Quirky Southern E-session by Onelove Photography

So I've completely been on the edge of my seat waiting to share this engagement with you all. You can only imagine my surprise when I myself opened my email to find this little gem of a submission waiting for me. I have an incredibly large soft spot for balloons partially due to the the fact that I had them both in my own engagement and wedding photos but mostly because they are so whimsical, fun and it's hard to not smile when you see em in pics. But then, to top off all the goodness that is this feature, Brian the groom to be, goes ahead and sends me the write up for this post which you will be able to tell from below, left me completely in awe of how much he loves his fiance Mary. I won't tell you much more except if these photos from one of my faves, the crazy talented Sara of Onelove Photography are any indication of how wonderful Mary and Brian's wedding will be, well then count me in. Happy Monday loves!

{Mary and Brian's Love Story} Oh Lord, where to start? She's been calling me Pumpkin since our second date. She will even confess she wanted to get married and have babies ASAP. But here's our Love Story and take it with a grain of salt as it's from the guy's perspective. We met in Pensacola, Florida when I was stationed  there as a flight instructor for the Navy. We had met several times in social settings, and at the time she was moving to take a job in Philadelphia. So six months passed and I went to my favourite watering hole for lunch one day and there behind the bar was Mary. Funny thing was that I remembered her name but she didn't remember me. I chatted her up and found out she had moved back to take care of her ailing mother, and had taken the bar job because she knew the owner. So, in a passive way, I pursued her by going to that bar frequently in the hope that I would be there when she had a shift. Finally, after she made one of the strongest Bloody Marys' I ever had, I gathered enough liquid courage to ask her out. She will say she was nervous and excited so she had to get me tipsy, but I tell you that she had one of the best poker faces when she said, "Yes."

Our first date was almost a disaster as I showed up to the restaurant in a t-shirt, shorts and sandals (it's a beach town in the summer mind you) and she shows up looking like a billion dollars. New shoes, new dress, hair done, manicure, pedicure and make up as perfect as a girl can get it. Needless to say say I felt like a fool, and thought I screwed it all up before it even started. Yet, we had a great time and after a few dates we were inseparable. During our courtship, my commitment to the military ended and I had to look for a job. I was hired on through a military transition program at Technicolor in Burbank, so I had to move cross country; and have a long distance relationship with Mary (albeit for a short time). After I moved, I think ten had passed and Mary called me and said "to hell with this, I'm moving out there now!" A lesson from this is: if Mary wants it, she's going to get it!

Living together we became closer and closer and I realized that she was the one I wanted to be with, and I truly loved her with all my heart. So last Christmas, we spent the holidays with my family in Houston, and the very last gift was me on one knee proposing to her. Mary was so excited that before I could remove the ring from the box, she tackled me and wouldn't let go. In the meantime, my five year old nephew asked aloud, "Why are you kissing? You need to stop that!" Everyone's a critic.

{Details Behind Their Engagement Session} First, Mary cannot take a bad photograph. She looks great in everything, even though she protests that she doesn't. Mary and I are both from the South. I'm from Texas, she's from Alabama and Florida. We are both die-hard college football fans. We also wanted the theme of southern comfort, the feeling of being outdoors among century old trees and pickett fences, Needless to say, Mary looks amazing and we have received a whole bunch of compliments on them. Sara did an amazing job!

{A Little Bit About Their Upcoming Southern Wedding} We are getting married in Houston, Texas at a chapel on the Lanier Estate. The chapel's architecture was inspired by the Italian renaissance, and looking at it you would think you were in south-east Tuscany rather than south-east Texas. The reception will be at the Westlake Club. We are still planning the details and it would all fall apart if Mary wasn't the super-organized person that she is. All I have to say is the groom's cake will be the most awesome groom's cake ever as I picked it out myself. (I know Mary will object to that last statement, but I stand by it).