Philadelphia Engagement Session at Temple University – Laisa & Ryan

In September, I photographed Laisa and Ryan’s Philadelphia engagement session at Temple University. We specifically chose this location as it is exactly where they first met and we even started the session in the very classroom these Journalism majors took American Economy in, which is the class that sparked their romance.

Laisa and Ryan’s first date was in the Winter of 2011 and they went ice skating at the River Rink and then had dinner at an Italian restaurant. After slipping and falling all over the ice rink, these two walked in the winter cold to the restaurant, where the food wasn’t even that great! Thankfully, their relationship warmed up a lot faster than that first date! Laisa knew Ryan was the one on September 15, 2013, Ryan’s sister’s wedding was the day before and they had spent the night together talking about their relationship and that’s when she told him she loved him and when she knew he was the one.

Engaged on 7/23/16, the proposal from Laisa: “When Ryan and I first started dating, we were just getting ready to graduate Temple University. I knew he was really into history so for his graduation present, I planned an overnight trip to Gettysburg that ended up turning into a 2-night, 3-day trip because we were having too much fun and didn’t want to leave after one night. That was our first trip together as a couple. Flash forward to 3 years later on our anniversary, March 11, when he surprised me with a trip to back to Gettysburg in July. But, what I didn’t know was he had something up his sleeve. He had planned the trip to coincide with the dates we first went to Gettysburg. The day he proposed, was the day we left for Gettysburg 3 years prior. He had set up a picnic at a lake just outside of Gettysburg and had worked with a local photographer to capture the moment he proposed, it was magical and everything I had dreamed of. Not to mention, he planned a surprise engagement party for when we returned the next day from our trip. Everything was perfect!”

When they’re not wedding planning their rustic, low key wedding, they enjoy going on picnics together and hanging out, as well as cooking together. They enjoy watching sports together (these two attended a Phillies game immediately after our engagement session!), as well as going to games. After the wedding, they are looking forward to everything that comes with marriage. They’d like to spend the first few years of their marriage as a married couple and eventually they’d like to get a dog and have children. They’d also love to travel, Laisa was born in Italy and Ryan is of Irish descent, so those two places are high on their list!

 

Any advice for future bride’s planning?

I would say, work together as a couple and take your time and enjoy this moment together. Listen to music you two enjoy while you’re planning and try not to stress and laugh and just enjoy it. Also, listen to what you want and not what other’s want.

And finally, what are you most looking forward to about your wedding day?

Honestly, just being together and starting our lives together. Ryan said what’s number one on his list is standing at the altar waiting for me to come down the aisle and probably shedding some tears. And of course, just having a great time and enjoying our first – technically official – day and night as a married couple!!

Scroll through to view more of my favorites from their Philadelphia engagement session at Temple University!