Regina and Eric are one of the sweetest couples! We can’t wait for their lush garden themed wedding at an apple orchard! But first we must share these amazing photos! They snuck away to Cali for a secret private ceremony with the Redwoods. We are dieing over how fairytale like these photos came out! Her dress, the lighting, this gorg couple! Oh man, we really love love people, we really do. Check out their love story, its super cute!
How did you meet?
R: Eric and I met through mutual friends in undergrad. He always recalls a party where I was sitting by a keg and he asked his friend about me and his friend responded that I was “off-limits”. I don’t remember meeting him at that particular party, but I do remember a following party where one of my friends asked me about him and I told her the same thing! Off limits! Eventually we got things lined up and started dating each other instead of our friends. Eight years later and everyday I somehow still find myself falling more and more for this man.
E: We met at a party attended by several wrestlers. I followed her around for three weeks. I couldn’t stop thinking about how great she was, and no matter what, my mind kept drifting back to her. I proposed several meetings and was finally permitted to join her for some kind of social event. From then on out it was smooth sailing. We grew closer and closer through this very day.
How did he propose?
R: Originally on Sunday morning of my 26th birthday, I was supposed to be sailing; however, Eric had other plans. Eric informed me a few weeks prior to July 17th, 2011 to clear her calendar– he had a “birthday surprise”. On their shared google calendar, Eric had made an event from 6 to 11am. Regina, wondering to herself about what surprise he could possibly have planned at 6 in the morning, deduced that it was either a hot air balloon ride, or skydyving. Although normally a risk-taker, I never had any desire to go skydyving and the thought scared me half to death. I confessed to Eric while they were chatting in bed one evening that she was worried the secret was skydyving and there was no way she was going skydyving. Eric, was totally surprised I had guessed, told her she HAD to go. I spent a few weeks talking to everyone she knew who had gone skydyving and steeling my nerves. I finally agreed to go. We got ready before sunrise on my birthday morning and headed out to skydive. I was so preoccupied with how nervous I was, didn’t realize all the behind the scenes planning that Eric was arranging. Eric had even splurged on video and photographer-jumpers for each of them. After being prepped, they finally made it up into the plane. The guys from “Perfectly Good Airplane” were professional, but also very laidback and goofy which made the trip in the small (and OPEN) plane only slightly less nervewracking. As it came time to jump, Eric went first. I remembers watching him jump out of the plane and get swooped rapidly away into the distance. After which I felt like my mind shutdown and my body just followed orders, ready to jump after Eric. A short time and 14,000 feet later, after the exhilarating jump and parachute down, Eric landed, and waited anxiously as I drifted down. Just as her feet were on solid ground, Eric, who had barely recovered from the jump himself, took a knee and popped the question. Though both were speechless for a few minutes, I eventually found her voice and said yes, of course!
E: I made secret plans of which the activities were uncovered moments after I invited her to the event. I could barely keep a straight face the entire time, because, I mean… come on. We jumped out of an airplane together. I tried to act all cool, calm and collected, even though I was shitting my pants. At a certain point on the trip, I thought, ‘Oh, god, I drug her up here and she’s hating this.”. And then we jumped and it wiped my memory clean, so much so that I forgot to propose at the bottom of the world, until they reminded me. And then she said yes. And we spent the rest of the day talking about how we were engaged. And it was an amazing idea, of which the only secret that was kept was the proposal part. I think it was a great success. It’s the proposal I always wanted.
Ideas for your perfect day?
R: The whole wedding thing has been a little convoluted for Eric and I. Some how our desires and values don’t easily match up with what society has generally put in place for marriage, but we are making it work. We originally wanted something quiet and small and were thinking about a quick get away into the wilderness of the redwoods. With my large family, most of whom are in the midwest, we were realizing this would be quite a hassle and might cause some disappointment among our relatives, so we changed plans to a more centrally located, established venue, where everyone would fit. We are super excited to be able to throw a huge party with all of our loved ones, but we also couldn’t stop thinking about the redwoods. Eric had told me years ago that he wanted to get married in the redwoods, because he felt like the ‘beauty of some of the tallest and oldest living organisms on the planet is only fitting as the setting for our love and committment’. It blows me away a little when he randomly spits out romantic statements like that (and it doesn’t happen often), so I wanted to make that beautiful dream a reality! We decided to do both. We each wrote vows to each other which were a little more personal than we felt we could share in front of 200 of our closest friends and family members, so we decided to share them in a private ceremony (just us!) in the redwood forest. We had a photographer come and document before the event as well and it turned out beautifully. I’m so glad we were able to share that special moment together before the big day. We also used the trip to nail out some wedding details and decide on our vows and readings for the upcoming big day.
E: Casual and calm. Because I’m already really high strung. I want everyone to understand I couldn’t have gotten here without my friends and family. Regina and I are very excited to see everyone in the same place, at the same time. It will be a perfect day, no matter the specifics, because of the people here to share it with us. We have a lot of big changes coming up in our lives. Our wedding is just the jumping off point.
What do you love about each other?
R: One thing that I feel really makes ‘us’ work, is that we are both very independent. As someone who enjoys her independence, it’s hard to feel comfortable in a relationship and it’s also difficult to find a partner who is willing to understand. Eric and I’s partnership has provided both of these things. I know relationships do take work, but this is one of the things that comes easily for us. We respect each other’s space and time while still maintaining closeness and I feel we are both able to live fuller lives because of it.
E: I love how hard working you are. I love that you’re interested in things. Like feminism. And civil rights. And Criminal Justice. This is harder than it seems… I love that you’re able to deal with me. Even when you’re not
Things you are looking forward to as a married couple?
R: Everything! I’m looking forward to an extension of what has already been the last eight years. Even the mundane day-to-day tasks that come with being responsible, working adults become more fun and adventurous when we are together. We push each other to surpass expectations and tackle new opportunities and I’m always looking forward to whatever may be around the next corner.
E: Children… I already have everything I want with you. We’ve talked about weddings with each other a lot. They’re just there for everybody else.” We have so many things to get going in our life. It will feel great to accomplish all the things we have in front of us together.
Credits
Green Dress – Mignonette Bridal
Cali Photos – Dusty and Amy with Drozian Photoworks
Chicago Engagement Photos - Katrina McGrath
