Gayle & Anthony’s Ramapo Reservation engagement session was so much fun! This location was special since they would frequent the area when they were growing up. Now getting to take their engagement photos there was super special! We had the most beautiful fall day for our session. Gayle and Anthony added the perfect touches to their shoot with a picnic blanket and champagne to celebrate! I loved spending time with these two and photographing their love. I’m so excited to share so many of my favorite photos! But first, a little piece of their love story.
I asked Gayle and Anthony to share with me one thing they love about each other. Gayle said, “one thing I love about Anthony is his passion & persistence. I am nutcase and the only person I know who works just as hard, if not harder than me, is Anthony. He never gives up. He is extremely supportive and my best friend.” Anthony said, “I love how Gayle has always been supportive throughout our different phases of life together. From high school to the military, college, young adults and trying to figure out how to be adults! She has always enabled me to be the best version of myself and encourages me to step out of my comfort zone.”
You’ve got to hear how Anthony proposed. Gayle told me, “Anthony proposed to me 3/16/2024 on the beach at Surfside Beach, SC outside my parents beach house. We had been together a long time and knew we wanted to get married. I had helped design my ring at my family jeweler several months prior so the waiting period to when this would happen with Anthony was so fun and kept me on my toes. 🥹 We would be out to dinner for my birthday in January or Valentines Day and I thought surely it would happen!! He would say is that someone in the bushes and I would get so nervous. It made it so fun even though I knew something was coming in this 4 month window!!”
“However, when it got to Saturday night after being at the beach for a few days and we were planning a beach walk I asked Anthony if he wanted any snacks for the walk. (we always brought snacks)! He said he wasn’t too Hungry 🥹 and that’s when I knew something was happening! I remember taking my time on my hair and being present in the moment getting ready and walking the beach with Anthony. I remember Anthony asking me if I liked his outfit and I told him to be comfortable 🙂 And after 15 minutes on the beach, I saw Anthony give me a look and I knew it was happening . There was a photographer waiting just over the dune and Anthony asked me to be his best friend<3 to which I said yes, but you have to ask me to marry you!!”
From Anthony’s perspective, he said, “I proposed to Gayle in March of this year, finally after 13 years!!! We took a trip down to Surfside, SC which is a special place for us as we spent numerous trips growing up going down to Myrtle Beach. I was so nervous all weekend leading up to the proposal. We went for a walk on the beach one night before dinner during golden hour. The beach had a few people on it and the weather was perfect with the sun setting down over the ocean.”
“Gayle and I walked towards the pier taking in the beautiful view. On the way back I asked her to marry me and had a photographer waiting to capture the moment for us. It was such a surreal moment to finally be engaged at one of our favorite spots! The next day we came back home and had a surprise engagement party with family! My favorite thing about being engaged is forcing ourselves to slow down, enjoy this moment in life together and do this experience together as a team! I am also enjoying all of the memories that are coming back up and the emotions we have experienced together growing up over 13 years!”
Gayle & Anthony, you two are such a joy! I loved getting to spend this time with you, capturing the sweetness of this fleeting season of being fiancés. I adore you guys and can’t wait to spend a whole day celebrating your marriage and capturing memories at Florentine Gardens next year! Until then, enjoy every moment of being engaged! xoxo