Don’t even pretend to be working right now. It’s the Friday afternoon of a long weekend and everyone is futzing around on Facebook and Pinterest. And besides, you owe it to yourself to check out Jean and Brian’s engagement session. It’s the best possible way to get you ready for a lovely, breezy weekend.
I met up with these two almost-weds during their trip back to Philly, where they are planning their wedding for next month. They chose to do their session around the Rittenhouse area, where they lived together before taking off on a crazy cross-country adventure. It seemed right that we start at their old home and stomping grounds.
They love this area and they really came back at the most beautiful time of the year – cherry blossoms in full bloom and sprinkling feathery pink petals everywhere. The Rittenhouse Square area is so naturally gorgeous – big, old, townhomes, cobblestone streets, window baskets…
They have known each other since high school. Brain said that he always had a feeling about Jean. It wasn’t until a New Year’s Eve party 3.5 years ago that the spark was ignited and they both knew it was big.
They are the ultimate adventurers. Their idea of a great time is wandering neighborhoods, trying out all of the food (huge foodies), and hiking.
It is this sense of adventure that draws me to them so strongly. They live in Berkeley, California now. “Why?” you ask. Well, they just wanted to. They picked up and left the East Coast with no jobs planned for them on the other side and just assumed things would fall in place. And they did. I love that philosophy so, so much.
It was while they were out in CA that Brian told Jean to take a half day from work. This, among other things, made it clear that he’s a romantic at heart and that this is just par for the course with him. She didn’t think too much of it and actually got home later than expected. It was just in time for their airport shuttle to pick them up. She didn’t know the destination until she got on the plane: LA.
They picked up a Zipcar and drove south passing exit after exit, beach after beach. Finally they turned off to Laguna Beach where they parked their things and got dinner. Jean was taking her sweet time eating course after course and Brian finally told her that she could have any dessert. He had other plans.
They took a walk down to the beach where Brian played Jean a slideshow of the two of them. Friends were secretly snapping pictures as the proposal went down. How beautiful is this amaaaaaazing sapphire engagement ring?! Coincidentally sapphire is Brian’s birth stone.
They came back to Philly two weeks later for a party where they told all of their friends the big news.
At the end of our session, Jean and I were walking off to the car as Brian went to meet up with some friends. He comes sprinting back to show up to an adorable little street lined with twinkling trees. He’s a keeper.
I can’t wait to see them again at Morris House Hotel next month to photograph the next part of what is sure to be a lifetime of crazy and amazing adventures!
“Here’s to all the places we went. And all the places we’ll go. And here’s to me, whispering again and again and again and again: I Love You.”
~ John Green
