Engaged People: Elizabeth and Patrick

Combine one dolphin trainer with a military man and what do you get? A perfect match!

Meet Elizabeth and Patrick. Not only are they gorgeous but they are super nice and have awesome style. I'm so excited because a) I get to photograph all their gorgeousness again at their wedding and b) because we are going to Cedar Point together for a little r&r before the wedding! *insert squeal* I have the best clients!







 He said:

1. How long have you two been together?  Elizabeth and I have been together for 3 years now.
2. How did you meet?  Elizabeth and I met through a mutual friend's going away party.
3. How did you get engaged?  I proposed to Elizabeth in Florida while we were visiting her family.  I suggested a nice early morning walk on the beach and after we watched the sunrise, I proposed to her on the beach.
4. What's been the biggest challenge with planning your wedding?  The biggest challenge has been trying my best to support Elizabeth throughout the entire planning process.  By support I mean calling places and asking questions, running errands, sitting quietly and listening to what it is that she wants this wedding to be and everything else that comes with the pressure of planning a wedding.
5. What's the one thing you're most looking forward to on your wedding day?  I'm looking forward to not having to plan our wedding anymore and also having all of our friends and family together.  
6. What's the one thing you're most nervous about?  I'm strangely calm about the whole thing but I'm sure something silly and stupid will suddenly becoming deathly terrifying once I'm there.  I'm not too thrilled about having to give a speech but I think I'll manage. 
7. What's the best advice you can give to couples planning their wedding?  Remember that it's just one silly day and that in the end, no one's going to remember a lot of the little stuff that you're worrying about now.  The only thing people will remember is that the ceremony was nice and that you and your significant other were married.

List your vendors? ... Talk to Elizabeth...

She said:

1. How long have you two been together?  We have been together for a little over three years.  Since May 18, 2008.
   
2. How did you meet?  We met at a going away party.
   
3. How did you get engaged?  We got engaged in Florida on the beach after watching a sunrise.  It was right before Patrick’s deployment so we went to Chicago for a week and Florida for a week to see our families before he left.   At the end of the last week, while visiting my family, we woke up early in the morning and walked the beach and then sat and watched the sunrise.  I didn’t suspect anything.  He was calm and cool and it was the first time we actually got to spend alone together for two weeks. Plus the sunrise was a nice change of pace coming from California and only seeing sunsets.  After the sunrise, I stood up, put my hands on my hips, took a deep breath in and said, “This was a really good idea. This is really beautiful”.  Immediately I heard “not as beautiful as this is going to look on your finger” when I turned to the side, Patrick was on his knee with the engagement ring out.  Then he asked me to marry him.  I started to cry and hugged him shaking my head yes.  He chuckled a little then pulled me off his shoulder and asked again so I would give him the verbal “yes”.  It was sweet!  He proposed in Florida because he knew that it would mean a lot to me to be around my family.
   
4. What's been the biggest challenge with planning your wedding?  The biggest challenges of planning our wedding were planning it in Ohio from California.  Registering was also a challenge.  Everyone said it would be fun, but I disliked it.  It was stressful with all the choices of things.  The red pots or the blue pots.  The silverware with a modern design or classic design.  The brown towels or the bright yellow towels.  At one time, I had five sets of silverware on the registry and three slow cookers.  Good thing Patrick is decisive.  He made the decision after only one viewing online, and we love them.  
   
5. What's the one thing you're most looking forward to on your wedding day?  Not to sound cliché but the thing I look forward to the most on our wedding day is marrying my best friend.
   
6. What's the one thing you're most nervous about?  I don’t think that I am really nervous about anything about the wedding day.  It is one day in the lifetime that we will spend together.  If something doesn’t go right we will laugh it off.  Mistakes are inevitable.  Most of which no one will even remember.     
   
7. What's the best advice you can give to couples planning their wedding?  The best advice I can give couples planning their wedding is make sure that the day represents the two of you.  Incorporate both of your styles, from the readings at the church and the music, to the colors and decorations. The little things are what tell your story.  A wedding is about the love you share for one another and it is a blending of styles and lives.  If one isn’t represented or is misrepresented, it will not translate to the guests.  They won’t quite be able to place it but they will know something is off.
   
8. List your vendors?

• Church:  Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in McDonald, Ohio
  
• Reception Venue:  The Maronite Center and Catered by Mr. Anthony’s
  
• Event planner:  Our event planners have been me, my mother, Patty, and we have received help from a few cousins in the area.
• Florist:  Our florist is family friend Mr. Rick Crish
  
• DJ/Band:  Brian Ladd of Brian Ladd Productions
  
• Videographer:  Sam Easton of Easton Video Productions
  
• Transportation:  Land Yacht by Park Avenue Limousine
  
• Dress Boutique and designer:  Ursula by Augusta Jones
  
• Tuxedo rental and designer:  Calvin Klein from The Men's Warehouse
  
• Etc.  Many aunts, cousins, and friends will be baking cookies for the fabulous cookie table and our cake is being prepared by the Sugar Showcase.

Are they just adorable?

Had to include one with the Home Savings building!

Don't you just love a man in uniform? I think I need one of those for my hubby!

I adore how dreamy this is!

I love, love, love when my couples get silly!!!

Gorgeous!

Cheers,