Forest Hues

Ahh, the great outdoors – such a lovely place for an engagement shoot. And for outdoorsy couple Emily and Eric, the forest in Mills Reservation was the perfect spot. You can see in their pictures that they truly enjoy being with nature and each other. What a fun couple! The way they are together seems like a combination like no other. Speaking of combinations, check out the forest greens and browns in this shoot! It’s great that the couple chose outfits with colors that blend well with their surroundings. Their photographer also did an amazing job not just in capturing such sweet moments, but in giving these photos that rustic forest feel as well.

The Location:

The engagement shoot took place at Mills Reservation in Cedar Grove, NJ. We’ve both grown up in urban/suburban areas, and Mills Reservation always felt like a nice getaway amongst all the hustle and bustle around us. Even if it was rainy (which it was on our shoot), it never stopped us (or our photographer Elyse)! It’s especially Eric’s favorite weather to smoke his pipe as it’s serene and peaceful. We love being in the outdoors! — Emily

The Outfits:

I would have to say that the weather was a big contributor as to why I wore rain boots that day, but other than that, I would have to say that Eric and I love neutral tones. We both aren’t really fans of standing out, but we do love small details. That’s why I chose to wear a simple color palette, but I wanted a little extra something, ergo the lace in my dress. On a day to day basis, we pretty much have the same wardrobe (flannel shirt and jeans) and laugh almost every morning we get dressed! Our engagement shoot was a special day out of the ordinary, so I put on my Free People dress that I bought at a thrift store for $20 and my rain boots! — Emily

There really wasn’t too much thought as to what I choose to wear that evening. I honestly picked one of two jeans that were in my closet and threw on an oxford. I used to work at American Apparel back in the day, so most of my “nice” clothes are from there, and I figured I would throw on a shirt and jacket from the store, too. — Eric

A Hint for the Wedding Day:

Some aspects of the engagement photos reflect on our wedding day. Emily and I love being outside no matter the weather conditions (well, unless there is a tornado or a hurricane…then we like being indoors). The day of the engagement shoot was foggy, rainy and a little chilly. Plus, we were on top of a baby mountain (more of a hill), surrounded by trees and rocks. Our wedding was outside, and the forecast of the week leading up to our wedding told us that it was going to rain all day for our wedding. Lucky for us, it was sunny and cool the whole day – perfect weather for being out on farmland. — Eric

About Our Wedding:

We got married this past June at the the Raritan Inn, a bed and breakfast in Califon, NJ. We were surrounded by everything we loved! Family, friends, good food and the great outdoors. There was a river that ran right beside the inn, and we got married underneath a big shady tree. We celebrated with beer that was brewed by my brother-in-law, and there were enough corn cob pipes to go around for everyone! Our close family was able to stay the night at the inn where we had a bonfire to end it all and a beautiful breakfast the following morning to send us off onto our honeymoon to Maine. It was amazing! — Emily

I think Emily said it all. One thing that I remember was that I had a huge cheesy smile when Em walked down the aisle. I’m not sure if I was going to tear up or not, but all I remembered was my cousin telling me that if I did tear up, everyone was going to think that I was a bitch. I didn’t want anybody to think that I was, so I smiled instead. — Eric

VENDORS

Photographer: Elyse Jankowski Photography
Other Location: Mills Reservation