Bianka & JB decided to do a Piedmont Park Photoshoot for their engagement session! We absolutely loved every minute with this sweet, adorable couple! Piedmont Park is such a fun place to shoot at the center of Atlanta – it is a must see if you’re stopping by to visit.
The park affords gorgeous views of the city skyline, and is right of the Atlanta Beltline. As an Atlanta wedding photographer, this might be one of our favorite places to photograph!
Below are a couple of our favorites from Bianka & JB’s engagement photos as well as a brief interview with the bride & groom to be!
How did the two of you meet?
Bianka: After being introduced to each other, we talked almost nonstop for a little while. I think we stayed up on the phone until 8am one night! He was very sweet, charming, and extremely disarming right from the start.
It wasn’t QUITE love at first sight because he was sooo shy that I couldn’t tell if he was comfortable with me. But after literally sweeping me off my feet on our first date, I was pretty smitten!
JB: When we first met we almost couldn’t stop talking to each other. We would have these marathon phone calls early on where we would talk about any and everything. I would be hoarse by the end of them but still wishing we didn’t have to hang up.
It wasn’t love at first sight, but the first time I saw her smile I could tell how kind and caring of a person she was (and that I was way out of my league! Still don’t know how I pulled that off).
LOVE that dress! Killin’ it Bianka! 😉
This lighting is killer! OMG! <3
How/ when did you start dating?
Bianka: He was so kind that he seemed too good to be true! I was really drawn to how gentle and considerate he was – and even more so now. We had our first date at Saigon Cafe in Woodstock – even though he lived all the way in Atlanta! – after a few weeks of talking.
At first, he was so much more timid in person that I was a bit afraid that the date wasn’t going well for me! Thankfully, he warmed up during the meal, and after some silly adventures in Town Center Mall that involved me getting stuck on a super plush mattress, we were both feeling really good about our future.
JB: She had a sense of humor that was irresistible, but I could tell she was holding back. Thankfully she’s opened up more and has no problem with any material now. We had our first date at Saigon Cafe in Woodstock after talking for two weeks, and I was nothing but a ball of nerves. She was able to put me at ease effortlessly, and by the end of the date I would say we were very sure we would see each other again soon.
And of course when you do a Piedmont Park photoshoot, you absolutely MUST get a shot of the Atlanta city skyline!
Tell me about your relationship
Bianka: He is such an honest, considerate person. I hadn’t had a relationship with such open communication before, where we talked about every little thing and made sure to check in on each other’s happiness daily. It was really hard for me at first, but six years in, I think it’s one of the best things about our relationship. And it’s all thanks to him.
As for meeting his family, he might not know it, but I was pretty nervous! I’d heard SUCH good things about his parents and brother and knew how important they were to him, so I was worried I wouldn’t make a good impression. When it came to meeting my family, it’s always a bit nerve-wracking to have those first introductions, but I knew they would come to love him. And they have! Especially my 6-year-old nephew who’s so used to his Super Mario sessions with Uncle J.B.! He was the first to say “I love you,” and he did it right as I was feeling the same way.
JB: She honestly has unending patience and kindness. Even at my most difficult she’s still soldiering on and calmly talking things out with me. I was exceedingly nervous to meet her family because I was worried they wouldn’t approve of me and it was fairly early on in our relationship. But I think that’s an obvious theme here. Nervous man, in lucky break, wonders how he is dating this wonderful, beautiful woman.
Meeting my family was much easier as we’d been together for quite a while. Plus our mothers hit it off right away. I said “I love you” first after a hamfisted attempt at playing a relevant song to test the waters. I felt immediate relief when she said “I love you” back.
We are the luckiest Atlanta engagement photographers ever! Bianka & JB totally rocked some serious style at their session. Loved their formal engagement outfits!
Way to go JB! Way to go on that ring!!!!
At this point in the shoot, we’d ask Bianka to look at JB and tell him why she loved about him the most. Her reaction was priceless! <3
When did you know this person was the one?
Bianka: I think I realized it all at once. It struck me suddenly one day that I loved him so much and wanted a future with him, which was a wonderful and exciting feeling. Suddenly, romantic movies made more sense! But we were young, and we both wanted to take everything into consideration. We chose to take a few years to just be in love and learn more about each other. These were the sweetest years, and he spoiled me terribly. I’m so excited to be marrying him!
JB: It was a slow realization, seeing the little things she would do for me, how she could catch me off guard so easily and make me laugh so hard I could hardly breathe. But most of all she was devoted to our relationship and had a love so true that I can’t understand but am eternally grateful for. I of course questioned myself at this moment.
Even though I knew I loved her just as much, I wondered if I would be able to make her as happy as she makes me. As always, her love and kindness assuaged my fears and I’m thankful to finally be marrying the woman of my dreams.
Sharing a knowing look.
And of course that beautiful wall at Piedmont Park! You gotta get it.
How did the engagement happen?
Bianka: He did SO MUCH for the engagement! I was blown away. Long story short – I shattered my kneecap in 2015 and had to endure intense physical therapy for more than a year to be functional again. He said he wanted to celebrate my recovery by going to St. Lucia this year, which I thought was pretty extravagant, but of course I allowed him to do this for me. 😉 Little did I know, he was planning our engagement!
