Brendan and Rachel met at a concert. And the crazy thing is, Rachel went to the concert that night and had no idea that her life would change because of it. It was a normal night, friends and acquaintances were gathered…but Brendan was there too! They connected on some common interests, but Brendan never made a move in Rachel’s eyes. Come to find out later that Brendan had asked for her number, but she just couldn’t hear him over the noise of the crowd! :] Thankfully, Brendan was undeterred. He messaged her not too long afterwards and they met up a few weeks later and then the rest was history. Rachel insisted that it easy friendship and companionship from the very beginning. That they loved being around each other and that each other’s presence was safe in the best way. Years later, it was no surprise that Brendan planned a proposal, and waited for the exact right moment (even though Rachel had already found out it was coming!). Somehow, he still managed to surprise her with rose petals and candles decorating their apartment, and a stunned Rachel, said yes!

Something Rachel mentioned in our early correspondence was the way Brendan made her feel: safe, centered, cherished. I saw that times one thousand when we finally got to meet in person! Brendan spent the majority of his energy making sure Rachel was warm, stopping to rub her arms, hug her tight, and warm up her hands. We met on a chilly afternoon in DC and got to walk through a street they’d spent a lot of time on in their early years of dating. It was only fitting that we got to stroll by a concert venue that they used to frequent, a pie shop that they loved, and experience the fun vibe that only DC can bring. Brendan lights up when he looks at Rachel. They’ve got a natural, ongoing conversation that comes with years of best friendship. But they’re quick to include you in on it and share the joy that they experience in each other’s presence. It was a frigid day, but we left feeling like we could’ve sat in that little pie shop and chatted forever!

I’m so excited to share their engagement session with you! We’re totally counting down to their Cape May wedding next June!

Love these!

So, so sweet!

LOVE this mural we stumbled upon!

Gorgeous Rachel!

Couldn’t resist a few shots in the pie shop!