John and Paige met in Smith-Steeb dorm their freshman year at Ohio State. Their dorms were right down the hall from each other. It didn’t take long before they were close friends. Paige would spend hours sitting in the fold-out trampoline chair in John’s dorm while they tried to figure out their calculus homework. Three long years later they finally started dating… and well the rest is history!
They dated another three years, and John joined Paige’s family on a trip to Prague with my family. They arrived on the first day with Paige’s sister at 7 am and were totally exhausted but determined to beat the jet lag. They drank an unhealthy amount of espresso and set out to explore the city. By dinner time they were all exhausted, so Paige suggested finding a quick bite before going back to their hotel to get some sleep. But, John and her sister had something else in mind!
Insisting they go to a restaurant on the river they’d heard of. They managed to convince Paige in spite of the that it was further from our hotel. The dinner was gorgeous (of course, John had picked the restaurant restaurant weeks before) and when it was over, Paige wanted nothing more than to get some sleep. BUT, her sister just “happened” to see that the Lover’s Bridge was nearby and again insisted they go. Once again, Paige was out voted by the other two. Her sister made the excuse that she had to go mail a postcard (“in hindsight I really should have seen through that one” – Paige) and the two lovers set off to the bridge. Paige admitted the walk started off pretty cranky, but the city was so beautiful that by the time we arrived at the bridge she was so glad she’d given in and gone.
BUT, as they walked up, they realized all of the love locks had been cut off because the weight was compromising the structural integrity of the bridge. (I’ll let Paige tell the rest..)
“THERE’S NO LOCKS?!” – John was mortified and I was so confused as to why these locks were so important.
The good news is that John pressed on, locks or no locks, and proposed on the bridge. I love telling the story of the proposal because it sounds like so much went wrong but honestly to both of us it was perfect. I really love that about being with John; even when I’m exhausted, or we’re lost, or all of the locks have been cut off the bridge, we’re still having so much fun together and it all feels perfect.
Getting to capture Paige + John’s big day was one of the highlights of 2020! If their engagement story is any indication of how sweet and romantic every detail was, I don’t have to tell you how perfect it was. But you can see for yourself…
Oh, and it turns out, Columbus has its own “Lover’s Bridge” right around the corner from their venue!
My name's Shannen and I'm FREAKIN' excited that you're here. I'm an Ohio-based photographer. But that's a boring title so I like to say I'm a professional brownie taster, puppy cuddler, and your new third-wheel best friend.
If you're looking for some of the the coolest adventures + seniors + couples, awkward real life stories, and some tips and tools... you're in the right place. Let's be friends. I'll bring the coffee!
My name's Shannen and I'm FREAKIN' excited that you're here. I'm an Ohio-based photographer. But that's a boring title so I like to say I'm a professional brownie taster, puppy cuddler, and your new third-wheel best friend.
If you're looking for some of the the coolest adventures + seniors + couples, awkward real life stories, and some tips and tools... you're in the right place. Let's be friends. I'll bring the coffee!