It’s a week for engagement sessions here on the blog!! September and October have just been absolutely packed with shoots. Everyone wants to get them in before it gets too cold and I don’t blame them! Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Jamie and Matt!! They live in NY but Jamie is actually from Howell, the same town where we live. Since finding us, she has even discovered that she knows a couple of our other brides thanks to our blog and our IG – what a small world!! Jamie and Matt chose to do their engagement session at Allaire State Park so they scheduled the session on a day when they were planning to come down to NJ to visit family. I don’t know how they did it but these two managed to coordinate their engagement session, visit Jamie’s family, and attend their friend’s wedding all in one weekend!! Phew!
On the day of this shoot, we took advantage of all the backdrops available at Allaire State Park. It’s such a huge park that offers a ton of looks. It was my first time meeting Jamie and Matt in person so we had plenty to talk about while we got to know each other. My favorite part of the session was seeing how both of their faces lit up every time I brought up the wedding. They’re planning a beautiful early summer wedding on our favorite date of the year: June 30th! The same date that Jay and I were married! For the first time ever, we are going to share our anniversary with one of our couples!! And we couldn’t have asked for a sweeter couple to share our anniversary with.
Here are some highlights from Jamie and Matt’s engagement session. I cannot wait to do it again at their spring Olde Mill Inn wedding! Enjoy getting to know Jamie and Matt and get excited for their June 30th wedding!
We met through our mutual friend Caitlin, who I went to college with and Matt grew up with, during a weekend trip to upstate NY in 2011. The week after the trip I had a job interview and Matt reached out to me to ask how it went. I thought it was so sweet that he remembered and the rest is history…
Matt: I took her to the city to see the Christmas tree. On the way to pick her up I got her a bagel from Smithtown Bagels, which ended up being our go-to breakfast spot for years to come. I remember being really nervous.
Jamie: I remember thinking how hard Matt was trying to impress me the whole day. When we went out to dinner he ordered the same thing as I did probably because he was nervous.
The proposal
There was this whole fake elaborate plan about going to my friend’s rooftop in Brooklyn one weekend. All of my friends were in on it and we made reference to this weekend for weeks. We decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge on our way to her apartment because Matt had never done it and it was a nice spring day. All of a sudden he was down on one knee and the rest was kind of a blur. I looked up and saw our friend Caitlin (the one who introduced us) snapping pics of the whole thing. Afterwards I found out we weren’t really going to Brooklyn and we went to a bar where I was surprised to find all of our close family and friends. I was so surprised and he couldn’t have done a better job.
Matt: Jamie is constantly pushing me out of my comfort zone which is a good thing. Without her I never would have accomplished grad school, getting my first teaching job, or going to the dentist for the first time in years. Oops.
Jamie: Matt’s personality perfectly compliments mine. All the chores I dread doing, he loves and vice versa. I’m a worrier, he’s carefree. We make the perfect team.
The ring is perfect! He did such a good job. I love how dainty it is and that it is gold because he knows I have always been a gold person. He asked my best friend to help him pick it out which was so special to me.
Seeing our vision come to life and celebrating with the people we love the most!
Congratulations to Jamie and Matt! Here’s to June 30th!!
About the Photographers
Idalia Photography is a team of husband and wife wedding photographers serving NJ, NY, PA, and beyond. We specialize in romantic, timeless, and classic weddings. Are you planning a wedding? Click here to view our wedding portfolio or contact us for availability and pricing. Happy wedding planning!
Love this NJ engagement session? Pin this image or any from the post above!
If we haven't met yet, I'm Alex! I'm passionate about discovering beautiful stories, documenting genuine moments, and capturing timeless images along the way. Here I share my latest work, a peek at the heirlooms we create, and helpful resources. Thank you so much for visiting my blog!
Do you love natural light but worry that you don't know what to look out for when searching for a photographer? Click below to get my tips so that you feel confident choosing someone to capture one of the most important days of your lives.
