Like so many great romances, Sarah and Justin’s relationship began simply as friends. They met years ago while working in the same Senate office and formed a bond that slowly turned into something more. I truly believe that every marriage is made stronger by having a solid foundation in friendship, so I have absolutely no doubt that these two are in it for the long haul! Although, without even knowing their story at the time, that was clear to me within seconds of meeting them and being able to see how naturally they interacted and easily they made one another laugh! 

When Justin knew he was ready to propose, one thing was became clear — he wanted to ensure that their families were involved. Sarah’s family currently resides in Philly, so he selected their home as the meeting location. But the real challenge was finding a reason to visit there without her getting suspicious. So, a (faux) work luncheon was created for that weekend, taking place on Sunday. Sarah couldn’t understand why it would possibly be scheduled on a Sunday, of all days, but ended up going along with his plan after expressing her disapproval for his office’s poor planning. When they arrived at her parent’s house, Justin quickly dropped to one knee, right in front of the main door, and asked her then and there. He said he was just so excited to get to that moment that he nearly got a speeding ticket on the way to her house! After responding with a cheerful “yes!”, Sarah looked towards the house and noticed lots of hands and faces pressed against the windows; all of their family had gathered to celebrate the proposal! 

Next August, all of their family will gather again, this time at Riverside on the Potomac in Leesburg, VA. Sarah and Justin, I had a blast getting to know you both better at the Manassas Battlefields for your engagement session — I still cannot believe how lucky we got with that beautiful November weather! I am so looking forward to meeting your families and celebrating with you this coming summer!