Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

I had an absolutely awesome time with Allison and Darin during their engagement session!

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison and Darin are getting married this November and I am lucky enough to photograph their big day! How awesome is that??!!! For this session it was the first time we actually met in person so I really loved the opportunity to chat and get to know each other!

We met at Heritage Park in Blacksburg. Allison said she’d love to get her session done in a location with mountains and this is a perfect spot!

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

I asked Allison how she and Darin met and she told me it was actually online “eons ago before it was cool”. Ha! They were both in college at the time but going to different schools. Allison was at James Madison University and Darin was attending Virginia Commonwealth University. She told me that even though it turned out they actually had many friends in common and had even grown up about two miles from one another, somehow they had never met! Allison told me that they had even attended the same high school graduation party without meeting one another! What??!!! After chatting online they ended up “hitting it off” and had an official first date over Thanksgiving break when they were both on holiday from school. While their first date was a bit awkward and included a movie that wasn’t any good, they had a great second date and found out they both had a love of bowling! Who knew??!!! The rest was history!!

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Darin popped the question in July of 2016 while they were on a trip to Canada. Darin suggested to Allison that they go to Canada and do some hiking, see some glaciers, and go to the Calgary Stampede. While on their trip Darin took Allison to a place she described as “one of the most beautiful places in the world” called Lake Moraine in Banff, Canada. It was there that while taking pictures, enjoying the beautiful lake, and even spotting a rainbow, Darin began talking about the trip the and his family had taken years before. Allison described the story as a bit “suspicious” especially when he said that this was the place that he showed his friends years before and told them it would be where he would propose one day. At that point she got really excited and hugged him, to which Darin replied, “I haven’t asked you anything yet.” At that point Darin got down on one knee and Allison began furiously trying to remove the tape/splint from her injured finger. She was elated! Thankfully, the ring fit and of course she said, “YES!”

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison and Darin enjoy a pretty active lifestyle together and love to be outside. The work out together, go for bike rides, bowling, mini golf, hiking, camping, ultimate frisbee, disc golf, the beach, and play Wii Sports. Darin is a triathlete so they go to a lot of triathlons together. Allison cheers him on and serves as his triathlon Sherpa (She helps carry his stuff). They also like to go to the movies and love to cheer on their favorite sports teams. It is a house of rivals since Darin is fan of all things Pittsburgh (Penguins, Pirates, Steelers) and Allison is a fan of all things New England with Cincinnati thrown in (Bruins, Red Sox, Patriots, Reds, Bengals). They even made sure to bring this rivalry into their engagement session! I love good fun!

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

I asked Allison to tell me what she is most excited about now that they are engaged and she shared this: “We are just really excited to be together and to be starting our lives together. Most of our relationship was long distance. We did not go to the same college and while Darin was working on his engineering degree at VCU, I served in Americorps in Minnesota for a year then I went to law school in Cincinnati, OH.” How sweet for them to begin this next chapter together!

I asked each of them to tell me something awesome about the other person. I love being able to share this with you, my readers :). Here is what each of them said about the other:

Allison: “The most awesome thing about Darin is how supportive he is. He believes I can do anything and he has gotten me to try so many new things because he is so supportive. I am even going to do my first triathlon this year because of him!”

Darin: “The most awesome thing about Allison is how willing she is to try new things. She enthusiastically tries new foods, activities, and experiences and she pushes me to try new things too. I look forward to a lifetime of traveling with her and pushing my boundaries to try new things.”

Oh my goodness! How sweet was that?

Okay! Enough from me! How about more pictures!!!???

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography

Allison + Darin | Blacksburg Engagement Photography