I met with Jacqua & Nick at Dumbarton Oaks to capture their engagement photos. Located in Georgetown, the beautiful landscape of Dumbarton Oaks is an idyllic escape located within the city. The property offers over sixteen acres of terraced gardens and orchards with enchanting wooded pathways and panoramic views. In fact, it is Jacqua’s love of the English garden-style setting of Dumbarton Oaks that inspired their engagement photos.
Jacqua and Nick are truly dear friends of mine and it was such an honor for me to be part of their story. Being able to capture their Dumbarton Oaks engagement photos, and soon, their wedding, is a feeling that cannot easily be put into words. In fact, Jacqua and I both serve on the photography team at our church. When another photographer asks you to capture their wedding, it is an immeasurable honor. My only hope is that I am able to portray their profound connection and deep love; through my lens.
The couple met by happenstance back in the fall of 2019. A chance meeting, that Jacqua doesn’t exactly remember. But, as luck would have it, their paths would cross again and again through their Church Community Group. As their paths began to intertwine, and as the pandemic loomed, they kept in touch through social media. When the pandemic hit full swing, Jacqua found solace with her family. Their time together to escape the world would be spent outdoors in the garden, something that strengthened their bond as a family and would later play a part in her and Nick’s story.
Dumbarton Oaks Engagement Photos
In early 2021, with lockdowns begging to decrease, a friend of Nicks’ organized a get-together at a rooftop bar in Arlington. Jacqua just so happened to hear about the gathering from a friend of hers and decided to attend. When she arrived Nick quickly struck up a conversation and detailed his upcoming move. As the evening unfolded, their conversation continued. They spent the night catching up and learning more about each other. There was talk of a ‘group text’ among those attending the party and Nick seized the opportunity to ask Jacqua for her number. He followed that up the very next day by texting her and asking if she wanted to meet for a coffee date. But, it wasn’t exactly that quick. Jacqua and Nick’s coffee date (their first official date!) wouldn’t take place for over five weeks after that initial text.
With Nick’s impending move, they continued their relationship long distance. However, as fate would have it, Nick eventually accepted a job that brought him back to DC. As their relationship developed over time, they both realized that they had found the one in each other. The one that they loved, the one that felt like home, and the one that they wanted to spend the rest of their life beside. With their proposal solidified, we set out to celebrate the moment with Dumbarton Oaks engagement photos. Aside from Jacqua’s love of the natural setting, they really wanted an engagement photography experience that felt like them. Classic, genuine, romantic, and candid. I was more than happy to bring their romantic secret garden engagement photos to life. You can see more details from their session at Dumbarton Oaks when you scroll through the photos below.
