We Minnesotans, we tend to blame Mother Nature. A lot. For a lot of sometimes contradictory things. When it is too cold, too hot, too rainy, too dry–you name it, we blame her. She cannot catch a break. That can’t be totally our fault, however; she gave us such a gorgeous environment, can we really be blamed for wanting to enjoy it?

Twice we had to reschedule Samantha + Jason’s Duluth destination engagement session because of weather this past June, a month where it seemed like it rained virtually every single one of the 30 days. In addition to that, the long, rough, brutal winter had done not only wreaked havoc on those of us prone to cabin fever, but it also did a number on the plants of the Zenith City’s iconic Rose Garden, leaving us to believe there would be no buds or blooms.

But sometimes, just like Samantha’s three stone engagement ring, third time’s a charm, and mother does know best.

When we met this past Sunday for their session, not only was it a gorgeous, mild, beautiful 70 degrees where the only water was the spray from the waves on Lake Superior. There were red, white, pink, peach, fuschia, every possible color of blossoms everywhere, perfuming the whole park with a soft rose scent. It was perfect for these two, who themselves are no stranger to patience. Samantha and Jason are delayed high school sweethearts–they went to the same school and knew each other, but did not become a couple until sometime after graduation. Four years after that sometime when they decided to see where this goes, they have found themselves heading for a June 2019 wedding; like it was with the weather, their love was worth the wait, as are all the good things that will come to them in their future.

But let’s take a minute to to soak in the sunny, lovely, beautiful good thing that was their engagement session…