Kristina and Alec
I first got the email from Kristina's mom about setting up an engagement shoot for her daughter. Kristina was in London and would be coming back the week of the 4th of July, but then her fiancé would be leaving a week later so there was a very small window! She and I set up the session and I was excited to meet them both on the 6th for the first time. When we got started I asked about wedding planning and they looked at each other and grinned and said.. "Actually, we're already married!" Wait, what???? "Didn't you just propose on the 4th?" "Yep, and we got married on the 5th".
Most people don't propose one day, get married the next day, then do their engagement photos on the 3rd, but when you've got one week with each other before being separated again for 2 months you just get it all done together! Kristina and Alec actually have a wild ride in front of them still - so I asked for her to tell the story in her own words:
"Alec and I met our junior year of high school at Russellville High School. We had AP Biology and AP Government together. I remember he told me a chemistry joke, and I knew right then I liked him. We dated for almost two years and then we broke up. We reconnected last December when we bumped into each other at the gym. He texted me after I left and we started talking again and never stopped. If there is one thing I have found to be true, it's that when you know, you know. We had five very short months together before I left for London, UK a week after we graduated high school. I was there for six weeks. I arrived back in Arkansas on July 3rd and he was leaving for the Navy on July 10th. He proposed July 4th (we are quite the patriotic couple) and we got married July 5th. It was fast and it was crazy, but if I wasn't his legal wife we wouldn't be able to see each other for almost two years. Now that I'm his wife, I get to move out to San Diego with him at the beginning of the year. I love him so much, it'll be a grueling process, but I have no doubt in my mind we've got this."
Kristina and Alec, thank you for letting me capture your love as newlyweds! I hope these pictures bring a smile to your faces while you wait to see each other again. Alec, good luck on your training and thank you for your service! Congratulations on your engagement/wedding and I wish you all the best!
-T
