Aaron & Emily: Rapid City Engagement Photographer

Aaron and Emily, I can hardly wait for your wedding this fall! Thank you for spending this gorgeous spring day with me, for making it extra fun and lighthearted, and for bringing along your trusty sidekick, Dax. Enjoy a few of my favorites! –js

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Emily, what’s your favorite thing about Aaron?
His beard, obviously. 😉 I’d have to say of the many things, his caring and compassionate spirit resonates in the top five. When I had just started working at ARC, he was walking in ahead of me and stopped to open the door for an elderly woman going into the dentist office next door. I immediately was intrigued by his kindness. He loves unconditionally, and his little gestures of love and care turn into great moments of compassion that can warm anybody’s heart. He can make me laugh through rain or shine, and he knows how to calm my heart through anxieties and fear. I love his passion for adventure, especially to tour around the states to hear Lord Huron whenever we can. God radiates through Aaron, and makes him a great person to be around…forever.

You knew you’d marry him when…
From the beginning, things were different with Aaron. It was so natural. My heart was pretty guarded, but before I knew it, he had softened my heart and fooled me into loving him. 😉 He also survived meeting my ENTIRE family at my brother’s wedding about a month into dating – that was the golden ticket right there. After getting to know each other a little bit at work, it didn’t take long at all for the sparks to fly. We actually met six years prior in high school. Aaron had just moved from Arizona our Senior year. We had Government together, and we were the shy kids sitting in the back. I didn’t remember, as there was no beard then, but I always thought the “new kid from Arizona” was kind of cute. Six years later, with some good life experiences under our belts, we met again at ARC. Is it cheesy to say the rest is history? God had a plan and we trusted it. There wasn’t a specific moment that “I knew” he was the one, but I remember I never looked back. I also have never felt so confident with a life decision, until the day Aaron asked me to be his wife.

Aaron, what’s your favorite thing about Emily?
It’s difficult to narrow it down to one thing, when you become very close with someone you’re able to see all the little intricacies of their personality that aren’t immediately apparent upon first meeting. Your favorite things become the little things that they do, and Emily is incredible at finding little things to make everyone around her feel happy. She has the kindest heart of anyone I’ve ever met, and a love for doing things for others, often putting their needs in front of her own. But most of all I think, I love Emily’s ability to laugh, and giggle. It’s infectious being around her, she lights up my world with her sense of humor and goofiness.

You knew you’d marry her when…
Emily and I really first started dating right around her oldest brothers wedding, when her entire family was in town to celebrate, and I got to meet them all, at once. Everyone joked that if I made it through the gauntlet of uncles, aunts and cousins we would be off to a great start in the relationship. Lo and behold, she has a pretty wonderful family and they didn’t scare me away. I knew then if it held true and she met my family without running away crying, we would definitely make it. A small, tight knit group of my family were the ones I was most worried about, but also the most excited for her to meet. When they all get together, it’s a complete blast, every minute is filled with laughter. When we came out of the first time meeting them, I could sense a real connection, a chemistry, she fit right in. When they completely reaffirmed my feelings about her, how amazing and fun she was, I knew it was meant to be.

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