Airplanes and parachutes and skydiving… oh my! Phillandra and Wesley met among a group of friends invited to go on a thrill ride and it ended up giving these two the biggest thrill. The two kept it simple for their first date…a cozy walk across a bridge with coffee and hot chocolate. Now, Phillandra, a High School Teacher and Wesley, an IT Consultant have saved the date for an October 15, 2016 wedding in Montego Bay, Jamaica and took to Nassau, Bahamas for their elegant engagement session on the island.
Tell us about how you met and all about the proposal!
We met as a result of a single engine airplane and a couple parachutes…Can you say skydiving? It was my first time in Canada and thanks to my best friend, skydiving landed itself on the itinerary for that week. My best friend’s boyfriend invited a few of his friends to join the fun and Wesley was one of those friends. While watching the instructional video, we exchanged brief smiles.
I was a part of the second group to jump that day and with adrenalin pumping as I landed from the 10,000 ft leap, I ran giddily across the field. Wes, still a stranger, shouted “That’s my girl” and then he ran to meet me mid field with a warm embrace. We still have the video. That day and all its elements were a great prelude to us ultimately falling for each other and the many airplanes that would help us conquer the distance that physically separated us.
My birthday is July 4th and I really wanted to see The Lion King on Broadway which was the surprise gift but it turned out I had a class that weekend and would not be able to travel. So I flew out to Bermuda the day after my birthday. On July 8, 2015 at Crystal Caves, Wes fell one more time, this time not as far as the first but equally as nerve wracking, he said. He asked me to take one more leap of faith with him and after laughing nervously for a few minutes, I said yes.
The engagement session…
We love nature. Rain, lakes, beaches, hiking, kayaking, tree-go, zip-lining…that’s us. We wanted that to be evident in our shoot without sacrificing elegance. I think we accomplished this. We had two looks, one showing our classic elegance and the other our very fun, playful selves. Both shoots tied in nature so it was a win all around.
What did you do on your first date?
On our first date, we picked up some coffee and hot chocolate, parked the vehicle and took a walk across the Fredericton Railway Bridge. We are very simple people so this was a fabulous date. As we were walking and talking across the bridge, arm in arm, an old lady stopped us and admonished us never to stop loving each other. She said she could see that we were in love and told Wesley “Even when you get old, keep holding her hand. ” We smiled, thanked her for her blessings and promised to never forget her words.
What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple?
We really just like being around each other, so I can’t pick one favorite thing. Our relationship has been long distance for a while so when we travel we honestly don’t need to “do” anything. Just being in the same place is exciting enough. We always find some adventure to go on but that’s the secondary fulfillment. If we had to pick one thing though, it would be kayaking. That is definitely something we would pass on to our kids.
How has wedding planning been so far?
Wedding planning has been a breeze. Initially, I wanted to plan everything myself but I am so glad I let go of that idea. I just share my vision with a planner and she executes.
Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day.
I am most looking forward to the look on Wesley’s face when he sees me for the first time in my dress and dancing with my family.
Vendors:
Photography: Eboni Robyn Photography
Make-Up Artist: Sarsha Lépeche Makeup Artist
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