Sam grew up with Sarah’s older brother  & her cousins best friend so the two of them have been around one another since their earliest years. We’ve all been teenagers and had those crushes on the slightly older guy, and Sarah was no exception to this. When she was about 12 she developed a massive crush on her brothers friend, Sam…. who happened to be equally smitten with her. But, being the thoughtful and kindhearted people that they are (even at such a young age) neither wanted to cause friction with Sarah’s brother. After high school they both attended separate colleges, during which time Sarah initiated into Kappa Alpha Theta. Can you believe that it wasn’t until after they graduated from their universities that they finally reconnected and began to spend more time together at family gatherings that they finally began to date! One of the things that they immediately bonded over is their love for food and discovering new places to eat. They are both such foodies and enjoy spending time in the Tampa Bay and Saint Petersburg areas eating at different restaurants. Not only do they like to find new spots to have dinner but they also enjoying a night in together with Sam teaching her how to cook.

A few weeks before Labor Day weekend the Sarah had moved into an apartment with Sam and he convinced her to take a off for the long weekend to recoup from the move and enjoy a brunch with his parents. It was a special occasion because they had yet to visit the couples’ new home so Sam, knowing how much she loves shopping, encouraged her to go shop for a cute new outfit for the family date the following morning. Waiting for his family to arrive he suggested that they stroll through Pioneer Park together to watch the yachts along the waterfront. Little did she know that Shauna, of Shauna Lynna Photography, waited patiently for Sam and Sarah to walk through the park and stop in the spot she and her husband, Jordan, had expertly selected for Sam. He turned and kissed Sarah’s forehead.

Shaunna recalls that “…there was so much serenity in the moment- so much love. This moment was the exact moment that would change their relationship forever. This moment would be the moment that begins their legacy- the wedding dress, the babies, the grey hairs and the grandchildren. This moment would forever be a moment adorning their future home’s walls on perfectly aligned canvases. This was their moment.” We simply could not have put that more poetically. After their mini photoshoot Sam brought her back to the apartment where she was greeted by rose petals leading to champagne, a bouquet of roses, a handwritten card and (our favorite part!) an empty photo album that they are going to fill with photos of their next adventure together. Of course, brunch was substituted for a lovingly home cooked breakfast and a bit of comedy provided by The Office. Later that day, Sam brought her to the restaurant where they had their first date. He had another surprise for her, inside she found all of their family and close friends!

We know, we know, so what’s the details on the ring?! We’re not at all surprised that Sam designed a special ring for Sarah. She had dreamily shown him so rings that she was drawn to and Sam worked with a designer to create a ring more breathtaking than she ever could have imagined. Her engagement ring is a round cut, split shank in rose gold. Seriously — check out that bling! We can’t stop staring!