Winter Forest Engagement Photos

Melissa & Chantra

I love the beauty of a forest and anyone who knows me knows I love Winter, so when I spied today’s shoot which joined the two into a Winter forest engagement shoot, I knew I wanted to share it with you! Photographer Sonya Chindamo from Laugh Out Loud Photography scouted this woodland site for Melissa and Chantra’s engagement photos which has a strange sense of synchronicity for the couple – Chantra had chosen a forest to propose to Melissa.

And that, is why I love the forest. The sense that the trees which have seen so much, that dwarf those below, hold so many stories and create such a sense of intimacy and peace. Perfectly suited for a shoot that captures your own quiet moments together.

The stunning forest scene was a surprise for the couple, who remark, “Chantra and I love the outdoors. Many important memories we share involve being outside, exploring and enjoying our surroundings. This shoot is not only a perfect depiction of the type of places we like to go, but it is also a beautiful representation of where Chantra proposed. Sonya scouted the site and said it match us perfectly as a couple. While we knew we want to be rugged up and embrace the Winter elements in our photos, we never imagined Sonya would find somewhere as incredible as that forest! ”

Melissa tells the story of how they came to be. “Chantra and I met on and off in passing through friends until we met properly on New Years Eve of 2011. Our mutual friend had made it clear that Chantra was interested in me and didn’t hesitate to make it as awkward as possible for us. This resulted in Chantra being quite hesitant to talk to me. After I initiated a conversation, the rest of the night seemed to fly as we talked the night away. We watched the fireworks together at 12, and he wished me a Happy New Year with a shy smile. He always tells me he wanted to give me a New Years kiss, and is kicking himself that he didn’t!”

On what they love about one another, Melissa muses, “We love that we both have a desire to experience new things. When we are together there is never a dull moment as we always try to find new things to do and see. Still to this day we have an endless list of ‘firsts’ that we want to experience together.”

The proposal was an epic surprise for Melissa who remembers, “We had decided to celebrate the anniversary of our first date, which was two years earlier by spending the day in Lorne. Still to this day I have never been to Lorne, because instead we ended up at Melbourne Airport with two tickets to Tasmania in our hands. Tasmania was the first place Chantra and I travelled to together and we fell in love with its natural beauty, slow paced lifestyle and specifically the Huon Valley.

Upon arrival in Tasmania, we picked up our rental car and headed to a little lunch spot Chantra had found. It was a quaint, little, permanently docked boat restaurant where we had the best fish and chips we have ever had. Afterwards, Chantra handed me a map, showed me where we were and told me we could do and see whatever I wished. He knew me well and knew I would choose to the Tahune Airwalk. The Tahune Airwalk is within a Heritage listed Forest and is absolutely stunning.

We made our way through the forest and up the steps that led us to the air walk in the canopy of the trees. We then reached the lookout which is suspended 48 meters above a river with the most incredible views. I don’t know how he did it but we happened to have the lookout all to ourselves! It was in that moment when we were silently enjoying this spot that we now call ours, that he calmly and modestly asked me to marry him.”