Winter Engagement Old City, Philadelphia PA

We had a wonderful time at this winter engagement session Old City Philadelphia. The couple kindly share’s a bit about what brought them to this moment.

Engagement Photos in Old City Philadelphia

We chose to do your engagement photo in Old City  Philadelphia because we love the history of Philadelphia and the quaint areas of this historic section in the city. Philadelphia is our new hometown! Before we moved in together, we lived in Old City so we have a lot of fun memories of going on walks and checking out different restaurants in the area. The cobblestone streets and brick walls are iconic and beautiful. Some day we hope to live in a house that has a similar character.

How They Met

They met while attending the University of Virginia in 2010, when Elizabeth was a 1st year and and he was a 2nd year. She played on the field hockey team at UVA and he played on the golf team. They quickly became friends after meeting through other athletes, and they had several classes together. Eventually, she invited him to her sorority’s parents formal, and he immediately hit it off with her friends and parents. Shortly after, they went on their first date on the historic downtown mall, and officially became a couple.

After he graduated in 2013 and she in 2014, they both found jobs in Philadelphia. For three years, they have enjoyed exploring a new city, with many more dates including a new and extensive restaurant scene, golf lessons (for her) at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, and even a few formal events – lucky they had practice with those parents formals at UVA! Between two cities and five years of dating, they are ready for the next chapter.

The Proposal

In April 2017, he was planning a surprise trip for them over Easter weekend. She, typically a detailed planner, held in the urge to ask where they were going and went along with the plan. He picked her up from work around 1pm on April 14th, 2017 and they began driving south. About an hour into the trip, he revealed they were going to Charlottesville!

They arrived in Charlottesville and hoping for a private and romantic setting, he led them toward the Rotunda and was anxious when he saw hundreds of students hanging out on the lawn – he laughed and sighed “oh boy.” As the sun was setting, they walked right onto the lawn in front of the Rotunda and after a few words, he was on his knee asking her, “Will you marry me?” And in the college town where they first met, on the most beautiful evening, she said YES! More excited than ever, she almost grabbed the beautiful ring in front of her before realizing “wait, he’s supposed to put that on me.” After the ring was on and they had a few moments of celebration, they remembered they had an audience. Two female students ran up, excited to have witnessed the love story, and volunteered to take a picture.

Once the moment was documented, she wanted to call their families immediately. He said, “Wait, I have another surprise.” They ended up at their favorite restaurant, Aberdeen Barn, the site of many dates during college. They checked in with the host for their reservation and the host confirmed party of two. Once they turned the corner toward their table, she was so surprised to see their parents and his grandfather sitting in the restaurant. She was choked up hugging her mom and dad, still shaking with excitement. He accepted congratulations from all – what a wonderful plan!

Together, the families had a blast during the weekend celebration, which included champagne, wine tasting, more favorite restaurants, and a beautiful Easter Sunday. After Mass, the weekend ended with brunch at the Boar’s Head Inn, the location of the couple’s reception in 2018!

…and we’re gonna get married! Charlottesville (c-ville): It’s where we met and where we got engaged, so it only makes sense to tie the knot in our favorite place in the world. Thank you to all of our family and friends for celebrating with us during our engagement and on our special day in 2018!