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A Windy Blue Valley Vineyard Engagement Session | Jen + Shane

You may recognize these two from their proposal that I photographed! I recently had the chance to photograph Jen and Shane’s windy Blue Valley Vineyard engagement session and had an absolute blast with these two, Christa and Nick, and Jen and Shane’s sweet Evie girl. Evie was the goodest girl (her official title from her Mom and Dad) the whole entire session and her parents even brought the wedding invitations that she had a field day with while they were at work! Jen and Shane are such a sweet, laid-back couple and laughed it off, but with Minted’s AMAZING customer service, they overnighted a whole new set of wedding invitations free of charge! I mean — talk about customer service, am I right?!

Jen and Shane are going to be married NEXT MONTH at Birkby House and I literally can’t wait to see them again. So for now, enjoy this preview of their engagement photos!

PS. Am I the only one who thinks that Shane looks EXACTLY like a young Kyle Chandler?! I can’t unsee it — I did a double-take the first time I met Shane officially!!! Hahaha.

How did you meet?

It started with a mutual appreciation of Cheetos. You might say, “I didn’t know Jen likes Cheetos!” She doesn’t. But on the first day of fifth grade, as they sat next to each other, Jen offered Shane some of her Cheetos. Maybe she was just trying to get rid of them or maybe she was just trying to make friends. Shane knew that it had to be tough as the new kid in a school where everybody already knew everybody. So he asked her, “How was your summer? Fast forward countless phone calls, IM’s and passed notes, they realized they were more than just friends.

What was your first thought when you saw or interacted with him/her for the first time?

Jen noticed how incredibly smart, charming, charismatic, handsome, and cool Shane was….(can you tell who is writing?) but actually, we were so young when we met that we instantly became the best of friends! We still crack each other up the same way we did back then.

How did you start dating?

We had been talking for years in class, on the phone,  and through IM’s (yes, before texting was a thing). Over time both of us came to realize that we were more than just friends. Shane asked Jen to their freshman-year homecoming dance and every dance thereafter!

When did you know that your partner was the one?

Shane: Every day for the past 10 years  🙂

Jen: I’ve known Shane was the one for as long as I can remember but I especially remember recognizing this upon the numerous times I have called him in dire situations.. like when I decided it was a good idea to move out of my student apartment all by myself. Or when there was a snake in the bathroom at the pool I worked at.  Or when my car ran out of gas for the first time and I had never pumped gas before.. did I mention we were young when we started dating?

How did the proposal happen?

Jen and Shane’s love of fall and Loudoun County wineries made for the perfect opportunity. Shane knew the perfect place. Now he just needed the ring. *Cue the Mission Impossible music* During family game night at Jen’s house, Shane avoided the oblivious guard dogs and made his way upstairs to the drawer where Jen kept her grandmother’s engagement ring. Unbeknownst to Jen, Shane sat with the ring in his pocket the whole night.

With the ring in possession, Phase Two of Operation Proposal began.

It was sunny on October 20th as Shane and Jen sat on the balcony overlooking the vineyard. The scene couldn’t have been more perfect. The two were enjoying a glass of wine when a bee buzzed by Jen’s feet. To avoid another wine spilling incident, Shane took the opportunity to get rid of the bee. Before Jen knew that the scene was safe, Shane had gotten down on one knee and proposed. Completely shocked from the bee and the ring, Jen happily said, “YES!”

Following the proposal, Shane had one more surprise planned. Jen and Shane left the winery and headed to Shane’s family’s home to tell them the news. When they arrived Jen was surprised by a celebration with family and friends – it was a day to remember!

What quality/qualities do you love most about your partner?

Jen: Shane is kind-hearted, supportive, and humorous. He always knows how to bring a smile to my face! I also love how he not only takes such good care of me but of our sweet pup Evie, too.  He is truly my best friend!

Shane: I love that family is so important to Jen. I love how highly she values and cares for her family and that she already thinks of my family as her own. I also admire how determined she is with everything that she does.

What are some of your partner’s quirks that you love or appreciate?

Jen: Shane is the funniest person I have ever met, his “Dad” jokes never cease to make me laugh!

Shane: Jen is such a silly, fun loving person – our witty banter constantly makes my day!

What moment of your wedding day are you most anticipating?

We are eagerly anticipating spending the day celebrating our closest friends and family!!

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