Katrina and Randy's Intimate Scenic Engagement in Washington DC -Munaluchi Bride

Emergency Medicine Physicians, Katrina and Randy first became aware of each other as Facebook friends while planning an event on behalf of their respective medical schools for the Student National Medical Association. Though it wouldn’t be until their residency programs that their paths would officially cross. After Randy reached out via Facebook the two began speaking on the phone almost daily – engrossed in each other’s conversation. Love took hold and upon completion of their residencies they relocated to Washington DC to begin their new life together…

Read all about Katrina & Randy’s love story, romantic surprise New Orleans proposal, and wedding aspirations in their scenic Washington DC engagement session.

Bride & Groom-to-be: Katrina & Randy
Occupations: Emergency Medicine Physicians
Wedding date: 9/2/17
Wedding location: The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, Detroit, MI
Location of Engagement shoot: Washington DC-(The Yards Park, Capitol Riverfront; National Museum of History and Culture-Smithsonian; The National Mall; Lincoln Memorial

Tell us how you met and all about the proposal. Randy and I went to different medical schools in Ohio and became Facebook friends while planning an event for Student National Medical Association (SNMA). However, our paths didn’t cross until we were at our respective Emergency Medicine residency training programs. He was rotating through a hospital with a co-resident of mine when he reached out to me via Facebook on Christmas Day 2013. We spoke on the phone almost daily until our first date the following January. Randy waited in Ohio an extra year for me to finish residency before relocating together to Washington D.C., and, as they say, the rest is history!
Our proposal took place in December 2016. I knew that we were going on a weekend get-a-away but I didn’t know to where until we arrived at the airport. I was being whisked away to New Orleans for the next several days. After our redeye landed, we checked into the beautiful Hotel Monteleone. We had brunch at Brennan’s Restaurant in the French Quarter before taking a much needed nap! Randy was very adamant about our going “for a walk” prior to dinner and I, completely clueless at the time, obliged. We walked hand in hand along the Mississippi River in Woldenberg Park. He began to tell me how much he loved me and appreciated the journey we’ve taken together. Before I knew it, he was down on one knee asking for my hand in marriage! He timed it perfectly so that after I accepted, the nearby steamboat began to play Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World”. It was romantic. It was perfect. It was us.

Describe your engagement session. We definitely didn’t’ have a theme for our engagement photos. However, we were both very adamant about the shoot being reflective of us; nothing over the top, warm, and personal. So, we chose a few of our nation’s capitol’s landmarks to serve as a backdrop with the National Museum of History and Culture-Smithsonian being a must for us!

What did you do on your first date? Our first date took place on Tuesday, January 14th, 2014-literally one of the coldest days on record in Cleveland. But, when you’re two resident physicians with crazy work hours-who really wanted to meet for the first time-you make do! We went to an Italian restaurant near my apartment.

What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple? One of the things we enjoy most about each other is the ability to appreciate each other’s personalities, presence, and energy without a lot of unnecessary distraction. I have just as much fun with Randy cooking dinner or watching TV as we do on vacation or a night on the town. He’s hilarious, just ask him, he’ll tell you!

How has wedding planning been so far? I’ll admit that wedding planning has been far more overwhelming than I initially anticipated. Randy has really kept me grounded as well as the reminder that we’re preparing for a marriage, not a wedding!

Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day. I’m really looking forward to the looks of joy and happiness on our family and friends’ faces. We’re both usually pretty reserved so I’m looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate our love for each other and everyone who has supported us!