Kaitlinh and Alex are tying the knot this weekend at The Bowden in Keller – and I cannot believe it’s taken me this long to share their Downtown Grapevine engagement session! ACTUALLY – scratch that – I can believe it… because this past year has been a whirlwind of growth for my business, and I’ve been so fortunate to serve so many incredible couples!

One such couple is the feature of today’s blog post! Kaitlinh and Alex are high school sweethearts with some of the most fun and playful energy I’ve ever experienced. For their engagement session, they wanted a setting that allowed them to be themselves – complete with inside jokes and laughter – and Downtown Grapevine allowed them to do just that! The bright colors and textures gave us the perfect setting for us to explore and get to know each other a little better. And of course, I loved getting to hear more about their backstory as a couple!

Kaitlinh and Alex (along with Dallas wedding planner Evie Morgan of Evie Morgan Events) are planning a beautiful wedding weekend that will incorporate her family’s Vietnamese heritage beginning with a tea ceremony on Friday. They’ll make it official on Saturday at The Bowden in Keller, directly followed by a huge party facilitated by DJ Rod Baker of DFW Parties! It is sure to be an incredible weekend for everyone – I know I’ve been looking forward to this day for what seems like FOREVER!

We cannot wait to celebrate these two! In the meantime, learn more about Kaitlinh and Alex below!

How did you two first meet?

Alex and I met when we were 15 the summer after Freshman year of High School. We attended rival high schools and met through a mutual friend! Every Wednesday we would meet to play soccer at Alex’s high school. We called it “World Cup Wednesday”. I was smitten for Alex since the first time I met him. He remembers thinking I was cute and sweet, and I thought he was just so stinkin’ cute! I had a crush on him the entire summer… but he had a crush on someone else, so it didn’t work out (such high school drama!). When school started up again, we didn’t see each other much until the following summer. One summer evening, Alex and I ended up chatting for over an hour on the phone just catching up with each other. We became close friends shortly after that, and were best friends by the end of the summer. We had our first kiss in the middle of August 2016, and have been together ever since.

How did Alex propose?

We planned a dinner date at one of our favorite restaurants. Alex picked me up and told me he wanted to go to White Rock Lake before dinner to watch the sunset. We parked and walked a short distance to Winfrey Point (and yes, I was wearing uncomfortable heels and a fancy dress… I looked unprepared for a walk, LOL!). When we got to base of Winfrey Point, I turned around and Alex was down on one knee! I said yes (of course) and hugged him so tight I almost squeezed the life out of him. We spent the entire evening with just each other, and we didn’t tell anyone we were engaged until the next day!

Tell me about the details you’re most excited about for your upcoming wedding!

We are SO excited about the entertainment. We have a small surprise for our guests and we can’t wait for them to experience it! Alex and I are also super excited about the desserts… we are big dessert people :)

Do you have any tips or advice for other couples about to have engagement photos taken?

Be yourself! And have fun. Emily will take care of everything for you. The hardest part for us was picking out our outfits… We almost went on a spontaneous shopping spree the night before the engagement session! But we decided to wear stuff from our own closets, which felt more natural and genuine. Each of us wore something we have had since High School! This was a special way to incorporate fond memories into the photos, since we both have worn those shirts on multiple dates and special occasions :)

How was your overall session experience?

We had a great time during the engagement session! Emily has a knack for getting a great smile out of you, and she always captures it with her camera! Alex and I were able to be ourselves in front of the lens, which was a great feeling!

What is your favorite thing about your future spouse?

Kaitlinh: My favorite thing about Alex is that he is Alex. He is never afraid to be himself and is the most genuine person I have ever met. He doesn’t care too much what others think of him and he embraces every unique thing about himself. I feel so lucky to know him, because he truly isn’t like anyone else and doesn’t try to be.

Alex: My favorite thing about Kait is that she makes every moment special. From being on vacation together to just sitting watching our favorite T.V. show, we are always having a blast and making each-other laugh. Life together is always an adventure!

Tell me one interesting/unique/funny thing about one another!

Kaitlinh: Alex is obsessed with Jiu Jitsu! He recently started rolling and has fallen in love with the sport. I joke with him that now I have some competition in terms of getting Alex’s attention!

Alex: Kaitlinh is a book worm. Every time I come home she has her nose in a book. I swear she is trying to slowly turn our home into a library.