Rome Engagement Session & Film: Annika & Lee

If you can’t get married in Italy, I’d say a Rome engagement session is a nice compromise, wouldn’t you? Two Pittsburghers, Annika and Lee sprung for a spontaneous e-shoot with Enrico & Eleonora Photography (whom Annika found on Instagram just days before!) while vacationing in The Eternal City.  This modern, cosmopolitan couple traipsed around the well-known sites and off the beaten path.  The results are both edgy and romantic.  If it isn’t clear to you that this pair is madly in love, you might want to check your pulse.  This session is oozing with passion and I love every.single.image, plus the gorgeous video footage Enrico & Elenora put together.  Treat yo’ self to both!

Side note – If you’re wondering why Annika looks so good, it’s because she’s the talent behind Glam to Go!

I’m kind of obsessed with this video too…

From the bride…

When and how did you two meet?

Lee and I grew up together.  Our parents went to high school together and my dad was in Lee’s parents’ wedding.  Lee is four years older then me so we kinda of missed each other in high school, but in my eyes, he was always the cute, older boy that I knew.  I was happy that our families were so close, but I was so embarrassed and young that I would only dare say hi to him when I saw him.

Years later when I grew up, we randomly ran into each other at Local in the South Side (like all Pittsburgh romances lol).  I was there with a bunch of my girlfriends and Lee and his buddy walked in.  My friends tell me that we immediately locked eyes that night and I can tell you that we hung out the whole night laughing and catching up.  As I was leaving the bar, he asked me out on a date….I said NO!  I told him if he was serious, he had to call me and ask me out on a proper date and not just ask me when we had a couple cocktails in us.

As I’m leaving the bar, I lean into him and whisper in his ear, “Meet me at the altar, Tenace (his last name)” and then just walked out.  In my mind, I knew I was supposed to marry him!!  After that, he was a good boy and properly asked me out and the rest is history!!  🙂  We’ve been inseparable ever since.

Juicy details on the proposal, please!  Where, when, how?

Lee and I had a work trip planned to Hawaii.  We arrived a couple days before the rest of the group.  On our first full day, we woke up extra early because of the time difference, worked out, took a walk on the beach, and then went back to our room, and got changed for the day.  As we are leaving our hotel room, Lee said, “Why don’t we take a look around the grounds of the hotel to explore a little it more?”  Fine with me.  I was happy to see that beautiful place.  As we are walking, we “stumbled” upon a chapel that overlooks the ocean.  We went inside to check it out.  We walked upstairs to the altar and, as I was leaning over the altar to see the view, I turned around and Lee was down on one knee!

I was in compete shock and only remember part of what he said to me.  But I do know he said this, “You told me to meet you at the altar…so I did.  And I’m asking you to marry me.”

After a year and a half, he remembered what I said to him that night and he brought me to Hawaii to propose to me at the altar.  It was the best day of my whole life!!!!

Describe the engagement shoot.

OUR DREAM was to get married in Italy, but it was going to be so expensive for our family that we decided against it.  But during a recent trip to Italy, I went on Instagram and found this photographer that I loved.  I loved his eye for things and I was blown away by his style of photography.  I emailed the photographer and he just happened to me in Rome that same weekend Lee and I were there!  So, we spent the morning with him, walking around Rome while he took our pictures!  If we couldn’t get married in Italy, I thought having our engagement pictures was the next best thing!!