Caroline comes from a huuuuuge family! The first time we met her she was a bridesmaid in her cousin Sue’s wedding and there were tons of cousins all around. Since then, we’ve had the pleasure of getting to know their family more as we are also photographing another wedding in the same family next year. They are a tight-knit family and from the looks of their IG feeds, they see each other often and share many of life’s moments together. It’s really amazing! It came as no surprise to me that Caroline actually met Mike at her cousin Kate’s birthday party (whose wedding we are photographing next year!). Caroline noticed him right away because he was out in the middle of the dance floor and had some “very crazy dance moves” (her words, ha!). Caroline and Mike started talking and hit it off right away. They are both teachers, share the same passion for working with children, and Caroline loves Mike’s jokester personality so they connected on many different levels. There is more about them in the story sprinkled throughout this post so you can get to know them a bit more!
Caroline and Mike are planning a summer wedding next year. They’ll be tying the knot at St. Mark’s in Sea Girt and celebrating with family and friends at Crystal Point Yacht Club. We haven’t shot at CPYC in a while so we’re excited to go back! They have gorgeous views and we plan to get our couple and their bridal party onto one of the docks there for some classic shore summer wedding photos. And I already know the dance floor is going to be super lively! We can’t wait to celebrate with them!
For their engagement session, Caroline and Mike chose Spring Lake for a combination of park and beach backdrops. It was a beautiful summer day – enjoy getting a peek into my time with them!
Mike: Our first date was at a semi-mid point between where we both lived. I invited her to New Brunswick to my favorite college restaurant Stuff Yer Face. I was super nervous and arrived really early. Little did I know, Caroline has a fear of driving in unfamiliar city -like areas. When I received the text one hour later , “I don’t know where I am, I am going to turn around,” I realized I had to make some moves. I mean, how often does a beautiful girl like her go after a middle of the road guy like myself?! I then found where she parked which happened to be in the not so nice part of New Brunswick. We then walked to the restaurant. I knew their famous strombolis would ease the already relatively tense situation. She ordered a burger. We got lost on the way back to the car. However, apparently I was charming enough to earn a second date. Good work self.
Mike: I bought the ring two months before I proposed. It’s ironic that such a light piece of jewelry can bear such a heavy weight on your shoulders… Anyways, the weekend before school was out for summer was the decision. After taking her parents out to ask for permission (take note gentlemen), I got the go ahead. I had a very nice elaborate plan to ask at Spring Lake Beach. Realizing the amount of people that were likely going to be around, I called an audible. Plan two: Spring Lake. I then ran into the same issue with surrounding people so I went simple and made the final decision to be on the side of her house. Good thing! The moment I went down on my knee the tears began to fall (I have no shame in admitting this…). Luckily, I only had to memorize one question. Got that out, received the answer I was expecting, had a big hug, then had to collect myself for ten minutes before entering the house. Side note: Only one of us had a difficult time containing our emotions……..
One thing they love about each other
Caroline: I love how happy Michael makes me. He is such an amazing person and always puts others before himself. He never fails to make me laugh and smile. He makes me feel so special and loved everyday; I am so thankful I have him in my life.
Mike: Caroline keeps me grounded and is my voice of reason. She is the exact person I was hoping to meet in my time of being a hopeless romantic. Additionally, she puts the “Sweet” in the song… I can’t wait to annoy her and love her for the rest of my life.
Caroline: Sharing the moment with all of my close family and friends. Also knowing that I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend!
Mike: I am looking forward to the dance floor. Yes, the dance floor!
If we haven't met yet, I'm Alex! I'm passionate about discovering beautiful stories, documenting genuine moments, and capturing timeless images along the way. Here I share my latest work, a peek at the heirlooms we create, and helpful resources. Thank you so much for visiting my blog!
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