April and CJ met me out at their beautiful wedding venue Harry P. Leu Gardens for their engagement session. The two loved the idea of having both their wedding and engagement photos in the same location since it was just so beautiful and would be so neat to see two monumental occasions captured in a place they love.
April and CJ actually met while April was working at Jason’s Deli. CJ happened to come in with a group of his friends and took notice of April right away. His friends of course took notice of CJ’s interested and would absolutely not let him leave until he asked for her number. After their meal, he worked up the courage to go up to April and of course – asked for her number! Well he actually said that, “my friends won’t let me leave unless I got your number.”
Well it was a good thing his friends pushed him to get in touch with April, because the two instantly connected on their first date and have been together ever since. April loves how calm and caring of a person CJ is. She loves the way he loves her, from how he tells her the he loves her several times throughout the day, his affection in the way he hugs and kisses her, and knows exactly what to say to make April’s heart melt. CJ loves how her beauty radiates inside and out from the way she smiles to how sweet she is to him. Oh and of course he just loves her adorable little laugh!
When we first met at the front door of the entrance, April let me know how nervous she was about taking photos. I of course reassured her that I am very “go with the flow” and that will help with posing when needed. Little did April and CJ know, I could instantly tell they would naturally pose well together. Walking up holding hands and giving hugs, it was clear to see they had a beautiful chemistry.
During our session, we explored the gardens from secret paths to the clock garden where April and CJ would be tying the knot for their Alice in Wonderland themed wedding. The two loved how the garden felt like the story of Alice in Wonderland with it being so incredibly whimsical from the rose garden to the clock garden.
I just had to know how CJ proposed! April reminisced that on New Year’s day CJ took her out for a date to Gaylord Palms and a fancy dinner afterwards. She truly thought at the time they were just celebrating the New Year and had no idea her life was about to change! After dinner, CJ asked for her hand to walk around under the Christmas lights. A live show was playing and everyone out was cuddled up with their loved one. It was truly magical! While they were walking, CJ steered their conversation around the things he admired most about April. When their walk crossed paths with the waterfall, he got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. April was in complete shock, excitement, and totally beyond happy! She truly did not see the proposal coming and was so incredibly in love. There was no other man in the world for her and she of course said, “yes!”
Looking forward to travel down the rabbit hole with these two in capturing their whimsical Alice in Wonderland wedding at Leu Gardens this April!
Venue: Harry P. Leu Gardens
