by: Vintage Engagement Session at The Durham Hotel & Eno River State Park
Jill and John are an absolutely lovely couple! They graciously shared their vintage engagement session with us after personalizing their stunning Save the Dates from MagnetStreet. They brought their photographer and friend, Arielle Simmons, to two locales in and around Durham, North Carolina to grab a collection of engagement photos we so love!
Two striking Save the Dates
"We have two save the dates, because we couldn't decide which we liked the best. So different guests got different save the dates. I knew I wanted the one with the white background because it was just a breathtaking shot and perfectly captured us and the experience we had taking photos with Arielle. The other one was very romantic and fun and I loved the natural setting."
The first shoot location was The Durham Hotel, a very special place for Jill and John. It's a plush hotel and an iconic building and symbol of the renaissance of downtown Durham—where the couple both live and work. The 1960's architecture had the couple feeling vintagey, so they donned 1960s clothing, hairstyles, and makeup to get into character!
How did you two meet?
"John walked up to me at Bull City Ciderworks in Durham where I was hanging out with friends and my pup, Rex. My friend Emily, his co-worker, invited me to a happy hour event there for the company they worked for. Coincidentally, he had already signed a lease to move into my building, down the hall from me a few weeks from the day we met. So we become hall-mates right after we started dating."
Tell us a little about the proposal!
"John and I had gone on a tour of the Biltmore House and we went on a stroll through the Azalea Gardens after the tour. We decided to take a rest and sat in a secluded area on the grass taking in some sun. He was sitting behind me on the grass and I was leaning into him. He pulled the ring out and put it in front of me and simply asked! It felt like I was in a dream. I said yes of course!"
Favorite photo of the day (left)
"It's completely simple in the setting....I added the gold confetti as a graphic element for the save the dates. Arielle Simmons, my childhood friend and engagement photographer, made us feel so relaxed and we were all just having fun and being creative. She captured a genuine moment in this photo and it just feels like us as a couple."
The second portion of their vintage engagement session brought them to Eno River State Park. Jill is a nature lover and John grew up playing along the river. The river and lush wooded scene provided an ahh-mazing backdrop!
Their wedding style
"That's a tough one. The venue is a contemporary art museum (The Nasher) but our overall feel is romantic, wintery, and elegant. We will have a mix of red, burgundy, and pale pink flowers along with gold accents like birch branch. The tablecloths are a pale blush satin."
Photography by Arielle Simmons Photography | Charleston, SC
