Engagement Photographer: Brayden & Aeva's Fernan Lake Engagement
Brayden and Aeva have such a cool story. They are also some amazing people. There is an energy around them, with so many great smiles, easy laughs, and a natural way of just being themselves. I don't know when that started but I wouldn't be surprised to hear it happened when they were in high school - when they first met. You see, Brayden transferred to Aeva's school (Gonzaga Prep) when he was going to be a senior. Turns out, Aeva and him both lived in Coeur d'Alene at the time and were some of the only people driving from CDA for school. So it didn't take long before these two started to carpool together to school. They would become friends - best friends. In the winter they found out that both of them loved to Ski, and would head up to Schweitzer with their group of friends - they of course would ride together (coming from Coeur d'Alene as they were).
As I heard the story, I couldn't help but ask the simple question "So you guys liked each other the whole time?" to which they said no. Aeva told me that she was so happy to have a guy friend that was actually "just a friend" and didn't have an interest in her (despite what her parents may have had to say about it). Brayden told me that Aeva was one of his best friends but he "never really thought about it that way" - they both had other people they liked, and they were just "good friends".
Listening to their story I could see how those things were absolutely true - in the moment. The way these two laugh and have fun, it makes sense that they could just have fun together like that.
Anyway, these two wouldn't be in different relationships forever and it turns out that around prom (towards the very end of the year) Brayden and his girlfriend would break up. It took several weeks, but one day Brayden was sitting around at home and his dad asked him a question that seems so obvious to us now "why don’t' you date Aeva?" (Aeva, living close and being a good friend knew his family well, and hung out with them often). Brayden would respond with "No way! She's just a friend!" but it was that question that got him thinking… why aren't I dating Aeva?
So he asked her - and she said she wasn't interested.
Yeah, I didn’t' see that coming either.
It only took two days though for Aeva to come around and she would text Brayden and ask him if he wanted to hang out and "Go get ice cream and look at the stars". Brayden would find that a little odd as she wanted to "just be friends" but he said yes - of course - and it was then that Aeva said she would want to be in a relationship.
It's amazing what two days can do.
That was four years ago, and even though they have been doing long distance at points, going to college, and living life, they have fallen more and more in love. They have fun together, laugh together, and are truly fun to spend time with. They are people I know if I had met them in some other situation, I would be friends with, and I am so excited to be there when they get married, what an amazing day it will be.
