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Dreamy McKinney Falls Engagement Shoot from Elle Reaux Photography

Alyssa and Ryan’s dreamy McKinney Falls engagement shoot captured by Elle Reaux Photography is giving us all the feels! The park provided the best landscapes for the couple to explore amidst the golden Texas light, and Elle beautifully captured the duo’s organic and playful love in each scenic setting. Scroll through for all the engagement shoot inspiration you need, and be sure to read Alyssa and Ryan’s adorable story below!

Photos // Elle Reaux Photography

It all started with a work crush. Alyssa was introduced to Ryan by a coworker as one of the few other employees that lived in the city and suffered the reverse commute to the suburbs. She did not expect the fellow city dweller’s smile to give her school girl nerves or to make her stalk the intra-company instant messenger for status alerts. Ryan always kept his work and personal life separate so he did not expect to become close with a coworker or to spend hours on video calls with one that was living half way across the world. But they did, and both of their unexpecteds turned into exactly what each other needed.

From the bride: “I was nagging Ryan about not planning a date in awhile, so he suggested a day date picnic by the lake the following Saturday since the weather predictions looked warm and sunny. We both were involved – he picked the place, I prepped the food – so I did not suspect anything. We had our picnic on Promontory Point which is a grassy park area along the south side of Chicago along Lake Michigan. The bugs were bad, so once we finished eating, he suggested a bike ride along the path that runs toward the city skyline. Everyone that knows me knows I have a strong love for bike rides, especially when using Chicago’s bike-share, Divvy (we both have annual memberships – haha), so again did not suspect a thing.We rode for a little while, and it was a nice day so Ryan wanted to stop off by another area along the shore. I protested since I feared the bugs, but he convinced me and we sat down in what looked like a roped off construction area. At this point I’m a little confused but still not suspicious, and he asks me how long I want to live in Chicago. Since we are sitting along the edge, both looking at the skyline, I did not realize that while I was seriously answering his questions, Ryan was fiddling around in his pocket to ensure the most perfect ring was centered when he pivoted down in front of me on one knee saying, ‘I know wherever we go, we will make it our adventure. I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?’ Then I blacked out, came to to snap a photo, and shook the entire bike ride back to our car.”

The couple currently lives in Chicago and are planning a destination wedding in Austin this spring. Congrats to Alyssa and Ryan! We can’t wait to see how their special day comes to life!