Of all the photo shoot sessions, we absolutely adore engagement photo shoots! One of the things, out of the many things, we enjoy the most about engagement photo sessions is that they capture some of the most interesting expressions. Right after the engagement, couples have sparkles in their eyes and have some of the brightest smiles on their faces, which is why we love these sessions! Apart from this, we love to see the excitement when couples talk about the poses they’re looking forward to, and occasionally, we’ll have the opportunity to talk to the couple and hear about their wedding plans. While that is true, we absolutely enjoyed covering the engagement session of this Connecticut couple! From the get-go, we knew these two were meant for each other. The way these two looked at each other during the engagement photo session, the stolen glances, and the excitement to try something new, these two had pretty smiles and eyes that sparkled. Our Hartford engagement photographer met these two at one of the most loved local wineries in the city, a local winery with many wines, most of which were awarded. The couple told our photographer that they’d been thinking about the different locations in Hartford, but could not find anything better than their favorite winery. Jackie and Jonathan were excited about the day and told our photographer that they decided to dress casually like they’d do if they were just hanging out with each other. But looking at their outfits, we feel that they dressed up classy, and had a unique sense of style, trendy and yet laid-back! 

Hartford is the capital of Connecticut and is the third-largest city in the state. But what makes us fall in love with the city is the fact that it is one of the oldest cities in the United States! Hartford, as the capital of the state, is filled with affluent lanes, and public art museums, and is synonymous with wealth and old memories! The “old” vibe of the state, which is very true for the capital city, gives the city an “authentic feel.”  Some of the best places to visit in the city are Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, The Mark Twain House and Museum, Connecticut Historical Society Museum and Library, Cedar Hill Cemetery, and Elizabeth Park Conservancy, which are some of the best ones to visit in the city. And honestly, we were expecting a newly engaged couple to choose any of these spots. But when we looked into the pretty location these two picked out as their engagement photo shoot location, we were mesmerized and taken aback by the beauty of the place.  

The winery, one of the best in the area, was just dazzling and had a very retro look, reminding you of Italian wineries. The winery is made of impressive stone arches, trails, and wine tasting areas, and is home to picturesque views. This vineyard is also home to neatly tucked vines with spaces in between, which makes it the perfect spot to take memorable photos. Apart from the pleasant outdoors, which are absolutely perfect for outdoor engagement photo sessions, the establishment also has a wine tasting tour, photo tours, and trails that are just perfect for a stroll with your soulmate. The wine tasting tour allows patrons to taste some of the best local wines and gives you a lot of information about how the wines are created and of their taste profile. This winery and vineyard are one of the most loved wineries in and around Hartford, simply because not only is the wine here exemplary but also hosts an amazing ambiance. The family-owned winery has a great and warm atmosphere, which makes the patrons love it. What’s more, for wine lovers who absolutely love sweet or dessert wines, this is the place for them! The winery has a vast collection of sweet wines. 

The Hartford couple chose this location for their engagement photo session in Hartford because they love wine. What’s more, the two also love the fabulous exterior of the vineyard. They absolutely love taking a stroll around the vineyard. The couple also loves to sip on their favorite wine as they stroll the vineyard. For their outdoor engagement photo shoot, the couple chose their outfits carefully. Jackie told us that the two did not want to dress “too dressy” for their engagement photo shoot. Jonathan chose to wear an all-blue outfit for the engagement photo session! He put on a blue pullover that went over his white shirt and light blue jeans. To finish his outfit, he added some brown shoes. Jackie chose to wear a delicate white dress for her engagement photo session! Her dress looked absolutely refreshing and looked perfect with the surroundings! What’s more, it had a pretty back, with a few details that made it look even prettier. Her white dress had pretty clusters of long leaves printed all over the dress. Jackie chose beige heels that were completely concealed by the skirt of her dress. Also, before the outdoor photo shoot began, Jackie and Jonathan told our photographer that they were looking for some candid-like photos. Also, they talked about the beauty of the vineyard, and how they wanted their engagement photos to reflect the true beauty of the area. Also, the couple confided in us that they were not really sure what style of wedding invites to send out. They also told our photographer they'd be happy if they could use one of the engagement photos as their wedding save-the-date card. So, before they started striking some amazing poses for photos, they looked around the winery and took a deep breath. With faces plastered with happy smiles, they two nodded at each other before posing for some photos.

