Lynchburg, Va | Jaclyn & Michael's Engagement
As Jaclyn and Michael were telling us the details of their story, it sounded like they were telling us the plot to the next best seller book. Seriously, their story is one that a movie should be made from. Here are some of the highlights of their relationship, and some of our favorite images from their session!
It all started back in college. Michael was waiting tables at the restaurant on campus one night when Jaclyn came in with some of her friends. While her friends all got their checks, she just got a handwritten note. It said, "You're too pretty to be buying your own dinner."
Jaclyn worked at the university cafeteria. He came in one day to eat, and he ended up going through the line 9 times to get more chicken from her! Finally he stopped being a chicken, went back up to her line, and asked her out on a date!
They dated for 18 months, but they realized that they were at different places in their lives. They had different desires and goals, and it just wasn't the right time. They separated.
9 long years passed. They stayed friends on Facebook, moved on and dated other people, but those relationships never seemed to last long. Nothing felt right for Jaclyn. But then one day, Michael sent her a message on Facebook telling her that he had to unfriend her. He wasn't able to move on, he couldn't get over her, and seeing her pictures on Facebook just hurt too much. He needed a clean break. Michael didn't expect much in return. Maybe just a message from Jaclyn saying that she understood, that she wanted him to be happy.
But Jaclyn said a lot more than that. She couldn't move on either. She was still in love with him. They needed to meet and talk. The different paths that they were on 9 years ago had somehow drifted together.
They reunited in July of 2015, and he asked her to marry him 3 months later. He took her to their favorite park, where he pulled out a book he wrote of their love story. It began with a photograph of the booth where she was sitting with her friends that night almost 11 years ago when he first bought her dinner; then a photograph of the cafeteria line where he asked her out on their first date; all the way through the little details of their relationship that ended up being the big details of their love story.
As we photographed them on that beautiful cold evening, we could tell that he had been waiting a long, long time for this. He was attentive and sincere, always making sure that she didn't lose her footing in the snow or get too cold. She was safe and secure in his arms, and she still seemed a little giddy that this was all really happening after so many years apart.
Michael and Jaclyn, thank you so much for slipping and sliding through the snow on that frigid Saturday with us! We cannot wait to capture the next page in your story at the end of March when you finally get to say "I do." We're so happy and excited for you!