Bear Mountain Engagement Session | Gabby & Peter

Their Session: Bear Mountain Engagement Session

Gabby & Peter’s Bear Mountain engagement session was so much fun! These two are so sweet together, and so much fun to photograph! We had the best time exploring the woods, the lakeside, and mountaintops at Bear Mountain State Park. We had the most perfect day, and I am SO excited about all the photos we took! I’ve got lots of favorite images to share, but first, just a little snippet of Gabby & Peter’s love story.

Their Love Story

When I asked Gabby & Peter to share with me one thing they love about each other, they gave the sweetest answers! Gabby said, “I love how patient he is with me, and how he is always by my side no matter what.” Peter said, “I love her sense of humor and how she can always make me laugh.”

Gabby and Peter first met because Peter was friends with Gabby’s brother for years. As Gabby tells it, “He would always joke and say he was going to marry me. Even though there isn’t that much of a age gap between us, when we met I was a teenager with braces, and Peter was going to bars with my brother. And now, here we are!”

The Proposal

Peter proposed to Gabby in the sweetest way. Gabby told me, “moral of the story, it was actually the perfect surprise, because the city makes me so anxious and I was way out of my comfort zone.” Peter had picked out a ring for Gabby in March. He originally planned to propose at his birthday dinner on April 9th, but had to re-route the plans when the ring wasn’t ready in time.”

“A week after his birthday he set a new plan in motion. As Gabby tells it, “a week later he told me he wanted to go to The River Café in Brooklyn, but that we couldn’t go until May 5.  I had never been before, and I questioned him why we have to wait so long. He told me he couldn’t get a reservation until then. I thought that was odd, so of course, I went online to try and make a reservation and to my surprise, he wasn’t lying. They do actually book out that far. Peter also told me he had to go get a suit because at the restaurant you need a jacket. I also thought that was strange, and again looked online and found that he wasn’t lying lol. So I thought nothing of a proposal.”

May 5th rolled around, and Gabby and Peter set off for their date night in the city. Gabby said, “As a sidenote, I hate hate hate the city, so the entire way in I was so anxious. When we got to The River Cafe I noticed signs everywhere saying, “no photos”. After dinner, when I got up to go to the bathroom Peter said he was going to ask the waitress to take a picture of us outside. I told him absolutely not! There are signs that say “no photos” and we are not going to being those people. Of course, when I got back from the bathroom, he was standing by the door and said, “she said she’ll take a photo of us outside.”

“I was so embarrassed. As we walked outside to take the picture, I was so mad at him. I knew everyone would be staring at us because you’re not allowed to take pictures, and here we were about to have a photoshoot right outside where everyone is eating. As we were standing outside taking pictures, I was way to mad/embarrassed to even think he was about to propose…and then he proposed.”

“When he popped the question I was in complete shock. I just kept saying “no, omg, no.” He looked at me confused, and I said “no, like omg no way – yes!!!!!!” Peter then told me we were staying over in the city that night. I told him I couldn’t because I had to watch my nephew in the morning, and I didn’t bring anything with me. He told me my mom packed a bag, and my sister already knew.”

“When he told my sister about his plan, she told him, “you shouldn’t stay in Brooklyn, Gabby hates the city.” And he told her that’s why he booked the Ritz in Central Park. We stayed the night in the city and went home to a surprise engagement party the next day. My mom invited everyone to a surprise “birthday party” for me, so no one would know I was getting engaged and potentially ruin the surprise. We were so surprised and had the best time celebrating!”

How sweet is that?! I love this story. I think Peter pulled off the perfect surprise!!!

Gabby & Peter

Gabby & Peter, thank you so much for the best day exploring Bear Mountain and taking engagement photos! You guys are so much fun, and I’m so honored to be a part of this special season! I can’t wait to photograph your wedding and celebrate with you two at Florentine Gardens soon!! Until then, enjoy this season of being fiancés! Sending the biggest hug and all my love! xoxo

If you loved this Bear Mountain engagement session you’ll also love this Skylands Manor engagement session.