! Because it was SO WORTH the wait!!

Just a little over a month ago, Miranda texted me saying she was engaged and I freaked out!!!! Talk about a surreal moment! Being engaged at the same time your childhood best friend is, especially after so many years of daydreaming about it, is just unreal. It was even more perfect that Justin and I were going to be in Indiana just a few weeks later! We set up a day to meet at beautiful Silver Beach in St. Joe county for some sunset Lake Michigan engagement photos and it could not have been more magical. Justin and I walked around town for about a half hour before Nick & Miranda arrived and picked out all the spots we knew we had to photograph them at (and I might have briefly fantasized about Justin helping me scout for ALL my engagement sessions). Nick and Miranda are so in love and so perfect for each other that the entire shoot would have been amazing no matter where we met, but the location was just a bonus!!! I can’t believe I’m photographing my best friend and her fiance! Just craziness!!!

Nick & Miranda, I’m so so happy for you two and I can’t WAIT to see what God has in store for you and your future family! This is the beginning of such a wonderful, full life filled with so much laughter and goofiness and I’m so glad Justin and I get to be a part of it. Wishing you two all the best – your July 2017 wedding day will be here before you know it!! I can’t WAIT!!! For now, you can remember the chilly evening you spent at Silver Beach watching the sun go down and walking the pier and riding the carousel… treasure this time as an engaged couple because it only happens once! :) Love you both!! And I hope you LOVE these photos!!!