lauren + jeff | general warren inn romantic garden engagement
When one of your best friends (and college roommates, GO ‘CUSE!) connects you with her lifelong BFF who is getting married at the Holly Hedge Estate, one of the prettiest garden estates in all of Pennsylvania, you look forward to it for… basically forever. Think original 18th Century manor house with fieldstone out-buildings oozing rustic charm; in other words, what my venue dreams are made of!! 😉 Keep reading to find out the way Jeff’s surprise proposal unfolded – it will absolutely melt your heart!
I first met Lauren and Jeff in person at our engagement session at the General Warren Inne (more on the significance of this beautiful and quaint historic Inn, to come), since they currently live in Texas. After rescheduling once due to cold, rainy weather, we hit it off right away after bonding over our love of historic places full of charm and character and admiring the gorgeous golden garden light… we got so lucky with a mild July summer evening and the grounds all to ourselves!
Their love story began online… Jeff reached out on 3/11 (a day that has significance, since 311 is both one of their favorite bands) and after some hesitation, Lauren finally agreed to meet him in person! They met at a local pub in her area and had a blast – lots of laughs and lots of getting to know one another. They both decided that a second date was in order, and the rest is history!
How’d the proposal go? In Lauren’s words…
”We were on a trip back home to Philadelphia for Christmas and were doing the usual last minute Christmas shopping errands. I was tasked with the wrapping while Jeff ran out to run one last errand. We had plans for dinner that night at the General Warren Inne (one of our favorite restaurants, and where Jeff had thrown my surprise 30th earlier that year!). I was in the middle of getting ready and when Jeff returned, I was complaining about how I hated my outfit and asked if we really needed to go out? He insisted I looked great and whisked me out. Once at the restaurant, we were greeted with flutes of champagne, sat by the fire, and Jeff suddenly started to speak reminiscently about memories we had there. Before I knew it, he was on one knee and the restaurant was applauding! I was in shock, and overcome with such overwhelming happiness! As it turns out, Jeff’s last minute errand was to run to his best friend’s house about a half hour away to where he had gotten the engagement ring shipped! I can only imagine the nerves he must have been feeling, but he sincerely pulled off the sweetest and most thoughtful proposal!”
Lauren + Jeff, we’re so excited for your big day and can’t thank you enough for trusting us with capturing these memories for you!! Cheers, lovebirds!
xo,
Naomi
