Smithville Mansion Engagement Session | Annie & Kiel

Last December, I photographed Annie and Kiel’s Smithville Mansion Engagement Session! Annie and Kiel met in college. They were both elementary education and psychology majors at the College of New Jersey where they had a few classes together and often saw one another at the gym, but they were never close. In 2013, they both attended the NJEA teachers convention in Atlantic City and ran into each other on a staircase as Kiel and his friend were going to the TCNJ alumni reception while Annie and her friend were leaving it. They had a short conversation on the stairs and soon after, Kiel got in touch and the rest is history!

For their first date, they met in Princeton for dinner at Winberries one Friday after school. Kiel says that he knew this was going to be something special when he asked her what her favorite band was and she said Mumford and Sons. Since then, they’ve gone to three Mumford concerts together. After that first date,  Annie remembers going to her friend’s apartment in New Brunswick afterwards and telling her she had just had a date with a guy she really, really liked.

There were little moments here that led to Annie knowing that Kiel was the one, such as when he came to a hot yoga class with her for their second date two days after their first date, or when he got her to wake up early on a Saturday to go to an education conference with him for their third date. Kiel knew that Annie was the one after talking with Annie on their first date at Winberries, he could tell she was a really nice person who cared for other people and who also had good taste in music. Each and every date that followed only reassured him that she was the one. Kiel says that Annie is selfless and dedicates herself to her students at school and her family and friends outside of it. He also says that he is the luckiest guy in the world to be marrying her in a few short months.

Engaged on 06/15/2017, the proposal from Annie, “We went out to dinner one night in Bordentown where we ended up buying our first home. There’s one spot where we always like to walk that overlooks the water. Kiel wanted to take a walk there after dinner, but I drank a lot of water at the restaurant, so I really wanted to go back to the apartment! Kiel insisted that we go take a walk and then I knew something was up. We started walking and his breathing got really heavy which was even more of a clue. He finally got down on one knee and told me why he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and then asked me to marry him. It was such a special moment shared between just the two of us.”

When these two are not planning their Blue Heron Pines Golf Club wedding, they like to watch movies together, at home or at the movie theater. They love to spend time at their home putting puzzles together or sitting by the fire pit drinking wine. They also love spending time with our families down the shore. Once married their dream is to have children and eventually get a dog!

Any advice for future bride’s planning?

Remember that your wedding day is one day in your life. It will most likely be one of the most amazing days, but it is only the beginning of the rest of your life. Make sure you’re planning as much if not more for your marriage as you are for your wedding day.

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

Annie: I am looking to forward to dancing the night away with our closest family and friends, but I am also looking forward to spending little moments alone here and there with my new husband.

Kiel: I remember Annie telling me that our wedding day is just one day. I am absolutely excited for the day but I am even more excited for what comes after.

Are you planning a Smithville Mansion engagement session? Click here to view my engagements portfolio and if you’re ready more information, click here to fill out my contact form!