CHICAGO WEST LOOP ENGAGEMENT SESSION: POSTCARD COFFEE: MELISSA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEC + CASSIE

Some couples book an engagement session close to home. Others fly halfway across the country to spend a weekend exploring Chicago together. These two came in from Colorado to enjoy their engagement session one coffee sip and ice cream lick at a time. The funny part? They're talking about leaving Colorado, while I've spent the last several months Googling Denver and counting down the days until their wedding there later this summer. Personally, I'd trade tall skyscrapers for tall mountains any day of the week!

Their style is effortlessly them: minimalist, neutral, understated, and timeless. We started at Postcard Chicago, grabbing coffee and escaping the bustle of the city for a bit. It was the perfect fit for their aesthetic and gave us a chance to ease into the session before wandering downtown.

As we explored the city streets, we kept one eye on the skyline and one eye on a storm that was very clearly plotting something dramatic. At first, we were actually excited. A little rain during an engagement session? Romantic. Cozy. Cinematic. The kind of weather photographers secretly hope for. Most couples would run for cover, but these two were completely on board. In fact, they were the ones suggesting we lean into it.

Turns out Mother Nature had bigger plans.

As the clouds rolled in, we ducked into their favorite ice cream shop for what we thought would be a quick treat before heading back out. Within minutes, the city unleashed. Trees were down. Patio furniture from nearby cafés had been tossed around.. Streets were flooding so quickly you could practically wade through them.

For the record, never slosh your way through a Chicago street. Yuuuuccckkk.

In the end, we didn't get the romantic rain photos we imagined. Instead, we got something even better: a session that felt exactly like them. Exploring a new city together. Laughing through unexpected moments. (I'm just going to leave it at kneecaps, Alec & Cassie... kneecaps.) Sharing coffee, sharing ice cream, and making memories before their wedding day.

Colorado, I'll see you soon.

But Chicago definitely gave us a story to tell first.