Smale Park Cincinnati Ohio
Sometimes you run into a couple who just has that it factor. You know, in the depth of your soul, that they were made for each other.
That’s exactly how we felt meeting Julie and Phillip for their Smale Park engagement photos.
Being a part of the love people share, and being able to capture it, is one of the ultimate joys of our days. We are so lucky we get to participate in a small portion of each and every story and we cherish the moments we have with each of our brides and grooms.
While Julie and Phillip are hoping for a wedding date sometime in 2022, they don’t mind celebrating their love.
Here’s a bit about their love story as told through Julie’s eyes: Smale Park engagement photos.
How did you meet?
We went to middle and high school together, but I don’t think we actually met each other until our junior year. We started dating while we were in college living in separate cities about an hour apart.
When/where did you go on your first date?
We went on our first date during spring break of 2007. I came home from school and we were hanging out with a mutual friend of ours, and Phillip asked me out. We went to a sushi restaurant called Tako Sushi in Augusta, GA, and it obviously went really well.
Tell me a bit about how you fell in love?
We hit it off immediately on our first date, and we saw each other a few more times during that spring break week. We were both majoring in science fields, he in chemistry and me in biology, and we both have a passion for the environment and animals. We had fun together, and he liked me despite all of my quirks and insecurities haha.
How did your Phillip propose?
Phillip and I have been together for a long time and we picked out the ring together last year. I was convinced that I wanted an opal instead of a diamond, but after researching opals we realized that they are too fragile for my lifestyle, and we chose a sapphire, which turned out even more beautiful than I could have imagined.
I waited a good 9 months after we picked it out to see it, mostly because the pandemic ruined any travel plans that we wanted to make and Phillip had it hidden away somewhere. We took a trip in September to Red River Gorge, and that is where Phillip proposed, on top of a mountain with incredible views.
I was SO suspicious of him the whole time because he did a very un-Phillip-like thing and bought a selfie stick for our trip. So, I was 99% sure he was going to propose on the trip and it made me so nervous! On the day of the proposal, we chose a trail to check out, having never been to Red River Gorge, and we ended up not being able to find the trail head so we went to a different trail. I could tell Phillip was a little worried we wouldn’t find the type of scenery he was looking for, but we eventually found a trail that seemed like it wasn’t too hard for us, and started our hike.
Once we found some incredible views, Phillip took his time setting up the tripod so of course I was thinking “ok this is it”. But, that WASN’T it haha! So we walked a little farther, then backtracked to another location he liked, and that’s where he proposed.
Afterwards, we heard a small group clapping, so we apparently had a little audience. We were both under the impression that we had already experienced the hardest part of the trail so we were both surprised when the trail got harder and steeper, and by the end we were exhausted and filthy. The pizza we ate that night was one of the best things I have ever eaten. It was a great trip!
If you love story was a movie what would you title it?
When procrastination pays off (because he waited so long to propose 🤣)
Describe your relationship in 5 words?
hilarious, peaceful, happy, fun, comfortable
What is something that means the most to both of you?
Our cat Chilly (@old_man_chilly_willy on instagram lol) , and we are both passionate about the environment, animals, and helping others as much as we can.
What vendors did you wear or use for your engagement outfits?
My coat was from Modcloth, Phillip’s coat was from Old Navy, and everything else was just pieced together from various articles of clothing we both had. My hair and makeup were done at Alba Organic Salon in Cincinnati, OH.
