Lauren + Ethen | Vail Pass + Shrine Pass Engagement Pictures

Lauren and Ethen’s Vail Pass and Shrine Pass engagement session was one for the books!

Lauren + Ethan’s Story

Lauren and Ethan met six years ago. They both attended the University of Nebraska. On a fall October evening, Lauren and Ethen left their homes, all dressed up and went to a Halloween party. It was at this party that these two first laid eyes on each other.

After graduating from college in Nebraska, Ethan accepted a job as a golf pro at the Vail Golf Club. He moved out to Colorado by himself. Finally, after a year of building their relationship over a long distance, Lauren finally to joined Ethan in Vail.

How He Proposed

Ethan proposed to Lauren in Downtown Denver at Union Station. Although Ethan knew for quite some time that he wanted Lauren to be his wife, he waited patiently for the perfect time to pop the question. When he found out that Lauren’s parents were coming to visit them for a few days in Colorado, he knew it was the perfect opportunity. Lauren’s family is so important to her. To be able to have Lauren’s parent’s present as Ethan dropped to one knee was the best way he could show how much he loved her.

Lauren and Ethen walked into Union Station together. While Lauren’s parents hid in a nearby coffee shop to sneak in a few pictures, Ethen got down on one knee and asked Lauren “will you marry me?”. After Lauren said yes, a celebration was called-for at a nearby restaurant with the whole family.

Their Bucket List Travel Destination

Lauren and Ethan’s dream bucket list destination is Argentina and Chile (heck YES!!!). They are crossing their fingers and putting in all research to hopefully go there for their honeymoon after their wedding this coming September. I 100% agree with them that they should make that happen!

Their Free Time Passions

As a golf pro, Ethan generally works weekends, so when they do get a free weekend together they are typically hiking. When these two can get a little extra time off work, Lauren and Ethan love to travel to Ethan’s family’s lake house in Nebraska. They do all the outdoorsy things like fishing and golfing (Lauren unashamedly admits that she rides in the cart with a beer).

As die-hard University of Nebraska fans, their falls are filled with watching ALL of the Nebraska Cornhusker football games! Lauren enjoys cooking, and Ethan enjoys eating – basically, they make the perfect food lovers combo! Lauren and Ethan are even planning to have a donut wall at their wedding, because, in Lauren’s words, “why not have donuts at night!”

Their Favorite Thing About Each Other

What Lauren Loves About Ethan – “I will always love Ethan’s passion for mowing grass (the more grass to mow the better), breakfast pastries, and listening to rap music while wearing golf polos and sweater vests. In all seriousness though, I love how he genuinely cares not only about his family and friends but also his coworkers and members at the golf course he works at. He is a hard worker and puts others before himself.”

What Ethan Loves About Lauren – “Lauren is the second funniest person I know (after myself of course). Her personality always keeps me laughing and entertained. I love her kindness towards everyone she knows and meets and her intelligence has always impressed me. She is my best friend!”

Their Fall Engagement Session at Shrine Pass + Vail Pass

Lauren and Ethen were up for an adventure for their engagement session this fall.

As I was heading up to Vail Pass to meet them, there were dark, rain-filled clouds in the air. I was waiting in my car and texted Lauren “The weather’s not looking so hopeful…” It was literally SNOWING outside. But these two decides to march forward and take the weather as it came. Minutes later, Lauren + Ethan pulled up in their car and no joke, the crazy dark clouds had parted and the sun shined brightly.

We explored the top of Vail Pass, jumped across a creek and ran through the field. As we were walking back to the car to continue our journey up Shrine Pass, it began pouring rain. The three of us stood there looking North, South, East, and West searching for any hints of good weather. The clouds seemed to part towards the east so I hopped in the back of Lauren and Ethan’s car with them and headed down the pass towards Vail. The rain stopped almost instantly.

Now, I hadn’t explored this area yet because I had only scouted the top of Vail and Shrine Pass for their engagement session. As Ethan was driving us down the mountain, my eyes were peeled for a spot that looked great for pictures. I saw it! The perfect spot filled with golden aspen trees! The only problem was we were literally on I-70 and there was no exit for another few miles. So I asked Ethan if he was ok if we just pulled off the side of the highway. I’m so thankful for flexible and adventurous couples who are down for anything!

Lauren, Ethan and I stepped out of the car on the side of the busy highway. I spotted the golden aspen trees up the side of a hill so we climbed the side of that mountain – cute clothes and all. Holy guacamole, I’m thankful we stopped and climbed the side of the mountain because there was the most beautiful grove of fall aspen trees! For it being later in the fall season, it surprised me to find such a vibrant grove (most of the aspen leaves had already fallen).

We explored through the aspen trees for a while. Then, once again, we looked back up the mountain where it had been raining and the sun was shining again. We hopped back in the car and drove all the way up to the top of Shrine Pass. The sun was setting. The light was a golden glimmer. We caught the most amazing sunset at the top of the pass – and have photos to prove it!

I’m always thankful for couples who are open to change at the drop of a hat and willing to roll with the weather. Lauren and Ethan were the best adventure partners that day. We wouldn’t have found the aspen trees if it hadn’t started to rain at the top of Vail Pass. And we wouldn’t have had as epic of a sunset if the lingering rain clouds hadn’t been there. Sometimes, God’s creation just works in the funniest, idiosyncrasies.

Need a Colorado adventure engagement photographer for your Vail Pass + Shrine Pass engagement session?

Meet Larissa. Larissa is an adventure couple and wedding photographer based out of Colorado. She’d take an adventure in the mountains over shopping + a date night snuggling on the couch over dinner and a movie any day. Larissa’s obsessed with: morning snuggles with her rescue pup, Hazel, hot chocolate, a good book and yoga pants. She believes in making you forget a camera’s even there, that your story is the actual thing she wants to capture on camera and that real, raw moments are more important than perfectly curated poses. Book your Colorado adventure engagement photographer.