When Maria and Jared reached out to me about documenting their 5 anniversary session at the Indiana Dunes I was OVER THE MOON excited.  They are the coolest people and wanted to start a tradition of getting couples photos done every year!  How special is that?!

These two are super adventurous, they have dreams of scuba diving, making handmade pasta, hiking, kayaking and so much more, which is why the Indiana Dunes ended up being the perfect spot for their anniversary session.

Maria + Jared

For Maria and Jared’s 5 year anniversary session we met at the Indiana Dunes State Park this past fall.  The two dressed for the fall weather wearing cozy sweaters and a flannel.  We met in the parking lot and followed one of the paths that headed towards the beach.  The beach was pretty empty, which is so nice for couples sessions.

We were able to get creative and Maria and Jared were able to relax and be themselves.  We cuddled right on the water’s edge, soaked up the fall views and played in the sand.

After we spent some time on the beach we headed back in towards the parking lot and soaked in the views of the dunes.  They almost look mountainous, especially in the fall when the trees don’t have as much green.

Why the Indiana Dunes?

The Indiana Dunes are only about a 40 minute to an hour drive from the center of Chicago making them an awesome location for a date day, a nice hike, or even an anniversary session if you’re wanting to have some updated photos.  While the Dunes do get crowded over the summer, they are not even close to business the Chicago beaches. There are almost always stretches of the dunes that aren’t as populated if you’re comfortable walking for a bit.  The Dunes are beautiful through spring, summer, and fall.  They do get a little chilly once winter comes though being right on the lake, but are honestly perfect for a session any time of the year.

Planning an Anniversary Session at the Indiana Dunes

When planning your own anniversary session, if you would prefer to have the space to yourself, I recommend scheduling your session in the morning. Having your session in the morning, we’ll be able to watch the sun go up together and explore the dunes for the most part on our own. Other than the occasional hiker there aren’t too many people that are at the dunes at the crack of dawn. Especially if you plan your session for the spring or fall. However, if you do prefer a summer sunset, there are almost always stretches of the dunes that aren’t as populated if you’re comfortable walking for a bit.

Make it a Date!

When prepping my couples for their session, I recommend to them that they make a day, or at least half a day of their photo experience. Take the morning slow, enjoy some time with one another. Get ready together and just get excited about your session! Then after your session, get freaking hyped because you have some great photos coming your way. Celebrate with a round of drinks, some quality movie night snuggles or a dinner just the two of you.

I’m so glad that Maria and Jared invited me out to the Indiana Dunes with them for their 5 year anniversary session. I think it’s SO cool that they plan to get new photos yearly, it’s such a cool tradition to start so they’ll have photos from all throughout their lives together to look back on. If you’re looking to book an anniversary session of your own, head over to my contact page, and let’s set a date!