Daniel and Danielle…these two are so brilliantly paired my heart can hardly take it in. Since meeting Daniel and Dani last Christmas, I have had the joy and honor of watching their relationship grow over facebook, and a few lucky times in person. Being able to take pictures for these two incredibly talented people is such an honor.

With the help of Millie, we styled this shoot around a few vintage pieces (one element being antique music sheets to represent their love–and talent!!–for music), a neutral color palette, and romance. We came up with a “love note” idea, and it was so perfect that Daniel proposed to Dani through a beautiful letter that he’d written and read allowed to her over video at their engagement party. There will be plenty of time to go into the behind the scenes in a blog post soon, but for now, I asked Danielle to take the time to write out their story (because it’s so beautiful!) in order to share it with you all as you enjoy their pictures. So…enjoy :).

Daniel and I started our journey in 2007 during a theater
production. He was writing the musical score for the show, and I was one of the lead actresses. While we briefly spoke, my mom took it upon herself to get to know Daniel. In her typical straight-forward manner, her parting question to Daniel at the end of the show was, “Would you wait to marry my daughter?” Daniel took this comment as flattering, I took this comment as embarrassing, and now my mom proudly takes that comment as prophetic.

 Our paths did not cross again for the next four years. Daniel pursued business while I pursued nursing, and we both developed our individual passion for chasing after the heart of God. In 2011, while Daniel was actively asking God to bring the right woman into his life, he found me on Facebook again.

After receiving a comment about how beautiful and “grown up” I was, it was not surprising to me when I received a request for dinner for two that very Friday night at 7 o’clock. I countered by suggesting meeting for coffee, and on June 25, 2011, we met in the middle for lunch. That four hour meeting was the best lunch of my life. 

Over the next months, I fell absolutely in love. Never has any man brought me so much joy. We pursued our relationship intentionally and with purpose, watching as our love for each other only brought us closer to God.

In January, Daniel launched his new non-profit organization called Let Hope Rise, which culminated in a 3-day awareness concert and thousands of dollars raised for the Phoenix Dream Center. In March, Daniel took me to Oregon with his dad to meet his two wonderful sisters. Our short meet-the-family trip turned into quite the adventure when Daniel and I were involved in a life-threatening snowmobile accident. I became hypothermic with internal bleeding due to a lacerated kidney and Daniel broke his back and face in three places. In the months of recovery that followed, we watched with gratefulness as God used what others meant for evil and miraculously turned it into good

We experienced a glimpse of what love means when it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. It is beautiful. I still can’t believe this love happened to me. On July 20th, in front our family and dear friends, Daniel made me the happiest woman in the whole world, and asked me to marry him.

On the one-year anniversary of our first kiss, this November 24th, I am going to marry my best friend. My heart is so full of excitement, as I know our love story is just beginning.

I have truly found” the one my heart loves” (Song of Solomon 3:4).

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Special thanks to Millie for helping me coordinate such a special shoot, and special thanks to hubby Andy who helped me shoot it!