Kaitlin & Chad | Engagement Session
Since the day Chad proposed to Kaitlin, I have been anxiously awaiting all of the shoots that I was going to get to do with the high school sweethearts. It is such an honor and it brings me so much joy to play this small role in documenting their forever union. We shot their engagement photos at their wedding venue, Danclay Farms, exactly one year before their wedding so we got to see exactly how beautifully it is going to shoot next November. I am so excited to share their love story and some of this gallery with you all!
"Chad and I met through a mutual friend of ours when I was playing travel volleyball my freshman year of high school. I remember standing on the volleyball court at Cherokee High School asking my teammate who this guy (Chad) was that followed me on Instagram. She proceeded to say that was one of her best friends and that we would be great together. He later texted me that night. This was on February 8, 2014. A few days later, February 17th, I went to his baseball game at Russellville to watch him play in the freezing cold and rain. After the game we went to eat dinner with our moms and as we were walking out of the restaurant he looked at me and said 'do you think you might still like me after meeting me?' and I immediately said 'Yes!' Then a few days after that, February 21st, I went to another baseball game to watch him play at Deshler. That night after the game he tossed a baseball at me that asked me to be his girlfriend. Now here we are 7 years and 9 months later." - Kaitlin
"After high school, we went our separate ways since I was going to Alabama and he was going to South Alabama to play baseball. The distance made me realize how much I needed him in my life. He has been there for me when I have made great accomplishments, he has cheered me on when I needed it, and he has been there for me when I needed to cry. He has been there for me during every step for the past 7 years and I could not imagine doing life with anyone else." - Kaitlin
"I thought throughout high school that Kaitlin was the one that I wanted forever and even after graduation, when we were roughly 225 miles apart, I knew that there was no one else I would want in my life. December 9, 2017, I went to Tuscaloosa for a Christmas banquet for Shelton State and Kaitlin and I went to walk the Riverwalk Christmas tree trail and I knew walking through the decorated trees, that this is the girl that I want to change her last name and I couldn't imagine doing life with anyone else." - Chad
"It was the day of our 7 year anniversary. The Shoals had just gotten a ton of snow but luckily Tuscaloosa had not. Chad was already in Tuscaloosa for the weekend to celebrate our anniversary but little did I know that our entire family was there also... thank goodness the snow/ice somewhat melted. The Saturday night before our anniversary we went to one of my favorite restaurants in Tuscaloosa to celebrate. Little did I know we were eating across the street from the hotel that our families were staying at. Also throughout the day on Saturday my sister and Chad's phones kept going off at the same time, which I thought was strange... they put a stop to it somehow because it did not happen anymore. The next day, Sunday (our anniversary) we had 'reservations'' at one of our favorite restaurants that looks over downtown Tuscaloosa. He told me that we had reservations at 4 p.m. because there were a ton of people in town for baseball and basketball games (which I looked up and he was right). 4 p.m. was kind of early for us but not too early because we are like the elderly that go to eat dinner at 5 p.m., so I was good with the 4 p.m. reservation. Also at this point I knew that there was no way that I was getting engaged this weekend because he made up so many believable stories about when we were going to get engaged (maybe I am too gullible, I guess that helped him). After lunch I began to get ready for dinner. We got to the restaurant, which is at the top of one of the hotels in Tuscaloosa but we parked in the hotel parking lot which was different from where we usually park when we go there. We had a few minutes before our reservation so Chad said 'let's walk towards the river because it is pretty today and we have time before the reservation.' We began walking down the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk and we cut across some grass to go closer to the water then I saw candles and rose petals on the pier. I looked at Chad, as we were walking towards the pier, saying 'we can't go down there' and he said 'why' and I said 'because we can't mess up someone else's thing (proposal).' He then said 'it will be fine.' By this point I was shaking and tears of joy were streaming down my face because he began talking about how much he had loved me for the past 7 years and would love to spend the rest of his life with me (okay I do not remember much). It was the easiest yes I ever said. Then Chad turned around and pointed up the hill, where our families were watching the entire thing. Not to mention we walked right past our photographer on the way to the pier and I did not notice. Then It all started to make more sense on why my sister and Chad's phones were going off at the same time and the playlist that he played on the way to the 'reservations.' The playlist included: Die a Happy Man by Thomas Rhett (which is our song), Big Big Plans by Chris Lane, and 'Boyfriend' by Hardy. We then celebrated with all of our friends and family... and did not go to our 'reservation,' which was perfectly fine with me because I could not get over the proposal." - Kaitlin
"The best part about wedding planning so far was finding my wedding dress. I was able to spend a day in Birmingham with my mom, sister, mimi, meme (via facetime), Chad’s sister, mom, and step mom. That day was full of excitement and tears of joy. It put the wedding day in perspective for me because finally this day would happen that I have imagined for a while now with Chad. I look forward to November 5, 2022 when he sees me for the first time in my wedding dress." - Kaitlin
"For me, the best part of wedding planning so far is seeing Kaitlin light up with joy every time she starts talking about the wedding or starts asking questions about what needs to be done." - Chad
What excites each of you most about marriage?
"Being able to be there for each other during the years to come to celebrate the good times and to lean on each other in the hard times." - Kaitlin
"To spend the rest of my life with my best friend. To know that no matter what life throws our way, we have each other. To build a life that is controlled by us and to raise a family full of love and affection." - Chad
