Atlanta And BeyondAmanda
Summerlin
Photography
Atlanta & beyondest. 2009

Joy and Doug: Engagement Session in Tryon, NC

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Confucius say:   Man who want pretty nurse, must be patient.

Hanging Out With Joy and Doug, Making Engagement Photos and Shopping

Yeah, shopping.  You know you’re jealous now.  This is Joy and Doug, who are getting married in just a few short months in the gorgeous mountains of North Carolina.  We met up on Saturday in Tryon, NC, (the birthplace of the fabulous Nina Simone!) and headed out in search of an elusive coffee shop to hang out.  But what we found was this awesome shop that’s a coffee shop and a vintage clothing store/place of awesome-ness.  It’s called New For You, and if you’re ever in the area, you gots to check it out.  They also have amazing pumpkin cake.  Yum.

Coffee shop engagement photos

Coffee shop vintage engagement

Engagement picture ideas coffee shop

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So now, as I like to do, I’m going to turn over the reins to Joy and Doug and let them tell you a little more about themselves… because they are so cool.  See you at the end of the post.

Engagement pictures in vintage store

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How did you meet?  Describe your proposal.

Joy’s Side of the Story

It was love at first site – with Katie Christie, Doug’s sister. We met while volunteering for a bereavement camp for kids, and we became fast friends after bonding over our mutual wearing of No Nonsense socks. We traded phone numbers and I vowed to be the kind of friend that actually calls back to hang out. I happened to call her back in March, so we celebrated her birthday along with many friends and family (hint: Doug was there! But I don’t remember meeting him). However, I do remember witnessing Katie karaoke-ing “Gangster’s Paradise,” and decided we should be friends forever. On the drive home from the party, we both discovered we had no roommates and no place to live for the next school year and, before reaching home, we decided to live together. We held a movie night soon after settling, which Doug attended. I remember meeting him this time! We made only small talk, as I was distracted by our new fuzzy white kitten. I suppose I can also blame the kitten for my lack of attention to my appearance – my hair was dirty and in a ponytail, I was wearing no makeup, glasses, and a t-shirt. Apparently, this didn’t deter him, as he came over weekly (or more often) for movie nights, which consisted of talking and very little movie watching. My interest in him was limited to getting to know my best friend’s brother, but I certainly took notice when he remembered a comment I made weeks before concerning altos in a choral song. As Doug knows next to nothing about choral music, I realized he cared enough about me to remember random things I said. And then, for my 24th birthday in November, Doug presented me with one of the sweetest presents I’ve ever gotten – a homemade CD that he obviously spent hours making. I listened to it both to and from my drive to Spartanburg for Thanksgiving and I was smitten. Thus, with persuasion from Katie, I agreed to go on a date with him – dinner and a movie. It was wonderful. So wonderful, in fact, that I was terrified of my feelings for him and of jeopardizing my friendship with Katie. So I ended it. Aaaaand we proceeded to spend even more time together than before our date. A month after my rejection, I could stand it no longer. I suggested that we try again. We’ve been together ever since – through three years of med school for him and nursing school for me. And despite being a harrowed med student, Doug has shown me daily that he cares for me – including the time he stayed with me in the ER the night before a final. As we spent and still spend most of our time together (and we’re poor students), we moved in together a year ago. Also, we got a dog! And on April 28, 2011, true to how we first met, Doug proposed to me on the couch while I was wearing a t-shirt, had on no makeup, glasses, and had dirty hair. I said yes.

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Doug’s Side of the Story

I poached Joy from my sister, Katie, and refused to give her back. The End.

A more detailed story:
The first time Joy and I met was at my sister Katie’s birthday party. Neither of us really remembers this meeting very well, although in our defense, there was some outstanding karaoke-ing going on at the time. So TECHNICALLY, it wasn’t love at first sight. Which I actually kind of like. The first time Joy and I really interacted was after she moved in with Katie. I came over to their apartment, and there was Joy. She was sitting on the floor with the kitten she’d just that day rescued and adopted. My sister’s new roommate is a cute girl that likes animals. Hmmm. So naturally, after Katie and Joy moved in together, I suddenly had many more reasons to hang out at Katie’s apartment. I may have even subjected myself to t.v. shows and movies I wouldn’t ordinarily have considered watching. We got to know each other pretty well, and I realized we had a lot in common. Not just similar tastes in music and (some) movies and t.v. shows, but views and expectations about life and love and people. And then I got up the nerve to ask her out. Our first date went really well. She even says so to this day. The funny thing is that shortly after our first date she dumped me. Fortunately for me, she still lived with Katie and we still saw a good bit of each other. And, even more fortunately for me, after about a month or so, she decided that dumping me may not have been such a good idea after all. Fast forward through my first year of medical school (she should get some kind of medal for putting up with me through that), and my second year of medical school (which was capped off with the mother of all tests – medal number two for Joy), and my third year of medical school (things are getting better…), and I decided I’d waited long enough.

Scene: Doug and Joy sitting on the couch in their usual couch clothes.

Doug: “Joy. Will you marry me?”

Joy: “……”

Joy: “Wait. What?”

Doug: “I said, ‘Will you marry me?'”

Joy: “Yes!”

The End.

Engagement pictures in antique book

Engagement session ideas

Engagement photos in vintage clothing store

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What was dating like? Dating was difficult at times with Doug in med school and me in nursing school and working. But we made time for each other and luckily didn’t drive each other crazy when studying. And we’re both pretty content sitting on the couch together watching crappy tv and making dinner at home.

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How would you describe your relationship? Our relationship is just lovely if you ask me. We both feel stronger together and able to face bigger obstacles because of our relationship (like moving across the country and med school debt). Plus we make each other laugh.  Aww.  And we’re both giant dorks.

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Ok, I’m back.  I had to explain this photo.  Doug and I were standing near the register when I looked over and saw this gentleman, and I said to Doug, “Look how dapper he is!” and grabbed a couple of quick shots.  Because, well, look how nice he looks!  And I couldn’t help but think that in a few decades when a young person sees someone from my generation out and about in public, we’re going to be wearing baggy t-shirts, cargo shorts, and birkenstocks or something.  I’m not sure if I’m sad about that or not.  Hmm…

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Mountain engagement session with dog

This is Toby!  He is the world’s most energetic dog!

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And that, internet friends, is Joy and Doug (and Toby… and the dapper guy).  I hope you enjoyed looking at these photos half as much as I enjoyed making them.  Joy and Doug are sweet and funny, and they’re going to have the coolest wedding!

Thanks Joy and Doug and Toby for hanging out with me and helping me escape to the mountains for a day.  I can’t wait to hang out with you again!

Amanda Summerlin
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