It’s couples like

Randy and Maria that truly make my heart sing the praises of love. The way he looks at her…the way she smiles from ear to ear when she sees him…it’s purely magical.

When Randy reached out to me to tell me he wanted to propose to Maria on his birthday I squealed with excitement. We didn’t have long to plan his special moment, but looking back, it couldn’t have been more perfect. Randy is someone I’ve known for a long time and when his wife Ms. Candace died, I wasn’t sure I’d ever see his radiant smile again. But the moment I saw the way he lit up when he was with Maria I knew how special she truly was.

To hear their story in his own words made me even MORE excited for the big moment:

“My wife of nearly 13 years was tragically killed in an automobile accident in 2013,” Randy shared. “Fortunately, my two children were completely unharmed. I went through a lot of grief, but I knew that I didn’t want to raise them alone. After a long period of soul-searching, I signed up for eHarmony in 2014. We connected online, and have been steadily building on a solid foundation of open, honest, and candid communication. We both have children of our own, and they have blended quite nicely.”

“You don’t come across such beautiful female athletes on a regular basis! Obviously, her looks are stunning, but there is so much more to her than just a beautiful face. She never ceases to amaze me.”

“It’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment of when I knew she was the one, but I knew there was something special about her the day we met. Her decision last summer to leave her entire life behind in Charlotte and move to Virginia so we wouldn’t have to continue a long-distance relationship was a pivotal moment in our lives. Also, the way Maria has connected with my children is fantastic. I couldn’t ask for a more perfect fit.”

We told Maria they were just taking pictures for his birthday at one of my mini-sessions. We started at the Yorktown Battlefield and by the time we ended up at the beach, I was giddy with anticipation.

The next few moments…well let’s just say I was immediately transported back to July 12 when I got engaged.

I produced MAJOR waterworks in my camera! It’s seriously a miracle, I was able to get images in focus! This moment was SO incredibly beautiful to witness. And to make it even better, Maria just happened to be wearing the dress she wore when they went on their very FIRST date!!! While capturing the moment, I saw a look in Maria’s eyes that I immediately connected with. It was the look of complete shock, a pure joy and excitement with a slight hint of confusion…it’s the look only a freshly engaged woman can have.

After her initial “Oh My Gosh,” “I’m engaged?!” and “We’re getting married?” moments, I captured them in all of their newly engaged glory and when all of a sudden, the clouds rolled back and the most beautiful golden light shined through. It was as if Candace herself was shining down on them and all I could do was smile.

Randy and Maria, thank you SO much for allowing me to capture one of THE sweetest moments you two will ever share. I am SO happy for you two and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for you two!! I just LOVE y’all!!

 

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo,

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