On our first full day on the island, we were supposed to go to the resort restaurant. Instead, he turned down to the beach and led me down a carpet to a candlelit dinner on the water. To my surprise, he’d arranged a 5-course private meal! He excused himself before dessert and came back with balloons and the MOST smug smile. The server was behind him, recording us on J.B.’s phone.
I couldn’t help myself and started laughing at him because I was so nervous and excited – I knew he was proposing! He had already told my parents and best friend, so when I spoke to them first, they were all like, “oh, really? We had NO IDEA.” It was perfect.
JB: I decided to go all out and take her on a dream vacation. We went to St. Lucia in May of 2017 and I surprised her with a beachfront dinner. She had a dream years earlier where I proposed by rowing up in a rowboat full of balloons to her standing on a pier. I knew I couldn’t actually navigate a boat up to her on a beach so I did my best to get close to that. I smuggled balloons down with me for the trip and located some helium and had the staff hide the balloons nearby.
The only part that didn’t go as planned was getting a tiny boat to hold the ring, but the balloons were plenty for her. I excused myself partway through dinner to grab the balloons and managed to catch her off guard staring at the ocean. We both got a little choked up but we managed to get the question and the answer out, and I couldn’t be happier that she said yes.
It was finally dark enough to take these GORGEOUS sunset photos!!! LOVE THEM!!!
Those colors!
Sharing a quiet moment together at the end of the day.
Last Questions! What’s the one thing about each other you couldn’t live without?
Bianka: His kindness, for sure. He always shows me love, even when I’m being difficult, and it makes me feel at home.
JB: Her sense of humor. No question. Even though I know she’ll make me laugh, she still has a way of sneaking in something you’d never suspect in perfect delivery.
We couldn’t be happier at the thought of working with an amazing couple like these two! As an Atlanta wedding photography studio, we had such a wonderful time with these Piedmont Park Engagement Photos with this fun couple!
Below is a quick interview with the bride & groom along with a couple highlights from their engagement session!
How did you meet?
Bride: I think my friends and/or family would have rightfully had me committed if I had said I was in love with a guy I had just met but there was definitely something about him that I couldn’t, and didn’t want to, walk away from. I knew of him through mutual friends but I had never really met him until everyone was in Tallahassee for a reunion football game, FSU vs Clemson. One thing I will never forget is the moment I saw him… he had this beaming smile and these big brown eyes that just melted me, then he turned around and I saw that great butt of his… game over. Coincidentally, FSU will play Clemson on our wedding day.
Groom: Technically, we first met when I was back in Tallahassee visiting during law school. However, we really “met” during a reunion game in 2014 when a large group of mutual friends were in town, including me. I’ll never forget how gorgeous she looked in that blue dress and I could tell there was something special about her and something great about the two of us together.
How/ when did you start dating?
Bride: At first we didn’t live in the same town so it was a lot of texting and phone calls for a few weeks. Our first date was about as close to “a sign” as you could get. [He] and I met up at a brewery, I hate beer but decided to just go with it, and when I sat down I believe his exact words were “the hard cider here is dank.” I smiled because that was the only drink on the menu I liked (and who still uses the word “dank”) and I could just relax and be myself. One of the things I love most about [him] is, by just looking at me, he has the ability to calm me, not once have I been nervous around him.
Groom: We started dating several weeks after that first meeting but we had been texting non-stop during the interim. At the time I lived in Tampa and she lived in Tallahassee and our first date was after she came down for a potential job interview. I love so many things about [her], when you really make her laugh its infectious and adorable but her eyes and smile are what always draw me in.
Tell me about your relationship
Bride: I think what was so different was how effortless it all was, we just fit perfectly. [He] will probably say he said “I love you” first but that’s a lie… we have just agreed to disagree on this subject. In the end it doesn’t matter who said it first but that we both felt it and still feel it every day. I was excited to have [him] meet my crazy family, I knew he could handle it, and with no surprise he fit in seamlessly.
Groom: There isn’t one thing alone that makes [her] different, but everything that makes “us” different. While we don’t always finish each others’ sentences or anything weird, we just share a connection that I haven’t felt before. The way she listens to, looks at and laughs with me always makes me feel truly loved. She’s an amazing girl and I’ve never been nervous to introduce her to anyone, I knew my family would love her. I said “I love you” first but to be fair, we were both going to say it that night and I think we both knew we were in it for the long haul before speaking those words.
When did you know this person was the one?
Bride: I think everyone around me realized it before I did. My ridiculously adorable grandfather told me he liked [him] when he hadn’t even met him yet because of how happy he could see [he] made me. I knew [he] was the real deal because he supports and loves me for who I truly am, whether that is freaking out up the side of a mountain, grabbing his butt in public or obsessing over the two cutest dogs in the world, Enzo and Tally.
