Under the cover of her parents 35th Wedding Anniversary, Whitney schemed out a plan to hide her sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law’s proposal. It could not have been a more perfect family, day, or weather! While Arizona tends to be pretty predictable over the summer months (can you say hot?!), sometimes the Fall weather doesn’t cool down until the end of October, sometimes even closer to Thanksgiving. So don’t be fooled by these Canadians’ outfits, it actually had a little bit of crispness in the air during this session.

In case you missed it, check out Donnelle and Josh’s Surprise Proposal here, then dive on in with me to uncover how the Stevenson family acted as a cover for their daughter’s proposal!

The entire Stevenson family was there, their home so inviting and welcoming. They greeted me like I was an old friend, asked me if I needed anything moved around or help every few minutes; to say they were accommodating would be an understatement. This family was warm, friendly, and very sweet! During the first set of photos, with the entire family, we focused a lot of our attention on Irene, their grandmother who was celebrating her 103rd birthday! But don’t be fooled, she still walked like an 80 year old woman (and gave me plenty of sass – in the sweetest way!)

Noreen and Warren took on one of the first couple’s breakout sessions and it was like watching magic unfold in front of me. The tenderness of being married for 35 years definitely showed. What an honor and treasure it was to get to know them! They laughed and smiled together as I coached them into poses and gave me the most natural response to their photos!

Whitney and Noel were up next, with special guest Tobi, in a few photos. This family and fur baby were such a sweet combo. Whitney was poised, kind, and radiant in the purest light. Noel gave off such a calm presence, it was incredible to witness. (Now I’m just hoping Donnelle and Josh arrange something similar for these two when they get engaged!)

As a couples and wedding photographer, I get pretty fired up and lovey around love. So to photograph three couples’ sessions during our family time all in the same hour and a half was almost overwhelming! It made me realize even more than that morning how much I truly love my job and pouring into others! Stevenson family, I hope these images make you feel loved and beautiful, and that you look back on this time with fondness for many years to come!