See This Couple's Engagement Shoot at White Sands

View the stunning imagery taken at the National Monument in New Mexico.

"I discovered the White Sands actually years before and was drawn to the beauty and mystery of its topography... we figured there was no better place to take our engagement pictures than New Mexico," shares the bride.

By Kelcy Christy

White Sands National Monument Engagement Shoot
Photo: Anée Atelier

A few months after Julz Graves moved to New York City, a friend had given her number to Paul Kirchner thinking they would be great together. They texted back and forth for a few weeks until finally meeting in person by chance on a night out with the friend who set them up. "We walked in the door and Bailey urgently grabbed my arm and whispered, 'Julz! That's him... that's Paul, the guy you've been texting,'" shares Julz. "Sure enough, I looked over and saw the tall mystery man I'd been texting for a month... in the same random bar on a random Tuesday night."

When Paul knew it was time to take the next step, he proposed under the Brooklyn Bridge on a rainy summer morning at 7AM after they'd completed one of their favorite summer rituals: biking over the bridge from Manhattan, grabbing coffee, sitting by the water, and watching the rest of the city wake up. "We biked, we coffee'd, he asked, I cried, I said yes and jumped into his arms... then looked over and saw my entire family creeping in the bushes behind us," remembers Julz of the moment. 

When it came time to plan their engagement shoot, they chose the desert as their location. "Paul and I have an immense love for adventure and exploring, especially in the western United States," shares Julz. "I discovered the White Sands actually years before and was drawn to the beauty and mystery of its topography... Between the unique aesthetic of the National Monument and our deep love for the land of enchantment, we figured there was no better place to take our engagement pictures than New Mexico." Take a look at Julz and Paul's romantic e-session at White Sands National Monument, below!

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Photos by Anée Atelier 

Bride's Attire: Nathalie Kraynina Bride; Engagement Ring: R&R Jewelers; Décor by Restoration Hardware; Groom's Attire: Tommy Hilfiger; Hair & Makeup: Julianne Kirchner; Horse Rental: El Paso Trail Rides; Location: White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

For more engagement shoot inspiration, see this at-home e-session in the kitchen and view these shoots in Barcelona, New York, Paris, Chicago, Brooklyn, Central Park, Malibu, and Palm Springs.

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