I usually photograph our engagement sessions in parks or city centers, but there’s something special about keeping the photo session closer to home. That was the case for Mikki Davis and J.J. Caniff, a dog-loving couple who I met on their property for their beautiful winter engagement photos.
PUPPY LOVE
Mikki and J.J. have been together for nearly a decade, but they’ve known each other for much longer. They go all the way back–to fourth grade, in fact. Back in the days of MySpace, the two then-high school juniors went on their first date, and they’ve been together since May 2009. Mikki says that the key is to such a long-lasting relationship is chemistry and friendship. She and J.J. are best friends, and that charming, joke-filled relationship was evident during our photo session. The added company of their two adorable dogs, Rocco and Kosmo (named after everyone’s favorite Seinfeld character), certainly doesn’t hurt!
A PROPOSAL FIT FOR A ROCKEFELLER
J.J. was the first to drop the L-word, telling Mikki that he loved her after their first concert outing. It wasn’t planned–they were both surprised that he let the word slip then and there–but it was the moment that propelled them into a future together. Years later, J.J. proposed to Mikki while on a trip to the Big Apple, popping the question right in front of the towering Rockefeller tree in Midtown Manhattan. According to Mikki, it was the best proposal ever.
WINTER ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS
I met Mikki and J.J.–and Rocco and Kosmo–on their property. Their current home is in the same neighborhood that J.J. grew up in as a child. For a couple that has been together since their teen years, that touch of nostalgia and coziness was the perfect backdrop for a great, intimate set of winter engagement photos. I don’t often get to take photos at my clients’ homes, so this was a great experience for us all!
WEDDING PLANS
With their George Washington Hotel wedding date quickly arriving, Mikki and J.J. have got their wedding party all planned out. Just like their own romance, their relationships with their wedding party go way back. Among J.J.’s groomsmen are his brother Justin and three of this childhood and current-day best friends Adam, Cullen, and Ryan. On Mikki’s side of the aisle will be her twin sister Gabbi, her childhood friend Taylor, plus her friends and coworkers Ashley and Megan. The group of friends all drive each other crazy and all know how to make each other laugh, making for a dynamic and enthusiastic wedding party.
Meeting Mikki and J.J. goes to show the importance of friendship and enduring relationships, and I had a blast helping them prepare more for their big day!
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[…] photographing Mikki and JJ for their engagement session last winter, I knew that their George Washington Hotel wedding in Washington, PA this fall would be […]