December 8, 2016

Sky Meadows Anniversary Photos – Kate and Paul

I love shooting anniversary sessions!

I really do believe (from first hand experience of not having them) that photos of you and your spouse are so important for your relationship, your family, and your piece of mind.  These Sky Meadow anniversary photos perfectly showcase the relationship between Kate and Paul in all their adorable introverted glory.

They were initially worried about feeling comfortable in front of the camera, but I got them to relax right off the bat and they images came out so great.  I also really love hearing the story of their relationship growing over the years.

I think that the rest of you will too!

 

anniversary photos fall sky meadows

Kate and Paul met at the end of the summer before their Freshman year – at band camp.

Ever since they have been playing along in perfect harmony

(Seriously, I couldn’t help it. So many puns to choose from.)

anniversary photos in field

“We met as James Madison University freshmen during the first day of band camp (yes, haha, that one time at band camp), a week before the rest of the school arrived.
We were both saxophones – I played alto and he played tenor.
That night, we practiced marching backwards, and I stepped on his foot. I turned around to apologize, and noticed that he was really cute.
He had long hair the first day of camp, but that night he got a buzz cut, so I spent the next several days wondering where the cute guys whose foot I stepped on went (I figured it out later).”

anniversary photos sky meadows state park

anniversary photos va

 

“Later that month, I lost my key to my dorm room.

I texted my friend Laura, who came by my dorm with Paul to help me look for it around campus. She left after about 20 minutes, so Paul and I were left to look for the key.

We tried until it got dark out, then spent the rest of the night just exploring our new campus and getting to know each other. We must have stayed out until 2 or 3 in the morning.”

 

anniversary-photos-virginia

 

When I asked them how they started dating they said that they didn’t really realize that they were dating until about a month after it started.

“I remember Paul and I were talking in late September, after we had known each other for a month and a half, and we realized that he had never actually asked me out. So we picked an “official” anniversary date of August 30 (I believe that is the day we first kissed), and just went with it.”

 

couple kissing in tall grass

 

The morning Paul proposed to Kate over Thanksgiving break in 2011, he wanted to take her to DC for the day.

Paul had  been trying to plan the proposal for a while, but kept having his plans fall through.

His plan was to take Kate to the botanical garden on the mall and propose there.

When they got to the botanical gardens, he began getting worried because the garden was mostly closed – obvious in hindsight, since it was later November, most of the plants were dead.

Time for a Plan B.

 

couples photography va

 

To buy himself time, they went into the Air and Space Museum, but soon that got swarmed with small children, so they went back outside.

Thinking on his feet, Paul asked Kate which she thought was more romantic, the Washington Monument or the pool outside the Capitol building.

“I probably should have gotten a clue by then,” said Kate, “but alas, I was still oblivious when I said the Capitol. So we went to go sit by the pool. I was sitting on the edge, and he went to kneel in front of me under the pretense that he wanted to take a photo of me in front of the building. Instead, he pulled out the ring and simply asked me to marry him. I of course said yes!”

 

fall anniversary photo session

 

“Whenever we’re able to sit with each other and just chat about our day, or our plans, or just what we’ve been thinking about, it’s really nice and comforting.

We also enjoy taking walks together.  Whether it’s in Target on a rainy day, or out in one of the paths or battlefields in the area.

Holding hands and getting fresh air with my husband is one of my favorite things.”

 

fall anniversary photos

 

“Paul and I really balance each other out in a way that I never experienced before meeting him.” said Kate.

“We really balance out each other’s flaws, and encourage each other’s strengths. We’re also like, really really good at communicating. I know that a lot of relationships fall apart because they don’t talk about the important things.  We’ve made it a point to always talk to each other about whatever’s on our mind. Honesty and openness are essential to our healthy, happy marriage.”

 

sky meadows anniversary photo session

sky meadows anniversary photography

sky meadows anniversary photos

 

When I asked Kate to share why it was important to her to have anniversary photos taken this is what she said:

“We didn’t have any nice photos of us since our wedding over four years ago.  Even then our wedding photos were nice but not great.

I wanted photos that reflected who we are as a couple now, almost 10 years after we’ve started dating.

We still have lots of fun with each other and are crazy in love, and I thought that Mollie would help us get photos that reflect that.

Turns out I was right. ;)”

Dawww….

sky meadows photos tall grass field

va rustic anniversary photography

Kate is shy.

When I pulled her and Paul up on this hill in front of everyone at the Visitor’s Center and asked them to dance like no one was watching I don’t know if she could decide between hating me and feeling ridiculous but just look at how cute these pictures are!

Hopefully you have forgiven me Kate 🙂

Virginia anniversary photographer

THANK YOU!

We will be in touch soon. 

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