A Grand Hotel Spring Engagement

Carrie and Adam were one of the first couples I met with via FaceTime chat last spring. At the time, we were all still getting used to pandemic life. I remember being worried about being able to connect with potential clients via phone call because I was so used to meeting with people in person. It turns out that if your personalities mesh, you can definitely find that out via the phone too!

I knew two minutes into our FaceTime chat that Carrie, Adam and I were going to get along great! These two are just so darn sweet! I loved hearing them both tell the story of how Adam proposed, especially because these two are both great storytellers! And the proposal sounded like it was straight out of a movie.

Carrie and Adam love the zoo and so she wasn’t suspicious at all when he suggested going there for a Sunday afternoon. It was the beginning of March, which happens to be Carrie’s birthday month and the month that kicks off spring, her favorite season. This would also be their first trip to the Birmingham Zoo after it had undergone a renovation. Carrie was excited about the zoo trip and not suspicious at all! She had no idea that massive planning had gone into this very special day!

Upon arrival at the zoo, Adam asked an employee if there was anything they shouldn’t miss with the new renovation. Carrie had no idea that this employee had been in on the proposal from the beginning. In fact, Adam had met with him multiple times to plan his perfect proposal!

A Special Exhibit

Carrie was excited when the employee told them they could see the Lorakeet exhibit that was slated to open the next day. Leading them to believe they were having a “soft opening” of the exhibit, the employee also added that only two people at a time were allowed inside. Carrie was so pumped for the exhibit that even that didn’t strike her as odd.

The moment they stepped inside, Carrie saw a table set with flowers and full of picture frames. She walked over to it thinking it was part of the exhibit. It wasn’t until she saw the photos were of her and Adam that she realized what was happening!!! The next thing she knew, Adam was down on one knee asking her to be his wife! Carrie was stunned! And of course she said YES!

Y’all, I sat and listened to Carrie and Adam tell this story on that initial FaceTime call and I just felt like we were old friends by the time it ended. We planned their engagement session for March 2021 because Carrie just loves both the month and the spring season. She was really hoping for the azaleas to be in bloom when we did their photos. I was delighted when I saw there were still several blooming at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear.

The day of this shoot also happened to be Carrie’s birthday. I love that we got to do these photos on her special day! I also love that Adam wore some sloth socks as a nod to their proposal story for these pictures! Y’all it couldn’t have been more perfect!

Y’all these two are so adorable that people who saw us taking these portraits started applauding!!!

Makeup Artist | Courtney Matthews

Hair Stylist | Becca Townley