Oh my goodness! Hayley and Zach’s engagement session was truly incredible!

Leading up to their session, Hayley and I would email back and forth about how we were SUPER excited to FINALLY meet each other! We definitely had a countdown going, and then the forecast was calling for rain and we had to reschedule!!

BUT these two were so understanding, flexible and laid back about changing the date! In my opinion, it worked in our favor because it gave the leaves more time to change color by the time their session arrived! You’ll see what I’m talking about when you see the beautiful images below!

Their session took place at Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park, and it was the perfect location because…Hayley and Zach spent hours upon hours building their friendship and relationship there while they were dating! So many memories were made at Lemon Hill amongst their friends and each other! The hill also had an incredible view of the city skyline!

The two of them absolutely LOVE the city of Philadelphia! They are even getting married at the Race Street Pier next year!! Woohoo!! Many of their family members live farther away or out of state, and they cannot wait to introduce their family to the city that they cherish so much on their wedding day!!

Hayley & Zach – I had the BEST time with you both! You two are so kind and loving – can it be your wedding day already?! 😀

As Told By The Bride-to-Be

How They Met

“Our story began during college orientation at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. We were theatre majors far away from our hometowns who also both happened to love The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. You’d think we’d have been smitten from the very beginning! Well, it took a little while… months even. To this day Zach will joke about how I put him in the “friend-zone”! Now I just say it was obviously meant to happen that way:)

One time in particular that ignited a change in our relationship was good old February 14th, 2012. Valentine’s Day. My favorite holiday (seriously!) and Zach’s second favorite holiday… or so said a note that he slipped into my dorm room along with a very tasty Philly Cupcake (where we went on our first date). He was asking to spend that evening with him, as he couldn’t think of anyone else he’d rather spend Valentine’s with. I still keep that note in a box containing all of our notes we’ve written to each other!

He set up the perfect date. After a private screening of my favorite movie “Moulin Rouge!” in his dorm, we went out to eat and both had gnocchi for the first time! And I ended a dream Valentine’s evening with a nice hug (face palm). BUT all was not lost, because after that night we became closer and closer. Our final weeks of freshman year, through new city adventures, homesickness, weird college parties and long movie nights inside makeshift blanket forts, LOVE struck finally and hard. Now here we are, almost six years later!”

How He Proposed

“Zach proposed on January 14th, 2017. He told me to wear something really nice for our date night… which I thought was a little weird because we don’t often dress up (we are totally Netflix and pizza people). Anyway, he made a reservation at R2L, a beautiful bar/restaurant in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the entire city.

He stayed close to my side and asked me quietly and perfectly to marry him, proposing with a ring he designed and his father made. He surprised me even further when a group of our closest friends and family came rushing into the restaurant. After many tears (mostly from me) and champagne we celebrated all night long. It was so personal and the perfect way to begin this new and exciting chapter in our life together!”