Alicia and Derek are getting married in August 2023 and I could NOT be more excited!! They wanted to have their engagement session done one year prior in August of 2022. After doing some research on nature-y locations, we landed on Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve and Tyler State Park near New Hope, PA.

Alicia and Derek were rockstars, y’all. I need to pump them up first. They showed up to their session a bit nervous about being in front of the camera. But they were naturals!!! Alicia wore a super cute white dress and Derek wore darker neutrals to compliment her. They couldn’t stop laughing the whole time and you can just see the love in their eyes!!! We had so many great conversations and even discovered our shared affinity for the country of Ireland!! Needless to say, I am eagerly awaiting their wedding next year.

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve

This was my first time photographing at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve. It’s located in New Hope, which is a gorgeous area in general, so I had really high hopes!! What unfolded next truly blew my expectations out of the water.

It was empty. Like, I’m pretty sure we were the only ones there. It was a weekday afternoon in August, so the sun was still shining. That emptiness made us feel like we had the preserve entirely to ourselves, which therefore contributed to Alicia and Derek feeling at ease! I played some soft, romantic tunes as we walked through the preserve, stopping at various places for photos.

The variety was astounding! There were these huge, gorgeous clearings in the woods with grass that resembled the green on a fairway. (My dad would be so proud of me for that reference.) There was a gazebo nestled in the woods, and large patches of wildflowers as promised by the name. We even found a pond filled with lily pads and a cute stone structure with a water mill!

Tyler State Park

Around 5 p.m. when the park closed, we made our way to Tyler State Park. Alicia and Derek changed outfits here for some variety in their gallery (which I highly recommend!).

We first took photos around a disc golf course, which provided a dramatic backdrop of space in the woods. We hunted for sunlight here, and it showed!

Y’all, the way the sun shines through the trees here is something out of a movie. To enhance that feeling even further, we played around with some atmospheric aerosol to create some magical images!! Alicia had SO much fun with those photos – and how could she not?! She and Derek looked like they stepped into a fairytale romance!

After trying and failing to find a waterfall, we ended the session at a picnic table near a quiet creek. Alicia and Derek brought these cute coozies that read “Mr.” and “Mrs.” to go along with their beers of choice! They cracked them open and sipped on their brews while I made my last photographs of the day. I hiiiiighly recommend doing something like this at your engagement session. Alicia and Derek love a good beer (as do I), so it felt very “them” to include it in their session 🙂

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve & Tyler State Park Engagement Session