Even though Melissa and Justin went to school together since the 5th grade, their paths didn’t cross until they were in high school. Melissa was friends with Justin’s twin sister, but it wasn’t until sophomore year of high school that she first noticed him. This part of Melissa and Justin’s story reminds me of Jay and me – we actually met three times before we finally paid attention to each other, ha! As they say, if it’s meant to be it will be.
For their engagement session, Melissa and Justin chose Divine Park in Spring Lake. We had the most gorgeous August day to walk around the park and get to know each other before their wedding next year. I love how relaxed they were in front of the camera. They smile easily and just love to make each other laugh. Needless to say, they warmed up to the camera right away! Melissa and Justin are planning a June wedding at Meadow Wood Manor and I already know it’s going to be beautiful. Enjoy getting to know these two by reading their love story, it’s sprinkled between some of our favorite images from their engagement session.
Engagement Photos NJ in Spring Lake
“I went over to Justin’s house and had dinner and then we watched the movie 127 hours. On our second date Justin took me to see a scary movie (which I hate) and then drove me to a “weird New Jersey” location on a desolate road.”
Melissa: “I felt like I always knew he was the one. Even when we first started dating, I knew I could picture us getting married.”
Justin: “She does things every day that tell me that she’s the one. Whether its just joking around with each other on a Saturday night in our pajamas while drinking wine (or just about anything really) or watching her try to dance and sing while she’s getting ready to go somewhere. She’s just silly and so am I and I love us.”
“We went to dinner and when I went to the bathroom he dropped the ring in my beer. It was April fools day so it was a fake (really ugly) ring. He eventually pulled out the real ring (thankfully). It was really low key, but that is the way we both wanted it to be. We celebrated with our families afterward.”
The ring is a solitaire setting with diamonds on the band. It is absolutely perfect.
Melissa: “I love that Justin keeps me calm whenever I get stressed or nervous. We have the same sense of humor so it just fun to always be around each other and have fun.”
Justin: “She keeps me motivated to do pretty much anything. She gives me a reason to work not just for myself, but both of us so that our future is constantly improving. She makes me a better person.”
“We are truly just excited to get married. We feel like we have been talking about getting married “one day” for so long and now it is finally here. As far as the day of the wedding we are both looking forward to having a good time dancing and celebrating with our friends and family. And of course we are really excited for the food!”
Hope you enjoyed Melissa and Justin’s engagement session! To view more of our recent engagements click here.
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!
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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!
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