With National Proposal Day coming up tomorrow, we’re getting in the spirit with some sweet stories, starting with this darling duo. If their proposal – at the bottom of the Grand Canyon – is any indication, they’re bound for endless adventures together, kicking off with this epic Positano engagement shoot. Kay English captured not only their love but the beauty of this area and we just can’t get enough.
From the Bride… Jason and I met our freshman year of college at Seton Hall University. He was a computer graphics major, and I was a journalism student. We lived in the same dorm and quickly became friends. But it wasn’t until halfway through our junior year that we realized there was a spark between us. We went on our first date in Central Park, and have been together ever since! We both love to travel and have been to Italy, Iceland and all over the Caribbean together. We love immersing ourselves in the beauty and history of new places.
After dating for over five years, Jason was finally ready to pop the question during a trip to the Grand Canyon. Though I’d always imagined we’d get engaged while on vacation, I hadn’t realized Jason had already bought a ring. So when our plane took off I was totally unaware that he had secretly stashed the most gorgeous ring in his backpack. Once we arrived at the Bright Angel trailhead, our backpacks loaded and cameras in hand, we started hiking down to the bottom of the canyon. By late afternoon, we unpacked and soaked in the gorgeous campsite near the river. The next day, we rested up at the bottom in the warm, sunny weather. All afternoon, Jason had been asking if we could take a walk together. I was exhausted, but finally agreed. He took me down to Boat Beach, a sandy shore along the Colorado River. There, he dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him! I was so excited and surprised that I burst into tears. The next day, we had a grueling hike back to the top of the canyon before we could finally celebrate with a nice dinner (and cell phone reception to tell our family and friends the good news!).
It wasn’t long after we got engaged that we decided to get married in Italy. Since we both love to travel, we knew we wanted to invite our loved ones on a trip to somewhere beautiful – full of history, amazing food and stunning vistas. We’d been to Italy before, but never to Positano. Yet as soon as I saw photos of the beachy town built into the cliffside on the Amalfi Coast, I knew it was the perfect place for us. We never got to visit Positano in person before the wedding, but when we arrived it was just as incredible as we hoped it’d be. The weather was especially warm, the water was crystal clear and everyone we met was so friendly. The night before our wedding, we hosted a welcome dinner for our 30 friends and family as a way of saying “thank you” for flying across the world to be with us.
Before an evening spent dining on the best Italian pizza and wine, we walked through the town and onto the beach for a destination engagement shoot. We visited the church where we’d be getting married the next day, strolled along the beach and walked through the small cobblestone streets lined with gelaterias and cute little shops. Just as the sun began to set, we sat down for dinner with everyone as we looked out over the Tyrrhenian Sea and sparkling cliffside of Positano. It was a night filled with so much love and laughter – a special memory we’ll always treasure!
Photography: Kay English Photography | Planner: The Amalfi Experience | Planner: The Amalfi Experience