One of the initial most exciting things about moving to Lake Chelan for me were the bare rolling hills and mountains with incredible vistas everywhere you turned. My whole life I grew up around forests as far as you could see, or as far as your island reached. Don’t get me wrong, that western PNW life is breathtaking, but it lead me to see a different beauty in eastern Washington. A beauty where I’m constantly curious what I’ll find if I “just summit that next hill.” And rarely have my adventures disappointed me!

One fine day of entertaining my children, I decided to  follow a back road as far as it went, knowing it couldn’t really take me too far since a giant river was on the other side. We rolled down the windows and took it slow on the one and a half lane bumpy, windy road.

What I saw made hearts literally pop out of my eyes and float across the hillsides. There were mini canyons and steep fluffy hills that dropped down and towered above a small riverbed with vistas of both the Columbia River and Lake Chelan. Every spot was photo worthy if you just had someone (definitely not a non-compliant toddler like I had that day) to put in front of it.

Enter Christy and Austin. These two sweethearts are native to the valley and found each other online. Christy kept Austin on his toes initially, but gave in to his charmingly playful personality and the two have been having a blast together ever since! Between the seriously sweet photos below, there were some truly priceless captured antics, buuut I decided to let Christy dictate who gets to see those! (As I’m sure Austin wouldn’t mind at all ha!)

After our mountain top shenanigans we went down to the Chelan Riverwalk for sunset engagement portraits. When Austin asked if it would be OK for them to get some pictures in the water my jaw dropped… I may have awkwardly left a few moments pass before asking, “Are you serious? Um YES?” Austin was all for having a polar bear swim in that FRIGID lake, but Christy, understandably, had her reservations. When asked for my opinion, I tried to stay out of it, but created a compromise that kept Christy from getting pneumonia and Austin and I these epic MAY (– read: *not summer*) lake engagement pictures!

You two are hands down amazing! I’m still smiling thinking about it! Needless to say, their Rio Vista Winery wedding is going to be one for my “explore Lake Chelan” record books. Happy wedding planning you two! I’ll see you in September!