Oh, the modern romance. Girl gets on phone, girl signs sets up her acccount, girl meets guy, and then it’s history.
Seriously, though. We know a lot of people roll their eyes at online dating, but it’s just like any other way to meet people: you roll the dice and hope you strike gold. In Karlee’s case? She definitely hit it.
There was this cute teacher from Illinois. Karlee saw his photo and thought he was cute, so she figured, why not?
Karlee met Brandon for the first time at Tempe Marketplace. Their first stop–well, the only stop they’d intended–was Panera Bread. Among the soups and salads and sandwiches, they found that they had more in common than they thought. Sure, there was the usual Netflix (who doesn’t like Netflix?), but Karlee and Brandon quickly realized they shared another pasttime: baseball games. They try to watch the Diamondbacks pitch when they can, especially in person. What’s better than sharing stadium food with your sweetheart?
We’re getting ahead of ourselves, though.
Before they knew it, hours had passed. (They were pretty sure Panera employees were going to kick them out for the lovey-dovey vibes.) The vibes were a lot more casual than we’re making it out to be, but when you’re on a great date, you’ll do anything to get more time with your partner, and so Karlee and Brandon found themselves walking Tempe Marketplace, getting to know each other. Meeting someone new had never felt quite so much like meeting up with an old friend. Going out to eat became one of their favorite activities, a regular date night to keep connected.
And the rest was history.
A year and a half later, Brandon convinced Karlee to follow him to Tempe Town Lake. Just a nice day to take a walk, right? Tempe Town Lake is one of the prides of Tempe, picturesque without solely being the desert. Their outdoor excursion seemed like a normal day, but what Karlee didn’t know is that Brandon had commissioned her brother to hide in some nearby bushes, that Brandon was going to turn to her, to smile, to get down on one knee… well, you know the rest. Karlee’s brother got some great photos from the bushes; Karlee, of course, said yes, and that’s how the two of them found themselves meeting us at South Mountain for engagement photos.
Take a look.
Where Tempe Town Lake pretended not to be the desert, South Mountain celebrates it. Karlee’s floral yellow sundress added a pop of color to complement the desert landscape, matching Brandon’s sky-blue button-up in a vibe that’s perfect for them: a little bit casual, a little bit fancy, but always comfortable, wherever they are.
Just like Karlee and Brandon with each other. We’ve worked with other couples whose romance seems like something all their own, who share something special in a world all their own. We’ve worked with couples whose love is infectious, who bring a touch of romance to whoever they’re around without it seeming exclusive. Karlee and Brandon are in a whole other class, though. They’re comfortable.
The desert isn’t for everyone. Their willingness to do a shoot at South Mountain didn’t surprise us, but their ease there did. Even when we first met them to see if we were a match for their photography needs, there was something about the two that made them seem at home. Their romance isn’t a fairy tale or a romantic comedy: it’s a cold, cozy day, wrapped up with a blanket and a mug of hot tea.
You can see it in their photos: nothing feels staged, it doesn’t feel like a big romantic gesture. It just feels like them. Karlee and Brandon share a love that mixes playful with homey and calm with adventure. We’re really glad we got to work with them.
Their wedding is going to be stunning! Karlee let slip that their wedding colors will be navy blue and lavender, which we already know will be gorgeous. Brandon may have had to come across the country to meet the one for him, but we know that no matter where they go, when they’re together, everywhere will be home.
Congratulations, Karlee and Brandon, and thank you for letting us work with you! We can’t wait to see where life takes you and for your big day!
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