When you grew up in a backyard as beautiful as this one (hello, lucky Bride!), it only makes sense to call up Jacqui Cole, put on a stunning LWD, pop some bubbly and get snappin’. Because the result is bound to be something you’ll treasure forever and ever. See so much more lovely from Jacqui in the gallery.
From the gorgeous Bride-to-be… Chase and I met at the University of Florida Levin College of Law in the first week of law school. We were in the same section, meaning we had all of our first year classes together, and began dating soon after we spoke at a party Chase and his roommates had thrown for the first year students.
Chase completely surprised me with his proposal in February and it was absolutely better than anything I could have imagined! Chase’s sister told us that she was going to be coming to Jacksonville with her husband and their adorable daughter to visit for the weekend. Chase told me that Friday night we were going to go to dinner with his dad, step-mom, and two little brothers and then pick his sister, brother-in-law and niece up from the airport. When we pulled up to the restaurant in his neighborhood for dinner, Chase said his dad was running late and wanted him to look at something on the dock behind the restaurant. We walked down to the dock and I asked him what we were looking at. He just looked at me with a sweet nervous grin and tilted his head, then he got down on one knee, told me he loved me and asked me to marry him. My response was yes! but are you serious?! because I will still in total shock. He then pointed out a photographer that had been documenting the entire proposal. As she took more pictures of us, I looked up and saw my sister and her boyfriend, who live in Washington D.C. and my parents coming down the stairs with Chase’s family and I burst into tears. We then had dinner in a private room of the restaurant with our families to celebrate.
The next day, his family threw a brunch for my extended family to come over, telling them it was a surprise graduation brunch to get them there, since they didn’t know about the proposal. We spent the entire weekend celebrating with our families and I couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect! Chase had been working on custom designing my ring since Thanksgiving and even had little rose gold H’s placed on each side for my new last name.
Our engagement shoot was taken in my parents backyard and in a family friend’s backyard down the street. We chose the location after our photographer, Jacqui told us to choose somewhere meaningful. My parents home is the house I grew up in and the only placed I have ever lived other than in Gainesville at school. Our proposal shots were taken where Chase grew up and it was only fitting to have the engagement shots taken where I grew up! Chase and I are getting married in April at Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor. We absolutely cannot wait! Chase says that he is most excited about seeing me in my dress and I am most excited about seeing him for the first time that day when I am walking down the aisle.
Photography: Jacqui Cole Photography | White Dress: Ann Taylor Loft