Gyehyun & Tim: Kent Park Engagement Portraits

Honestly, it took awhile for my head to wrap around this session because I was photographing my brother and my now sister-in-law. It was just hard to believe that my big bro was getting married even though, at the time, he had already been engaged for over half a year. Since then, I’ve gotten used to the fact that they’re married. It’s been nice having an older sister-in-law who puts your brother into place when he’s being a jerk! He also buys me food, which he’s never done before. Sister-in-laws rock. What. a. blessing.

They met while hanging out with mutual friends at Old Chicago in Coralville. Apparently, his friends had noticed his interest in her quickly because he spent so much time talking to her and that usually doesn’t happen! They’ve only known each other for a few weeks when one evening, as Tim was giving Gyehyun a ride home, he had asked her if she liked him. She knew what was coming. Her mind was already set. She was focused on her career and it was way too soon; they hardly knew each other! But my brother, like me, is stubborn. He was persistent. While they were telling the story, I was both impressed at his courage to ask her out and face-palmed for not letting it go. His persistence paid off though because she was also impressed by his courage and reluctantly said yes to a date. The rest, as they say, is history.

They were supposed to have a courthouse wedding in Iowa with immediate family (ours, not hers) and close friends, but the courthouse didn’t allow ceremonies because of coronavirus. So they only signed papers here and had their bigger wedding with her immediate family in Korea. Unfortunately, my parents and I weren’t able to make it, but at least her dad got to give her away!

We had taken these pictures right after our family pictures in downtown Iowa City so we were already tired and it was hot. The humidity was high, sweat dripping everywhere. Thankfully, it’s hard to tell in the images how hot it was. Despite the heat, they had fun! A couple of their friends had come to help carry belongings, dab the sweat off their faces, and hype them up as I directed them. Having taken pictures earlier, they had already loosened their limbs and were naturals in front of the camera. My brother was even surprised at how good they looked when I showed him the back of my camera! When clients are happy, I’m happy, more so when my family is happy. Many blessings to my new(ish) sister-in-law! I’m looking forward to being an aunt soon *hint hint*