A FALL ENGAGEMENT SESSION AT LIBERTY STATE PARK

What a beautiful evening we had for Madison and Connor’s engagement session at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey last week! Arturo and I had been so excited to finally meet these two after they booked with us a few months ago. They’re both sweet as pie and a perfect match for each other! Connor and Madison even brought along their sweet pup, Pepper, to join them in a few of their photos. She was so well behaved, and was ready for each and every photo, thanks to being easily bribed with countless treats!

New York City is my favorite city in the entire world, so having the opportunity to work the Manhattan skyline into our couple’s engagement portraits was an added bonus to this lovely day. As the sun dipped down behind the clouds, we had the softest light to work with. Sailboats cruised by along the Hudson River, adding even more to the already magnificent view of the city from Liberty State Park. Madison and Connor’s smiles were absolutely infectious that day, and the love they have for each other can be seen in each one of their engagement photos!

THE PROPOSAL STORY

Madison had a feeling that Connor would be proposing soon, but he still managed to surprise her in all the right ways! She wanted an intimate proposal between the two of them, and nothing showy or a grand surprise, so he really had to plan the event just right. One Friday evening, Connor made dinner reservations for the two of them at a restaurant in Edgewater, New Jersey, which is located on a pier and has views of the Hudson River overlooking Manhattan. It was the perfect location because it has many areas off of the pier where they could walk, giving Connor the potential to pop the question at any one of the little spots. As it turns out, this was his plan all along, to make Madison think he’d ask her to marry him on the pier, when in fact he had no intention to do so!

Getting Madison to the restaurant that night was quite an adventure for Connor. They had been up late the night before with Pepper, and they were each exhausted on Friday. Madison even asked Connor if they could reschedule their date night, and thinking quickly on his feet, Connor replied, “These were hard reservations to get.” A romantic dinner and reservations that “can’t be canceled”… That’s when it clicked for Madison that he would probably be asking her to marry him that evening! The two enjoyed their dinner together, but a proposal never happened, so as they headed home Madison brushed off the idea.

However, little did she know that while she and Connor were at the restaurant, Connor had asked his brother to head over to their apartment and decorate it with roses, dessert, champagne, and of course, the engagement ring. When they got home, Madison immediately saw how beautifully everything was set up. Pepper eagerly greeted them as they walked into their apartment, as they walked over to a table that had two notes they’d written each other. The first was one that Madison had written to Connor six years earlier, and the other was one that Connor had written that morning. Already surprised, Madison read the note from Connor. He soon dropped to one knee with the ring in hand, and asked her to marry him!

These two are getting married next summer at Sea Cliff Manor on Long Island, and we cannot wait to see their day come to life! Congratulations Madison and Connor!

fall-engagement-session-liberty-state-park-jersey-city-nj-shaina-lee-photography

When did you know you'd found "the one"?

Madison: “I knew I found the one within the first year of our relationship for sure. Thinking back on that first year of dating, I felt like my truest self when Connor and I were together. Even back then, Connor made me the happiest girl in the world, brightened my days, and made me feel secure in our relationship. We are also very similar in our interests and sense of humor, so it always felt like a perfect match.”

Connor: “I knew I found the one pretty early on. If I had to pinpoint the moment, it was at my cousin's wedding when we had only been dating for about 6 months. Madison was meeting my mom's side of the family and really my family for the first extended period. She was nothing short of amazing, the way she looked, the way she interacted with my parents, my brother, everyone. The next morning all I could think about was how lucky I truly was. I'm really big into family and seeing the way Madison interacted with everyone, and the massive smile on her face the entire time, I knew I needed her in my life for the rest of it.”

What's one thing you love about your partner?

Madison: “One thing I love about Connor is his outlook on life! Connor is extremely driven in everything he does, yet he also knows when to laugh and not sweat the small stuff. He lights up every room he walks into with his sense of humor and positive outlook. In fact, not a day has gone by that Connor hasn't put a smile on my face. I know that this outlook on life will continue to serve Connor extremely well, and I am extremely lucky that I get to be by his side as his wife.”

Connor: “One thing I love about Madison is how absolutely genuine she is. There is no faking it when it comes to Madison, what you see is what you get. You can tell when she's happy, when she's sad, or when she's excited; she wears her emotions outward fully. It's an amazing feeling to have someone who's so genuine about her life, because when she says something she means it. There are no hidden messages. As I mentioned before, Madison's smile is infectious, so when she smiles at me or laughs at my corny jokes, there's nothing more I love in the world because I know she genuinely loves being with me and it makes me happy because I love being with her.”

Besides getting married, what is one thing you're looking forward to on your wedding day?

Madison: “The first look. I think that the first look is such a special moment, and I'm really looking forward to sharing that moment with Connor. I'm also really excited to celebrate our marriage with loved ones!”

Connor: “Dinner! All jokes aside, I’m excited about our first dance together. I'm not a good dancer by any means, but that's going to be the first ‘official’ thing we do together as a married couple. I'm an emotional person so I'm sure I'm going to tear up while we're dancing together. However, I really can't wait to get onto the dance floor, look at each other, smile, and know we're married.”

What's one thing you're looking forward to about marriage?

Madison: “I’m looking forward to being a team. Whatever goals we have for the future, I know we can reach them together. I'm so lucky that by marrying Connor, I get to spend my life with my support system and biggest cheerleader. I'm also really excited for all the happy moments and laughs we'll get to share together. Even on the most ordinary days, Connor always knows how to make me laugh.”

Connor: “I’m also looking forward to growing together as a team. I have grown up so much in the almost 8 years Madison and I have been together. When you're married, the growth targets are no longer single missions. They're not ‘I want to get promoted’ or ‘I want to travel the world’ but they become ‘I want Madison and I to…’ goals. I can't wait for that, to understand I win when she wins, she wins when I win. To understand we are a team and she and I move forward together. That's what I'm looking forward to the most.”

I hope you enjoyed this fall engagement session at Liberty State Park! Do you know Madison and Connor? Show them some love by commenting below!

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Shaina Lee Photography is a husband and wife photography team serving Connecticut, New York, and beyond. We specialize in timeless, elegant, and romantic weddings while celebrating all couples in love.

Are you planning a proposal, engagement session, or wedding?