A few weeks ago, I spent an afternoon wandering through blooming apple orchards with a couple who were celebrating their wedding anniversary.
Twenty-two years.
Just writing that number makes me pause for a second.
Because if we’re honest, we don’t talk nearly enough about the love stories that happen after the wedding day.
Engagements get celebrated. Weddings get celebrated. Honeymoons get celebrated. Social media loves the excitement of a proposal, the dress, the flowers, the big milestones and the new beginnings. But the years that come afterwards? The years spent building a life together, navigating challenges, sharing ordinary days and choosing each other over and over again? Those stories often stay quietly in the background.
And yet, I think they’re some of the most beautiful stories of all.
There was something incredibly special about spending an afternoon with a couple who had already shared twenty-two years together. Not because they were trying to recreate their wedding photos or because they had some grand romantic gesture planned. They simply wanted to celebrate this chapter of their story and spend a little time together in nature.
As we wandered between rows of apple trees covered in blossoms, I found myself thinking that maybe this is what love actually looks like. Not the version we see in movies or carefully curated social media posts, but the real thing. The comfortable kind. The familiar kind. The kind that still finds reasons to laugh together after more than two decades.
And honestly? That feels pretty magical to me.
"We Don't Know How to Pose"
A few weeks before the session, we were chatting about the experience and, at some point, they told me something I hear surprisingly often: “We don’t really know how to pose.”
If I had a Swiss franc for every time someone said that before a session, I’d probably be writing this from a mountain hut somewhere. 😅
The funny thing is that many people seem to think they need to arrive knowing exactly what to do in front of the camera. As if there is some secret handbook called How to Be Photogenic that everyone else received and they somehow missed.
But that’s never really been the point.
Most of the couples I photograph aren’t professional models. They’re teachers, parents, business owners, retirees, adventurers, dog lovers, and people who simply want to celebrate a season of life that means something to them.
And that’s exactly how I like it.
Because my goal isn’t to turn people into models for an afternoon. It’s to create an experience where they can relax enough to stop thinking about the camera altogether.
Before every session, I tell my couples the same thing: you don’t need to worry about posing. That’s my job. Your job is simply to show up, spend time together, and enjoy the experience.
The best photographs rarely happen when someone is wondering where to put their hands or whether they’re standing the right way. They happen when people are laughing at an inside joke, teasing each other, getting lost in conversation, or simply enjoying a quiet moment together.
And after twenty-two years of marriage, these two had absolutely no shortage of those moments.
Spring Had Other Plans
When we arrived, it felt as though spring had decided to put on a bit of a show.
The apple trees were covered in blossoms, thousands upon thousands of delicate flowers stretching as far as we could see. The air carried their sweet scent, the mountains rose in the distance behind us, and for a moment I found myself thinking that Switzerland was being a little unfair to the rest of the world.
The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Apple blossom season is fleeting, and some years the weather has other plans entirely. This year, though, everything seemed to align. The trees were at their peak, the light was soft, and the orchards felt almost dreamlike.
As we wandered between the rows of blooming trees, the atmosphere was wonderfully relaxed. There was no rush to get from one spot to the next and no pressure to create the “perfect” photo. We simply enjoyed the afternoon, stopping whenever something caught our eye or when the scenery looked too beautiful to ignore.
Of course, no session would be complete without at least one slightly embarrassing photographer moment. At some point, while attempting to squeeze myself into what I was convinced was the perfect angle, I managed to get my hair tangled in a low branch. The couple found this far more entertaining than I did, although in hindsight, they were probably right to laugh. Hahaha
Thankfully, the camera survived my adventures through the orchard, and so did my dignity… mostly.
The Best Photos Happened Between the Photos
One of my favourite moments from the session happened when we spread out a blanket beneath the apple trees. By that point, we’d already spent some time wandering through the orchard, stopping here and there for photos, chatting, laughing, and enjoying the incredible spring scenery around us.
There wasn’t really a plan for what would happen next. No elaborate pose. No specific shot I absolutely needed to capture. I simply invited them to sit down together for a few minutes and enjoy being there.
And that’s exactly what they did.
They talked. They laughed. They relaxed into the moment. Every now and then they would look at each other and burst out laughing about something I wasn’t even part of. The camera almost became irrelevant.
As I photographed them from a distance, it struck me that the most beautiful moments weren’t happening because anyone was trying to create them. They were happening because nobody was thinking about the photos anymore.
The pressure was gone.
There was no wondering where to put their hands, whether they were standing correctly, or if they looked awkward. They were simply enjoying a quiet afternoon together surrounded by thousands of blossoms, mountain views, and the scent of spring in the air.
It’s funny because people often assume beautiful couple photos come from knowing how to pose.
In reality, they often come from the exact opposite.
They happen when people stop focusing on the camera and start focusing on each other.
