I spend a majority of my time with other couples, following every aspect of their journey to marriage from their engagement session, bridal portraits and on to their wedding day. Sometimes I even photograph moments past their big day and onto the birth of their first child.
I photographed twenty-nine weddings before I was finally able to enjoy my own big day and I wanted to share mine and my husband’s love story with you.
(and it’s only appropriate that this is the blog post in which I launch my new brand // megan morales photography)
Rewind twelve years ago to 2004. I was a freshman in high school when I met Chris, a sophomore. We had Art I together but sat at separate sides of the room. One day, Chris got into some trouble and was instructed to move seats. It just so happened that he was moved to my table. He had a girlfriend at the time but that didn’t stop me from forming a crush. We became such good friends that we had matching shoes and a creative “foot-shake”. Throughout high school we remained friends, drawing each other in art class and hanging out at sporting events. After high school, we went our separate ways like anyone else does.
Fast Forward six years. It was 2010, the summer before my junior year of college at the University of Mount Olive. Chris commented on an old facebook picture I was tagged in and sparked a conversation that eventually led to us reuniting. A new season of Tosh.0 was premiering so Chris invited me to hang out and watch it. He picked me up in his black mustang and we spent the evening together. A few days later, I invited him to a pool party. After laying by the pool all day I somehow talked him into watching the movies, Twilight and New Moon with me to prepare for the premiere of Eclipse which was coming to theaters soon. After the movies, Chris started to leave but asked me for a kiss. The following weekend, his youngest sister Rachel graduated from high school and their families from out of state were visiting to celebrate. Chris introduced me to everyone as his girlfriend that day and it went from there.
Four years of dating passed and I was secretly dying for a ring but didn’t think it was coming anytime soon. It was a Sunday, four days before our anniversary, and we decided to celebrate it then rather than during the week. Chris needed to get a few things together so he talked me into getting my nails done while I waited. Thinking nothing of his request, I got my nails done and arranged for my parents to bring Chris’ anniversary gift to our apartment; it was a grill so there was no hiding it at the apartment. After a few hours apart, Chris and I met back at our place where my parents and the grill were waiting. After receiving the grill, Chris presented me with all kinds of goodies: a watch, necklace, manicure kit + gift certificate. We decided to have dinner at The Melting Pot in Raleigh so we dressed up nice as we usually do on our anniversary and I asked my mom to take pictures of us before we left. Little did I know, mom was recording, waiting for the proposal. While posing for the picture, Chris told me he had one more gift for me. He pulled out a small box from his pocket and expressed his feelings for me and asked me to marry him.
Chelsea Collins Photography // Jeffrey Surles Florist // Hair + Makeup by Mattie Jordan // The Farm Entertainment Venue