Kayla and Karl lived in the same town during high school but it wasn’t until they went to college that they met. They both chose Molloy College, just about twenty miles from their home, and that’s where they first set eyes on each other. Karl was a freshman and Kayla was a sophomore. According to Karl, he was lost looking for his class when Kayla happened to pass right in front of him. She was wearing an electric blue jacket that Karl still remembers vividly. She then became “the girl in the blue jacket” until he finally found out her name. Kayla got to class on time that day, but Karl was late, and sat right in front of her as if to make sure she would notice him. Notice him she did and now they are engaged and planning their 2020 wedding!

Kayla and Karl are both from New York, but for their wedding they wanted to do something different. After they got engaged this past August, they started looking for a venue and ended up choosing the Stone House at Stirling Ridge. They loved the mixed rustic yet classic vibe of their venue and are looking forward to capturing a classic, fun, and unforgettable day with their loved ones there. They’re so looking forward to making memories with their friends and family, and I can’t wait to capture them all next August!

Last month, I met up with Kayla and Karl for their late summer engagement session in Asbury Park. These two live in Queens but chose to come down to the shore for their engagement session and I’m so glad they did because I had so much fun with them! It might’ve been a little windy but it turned out perfectly because the boardwalk was empty and it made for a playful and carefree session that I think complemented Kayla and Karl’s personality so well. Here is a peek at my time with Kayla and Karl – enjoy this classic Asbury Park engagement session!

Late Summer Engagement Session in Asbury Park

Their first date

“We were actually friends for about 3 years before we even started dating. We started off with dinner which may or may not have been the beginning of our food adventures. The one thing we both remember about our first date was Karl telling me we were going “dancing” during dinner. ‘DANCING?!’- I questioned out of fear of my uncoordinated dancing skills. He didn’t let the idea go, instead he laughed it off and as soon as dinner was over he started driving. To my excitement we ended up parked in front of Dave and Busters where he planned to challenge me to ‘Dance Dance Revolution!’ After I kicked his butt in Dance Dance Revolution he promised me one last part to the date but it would be quite the adventure to get there. Off we drove again except this time further than before. Karl told me I had to close my eyes and whether this may have been his plan to hold my hand he succeeded. When I opened my eyes the view of the NYC skyline lighting up the night and sky awaited me.”

When they knew they had found the one

“I wouldn’t say there was one moment or one thing Karl did that made me know he was ‘the one’.  We dated for 7 years before he proposed so it’s safe to say that I love everything about him even the small pet peeves that ERK the heck out of me like leaving a wet towel on the bed instead of leaving it on the drying rack! It’s for better or worse – right?! haha. But in all seriousness – we both share the same values, we are each others biggest fan, and we are on the same page; in terms of how we see our future together which I think is very important in a strong lasting relationship.”

The proposal

“As the saying goes. ‘If it’s meant to be, it will be.’ The day of the engagement had a bunch of variables and ‘if this, then that’s’. Which makes it that much more memorable. So, the morning of the engagement was our friends baby shower and after the party ended Karl had arranged a selected few of our closest friends to set up the proposal area (without me knowing) while we went out to a winery to celebrate our anniversary of being together 7 years. Although during our wine tasting session there was a downpour of rain as soon as we were driving home the rain stopped and the sun came out for a beautiful golden hour. To be honest I really did not expect it because it was already later in the day.. he told me had to ‘pee real quick’ and told to me wait in the garage, I soon received a phone call asking me to bring his house keys since he apparently ‘left it in the car with me’  when I opened the door to his backyard  what awaited me was what seemed like over 500 candles and a trail of rose petals leading to a tent that held some of our memories captured in a wall of Polaroids where he got down on one knee and proposed.”

All about the ring

“Our favorite part of the ring is the story behind it. Not only did he absolutely get my ideal ring spot on, he did so in secret to ensure I’d be surprised. Karl had actually went to multiple locations before finding the place to get the diamond ring. He actually went to a friend of ours jewelry store that normally doesn’t specialize in diamonds but was willing to work together with him to make my ideal ring. Our friend’s father told Karl he had always envisioned himself making a diamond ring for his son, and that he would make mine with the same kind of care. He had pulled every string in the diamond district to make sure my ring was unparalleled. I am a pretty simple girl, which means I’m not really a fan of huge rocks/too much going on – so when I saw the ring he had made for me, it was truly everything I wanted and more.”

One thing they love about each other

Kayla: “One thing I love about Karl is his super patient and selfless heart, he will always put others before himself – so it does take A LOT to see him upset/mad. Another extra thing I do love is that Karl has some super freakish power to choose better ice cream flavors for me.. which I guess in retrospect works out better for me since I can steal some of his ice cream for life!”

Karl: “One thing I love about Kayla is how much she contradicts herself. While that may seem like a bad thing, let me explain. For instance, she may describe herself as shy and introverted, but she has the ability to make everyone around her smile and bring the best out in people, especially how contagious her laugh can be. Her sense of humor is what connected us for so long, and it continues to brighten my life each day.”

Inspired by this engagement session? Pin this image or any from the post above!