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Old North Bridge Engagement Session

Tell us how you first met? Who, what, when, where, and why?

Phil and I met back in August of 2014. I was just out of college and was working all the time so I could move out on my own, while also spending days interviewing. After being a serial dater all summer I officially swore off dating so I could focus on finding a career. I got out early from my double shift and my friend (at the time) convinced me to go out instead of head home. I found myself outside waiting to enter a club. Besides my 21st birthday and a few shady times in college, I don’t do clubs. But here I was waiting in line in a little black dress, with my crazy friend desperately trying to convince the bouncer to let us in. Shocker, this does not get the bouncer’s attention, but did get the attention of the group of guys in front of us. Now, I’m a big people watcher, I like to be a bystander in these hilarious situations. I watched as my friends started talking to them. Everyone was laughing and joking, everyone except one guy in the back who seems to be doing the same thing as me. Observing, laughing, and wondering how we got into this situation. We continued to exchange shy smiles and glances until we got into the club.
   It didn’t take long for Phil to find me on the dance floor and we yelled our names into each other’s ears. Then he did what no guys has done before, he actally asked permission to dance with me. Usually guys just come up behind a girl and start bumping them until the girl either walks away or accepts. We literally danced all night long until he was yanked away from his friends who were also his ride.

After hours of dancing and sweating on each other, I only got a name and a kiss on the check. No phone number exchange. Poof, he was gone like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight.  But only a few minutes later I could see Phil making his way back to me thought the crowd. I beamed and met him halfway, “can I have your number” i’m assuming he said or something along those lines. I stumbled over my digits, “ 781-866, no! 617-866- wait, no its 781-866” at this point I was a bottle of wine and several vodka sodas deep and a brand new phone number didn’t help. I gave him what I believed was my number and off he went back upstairs to the waiting car filled with his friends.

I watched him leave and turn back to search the depths of this cave, I mean club, for my friends. “Wait, did I give him the right number???”  I stopped in my tracks and weighed my options. I can 1: hope for the best and continue to look for my friends 2. Just in case give him both combinations of the potential number. 3. Ask for his number. I picked options two and three and raced up the stairs to go find him and return his glass slipper (aka my number).

For a girl that freshly swore off dating I was honestly doing the absolute most.

I ran up the stairs to the club, push past the bouncer who tells me that if leave then I won’t be allowed back in. I found out later that this same bouncer tried to stop Phil from reentering but he risked injury to life and limb and pushed past the bouncer, “There is a girl inside there and I need to get her number.” #swoon

I worked my charm on the bouncer and was allowed to step outside but he was already gone!  Standing there alone outside of a club at 1 AM, I finally bossed up and decided that it was out of my hands. If I gave him the correct number then cool, if I didn’t then whatever, I have my mind set on bigger things than a nice guy who was fun to dance with.

The next day I did my best to control the leap of excitement every time my phone buzzed and then smothered any trace of disappointment that it wasn’t him.  I am way too cool and collected to be waiting by the phone for some random guy I met at a…club.

Buzz Buzz Buzz my phone goes off at an unnaturally early time Monday Morning. 7 AM on Monday is way too early for a girl who works nights cuz she doesnt have a real job yet but I sweep my hand across the bed to find the phone because the more  awake I become the more that stupid bubble of excitment grows.

“Hey it’s Phil, I was told to wait two days before texting and it’s the morning of the 2nd so hey!”

So I did what any rational young millennial woman adult would do, I waited to respond.

When did you know he/she was the one? Was there something he/she did?, etc.

Daniella- I knew he was the one October when I allowed him to take me out in a  little tiny canoe in the middle of a beaver filled lake to go fishing, and I actually had an amazing time. It was very romantic. I trusted him fully that he wouldn’t tip over the canoe and fling us into the murky lake.

Phil- After we moved in together. We moved into a 3rd floor apartment with no elevator and only a chevy trailblazer stuffed to the brim. We also happened to move in February the same year Boston had a literal record amount of snow. Despite the adversity we didn’t get mad at each other and worked well as a team. I knew that if i could count on her then it would only get better with time.

Tell us about the proposal. (Did you see it coming, how long was it in the planning?, how did you feel? nervous, excited, freaking out?)

I won a photoshoot contest for Boston couples, all I had to do was tell the phootgrapher the story of how we meet and submit a few pictures. I submitted the pictures we took in the canoe on that fateful date. I didn’t tell Phil that I was entering the contest, mostly because I didn’t believe that we would win, and in the off chance we did win then it would be great to have a few picture of us to hang on the wall.

We ended up winning, and that night I had to break it to him, that I did this thing and now we get free pictures! The photoshoot date was about three weeks away and my biggest struggle was finding a cute enough outfit that didn’t make it seem like it was an engagement shoot since…it wasn’t. We even joked about buying a fake ring and pretending that it was our engagement. So any bubble of “could be” were smushed by the reality that Phil just started nursing school and I couldn’t see him having the time or the money to propose any time soon.

Little did i know that Phil was working behind the scenes and contacted the photographer to tell her his plan to propose! I had no idea that Phil was driving back and forth for ring appointments and had everything ready in less than 3 weeks.

Together they worked out the details and on the day of the shoot we arrived, met Vanessa, and took a few pictures around the Arnold Arboretum. I was too excited to have a beautiful day to frolic and take pictures to notice anyone’s nervous energy. I assumed Phil was just nervous because he doesn’t like to take pictures.

Not too long into the session I found myself looking down at Phil on one knee and with a big shiny ring blinding me. When I was able to form thoughts and words I asked him if this was a joke, and warned him that this would not be a funny one.

He was still on one kneeI and assured me that it was real. I was speechless but after what felt like forever I was able to find my words and say yes. He likes to remind me that when we got the pictures back there were over twenty of him on one knee while i stared in disbelief.

Tell us the one thing you love most about each other.

Daniella- He is very compassionate and selfless.

Phil- I love her strength and her independence. She is confident and fearless.

Besides getting married – what’s the one thing you are looking forward to on your wedding day?

Daniella- I am looking forward to the first look. I can’t wait to see his face when he sees me for the first time.

Phil- Im excited to see friends i haven’t seen in a long time and have a great party!

What’s your favorite trend for weddings right now? 8) What inspired your décor or theme?

I really wanted colorful flowers instead of the traditional all white and blush that we usually see at weddings.

What was the best thing about working with Nate?

Nate is down for everything. It’s so fun to have an adventurous photographer who can deliver amazing results.

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