The couple started their day right at the beginning! Jackie and Jonathan held hands as they walked across the beautiful vines, which during the season were neatly cropped and standing still. Had the season been different, the couple would have looked at the beautifully budding grapes, which would later be made into amazing and delicious wines! As our photographer was following the couple, the couple confided in our photographer that they loved the winery at this time, around winter, because even though the winery was crowded, the outdoors were almost empty. Since everyone at this time liked to be warm, Jackie and Jonathan had the outdoors all to themselves. And we couldn’t help but agree with the couple, the expansive winery looks mesmerizing. One of the photos that we absolutely loved of the lovely couple was in the vineyard. It was quite early in the day when our photographer started taking photos, so at this time, Jackie had put on a denim jacket. The idea of matching engagement photo shoot outfits for the couple was this: Jonathan dressed in all blue, with a white shirt peeking out of his blue pullover, and Jackie’s white dress paired with a sky blue denim jacket. 

The first few photos of the day were taken with the day being a little cold, a little cloudy, and a little glum. However, Jackie and Jonathan’s bright smiles took away our need to see the sun. The two opened a bottle of Chandon Garden Spritz. The two poured the wine into their wine glasses. Swirling the wine in their glasses, before sipping on it. Enjoying the delicious wine, Jonathan and Jackie confided in our photographer that the moment, sipping wine in a beautiful winery was just perfect. Smiling, and laughing at every chance they found, it was easy to see that they were enjoying their photo session! As the day progressed, and it got a little warmer, Jackie took off her blue denim jacket to show off her dress and beautiful back. Despite the city going full swing into fall, as the sun came out to play, the winery came to life! Glowing with greenery, and the massive hilly backdrop, the area looks nothing short of a fairytale-like photo location! The winery is also a popular destination for many couples to get married, so, the two found an outdoor wedding arbor. What we love the most about this chance finding is that the arbor was dressed in white, which went perfectly well with the couple’s outfits! What’s more, Hartford’s beauty came to life, with the flowers blooming all around the engagement photo shoot venue. Before heading over to the arbor to pose for some amazing photos, the two posed with the brilliant misty background of the vineyard with their wine glasses! Standing next to each other, Jonathan playfully pulled his finance closer, smelling her hair, he posed for a photo with a bright smile. It was easy to see that he wanted nothing more than to be next to his fiance for the rest of his life. 

With pink flowers blooming all around the winery, the couple held hands as they walked to the outdoor arbor. Standing under the wooden arbor, the two hugged each other in a warm embrace, giving our photographer their best, natural, smiles. The photo turned into one of the best photos of their photo session courtesy of the beautiful hills and the massive vineyard in the background. As the two of them looked for more spots to take brilliant engagement photos, the two quietly sat down at the foot of a massive fountain. The tiered water fountain was delicately designed with curved bowls to catch the water, making it a great part of the photo shoot. Smiling for the camera, the two shared a romantic exchange of words we weren’t privy to, which made the two forget about the world around each other. Taking the time to gently kiss each other, our photographer witnesses two souls that were completely at peace in each other’s company. Then the two looked at our photographer with bright smiles and asked if they should move on to other locations in the venue. Deciding to explore the winery, the two were excited to have some more amazing photos. As the two walked around the winery, it was easy, and an absolute pleasure, to see the couple explore the winery with child-like excitement. 

The couple had a lot of fun looking around the area, and even more when they posed for photos. Walking the well-paved paths in the winery, Jonathan wanted to try out an amazing romantic pose for the photos. He asked our photographer for help, who suggested one of the most common romantic poses. Taking her hand, Jonathan leaned into Jackie, and slightly bent downwards, creating the perfect photo pose. Taken away by Jonathan’s sudden movements, she laughed and then smiled. The two then kept exploring the area and found a beautiful brick arch. Standing right under the arch, the two smiled for a photo. Then the two choose to spend some more time around the brick arch, acting like two teenagers experiencing love for the first time. Giggling, smiling, and kissing each other at every chance they could find. Walking along the brick wall they two came to a single spot, which added a rustic charm to their photo session. What’s more, the tiny lanterns on the wall added more brilliant charms to the photo session. Before walking back to the vineyard, Jonathan pulled Jackie into a close embrace once more and planted a sweet kiss on her lips. As they were walking back, the two spotted a cute bench, placed right in front of a manmade pond. The two stood there, posed for some cute couple photos, then they took a seat on the bench and poured another glass of wine. As the two sat down and sipped their wine, the two inched closer to each other. The two decided to call it a day, as they enjoyed each other’s warmth. Our photographer took a few more photos and left the two enjoying their wine. As our photographer packed up their gear and said their goodbyes, our engagement photographer looked back and found the two resting their heads on each other, sipping on their wine, and quietly looking out into the small pond in front of them. Our photographer felt their heart warm up and walked away with a happy smile.