Surprise Proposal in Stone Harbor, NJ | Jersey Shore | Jonathan & Erica
Last Summer, I had the honor of capturing a surprise proposal in Stone Harbor, NJ. Jonathan and Erica were engaged on a beautiful summer evening last August and I am so excited to share their story and their sweet surprise proposal images! Erica and Jonathan first met in high school when Erica and a couple of her friends were in the same math class as Jonathan’s brother. One night their friend group was on a video chat and somehow he ended up on camera for a few minutes when his brother handed him the computer. He remembers Erica and her friends trying to talk to him, but he was more interested in what was on the TV at the time! Coincidentally, they shared the same lunch period and their tables were right next to each other, so not too long after that they began to talk. Jonathan and Erica have been together so long (ten years!), they actually don’t remember their first official “date”.
Jonathan cannot pinpoint an exact moment or time where he knew Erica was the one, but he knew pretty early on in their relationship that she was the one even though they were young at the time. The relationship they have built is a really special relationship having grown up together and experiencing some pretty impactful years together – high school, college, and starting their professional lives together. Over the years, there were many times that he would think about how amazing she was and how excited he was for their future together.
Engaged on 08/27/2020, the proposal from Jonathan: “Erica and I had been together for about 10 years and had talked plenty about getting engaged, but also wanted to wait until each of us were settled in our careers. Soon after Erica finished nursing school in May 2020, I knew that the time was right and I began to search online to learn about rings, diamonds, the 4 C’s – I practically became an expert! Her family decided to take a trip to the Jersey shore and Erica’s favorite place has always been the beach, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity. I made a reservation for us at a nice restaurant in Stone Harbor and convinced her that we should get a picture on the beach since we were dressed up. Once we got down to the beach, I got down on one knee and the rest is history! Her family was there right afterwards, and then my family also joined us to celebrate that night.”
During their free time, Jonathan and Erica enjoy going out to dinner in Philadelphia (Jon is a bit of a food nut!), they also love to go to the beach together, whether with their family or just on a quick day trip. While they haven’t been able to travel as much as they’d liked over the years, a couple of trips that have been really special were their trip to Nashville a couple years ago and more recently to Acadia National Park/Bar Harbor in Maine. Lastly, they enjoy spending time with friends and family.
They are really looking forward to being married, once married they’d love to travel more, start a family in a few years, and continue to build their future in the Philadelphia area close to their families, which is important to them. They have not booked their wedding yet, but have narrowed it down to two venues and they are targeting for a Spring 2022 wedding.
What are you most looking forward to about your future wedding day?
I am looking forward to further solidifying something that has been in the making for ten years and being able to share that moment with our friends and family. Erica truly is my best friend and I am excited to be able to spend the rest of our lives together.
Are you planning a surprise proposal? If so, I would love to photograph it! Click here to fill out my contact form so I can help you plan something special!
