From the Photographers
Preston & Brandon worked together for a short amount of time back from his Security days, so it was safe to say that Preston was excited that Brandon reached out to capture his wedding! We met near the "Christman" trail (no joke, we think it was named after us). in Beltzville to explore a trail with them & their family. It was a lot of fun exploring the woods!
How they Met
His cousin was friends with me in high school and introduced us. We dated for a couple of years and broke up. We both moved on and did our own thing, but still thought about each other over the years. 15 years later after some hard times in both our lives, Brandon reached out to me looking for a friend, not knowing I needed one too. Being “just friends” didn’t last long tho.
The Proposal
For our first anniversary, Brandon planned a dinner date. I didn’t know then, but he was already shopping for the ring and planning to propose at the dinner. He was so anxious and stressed about the ring coming in time that he was being extra romantic. One night I came home to find him dressed up, holding flowers, playing one of our songs, and cooking dinner. Due to how he acted, I was a little suspicious but tried not to overthink it. The night of the date, he did a good job throwing me off. He even gave me a gift at the beginning of the meal so I wouldn’t be looking for or expecting anything else. After dinner, he suggested we go for ice cream, which he knows I would never say no to. So I agreed, not knowing it was part of the plan. The ice cream place (Claude’s Creamery in Palmerton) is next to a nice park. He said he needed to walk off dinner before getting dessert, so we went to the park first. Along our walk, he began telling me how much I mean to him and how much he loves me. When we got to the gazebo, he got down on one knee, telling me that he wanted us to be together forever this time, and asked if I would marry him. I cried happy tears and said yes. I was so happy and excited that I didn’t even notice/see the ring until he asked me to put it on me.
Best Part of being Engaged + Some Advice
All of it! I love seeing her face light up when she randomly thinks, “hey, I’m gonna marry you.” Planning the reception has been a lot of fun, and deciding how to decorate and plan for the big day has been very exciting.
From Brandon - Don’t skimp on photographer, videographer, and DJ. You’re not gonna think, boy, I wish I had got a third dinner option for my guest ten years from now, but you will look back with regret if you don’t have great pictures and videos. The atmosphere a good DJ provides will enhance those photos and videos tremendously.
From Erin - When dress shopping, be open-minded and try various styles. It’s true for myself and many other brides that THE dress is one we thought we wouldn’t like. When wedding planning, try not to stress and have fun! While it is an important day to plan, it is only one day of your life together.
