My sweethearts Natalie and Patrick tied the knot at the beautiful Harry P. Leu Gardens during their intimate elopement with their parents and siblings. You may remember my darlings from their engagement at Green Mountain Scenic Overlook & Trailhead in Ferndale, Florida a few months back. Their engagement was my first official air force engagement and their elopement was my first official elopement! I have to admit I am a big lover of “firsts” and I couldn’t have picked a more beautiful couple inside and out.
Natalie and Patrick actually met back in middle school in sixth grade, but didn’t start dating until senior year in high school – just need a few years of growing up! The two have an incredibly strong foundation that began with friendship that evolved into love. Patrick loves how incredibly passionate, caring, and understanding Natalie is and how she brings that into every aspect of her life. Her happiness is consuming and you can’t help but feeling joy when near her. As Patrick lovingly says it, “I’m lucky enough to get to look into her eyes and see all of that.” Natalie loves how caring Patrick is with her and that she is one lucky girl to see the more sweetheart side of Patrick every single day.
During a trip to Savannah, Georgia, Patrick took Natalie sightseeing around downtown. The two enjoyed walking the cobblestone streets filled with history and after a while stumbled upon the status of George Oglethorpe. Patrick had asked Natalie if she recognized the area, because it was the very same location in the movie Forest Gump where Forest realized he was only a few blocks from the love of his life. Dropping down to one knee, Patrick asked the love of his life for her hand in marriage and of course Natalie said “yes!”
After their engagement session, the three of us kept in touch. Wedding planning was a little difficult for my darling’s with Natalie starting up school soon and Patrick traveling periodically for his career. That was until the one fateful email I received where Natalie asked if I would capture their elopement! I couldn’t have been happier that the two kept me in mind and was so excited to capture another milestone in their life together.
After bouncing a few location ideas back and forth, the two decided on the beautiful Leu Gardens. The two chose the white gazebo in the Idea Garden for where they would say their vows. The intimate ceremony was the perfect way to celebrate their love with the people who mean the most to them. We took our time with family portraits under the cooling shade of the trees and moved on to beautiful newlywed portraits throughout the gardens. Some of my favorite portraits are of the two with Lake Rowena as the backdrop and on the walking path in the Butterfly Garden near the cottage. Our elopement wrapped up with a few shots of Natalie’s gorgeous bouquet by Katerines Florist and their darling wedding bands and engagement ring. I love the simplicity and elegance of rose gold of Natalie’s engagement ring and wedding band with the sporty look of Patrick’s wedding band.
Wishing my darlings Natalie and Patrick a beautiful life together and safe travels as they move west!
Venue: Harry P. Leu Gardens
Florist: Katherine’s Florist
