Philadelphia Engagement Photographer | Fairmount + Rittenhouse Square | Katie + Nate

I don’t want to brag or anything but there’s something pretty cool about being chosen as a bride’s wedding photographer before she has even found her groom.  This was the case for Katie, who saw my pictures of a former classmate’s wedding a few years ago and she has kept track of me ever since.  That’s devotion!  A few short days after her proposal, I received a very excited message from Katie – she didn’t have a date or a venue yet but we just had to talk!  She is one of those industrious people who can actually keep up with a wedding blog so you can read all about her process and Pinterest-worthy ideas here.

So on to the engagement session…  It was a difficult decision.  There were too many places that Katie wanted but only so many hours of great light and, more importantly, only so long Nathan could last before hulking out.  Katie warned me that Nate hated having his pictures taken and that he had promised to be on good behavior but his tendencies were more towards that of an ogre when pictures were involved.  I steeled myself for the worst and assured her that I have no problem handling the occasional prickly pear.

We met at Bishop’s Collar in Fairmount (Katie’s favorite local watering hole) so the duo could grab some liquid courage before the extended engagement session.  As much as Katie had prepared me, I was pleasantly surprised by Nate’s upbeat demeanor, cracking jokes and generally making Katie laugh.

We wandered around more of Fairmount.  This is where Katie lives and she absolutely loves the area.  They have plans to move to Wayne in July so it was important to indulge in the city and her neighborhood while it was still hers.

Nate has us both cracking up with impersonations.

The two met online (woohoo!).  Nate’s motto was, “do what will make for the better story.”  Katie has since co-opted it and they’ve been doing just that.  After several emails back and forth, he called her one night and, after gabbing for a while, said that he would call her in a week to set up a date.  She countered that there was no reason to wait to set up a date when they could just do it now.  He responded with, “well, what are you doing tonight?”  Check and mate.

As we were walking down their street on the way to change for part 2, the raindrops started to fall.  The day had been overcast but the Weather Channel had promised me no rain.

Miraculously, the sun had come out and we were in the clear by the time we came back out.  It was like we got a completely new setting.  The next goal was Logan Square.

Let me pause here to say that these two are big into their high fives.  I support this though Katie has some work to do.

They are both very involved with their causes.  Katie’s cause is sexual violence and Nate has been partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters for the last 7 years.

He is a beer guy; she is a wine gal.

Katie knew that Nate was a big deal when she came down with Lyme’s Disease and he was by her side through it all.  They went to the Christmas light show at Longwood Gardens this last December and took in all of the romance and beauty of the place (it really is magical that time of year).  She sat down on a bench with him and exclaimed, “This is perfect.”  Cue Nate telling Katie how much she means to him and asking her to marry him.  Cue ring.  This was her Nana’s stone that Nate had placed in a beautiful antique design after laboriously going over tons of rings to get Katie’s just right.  It’s a stunner.

But that’s not the end of the proposal story.  Nate then drove Katie to a bar where she was bowled over by a surprise birthday/engagement party that included their families and friends.

By the time we had gotten to Rittenhouse, we were losing light and Nate, who had been exceptional for the hours we had already spent wandering was starting to fade.  Still, he troopered on.  Overall, an A+ effort by both (well, maybe some demerits on Katie for her exaggeration of Nathan’s persnickityness).

We wrapped up the session the way one does – by throwing “gang signs” and looking like fools.

I am so happy for the little spark that got Katie’s attention so many years ago and that I am able to be a part of their wedding story.  I am looking forward to even more shenanigans in December at their wedding.

My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.
~ Maya Angelou