Lianne and Nick’s urban engagement shoot all over the streets of Hoboken has us super inspired. First—we obviously need to discuss THAT SKIRT! It’s got our vote as the single best wardrobe choice in the history of engagement sessions. Seriously though, the adorable couple’s fab style choices paired with Emily Delamater Photography‘s varied and architecturally-inspired location selections, the shoot is basically flawless. You’re going to love it!
We wanted what we wore for our engagement session to not only reflect our personal style but also compliment the Hoboken/NYC backdrop. I knew right off the bat that I didn’t want to wear a white dress. I’ll wear one of those for the wedding. About a month before the session I found this fabulous bright red midi skirt at Zara. It was a fun pop of color in a classic silhouette and would photograph really well. We didn’t want to look too formal or stuffy (not our style) so I paired the skirt with a simple black and white striped tee (H&M). The shell pink heels (Banana Republic) were an impulse addition to my outfit. I loved the soft feminine contrast to the bright red. And everyone’s legs look better in a stiletto.
Nick kindly went classic neutral. Nothing was going to compete with that red skirt. His pants and navy suit jacket are J Crew. His shoes are Cole Haan. His white button down is Banana Republic.
Although you can’t beat Manhattan as a photoshoot backdrop, we really wanted to do our engagement session in Hoboken. Just across the Hudson, Hoboken has been our home for the past 5 years. It’s where we met, fell in love, moved in together and got engaged. Our whole life is here. So it was really special to run all over town taking photos. We started down by the river, had fun in the train station and uptown in front of all the beautiful brownstones.
We ended the day going back to the bar where we first met to take the last few photos.The bar has recently been renovated into a much more polished version of its former dive bar self. But we took a picture at a table where we were standing when we first met. Super cheesy, but we’re really cheesy.
We were introduced through a mutual friend in January 2012. Nick reached out under the guise of being new to town and looking to meet people in Hoboken. I thought he was really cute and didn’t look like a serial killer so we made plans to meet up at a local dive bar on Mardi Gras. We both brought friends, of course, in case it didn’t work out. There was a fish bowl (or two), crawfish, and a great 80’s cover band. We hit it off and he asked me on a real first date for later that week. We went ice skating in Rockefeller Center; something neither of us had ever done before, or since actually. It was super cheesy and magical. We’ve been together ever since.
Fast forward three years…We’d talked seriously about getting engaged. Nick made a big deal about planning a special surprise to celebrate our dating anniversary, something we’d never made a big deal about. I thought I smelled a proposal, but didn’t want to bet on anything. As a complete Type-A, Nick thought of everything. Two friends of mine asked if I wanted to have a girls night Friday, which very specifically included manicures. I woke up Saturday to a delicious breakfast in bed. We went to the Met, my favorite museum, where Nick had arranged a private tour. (All of the pieces on the tour were even themed, around love and marriage of course). At that point I thought if this day wasn’t leading to a proposal he was an idiot. When we got back to our apartment, there were flowers and candles. And then there was a beautiful ring. I don’t remember exactly what he said other than the really important question, but it was a moment I’ll never forget.
There was hugging and lots of crying on my end. I called my parents in NH and my sister in LA to tell them the news. Then Nick dragged me out the door to make the dinner reservations he’d made at a restaurant in Hoboken. The final surprise was when we walked into the restaurant I was shocked to see that my parents weren’t actually in NH and my sister wasn’t home in LA, they were all there with Nick’s family and our best friends who’d all come to celebrate with us. More crying on my end. It was so special to share that day with the people who love us most. We’ll never forget it!
We’re planning a Labor Day Weekend wedding in my hometown of Bedford, NH.
Photography: Emily Delamater Photography // Red Skirt: Zara // Striped T shirt – H&M // Shell Pink Heels: Banana Rebublic // Nick’s Pants and Suit Jacket: J Crew // Nick’s Shoes: Cole Haan