It seems as though spring bloomed on my blog, thanks to this colorful session!! Stephen and Gabby’s engagement session would have been the first official face-to-face introduction, but I ran into them a couple months ago, along with their families! Just meeting the “crew,” I already know their wedding is going to be entertaining! 🙂 Oh, I cannot wait!!!
I’m always grateful when couples are flexible. I know it can be difficult to align schedules at times, but when an unexpected ice storm plows through NoVA, we had no choice but to reschedule months later. Absolutely worth the wait!! 🙂 At times, I found myself dreaming of being in the south photographing these two, surrounded by Magnolia trees. It was so refreshing! I’m so grateful Morais Vineyard connected me with Stephen and Gabby because they are so loving, down to earth and sincere. When I see their love in these photos below, it’s as if I hear Gabby’s laugh through her contagious smile. 🙂 I cannot wait to photograph them again this fall!!
Stephen & Gabby’s Love Story
How Stephen and Gabby Met
There are two main conspirators that helped bring us together, Bridgette Loiselle & Mattox Heaton. Bridgette, who worked with Gabby, was a close friend of Stephen’s roommate, Heaton. Through many nights out, Bridgette kept mentioning a “girl from work” that Stephen needed to meet. Knowing that Stephen wouldn’t chase down that lead without a push, the two arranged a “random meeting.”
After some coaxing and arm pulling, Heaton convinced Stephen to come to Shirlington for trivia night with Bridgette and her friends at Samuel Beckett’s Irish Pub to meet this girl with a “name that starts with G”. Gabby, who had just run with Bridgette and other co-workers in the Shirlington Running Club, was already at Samuel Beckett’s.
The night was full of trivia, food, laughs, drinks, multiple girls in the group with names starting with “G” and Stephen confusing which girl it was he was supposed to meet.
In the end…
Gabby had met Stephen, and Stephen eventually found out that the girl he couldn’t help but steal glances at all night was, in fact, the right “G.”
How Stephen Proposed to Gabby
Reenacting our first date for our upcoming anniversary, we went to dinner by the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria, VA. Finishing dinner at sunset, we walked along the water till Stephen “let” Gabby discover a pier stretching into the river with an all wooden gazebo. As the sun sank and the last selfies were snapped, we exchanged small gifts. After reading a card from Gabby that ironically ended with a joke about me proposing one day soon, Stephen gave her a brass bar necklace with the initials “GRH” hand engraved.
Gabby examined the necklace and observed that it had her first two initials and an “H” for Hinz. After struggling with shaking hands and fingers that could not work a simple clasp to put the necklace around her neck, Stephen grabbed both of her hands and dropped to a knee… you know the rest.
Thank you, Stephen and Gabby, for a fabulous and fun time together!!! Goodness, I cannot WAIT for your big day this fall!!! It’s going to be so special, and I’m incredibly honored to help you celebrate the big occasion! CONGRATS!!!
Where Stephen proposed. <3
CONGRATS!!! xoxo!
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