Yale University Engagement Session in New Haven, CT | Taylor & Marcus

A YALE UNIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT SESSION

It was such a treat to finally meet these two at their Yale University engagement session in New Haven, Connecticut! Taylor and Marcus are absolute sweethearts with undeniable chemistry. From the moment Arturo and I started photographing them, they fell into each prompt and pose so naturally! It may have been a chilly December afternoon, but the sun was shining, which resulted in some incredibly romantic winter light for their engagement photos!

Like many couples, Marcus and Taylor were originally supposed to have their big wedding day this past summer but decided to postpone the celebration to next year due to the pandemic. However, they still had an intimate wedding ceremony in San Diego, California. Marcus and Taylor timed it just right so their big wedding day in 2021 will fall on what will be their first anniversary!

Arturo and I cannot wait to work with one of our favorite wedding planners, Cindy of Detaille Weddings & Events, at Marcus and Taylor’s wedding celebration this summer. We always love what she designs for her couples and we know she’s going to do a remarkable job for these two! Taylor shared a bit about their wedding design, and friends let me tell you, it is going to be a stunner!

THE PROPOSAL STORY

Marcus asked Taylor to marry him in the month of May, but had been carefully planning his proposal since the previous September! He booked a 10-day vacation to Hawaii for the two of them to “celebrate her college graduation”. However, Taylor became suspicious in the months leading up to the trip and suspected something bigger might be happening when they were in Hawaii, and she was right!

In the days after their arrival to paradise, there were several moments where Taylor had seen various friends announcing their own engagements on her social feeds. She would bring up the topic of marriage to Marcus only for him to brush it off and ask her to relax, resulting in a very annoyed Taylor!

On the day of the proposal, Marcus had booked a photo session with a local photographer so Taylor could have some professional photos taken to “in honor of her graduation” since she didn’t have any done at home. Earlier that day, he had also booked them a spa day and arranged for Taylor to get a manicure so she felt her best for her photos. Seriously, how thoughtful is he?!

Their portrait session began with the photographer telling Taylor that they were going to snap some solo shots of her since these were her celebratory “graduation photos”. As the photographer got Taylor into position, Marcus got down on one knee behind her and waited for Taylor to face him. As soon as she turned to him, he popped the question!

These two are planning a beautiful coastal wedding celebration in June at Taylor’s grandparents’ house in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, and we are so excited for their day to arrive! Congratulations Taylor and Marcus!!

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

Taylor: “Growing up it was clear to me how insanely in love my dad was with my mom. Through past relationships, I felt loved but not on that undeniable wavelength. Once Marcus and I started falling for each other it was clear he was unlike anyone I had ever been with. I just recently said to him, I wish I could see myself through your eyes. He loves me unconditionally, constantly puts me and my feelings before his own, and not only tells me he loves me but shows it through actions day after day.”

Marcus: “There are two distinct moments for me, and they happened within a relatively short period of time. I had never really gone into previous relationships with the intention of finding love or settling down, which probably contributed to this, but I came home one day to my house being totally clean and organized, and Taylor had bought me a new fluffy blanket with a note on top. For me, this stood out and made me feel special that someone actually cared for me enough to do something like this completely unasked. The second was after the 2016 flood in Baton Rouge, and I had a lot of stress in my life from working a full-time job, and just getting fully in the swing of being a small business owner trying to turn a struggling donut shop around. I had to work all day, manage the donut shop's operations, and then immediately go work on rebuilding my flooded house for at least three straight months. Taylor had written me another letter, expressing how hard times had been, and that she loved me, and how I had been handling the stress I was going through. Any misgivings or doubts that I had after my first example immediately flew out the window, and I knew that she was the one that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”

What's one thing you love about your partner?

Taylor: “Just one?! There are so many amazing qualities, however, his ability to understand me and know when I may need that extra hug and equally know when I may just need space is beyond what I could ask for. My parents and siblings can tell you, I am a pretty high maintenance individual, and the fact that Marcus is able to not only handle that, but learn, accept, and understand me on a deep level is something I appreciate more than he may know.”

Marcus: “It's not so much a thing, but the way that my relationship with her has changed me. I was never really one for kids or family, and always looked out for myself, but now every single decision I make has to pass through a filter of if it is the best decision for Taylor and myself.”

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

Taylor: “I am looking forward to my extended family meeting Marcus. It is hard to have this person who means the world to you, and not getting to introduce him to the world. I so look forward to being celebrated as a couple, and PARTYING amongst the beautiful decor and flowers I have spent my childhood dreaming about.”

Marcus: “Being celebrated honestly. We have been hermits for most of our relationship, and haven't had many occasions where we have been celebrated with friends and family, so it will be very nice to have an entire day dedicated to just us.”

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

Taylor: “I am looking forward to growing both as a couple and as individuals. Marcus consistently pushes me to be my best self and grow outside of my comfort zone, even when my sometimes stubborn self can be set in my ways. I am also absolutely looking forward to the day he makes me a mom. I have wanted kids for as long as I can remember and I cannot wait for them to be our best friends and the center of our world.”

Marcus: “The beginning of the rest of my life. Even though we are already married, 2020 hasn't been a conventional year, so once we returned from San Diego, we fell right back into the same routines as we have been doing for the last 4 years of living together. I am starting a new job in January, one that will be the defining moment in my career if done right, and immediately after we will be moving away from Louisiana. I've lived there my entire life, and I have felt stagnant for quite a while, so the wedding has kind of crystallized into an inflection point for me as closing a long chapter in my life and beginning a new one, one that I have complete control over, and I get to write the story with my wife. That may not have been quite the answer to this question, but for a more traditional answer, I'm looking forward to growing into the new chapter and becoming a dad.”

I hope you enjoyed this winter engagement session at Yale University!  Do you know Taylor and Marcus?  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. 

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