Anna Kate & Dylan

How They Met

It was a week before my sophomore year of college and I had just moved in to an apartment with my three friends, Tyler, Spenser Anne and Julianne. My roommates and I went over to the “baseball house” and although I was a little hesitant to go because I really didn’t know any of the baseball players, something inside of me told me to get out of bed, get dressed and go have fun. I spent the majority of the night playing Donkey Kong racing and watching girls flirt with this guy beside me. I thought I am not going to get in the middle of that. It was right before we were about to leave and that guy just walked up and introduced himself, he thought I had a great handshake and then asked what happened to my neck. (I have a scar from thyroid surgery). Wouldn’t recommend that pick up line, but it worked. We exchanged numbers and were inseparable ever since. It’s a simple story but it is a night that changed my life forever and one I will never forget.

The Proposal

I was sweating it out! After months of waiting for the ring to be fully finished, I text our jeweler to see if the ring was ready. “It’s in!” was the text I received. I immediately felt like a child on Christmas morning. When I walked into the jeweler my stomach dropped. I was waiting to see what the ring looked like. On a side note, this ring was 100% custom done and we had no idea what the final product would look like. I know Anna Kate had ideas of her own of what she wanted it to be, but I was nervous. When I saw the ring for the first time, I about flipped! I couldn’t believe how beautiful it turned out. The best way to explain it is that it feels like Anna Kate. It represents her. I love it! I spoke to my mother on the phone and she told me, “put it on her finger.” I stopped by Ensworth (the school her mom works at) and showed Katie, Anna Kate’s mom, what the ring looked like. I should’ve known that she would show everyone, the entire school, that was around us! It was a done deal. I was going to propose when I got home. I sat in my car for about ten minutes before going in. I walked in and Anna Kate was in the shower so naturally I called her mother. I didn’t know what to do. I somehow got some patience and put it in my coat pocket. She got out of the shower and had a towel in her hair, her shower robe on, and a big boot on her foot. (My Princess). Now I had to get creative. Anna Kate’s brother, Carson, had stayed over the night before and I needed a reason to get her into the other room. I casually walked into the other room. After a second passed I said, “Oh Crap, Anna Kate come look what Carson did in here.” She said, “What” with a concerned sound and came walking in. I was on one knee and I was shaking with the ring in hand for her to see. I had this long speech of what I was going to tell her and I was blank. I then proceeded to tell her how much I love her and asked, “Will you Marry Me?” She immediately leaned into kiss me and say yes without even looking at the ring. I was impressed! She then asked if she could wear it. It looked and looks so beautiful on her. It symbolizes my love for her and I hope that everyday she looks at it that she knows how much I love her and how special she is to me.

The Engagement Session

Very similar to designing my ring, I knew the exact look I wanted for our engagement photos. Cheekwood is a Nashville beauty that is 100 acres of beautiful gardens and a home now turned into a museum that was built in the 1930’s. I wanted the photos to be very elegant, but still relaxed and fun. We choose two outfits, one was more of our everyday jeans and sweaters and the other was our more elegant side. How could you take pictures at Cheekwood and not wear a long dress and feel like a real princess for a few hours?

The Engagement Ring

I knew exactly what I wanted and really the only way to get that was to design it. I wanted yellow gold, oval, detail on the siding and for it to look antique but still modern. We went to a local jeweler, Joey Nunley at Prima Jewelers in Nashville, TN. He is not only a wonderful jeweler but a wonderful friend to both of us.

The Photographer

Whitney from Glass Jar Photography
“I loved meeting the couple and seeing them kiss and smile. Capturing fresh, pure love between two people is the best.”