Angel + Gary | Blacksburg Engagement Photographer
I met Angel and Gary recently for their engagement session. I am so excited for their upcoming wedding and so honored that they chose me as their photographer! I immediately liked them! They greeted me so warmly and it felt like friends from the start!
We walked around downtown Blacksburg for the beginning of their session. We met at Angel’s sister’s store, Sundee Best right on North Main Street. If you have never visited that store you should!!! Super cute!! From there we found some of my favorite downtown spots and was sure to include a shot in front of Sharkeys, which is one of Angel and Gary’s favorite spots!
I asked Angel how she and Gary met and she told me, “Gary and I met on an online dating service, OKCupid in the winter of 2015. Gary was in living in West Chester, PA at the time and visited Blacksburg, VA for the first time on March 26, 2015. (he flew on a tiny plane even though it is only a 6 hour drive) We dated long distance until Gary moved to Blacksburg in May 2016! We currently live together with our giant dog, Porter! Thanks a bunch, OKCupid!” How sweet is that?!! And they are such a cute couple!!!
Angel went on to tell me how Gary “popped the question”! She said it happened the day after her 28th birthday. The date was December 22, 2016. Angel continued, “I had to work most of the day on my birthday so Gary told me we were going to do something special together on the 22. We woke up that morning, he told me to take my time, shower and put on something nice for our date day! While I was getting ready, Gary said he would take Porter for a long walk. Gary and Porter had been gone for more than an hour and I was sitting in the recliner all ready and impatiently waiting for them to get back! We live in an upstairs condo and I can always tell when it’s our dog running up the stairs but this time, she sounded different, I could hear a jingling noise along with her clumsy run. Gary opens the door, Porter runs in and straight to me wearing a royal blue collar with snowflakes and jingle bells on it that said, “Merry Me”? Gary got down on one knee and popped the question! I was so nervous and excited that I barely remember what all he said but I know the moment was pure magic and bliss!! Gary had also written a letter expressing his unconditional love! The letter is my most prized possession!” Oh my goodness! I seriously cannot think of a more adorable proposal story!
Gary and Angel like to do many different kinds of things together. They love watching scary movies, taking walks together, Sharkey’s happy hour (told you!), playing arcade games, eating tacos and burritos at El Gran Rodeo, taking naps together (Porter included), joking and laughing together, and shopping (Gary loves shopping more than Angel)! Now that is quite a list of activities they share. What a wonderful thing to have so much in common with your fiance!
I asked Angel and Gary what they are most excited about now that they are engaged. Angel said, “the feeling of knowing I’ve found my best friend and get to marry him”. Gary replied, “I’m most excited that I’ll have somebody to rock in my rocking chair with when we get old”. O.M.G.!!! I don’t think there has ever been a more perfect response. Can I get a collective “awwwww”???!!!!
According to Angel, Gary is the kindest, sweetest, most patient soul in the entire world. He’s also a great cook and an awesome snuggler! Now that’s pretty adorable!
Gary tells me that he adores Angel because she “loves me for who I am and I don’t have to try to be something I’m not when I’m with her. She makes life easy; she makes me strive to be a better man everyday!”
Now I know after reading this post you can just see how completely excited I am that these two are not only getting married, but that I get to be the one to photograph it! Double Score!!!!
I would like to share one final thing before I share the rest of their amazing photos! I ask all of my clients to tell me how their session was and if they have any suggestions for future clients. I like to have some feedback that helps me to self assess as well as share ideas with other clients. Anyway, this might be my favorite response I’ve ever gotten. They wrote, “It was wonderful! Corey was so great and made us both feel like superstars! Corey is easy to work with, laid back and very professional. Corey is talented and has an inviting personality. She made us feel comfortable and we felt as if we’ve know her forever; she is definitely someone we’d love to drink beer with!” Ha! I will take them up on that one! This is a couple I’d love to have a beer with too!!! Maybe at a Sharkey’s happy hour???!!!
Okay! Enough from me! More photos!!!
Blacksburg Engagement Photographer