20 Nov Emily + Stephen | Engagement Photos

Whew… it’s been a very busy Fall, but we wrap up the season this weekend with our celebration of Emily and Stephen. Emily has been such a joy to plan alongside of… she always knew what she liked and didn’t, which made putting their day together a snap. It’s going to be a beautiful wedding and I’m so looking forward to witnessing these two pledge their lives to one another.

Until I get to share their day though, you can enjoy their playful engagement images captured by BeLight Photography. Their Q&A with me is pretty special too and I’d say that it’s safe to say that Stephen is a little smitten with his bride.

How/where did you meet and what did you do on your first date?

Stephen and I met when we studied abroad together in Greece. We both attended the University of Alabama and have many mutual friends, but we did not meet until we were in the airport about to head to Greece. We had so much fun, and by the end of the 4 weeks, everyone pretty much knew we were a thing. After Greece, Stephen came home and I flew to Paris to meet my mom. We had our first date on the 4th of July- the day I flew home from Paris. Stephen drove to Birmingham from Tuscaloosa to watch the fireworks with me. Since then, the 4th of July has been our special holiday together.

Describe your dream date…

Our dream date would be to hike somewhere really cool. We would love to go to Machu Picchu, Banff, or Acadia National Park.

Do you two have a favorite movie or song?

We have very different tastes in movies and music, but one movie we can agree we both love is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It is cheesy, but it always has us laughing.

What guilty pleasure do you share?

We could both lay around all day finishing a really good book. Neither one of us has any shame in reading for hours on end.

Tell us all about the proposal… anything not go as planned or was it completely perfect?

In my mind the proposal was absolutely perfect! Stephen took me to Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, where we frequently went together for walks. After walking for a few minutes, Stephen says he needs to get his water from his backpack. I continue walking and when I turn around, Stephen is down on one knee with a ring in his hand! It was the most perfect place I could think of to get engaged. Stephen says that one thing that went wrong (even though I did not notice) is that both our moms were very obviously hiding behind the trees. He could see them the whole time!

What do the two of you like to do together when you aren’t working or in school?

We love to travel, hike, try new foods, drink wine, and read.

What are you looking forward to the most about your wedding day?

Stephen: Getting married and going to Italy.

Emily: I am excited to have all of my favorite people in one place to celebrate our marriage. I’m also pretty darn excited about the peach cobbler at the reception!

How did you know he/she was the one?

Emily: When I first met Stephen, I was so surprised at how at ease I felt around him. Of course I was still nervous during our first dates, and I would worry about my outfit or make up or whatever. But when we would get to talking, I felt I could talk about anything with him. I am honestly my most true self when I am with him. He is my rock. He is my best friend. He is kind, loyal, smart, and generous. Being in a long-distance relationship is hard. But every time I would call Stephen upset and missing him, it never failed, he would be at my doorstep that weekend. (Usually with flowers in hand). I am so incredibly blessed to have him in my life, and I cannot wait to be his wife. 

Stephen: Emily has my heart not because she is beautiful, sweet, smart, and loves to travel just like me (although these are all wonderful things about her). She has won my love by the support, determination, and ability to forgive she has shown throughout our relationship.

This was evident to me during the past two years when I was working on my masters degree and my subsequent first year in my new job in Nashville. We were living apart and I was going through a phase of life where I was deciding on my career and where I’d be living. Emily was there for me through difficult decisions, my CPA exams, and many long weeks at work.

That’s why, in March 2019, I decided I could not wait any longer to propose. I decided on a Sunday afternoon that I was ready and proposed that next Saturday. Ever since she said yes, we have been blazing forward on the rollercoaster ride that is wedding planning cruising toward our wedding day.