One thing I love about engagement sessions, besides getting to know our couples, is that I get to shoot in new places all the time! When Lela and Carson said they met at Lafayette College, we all new we had to do Lafayette College engagement photos. I had never been to the campus but as soon as I arrived to the picturesque town of Easton, PA, I knew I was in for a treat. The campus buildings and walkways were gorgeous and provided such a varied backdrop for this engagement session. I tried to not stay in one spot too long because I knew there was so much to explore, especially with Lela and Carson leading the way and showing me all their favorite spots on campus. This was such a perfect kickoff to fall engagement sessions! I loved getting to know Lela and Carson and getting an insight into how their relationship started and into their wedding plans, too! These two are tying the knot next October and we couldn’t be more excited for them! Get excited to read through this blog post because Lela and Carson have the sweetest love story and Carson planned the most amazing proposal for Lela complete with professional photos of the moment when she said yes! How’s that for a perfect proposal? Lela and Carson, thank you for giving me the perfect tour of this very special place where it all started and for sharing your story on the blog today! We can’t wait for your big day!
How they met:
“I met Carson during the spring of my freshman year at Lafayette College. One of my friends had met Carson, a sophomore at the time, through Lafayette’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders. Carson had invited him to bring a few friends to a social gathering and I just happened to be one of those friends. When we got there, Carson opened the door and it felt like love at first sight. I realize that sounds cheesy, but it’s true! There seemed to be an instant chemistry between us. We spent the evening talking, dancing, and laughing together. We learned that we had a lot in common and had grown up only 20 minutes away from each other. He walked me home that evening and several days later, he asked to take me out on a date. I was impressed by his chivalry! After a month of spending time together and getting to know each other, we decided to make the relationship official. We’ve been inseparable ever since!”
Their first date:
Lela: “On our first date, Carson took me to Morici’s, an Italian restaurant near Lafayette’s campus. I remember being incredibly nervous because I was very interested in Carson and wanted the date to go well. I get shy when I am nervous so I was very quiet on the date. Fortunately, Carson loves to talk so he had no problem carrying the conversation. After dinner, we watched 500 Days of Summer and then went to a party with some of Carson’s friends. I felt comfortable with his friends, which I knew was a good sign. In fact, the host of that party has now become one of my good friends and will be a bridesmaid in our wedding.”
Carson: “I remember being extremely nervous. People at Lafayette didn’t take many people out on actual dates when they first met girls. But I knew Lela deserved a real date. I honestly can’t remember much about what we talked about, I couldn’t get over how beautiful she looked. I’m sure I rambled on way too long but on our walk back to my dorm, I told her I couldn’t wait any longer and wanted a kiss. I will always remember that kiss at the front door of South College Hall.”
When they knew they had found The One:
Lela: “It was very early on in our relationship that I started to think Carson could be the one. We went on our second date during Spring break. Although we had only met two weeks prior, Carson met my parents when he picked me up for our date (dinner and a movie). We had the best date and I was on cloud nine when I came home. I remember sitting on my kitchen floor (because my parents were hanging out in the kitchen and I was petting my dog on the floor) when I got a text from Carson that read “I had a great time and I’m really excited to see where this goes” (or something like that). I just remember thinking to myself that this could be it; he could be the one. I don’t remember when I went from thinking he was the one to knowing he was the one. I just know that as our relationship evolved, we became best friends and I could no longer imagine my life without him.”
Carson: “I had a feeling she might be the one from the very start. In fact, I even sent a photo of her to my mom before our first date to tell her I have a crazy feeling that I might not ever be single again after this weekend. I can’t remember either when I knew for sure, but I also can’t remember a time anymore when I didn’t know for sure.”
The Proposal:
“Carson and I went on a short vacation to the San Francisco Bay Area to visit family and celebrate our five year anniversary. We decided to spend our anniversary in Carmel-by-the-Sea because we had been there before and thought it was an adorable, romantic town. We enjoyed our day together by driving the gorgeous 17-Mile Drive, eating lunch al fresco, and walking around Carmel. That evening, we planned to go to a nice dinner to celebrate our anniversary. Carson suggested that we walk down to the beach before dinner and I happily agreed. He led me to a quiet part of the beach, where we enjoyed the beautiful view. Shortly after, Carson turned toward me, began telling me how much he loved me, and got down on one knee. As soon as Carson got down on his knee, a big bulldog came running over and sat right next to him as he proposed. We’re dog lovers so we thought it was adorable, but the owner was mortified! She managed to call the dog back and Carson finished the proposal on his own. After sharing sweet words with me, Carson asked me to marry him and I said yes! He then put the ring on my finger, stood up to hug and kiss me, and threw his fist in the air in celebration. After that, he told me that he hired two photographers to capture the special moment for us. Our photographers, Laura and Rachel, came running over, gave us big celebratory hugs, and then guided us through a photo shoot. After the photo shoot, we called our families to tell them the good news (although they already knew) and then went to dinner to celebrate. Carson worked so hard to make the moment special and it was absolutely amazing!”
One thing they love about each other:
Lela: “I love Carson’s way of looking at life. He’s happy 99.99% of the time and he really just loves life. He doesn’t complain about less than ideal situations, he appreciates the little things in life, and he’s kind and generous to those around him. His happy-go-lucky attitude is a perfect match for my personality. I tend to worry about the little things but Carson reminds me what is really important in life.”
Carson: “I love how much Lela cares, not just about herself, but about everyone. She cares so much for so many people and it makes everyone’s day better when they’re around her. You could have the littlest issue and Lela would drop everything and move around her schedule if it meant making someone else happy. She puts so much hard work into everything she does that she doesn’t know how to fail. She might say that she worries too much, but I think her ability to care for others, and to “worry” about the little details have helped her get where she is today and have helped spread love around her.”
All about the ring:
“The engagement ring is a custom ring put together by Jerry Jaremenko at Kries Jeweler in Flemington, NJ (kriesjeweler.com). The center diamond was the diamond in Lela’s grandmother’s engagement ring, which she originally received from Lela’s grandfather in the 1940s. Her grandparents had a beautiful marriage of 60 years and created a loving family environment for their children and grandchildren. The vintage diamond is set in a halo setting from Kries Jeweler. We love how the ring turned out and we love that it has family sentiment as well as our own personal touch. Jerry did an amazing job pairing the vintage diamond with the new halo setting.”
Besides getting married, one thing they’re looking forward to on the wedding day:
“There are so many things we are looking forward to on our wedding day! If we had to choose just one, we’d say we are most excited to see all (or most) of the people that mean so much to us in one room. We are both really people-focused. We adore our family and friends. We are so excited to have our loved ones share in our special day. ”
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