Real Engagements | Amanda & Nate

I am thrilled to not only jump start this new series of real proposals, engagements, and weddings, but to feature one of my best friends and most beautiful brides-to-be I have had the pleasure of knowing. Miss Amanda is gorgeous inside and out and completely hilarious to boot. Her beau, Nate, lights her up every time I see them together and I can't wait to be a part of their big day this summer.

How did you two meet?
The way we met was a little out of the ordinary! I was bored at work one day and decided to get on Facebook through my phone's super slow mobile internet. I happened to see Nate's profile picture show up on another friend's page and I clicked on it for a closer look. Instead, my finger hit the wrong button and I ended up poking him. I was SO embarrassed because I realized this good-looking guy was going to know I was checking out his page. When I got home from work and logged on Facebook, I had a notification that he had poked me back! So I poked him and a poking war ensued. After a few days Nate sent me a message saying "if I kept poking him he was going to get a bruise." I thought this was funny and had to respond. We began messaging each other back and forth for a few weeks. One day Nathan sent me a message and said that if I ever wanted to hang out or just chat here was his number! This absolutely shocked me that he gave me his number instead of asking for mine! I thought this guy had to be something special! I texted him one day and we began talking regularly until one day I went over to his apartment to hang out and the rest is history! I still find it funny that a Facebook feature I had always made fun of is how I met my husband-to-be.

Was it love at first sight?
I will never forget the first time I saw him. I met him at his apartment and he came down the stairs to greet me and I had to remind myself to breathe! We clicked right away although I had definitely had a wall up at the beginning when we were first dating. I put the poor guy through a lot. He'll still remind me of it from time to time! But I've promised to make it up to him for the rest of our lives

Let's hear about the bling!
I LOVE my ring so much! I guard this thing with my life. It's a princess cut canary yellow diamond in a halo setting. When Nathan proposed I was at first shocked at what was happening and then even more shocked when I saw the ring of my dreams in that brown shiny box he pulled out of his pocket. I couldn't be happier!

When and where is the big day?
The big day is coming up soon! It's June 22nd, 2013! We're getting married and having the reception at Haywood Hall and Gardens in Raleigh. I feel like we got so lucky finding this beautiful place. It's exactly what we were looking for and even better, it fits in the budget!

What are you most looking forward to on your wedding day?
I'm most looking forward to that moment when I'm walking down the aisle toward Nate and we see each other for the first time and have that special moment between the two of us just before we're husband and wife! AND I'm also really looking forward to all the fun we'll have with our amazing friends and family who are there with us to celebrate this special day. I'm actually getting really excited just thinking about it!

Favorite part about being engaged?
Ok, I can't even lie, the first things I did RIGHT after getting engaged (literally the next day) were pick up wedding magazines, watch a Say Yes to the Dress marathon and start my wedding board on Pinterest! It's been a blast getting to plan for the day you've been dreaming about for years! I will never forget how much fun it was to go to the bridal shows with my mom and I've made so many memories throughout this planning process that will stay with me forever!

Tips for other couples taking engagement photos? 
It sounds simple but the best thing you can do is just have fun, go with the flow and be yourself! I was pretty nervous before we got our pictures taken but one of the reasons I chose my photographer is not only does he take wonderful pictures but he has a great personality and is very easy to talk to! We all got along so well (he made us laugh A LOT) and it made the day even more memorable. Also don't be afraid to make suggestions! David had such great ideas for where to take our pictures and how we should pose but Nate and I also came up with a couple poses on our own.

Photos courtesy of DB Studios

Thank you, Amanda, for sharing your adorable story. Can't wait until June!

If you would like to have your proposal, engagement, or wedding story featured, please send us a note - we would love to hear from you! hello@loveydoveydarling.com