Lake Engagement Session at Brighton Recreation Area. Brighton, Michigan fall engagement photography provided by Kari Dawson.

Kortney and Eric are adventurers. If you’ve been around the blog long enough, you know there is a reoccurring theme when it comes to critters. My family and I love being at the beach and on the lake. Beyond that, when I think about whether or not I am lover of the outdoors I think of this awesome t-shirt I saw on Pinterest once that reads ‘I am outdoorsy. I drink wine on the patio.’ It’s not that I don’t love the outdoors or that I am afraid of wildlife. But, I don’t like knowing that I will undoubtedly HEAR things in the woods but I will not be able to SEE what it is. Then I see photos of spiders that are large enough to drag a mouse up to its web. I’ll stick with my deck in the backyard. And while I’m being honest… I like to be at the beach on boating on the lake but I don’t actually get in it. Because, wildlife that I can’t see. And I was once annihilated by jellyfish.

Back to Eric and Kortney… They canoe as often as possible and camp. Not just camping. Tent camping. Rustic tent camping. In fact, they prefer to camp off the beaten path and prefer areas that aren’t actually campsites. Kortney told me a story about their last camping adventure that involved parking the car away from where they planned to camp because the road was muddy and very uneven. They eventually opted to try and level out the road a bit to get the car through. I was already amazed at their adventures together and laughing but it got really funny when they admitted to digging with only their ores.

Their proposal story…

Kortney and Eric had a camping trip planned at the Brighton Recreation Area. After shooting their engagement session there, I can see the appeal. It is vast, so so gorgeous and insanely peaceful. The evening they planned to set up camp, it rained and grew late. Kortney tried to talk Eric out of going. But she eventually agreed. They went for a walk to Eric’s favorite spot in the woods, up a hill, just off the parking area. Kortney found the tree wrapped in twinkle lights as Eric stepped from behind the tree and got down on one knee near a bench he made just for her. The ornate bench goes together in three pieces which Eric created solely himself and hard the top carved with ‘Kortney Mosley Will You Marry Me?’ Of course she said yes and they talked until evening turned to morning.

For their engagement session, we climbed that hill (Eric brought and carried the bench and that sucker is heavy) and they stood together under the very tree where they got engaged. We didn’t go more than 100 yards from where we parked but found so much beauty and variety. They snuggled by the lake and in the woods and even canoed. Kortney and Eric, I had such a blast at your session. I adore the pair of you and I am so excited for your September wedding at Oak Pointe. And yay to no poison ivy! Enjoy…

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