Any couple that says yes to hiking and going to a waterfall for their engagement session is A-mazing in my book.  Leanna and Hayden are just that couple! I spoke with Leanna and Hayden just 3 weeks ago about their September wedding and they booked right on the spot.  Since their wedding is just 5 months away, things had to move fast! They’re currently in a long distance relationship, Leanna in NJ and Hayden in Texas, so we jumped at the chance to do their engagement session when Hayden was in NJ last weekend for some work training! We ventured to Raymondskill Falls in PA for their engagement session. Even though some new construction on the trails meant we can no longer get down to the waterfall, they were up for hiking down to the creek for some awesome pictures on the rocks. (And thank god for my North Face Gortex hiking shoes cause I was walking through the river!)

They will be married this September on Leanna’s family farm in Wantage NJ amongst 300 friends and family.  WHAT a celebration it will be! I can’t wait to be a part of it!!! And now, to share their love story…

Leanna and Hayden met at Muhlenberg College. They briefly talked Leanna’s junior year when Hayden was a sophomore, but it was too close to the end of the school year to really pursue anything, according to Leanna. Towards the end of the first semester during Leanna’s senior year, they started talking since they had a class together and it took off from there!

Their first date was at Allentown Brew Works. Leanna said it was a great date and clearly they really hit it off on that first (official) date. They ended the date with a frosty from Wendy’s, and Leanna said it was literally a perfect night!

Fast forward a few years to the proposal.  Since Leanna and Hayden are long distance, there’s a lot of flying back and forth between NJ and Texas.  Leanna was visiting Hayden one weekend and they were spending the rainy day just watching college basketball, with plans to eat at Pappas Steakhouse with Hayden’s parents that night.  His parents said they had to leave to go to dinner separately from them because they had to go get something from a friend’s house pretty far away. On their way to dinner, Hayden kept saying they should kill some time and take a picture at the water wall since it’s right next to the restaurant. Sure enough, they walked around the wall, walked into the center, and he proposed to Leanna right then and there! His parents were right there to take tons of pictures of this special moment!! Because of this trend of water, it seemed pretty fitting to do their engagement session at a waterfall as well!

Luckily, they’re both active people because we had a bit of hiking and climbing over trees to get to our location.  I’m so proud of Leanna for scaling rocks and trees in ballet flats!!! Seriously, she’s awesome.

As a couple, they love hiking, going to different sporting events, hanging out with their friends and family, and enjoying Mexican food or a nice steakhouse.  It’s only fitting that we ended the session at my favorite Mexican restaurant, Taco of the Town!!

As for the wedding day, I seriously cannot wait to photograph it and watch them say I do on Leanna’s family farm.  Leanna is most excited about Hayden’s reaction when seeing her in her dress. And like me, they are both super excited that they get to have their reception on Leanna’s family farm in NJ. They are so excited to celebrate their love for each other with their friends and family, and I can’t wait for September to be here!!

Leanna and Hayden, thank you both for enduring the cold and the wind and the water for your session, I am so in love with these pictures and hope you are too!! I can’t wait to see you again in September for your special day. I know you two are made for each other and I can’t wait to see what your next adventure holds. <3