“I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen.” A.A. Milne

I recently met up with George & Christina for their engagement session at Piedmont Park. It’d been raining a lot (and threatened rain the day of the shoot), but the rain held off creating the perfect afternoon for photos at the park! It was cloudy which only accentuated the rich fall colors. Seriously, it looked like the trees were dressed in their finest just for us! The overcast day & recent rain seemed to scare the usual crowds away – we pretty much had the entire park to ourselves!

One of the things I love talking about the most with George & Christina is their trips and adventures! We all share a love for travel and a love for ITALY – which just happens to be where these two were engaged! Ahhhh! The story is amazing, but you’ll just have to keep reading to hear it all from George. Because of their shared love of travel & adventure, George & Christina pulled a lot of fun elements into their session that you’ll see below! But first, the story of how they first met as told by George:

“I first met Christina through mutual friends at a WABA kickball party. I was immediately drawn to her but at the time she was “unavailable.” I tried to play it cool but I’m sure I wasn’t as suave as I thought I was. I remember thinking to myself if a time ever came and I got a chance, I was going to win her heart (I always will be a hopeless romantic). I fell for her that night at the kickball party but I fell in love with her the night of our first kiss a few years later….Dragon Con 2012 at the Marriott Marquis Pulse Loft.”

“What I love about Christina the most?  This seems like a loaded question…lol. Seriously though, I love and adore how big her heart is.  She is the kindest and most loving person I have met in my entire life. She accepts and loves me unconditionally.”

“What I love most about George is how he is the charmingly sweet man that swept me off my feet, practical and reasonable enough to keep me grounded when I start dreaming of outlandish escapades, and still adventurous enough to take me up on a crazy plan every now and then. He’s the perfect man to be by my side, whether we’re quietly relaxing at home or halfway across the world exploring a new place. I feel safe and loved when he holds my hand and exceptionally blessed that he has my heart.”

4) Tell me about the proposal. – “Christina and I had been tossing around the idea of taking a trip to Italy. I had already been thinking of romantic spots to propose, so when we finally booked our trip to Italy it was a no brainer.  I selected the engagement ring and diamond about a month prior to the trip.  Having the ring on me through the airport, on the plane, and in Italy was nerve racking to say the least.”

“Next decision was where and when to propose in Italy.  Our planned stops were Venice, Florence, and Milan.  I decided on Venice, a) it was the most romantic of our 3 stops, and b) it was our first stop!  I was already nervous, I don’t think I could have waited much longer and I was also paranoid I’d lose the ring….lol.  On our second day in Italy I proposed.  It was after our gondola ride and walking back through the court yard of Piazzo San Marco.  I grabbed her hand, got on one knee and asked her if she would marry me.  She was totally surprised and said yes before I could even finish the speech I had in my head. She said “YES” in Venice, Italy on May 5, 2015.”

George & Christina – Thank you so much for sharing this time & your story with me! I cannot wait for your wedding at the Foundry next year!