HEIDI MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHY » Exclusive wedding photographer for the refined and the elegant. Monterey, Pebble Beach, San Francisco, Napa. Available for worldwide destination wedding photography.

Medicine — specifically an emergency room near Atlanta, Georgia — brought Amy and Stephen together. He is a physician, she is a nurse. Their love of family kept them grounded during the early years of their courtship, while their love of travel landed them here — at Mont Saint-Michel, an island commune in Normandy, France. Stephen had planned an uber-romantic engagement away from home and invited Heidi Morgan Photography to shoot this destination love story.

Stephen hand selected this and a number of other destinations after spending much of his youth traveling with family and living abroad. Of the destinations, Mont Saint-Michel held a special magic — as remembered by a boy of twelve. After laying my own eyes on this castle-on-a-hill, the magic resonated even with me.

Enter Le Mere Poulard, a rainy day and umbrellas galore. You know what they say about rainy day love stories — a clearing of the slate, start of a new chapter. Amy and Stephen allowed us to capture their discovery of Mont Saint-Michel. This “castle on a hill” took about four hours of [Audi] driving from Paris. We passed beautiful fields and stunning skies, with what we thought were miles of nothingness ahead of us. We were wrong — so wrong!

Mont Saint-Michel itself cannot be driven into. There are busses available — or you can use your walking legs like we did. The details were stunning — including a body of what looks like water but is actually “mud” that you can walk on!

Just after Amy emerged with her perfectly straight hair, the showers began. She and Stephen were troopers — all smiles — and accepted our suggestions to tuck in and out of the many alcoves available to us.

Ever feel like you are alone with your love despite a sea of people around you? Welcome to Amy and Stephen’s day; they didn’t mind the audience!

We were impressed with Amy’s ability to walk in a pair of her beloved heels. Up, up, up we went. And then, we were met with the most stunning view…

The couple that laughs together…stays together.

Stephen spotted a moment — and offered his wife-to-be a dance — in the rain, on a tourist-filled holiday.

The dance led to their moment of realization. They are engaged. Stephen had done it — privately — the day prior at the chapel at Mont Saint-Michel. Her ring is stunning, and perfect; similarly, their hands fit perfectly into one another’s.

At last, and in the end, it was back to La Mere Poulard, where we witnessed their specialty omelette making. Their wooden spoons beat — literally so — like synchronized music. Their wine — oh so smooth.

As nature intended it, the skies cleared and the promise of new beginnings emerged. Congratulations to Amy and Stephen. I can’t wait to shoot your Atlanta wedding!

Last but not least, thank you so much to my partner in crime, translater, and travel agent Claire Morgan for shooting by my side. Love you!