JenniMarie – Greensboro/Winston-Salem Photographer

Hers was a city life. Full of dance lessons and beauty pageants and high heels and pink dresses, she spent a childhood full of ballet shoes and hair spray and nailpolish and lipstick.

He spent his days in his field. With his cows. In the barn. At the fair. His cowboy boots and blue jeans defined his wardrobe and the only hair spray he used was on the calves to perfectly style their fur before a show.

She entered pageants, he entered fairs.
She wore heels, he wore boots.
She lived city, he lived country.

Yet somewhere along the way — eight years ago today, to be precise — their paths crossed and they went on their first date. And then another. And another. And soon? She loved him. And he knew she was perfect. And she wanted to marry him. And he (finally) asked.

And now? The city girl wears cowboy boots when toting buckets of feed to the cows. Heavy buckets. To lots of cows.
The country boy keeps a pair of blue jeans for special occasions. Like when she’s wearing heels. And a killer purple dress.

And they? They’re getting married.
The city girl to the country boy.

 

 

 

P.S. Their parents were married in the same month of the same year.

 

 

 

 

She ran toward him, arms flung wide. Giggling, she didn’t even try to dodge the rain drops. Half her heart stood up the path, waiting for her. Patiently. Gently. Happily. He waited for her. Soaking in the rain as gleefully as she basked in his love, she reached his side. Throwing her arms around his neck, she jumped up and down — “we’re getting maaarriiied!!”  It was a squeal, a statement, an exaltation, a promise, a triumph — all rolled into three words and ten syllables. (Count it carefully — all the syllables were fully present.)

Fingers entwined and raindrops falling around them, nothing could dampen their joy. On the contrary. The joy was made full by the fun of the rain. The adventure of it. The perfection of simply playing. Of truly being. Of fully living.

After six years of high school bus rides, band practices, picnics in the woods, creek exploration, long distance relationships, college exams, commuting, Ray and Laura know how to relish each moment and enjoy every single opportunity for fun. Even if it means dancing. In the rain. While singing to each other. In the middle of the woods. Barefoot. On their six year anniversary. With a wedding four months away.

 

P.S. Ray & Laura’s engagement session to be continued in part 2.