What Twenty-Two Years of Love Looks Like
As the afternoon unfolded, I found myself quietly observing them between photographs. Not in a creepy photographer-hiding-behind-a-tree kind of way, I promise. 😅 But in the way you naturally do when you’re witnessing people who have shared more than two decades of life together.
There was something incredibly refreshing about it.
Not because they looked like the couples you see in magazines. Not because every moment was perfectly romantic. And certainly not because they spent the entire session gazing dramatically into each other’s eyes while a violin soundtrack magically played in the background.
Quite the opposite, actually.
What struck me most was how comfortable they seemed together. The kind of comfort that can only be built over years of shared experiences, inside jokes, challenges, adventures, ordinary Tuesdays and all the little moments in between. They laughed easily. Teased each other. Knew exactly how to make the other smile. There was no need to impress anyone and no pressure to be anything other than themselves.
Watching them made me wonder if that’s what long-lasting love often looks like.
Not grand gestures every day. Not perfection. Not a constant stream of romantic movie moments.
Maybe it’s simply finding someone you can be completely yourself around. Someone who has seen every version of you over the years and still chooses to sit beside you on a blanket in the middle of an apple orchard, laughing at absolutely nothing in particular.
And if that’s not romantic, I don’t know what is.
Why These Sessions Matter
As I drove home that evening, I found myself thinking about how easily we celebrate the big milestones in life, while so many of the quieter chapters pass by without much attention.
We celebrate engagements. We celebrate weddings. We celebrate honeymoons. Those moments deserve to be celebrated, of course. They’re exciting, emotional and often mark the beginning of a new chapter.
But what about everything that comes afterwards?
The years spent building a life together. The ordinary Tuesdays. The inside jokes nobody else understands. The challenges you’ve navigated side by side. The routines, traditions and memories that slowly weave themselves into the story of a relationship.
Those moments may not come with a ring, a wedding dress or a big party, but they’re every bit as meaningful.
Watching this couple laugh together beneath the apple blossoms, twenty-two years after saying “I do,” was a beautiful reminder that love doesn’t stop being worth celebrating once the wedding day is over. If anything, the years that follow are where the story truly unfolds.
Maybe that’s why these sessions matter so much to me.
They’re not just about creating beautiful photographs. They’re about pressing pause for a moment. Taking a step away from the busy rhythm of everyday life and acknowledging the chapter you’re living right now, before it quietly becomes part of your history.
Because one day, these photographs won’t simply remind you of what you looked like.
They’ll remind you of what it felt like to be here, together, in this season of your life.
Thinking About Celebrating Your Own Story?
Spending the afternoon with this couple reminded me of something we often forget: we don’t need a wedding, an engagement, or a huge life event to celebrate the people we love.
Life is full of milestones, both big and small. Sometimes it’s an anniversary. Sometimes it’s a proposal. Sometimes it’s your first trip together, a new chapter, a long-awaited holiday, or simply the realization that life is moving a little faster than you’d like and you’d love to remember this season exactly as it is.
The truth is, most of our lives happen between the big events. In the ordinary moments, the quiet adventures, the inside jokes, the Sunday mornings, and the afternoons spent wandering through blooming orchards together. Those moments deserve to be remembered too.
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “We should really get some photos together one day,” consider this your gentle nudge.
Not because you need perfect photos.
Not because you need a special occasion.
But because your story is already worth celebrating.
My goal has never been to create a session that feels like a photoshoot. I want it to feel like an experience you’ll genuinely enjoy. An afternoon outdoors, a chance to slow down, reconnect, laugh together, and create a few memories along the way. The photographs simply become the reminder of how it felt.
So whether you’re celebrating an anniversary, a milestone, a trip to Switzerland, or simply the fact that you’ve found someone you’d happily wander through apple orchards with, I’d love to help you create an experience that feels relaxed, meaningful, and completely your own.
After all, love stories deserve to be celebrated at every stage of the journey.
Ready to Celebrate Your Own Story?
Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary, a new chapter, a trip to Switzerland, or simply want an excuse to spend a beautiful afternoon together, I’d love to help you create an experience that feels relaxed, meaningful, and genuinely fun. We’ll choose a location that fits your story, leave the awkward posing behind, and focus on creating memories you’ll still smile about years from now.
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Your Photographer
I’m Maaike Jansen
Your outdoor photographer, mountain nerd, and calm-in-the-chaos guide for meaningful adventures in Switzerland.
I create relaxed photography experiences for couples, families, friends, and wild-hearted travellers exploring the Swiss Riviera and the Alps.
Whether you’re dreaming of a lakeside sunset near Château de Chillon, a stroll through the Lavaux vineyards, or a mountain adventure with breathtaking views, I’ll help you plan an experience that feels natural, easy, and genuinely fun.
No awkward posing.
No rushing from one viewpoint to the next.
Just beautiful places, meaningful moments, and photographs you’ll still treasure years from now.
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Elopement Education certified
Empowering intentional, meaningful elopements — because your love deserves more than a template.
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