Rutgers University Engagement Session

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you all faired ok in the snow!! I actually didn’t even realize we were expecting such a huge storm until the night before so it kind of took me by surprise! It’s such a huge contrast to my former teacher life. Back then, I would have been wearing my PJs inside out at the very first mention of snow. Oh, how things have changed!

Today I’m taking you back to the fall when I had the pleasure of capturing Katy and Derrick’s Rutgers University Engagement Session. Derrick and Katy met at Rutgers where they were both going to college before Derrick transferred to Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken. Derrick was Katy’s next door neighbor in their freshman dorm and the two quickly became friends. They soon discovered that Derrick went to high school in the town over from Katy and that they even had some mutual friends! I love that they chose Rutgers for their session because I know these images will always remind them of that magical time when they were just getting to know each other.

Katy and Derrick were engaged over a year ago now on a magical trip to Paris!! Wait until you read the proposal recap below – it’s the sweetest! Since then, they’ve been planning a romantic wedding at the Park Chateau Estate & Gardens this coming July on the anniversary of the day they started dating. So in addition to celebrating their wedding that day, they’ll be celebrating 9 years together, too. At a dream venue that reminds them so much of their trip to Paris. It’s going to be perfect! Here are some of my favorite images from their engagement session.

Rutgers University Engagement Session

Their first date

“We actually did not have an official first date. We were friends from our first year of college, but did not officially start dating until the summer after he transferred schools. Every weekend, even before we were official, we would travel to see each other. Truthfully, Derrick did the majority of the traveling down to New Brunswick to see me.”

The proposal

“For my birthday Derrick cooked me a Parisian themed dinner at our apartment. At the end of the dinner he surprised me with an all expenses paid trip to Paris! I was so surprised and excited, but he told the trip was only so that he could use up all his credit card points and airline miles which were expiring. I was so gullible that I believed him, since he said it was absolutely not engagement related. Fast forward to December, we took a red-eye flight in which I did not sleep at all because of my fear of flying. So the first thing we did when we could check into our hotel was sleep. Derrick woke me up around noon complaining that we were sleeping away our once in a lifetime trip. So we decided to walk to the Eiffel Tower as our first stop in Paris. It was a beautiful and sunny, but chilly day to be walking around. Once we saw the tower Derrick insisted we keep walking because he read of a bridge (Pont de Bir-Hakeim) where the view was amazing for pictures. When we got to the bridge Derrick insisted he get a picture of me in the corner of the lookout, but because I am very stubborn I refused. There was a photographer capturing the Eiffel tower, and I did not want to ruin his picture. Derrick started to get very upset and kept insisting I stand in this specific spot because the lighting was just right, even though I would be in the way of this photographer. So naturally I told him to stop being so bossy, jumped in that spot for a picture and jumped right out. I grabbed the camera out of his hand so that I could take his picture. When I looked up from the camera he was down on one knee. I blacked out from excitement. And of course I said YES! It took a little while before I realized the photographer on the bridge was now snapping pictures of us! It was then that Derrick explained he had hired him to photograph our surprise engagement. He thought of everything! It was such a magical moment, and now we have amazing photos to cherish forever.”

One thing they love about each other

Katy: “I love how thoughtful he is. If I had a tough day, or am under the weather, he knows exactly what to do to cheer me up or take care of me.”

Derrick: “She is just the most caring and wonderful person that I have ever met. She makes me a better person every day and is there to support me and encourage me through everything in our 8 years together.”

All about the ring

Katy: “I LOVE my ring! Derrick did an amazing job! He did have a little help from my Pinterest board which he sneakily referred to, but refused to look at when I asked him to. I get so many compliments on my ring, it is just so sparkly and beautiful.”

Derrick: “I am super Type A and went to a bunch of stores with questions and made the jewelers bid against each other for my business! I had it custom made in NYC during a ‘work trip’ and hid it from Katy for months in my golf bag until I proposed in Paris.”