Adventurous Engagements at Watkins Glen State Park in upstate New York's Finger Lakes Region || Maggie and Hade
Meet Maggie and Hade, the sweetest couple who traveled all the way to Upstate NY for me to document their Adventurous Engagement Session at Watkins Glen State Park!
These adventure-loving, rugby playing, gentle-spirited sweethearts truly have the kindest souls and stole my heart from our very first FaceTime call! They envisioned an engagement session that encompassed who they were as a couple… laid back and low key, but still adventurous and outdoor-loving!
We chose Watkins Glen State Park as the perfect location for their engagement session, and they drove all the way from New Jersey for the photoshoot… fur babies in tow! 🤪
Watkins Glen is located next to the largest of New York’s glacial Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake, and the park has a rim trail that allows dogs, which we obviously took full advantage of! It also has a stunning gorge trail, which is about 1.5 miles long (3 miles round trip) with 500 foot elevation gain. I was 6 months pregnant during their photoshoot, and word to the wise, the 800 steps are better taken NOT pregnant. 🤣🥵
There is truly so much raw beauty to admire at Watkins Glen State Park, including natural waterfalls, meandering stone walkways, and underground cave stairwells, and during their entire photoshoot, I was struck by what a gemstone the park is!
Some of my favorite spots in it are where we stopped for photos: the Suspension Bridge (rim trail) and Rainbow Falls (gorge trail). On the Suspension Bridge, we were able to get Maggie and Hade with their pups. (Note to self: bring treats for pups. 😂) And at Rainbow Falls, we were able to capture the majesty of the gorge. Rainbow Falls showcases water naturally flowing down the gorge and pooling into a natural reservoir, and it is one of a few areas within the park where you can walk under a waterfall! 🙌🏼
Having been born and raised in the Finger Lakes Region, I’ve always loved this special area… but I developed a special appreciation for Watkins Glen State Park after this photoshoot.
Having had the opportunity to travel to new places, explore other countries, and taste unique landscapes, I’ve grown to treasure Upstate NY’s rolling hills, lush greenery, endless lake views, Watkins Glen not excluded.
the Finger Lakes Region is truly the dreamiest location for a wedding and engagement photographer, and I’m so excited that Maggie and Hade will be returning to Upstate NY for their wedding later this fall!
With the added beauty of the fall foliage, I know that Maggie and Hade’s October wedding at the Inn at Taughannock will be one for the books.
While I sadly will be on maternity leave for their wedding (😭!!!) I’m so excited to live vicariously through the lens of my associate shooter for their wedding AND their day-after wedding attire session! They are going to have the most beautiful fall wedding, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate their marriage and tell their love story!
