Engagement sessions are fun. And Fall Engagement Sessions in the Orchard are fun and beautiful!! Then add in a super awesome couple like Michelle and Eric… then you have the recipe for an epic session!
So why have an engagement session? There are so many reasons! They provide an opportunity for you to really get to know your photographer and how they work. Additionally- you get some pretty nice portraits on a more relaxed timeline. (Especially because on your wedding day, we may only have a few minutes for portraits)
Michelle and Eric
These two are freakin’ awesome! (Not to mention, they are so impressive! I mean… check out what they do for living. . . You’ll see that below) . But aside from professions- they were just so cool to hang with and up for anything.
Fall is their favorite season, so I’m so happy that we were able to get their engagement session in!
So let’s get to it! Take a peek at some of their fall engagement photos in the Orchard! Alyson’s Orchard that is!
How did you guys meet?
We went to the same high school and had a piano class together when Eric was a senior and Michelle was a sophomore. Michelle’s mom actually suggested to Michelle that they should go out when she saw Eric at their class recital! However, it was a few years later over a summer pick-up game of ultimate frisbee with some friends that we really connected and then started dating!
Tell us about your first date!
Our first date was at our high school’s football game on a Friday in mid-October. Eric had come back from college from the weekend and we are from a small town so the game was the place to be! After the game, we ended up watching a Boston Red Sox playoff game at Michelle’s house with her family. Eric is a Yankees fan while Michelle is a Red Sox fan so it was an interesting start!
How about the Proposal?
We were living in Northern California at the time and we took a weekend trip to Napa for Michelle’s birthday (very delayed thanks to some crazy work schedules!). After a delicious brunch in Calistoga, we headed to Quintessa, a winery in St. Helena, where Eric had scheduled a private tour. The fact that he had selected a winery and scheduled a private tour was a clue that something was up! During the tour, we went to the top of a hill overlooking all of the estate (incredibly picturesque!!) and we were sipping sparkling wine when our tour guide asked if we would like to take some pictures. After getting a few quick pictures, Eric asked our guide if we would be willing to take a few more and then he dropped to one knee and proposed! Michelle said yes and then we got to spend the rest of the day celebrating at our favorite wineries, eating great food, and calling friends and family on FaceTime!
What do you guys do for fun?
We like to be active, be outside, and travel to new places- particularly to scenic outdoor locations! In particular, we like to go hiking, to train and run half marathons together, to go on road trips, and to visit National Parks. We also like to play board games, watch sports, and try new restaurants!
What are some hobbies you each have?
Michelle enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and playing and coaching field hockey. She also really likes trying different types of wines and teas and hanging out with her family and friends. Michelle is also working on convincing Eric that they need a dog. Eric enjoys running; playing soccer, fantasy baseball/football, video games, and board games (anything involving competition and strategy really); coffee; and cooking things on his charcoal grill.
Do either of you have funny quirks or habits that drive the other nuts. (LOL)
Eric is definitely an early morning person, while Michelle was raised to be a night owl. Michelle may also send Eric many puppy pictures throughout the week!
How are the wedding plans coming along?
Fantastic! We are really looking forward to having a romantic weekend getaway at the Bedford Village Inn to celebrate our marriage with our family and closest friends! We also love that we will be able to return to BVI to relive our wedding day again and again and to create new memories in the future! One of the unique pieces we will have are table names specific to places we have traveled together with pictures and our favorite memories from those trips. We have a lot of history together so this will be a special way to highlight our favorite memories! We are also very excited about our honeymoon in French Polynesia!
As a couple planning a wedding can you offer any advice to other couples?
Through the difficult decisions and figuring out all the little details (that only you will know/notice), never lose sight of the reason you are planning this event: your love for each other.
What do you both do for a living?
Eric is a mechanical engineer who specializes in environmental testing and works in the aerospace and defense industry. Michelle is a Ph.D. student in medical engineering and medical physics at Harvard Medical School/MIT who works on developing biomaterial-based drug delivery systems for immunotherapy for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Congratulations to Michelle and Eric!
They will be getting married Next year at the Bedford Village Inn!
