Kelly and Adam had their sweet engagement session at Laurelwood Arboretum in Wayne, NJ last May and brought their adorable pup, who stayed right at their heel the entire time. Needless to say, we melted over this skittish little dog.

How did you get engaged?

“In LBI by Barnegat Lighthouse during a surprise birthday trip!”

Two years prior, this couple began taking frequent trips to LBI together, so it became their special place. We don’t blame them, as it’s one of our favorite places in all of NJ, as well! The light, the salt air, the laidback vibe and ice cream in the middle of the day; life just hits a little different down in LBI. That’s why they’ve chosen Sea Shell Resort and Beach Club in Beach Haven NJ for their wedding venue! We can’t wait to document them getting married on this private beach. Kelly and Adam aren’t interested in dealing with the Summer heat though, which is why they’ve chosen May for their wedding date. The color scheme will consist of pastel blues and muted tones. They plan to have a live guitarist because seeing live music together is also something they love to do along with being outdoors and going to the beach. Their venue is even more special now because it’s near where Adam proposed!

Tips for Choosing an Engagement Location

Choosing Laurelwood Arboretum for their engagement session was a great alternative to the beachy style of their future wedding. We always ask couples if they’d prefer to choose the same time of year as the wedding for their engagement session (the answer is *usually* yes). But more often than not, a couple will prefer a location that has a varying environment to wherever they’re getting married. We like it, too, because it’ll give you variation in your photos! If you eventually plan to hang your engagement and wedding photos in your home, it’s nice to mix it up! If you chose the beach for your wedding, the woods or an arboretum helps give you a different feel to the photos so they don’t all look the same. You may also love mountains, a garden, a lake, a farm or even a more urban environment. You may even have trouble deciding! Doing something different from your wedding will give you the best of both worlds if you’re indecisive! Here at Laurelwood, it was perfect as the flowers were finally in bloom and the evening was warm but not too hot.

We loved photographing these two and helping them, and their pup, feel comfortable! There was a natural happiness between them that was undeniable. We can’t wait for their wedding this coming May!