We had such an amazing time documenting Rachel and Stephen’s Fordham University engagement. View their gorgeous pictures and story below:

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Fordham University Engagement Session

Right after our Dominican Republic Workshop, we came to NYC to capture Rachel and Stephen’s Fordham University engagement session, and it was amazing. Rachel and Stephen are so kind, and truly love each other. Each part of the day was like a breath of fresh air! They are so upbeat, and as the day went by, you could just tell how madly in love they are with each other.

One of our favorite parts about this session, is how meaningful the location is to them. Fordham University is where these two met, where their love bloomed, and where he popped the question. Not only this, but they will be tying the knot at the church in a couple of weeks. How adorable is this? Hence this Fordham University engagement was meant to be! In addition, Fordham university is such a gem in the Bronx, and makes for such a pretty backdrop. It is literally the perfect place to take these engagement pictures.

Their Love Story

Rachel and Stephen met during their time in Fordham University. While technically, they met during their Freshman year since they lived in the same dorm and had some classes together. However, while they knew of each other Freshman year, it wasn’t until their Sophomore year that they really got to know each other and started hanging out. Rachel’s roommate worked on the college newspaper with Stephen, and Rachel started tagging along with them. Thats when Stephen and Rachel became good friends.

Their First Date

Their first date was very romantic! Stephen asked Rachel to go to dinner, but he didn’t tell her where they were going. First, they took the subway down to the Village, and Stephen led Rachel to Villa Mosconi—an Italian restaurant that his family has been going to for years. The staff all knows Stephen and his family, so when they walked in, everyone greeted them with hugs and kisses. Then, when they went into the dining room, there was a big bouquet of flowers waiting for Rachel on the table! It was a delicious and meal and a wonderful night. They were having such a nice time talking that they decided to take a leisurely stroll all the way to 60th Street for the shuttle back to Fordham rather than take the subway.

The Fordham University Engagement

Stephen totally surprised Rachel with the proposal! It was perfect and totally them. They were at their 5-year college reunion, and at one point Stephen asked Rachel if they could go for a walk and sit on the bench where they always used to sit when they were in school. The request wasn’t unusual, since they often return to their bench when they were on campus. Hence, she wasn’t expecting anything. When he got up from the bench and got down on one knee, Rachel was shocked and delighted! And of course she said YES!

The Couple

When asked how was getting to know Stephen, Rachel responds by saying, “As Stephen and I got to know each other during our Sophomore year, we just clicked. We were together almost constantly, hanging out on campus or going into the city with friends. We made each other laugh a lot and it just felt totally comfortable. I knew we were becoming more than friends when it became difficult to be apart during school breaks, and, before the end of the year, we started dating.”

Likewise, when asked the same question, Stephen responds, “Rachel and I have a lot of things in common but are also very different people. I’ve always loved how excited she gets about her interests. She is always true to herself and brings so much passion to everything she does. We’ve really gotten to know each other’s likes and dislikes over the years, and, as our relationship has grown, we’ve each branched out and come to genuinely understand one another. We’ve always been so comfortable together and just complement each other so well—a perfect match!”

We are so thrilled to document their wedding at the end of July at Fordham University and then the Yale club. They are such an amazing couple and this Fordham University engagement session was a testament to that. The afternoon was so much a fun, and we know the wedding will be just as great!

Location: Fordham University

Photographer: The Lockharts