It was a chance encounter when one night Travis & Kiana had gone out to grab dinner with separate groups of friends. And their friends had mutual friends who said hi to each other. Travis was awestruck by Kiana, who he thought was “Absolutely GORGEOUS. ” His friends gave him heck and said that he wouldn’t be brave enough so say hi, so he hopped up, marched over and interrupted her mid-sentence in a conversation to introduce himself.

She thought that was rude.

But then he took his hat off and smiled. And so began the story of a Nebraska cowboy and Miss Rodeo New Mexico 2018.

Kiana emailed me the day after they got engaged last summer to book their wedding date and told me right away they wanted a winter/snow engagement session.

We hemmed and hawwed about where to find the best snow and mountain views, thinking we might end up in Northern New Mexico or Colorado. But in the end, we settled on the Sandia Mountain above where Kiana had been raised and just a few minutes from their home.

It was 20º with a sub-zero wind chill. And I have no idea how they did it, but Travis and Kiana brought the heat like 85º and sunny.

Nelson and I had a blast getting to know these two during their session and dinner after…where we laughed and talked until way late. And we can’t wait to be apart of their 2021 wedding!

Ps. The outfit where Kiana is wearing a white shirt…that is the top of her mama’s wedding dress. I LOVE IT!

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Sandia Mountain Winter Engagement | Copyright Lyndsey Garber 2020