Groom: There have been so many times its hard to pick just one, it was more of something I knew all along but realized slowly as we got to know and live together. However, one of the first times I really thought that we’d go the distance was during her first visit to Atlanta. She agreed to hike Stone Mountain with me despite never hiking before and being terrified. She did great and made it to the top without ever complaining and I didn’t even know she was scared till later in the weekend. To me, being willing to face your fears because you trust your partner says a LOT about a couple’s relationship.
Piedmont Park Engagement Photos at Sunset
How did the engagement happen?
Bride: [He] faked me out pretty good, he had me convinced that the Grand Canyon would be too expected and that I would NEVER see the proposal coming. When I was standing in front of one of the most amazing sights I had ever seen, I would never have imagined there could be anything better until I turned around and saw [him] on one knee. I was so surprised and caught off guard that I may have said some words my mom and dad might not be proud of but my answer was “hell yes!”
Groom: I wanted somewhere truly timeless, that will never change and we can always come back to so I picked the Grand Canyon. We headed out west for New Years and after showing her the desert and hiking Sedona the day before, we walked the Grand Canyon rim trail until I found the perfect spot, got down on one knee and the rest is history.
What’s the one thing about each other you couldn’t live without?
Groom: I couldn’t live without her in my life, but I just have to see her smile at least a handful of times every day, preferably after I make her laugh. She’s my one.
Bride: [He] tells me I hug him like a little kid but the reality is that I love having his arms wrap around me, it feels like home to me. He’s my only.
If you’re looking to take engagement photos at Piedmont Park, it is perhaps one of the most scenic parks in the downtown Atlanta area! With Lydia & Duk, we got to take a couple killer night time skyline photos with the city lit up. Definitely an Atlanta wedding photographer favorite! Special shout out to Megan Quintana Artistry for a beautiful makeup job well done!
Engagement photos at Piedmont Park with Lydia & Duk
Below is a quick interview + engagement photos highlights with Lydia & Duk!
How did the two of you meet? What were your first impressions? Was it love at first sight?
We met through an online app that linked us through mutual friends. We started chatting back and forth for over a month. There was definitely chemistry between us. We were both pleasantly surprised at how easy it was for us to just talk and how down to earth the other person was.
What attracted you most to each other? How long before you started dating? Where was your first date? Were you nervous?
There were several things that attracted us to each other, but mainly it was how similar our values were. We could talk for hours! When we met online, we chatted with each other for over a month but hadn’t officially met face to face. When we finally did meet, our first date was lunch at Whiskey Bar Kitchen in Augusta. We were both nervous because we already loved this new friendship, and we didn’t want to do anything to mess it all up. Duk’s long drive all the way to Augusta certainly didn’t help his anxiety. We met for our date around noon, then sat outside a Starbucks and talked and talked well into the night. We ended up staying there until almost 4 a.m. By the end of that date, there was no question we had found something very special.
Tell me about your relationship
Duk: This person was different because of how she comfortable she made me feel. I know how weird I can be, but she would see it as me being dorky or cute. I was nervous about meeting her family because her parents are missionaries and I was wondering how much we would have in common, or if they had expectations that I couldn’t live up to. Lydia is not a big fan of the words “I love you”, because she believes that they would lose their meaning when overused over time. But one day I realized that I do really love her, and I told her so. She started crying. I sat there confused, wondering if I had done something terribly wrong. I’m glad to know that it wasn’t the case. She was happy and she loves me too.
Lydia: I can say with certainty that he is different from anyone I’ve dated because he is pretty much everything I thought I would never date. He’s a Florida Gator (I’m a UGA Bulldawg), listens to gangster rap and actually really likes math. He has a weird yet adorable sense of humor, and he makes me laugh even when we’re in the middle of an argument. I didn’t feel too nervous meeting his parents because I figured he turned out pretty well, so his parents can’t be that bad, right? And I was right… I told Duk later that I like his parents more than him 😉 As for the “I love you” part, that was somewhat of a dramatic affair that Duk mentioned in his section. I’m learning now that “I love you” only gets better with time when it’s coming from the right person.
When did you know this person was the one?
Duk: I knew she was the one when we hit about our 6-month dating mark. I realized that living life with her, the conversations that we have, and even the fights that we have were things that I could envision myself doing for the rest of my life. When I came to that realization, I thought to myself, “Finally! I feel like I’ve been in so many different relationships and life circumstances, and none of them made me feel the way I do now.”
Lydia: I’m not sure when exactly I knew, or how I knew. It was a gradual thing, he just grew on me and before I knew it, I was placing him in my plans subconsciously. It was like he just naturally became a part of my future.
How did the engagement happen?
Duk: We decided to take a trip on the last week of March. I’m pretty sure she knew that it was coming but I knew that she didn’t know how I was going to propose. For the proposal, I took and modified Dr. Seuss’s classic book, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” and added pictures from our times together. The last page of the book had her engagement ring tied to it with a ribbon with the words “So will you please marry me?” as the last sentence of the rhyme. We had initially decided to go to Rome for this trip, but plans changed and we ended up in Key West, Florida. Already, things were not going according to plan. I was nervous because originally, I had wanted to propose at sunset at the beach, but it was a cloudy day and there wasn’t a single area of secluded beach that I could find. Also, I was carrying the book and the ring around in my bag, so I kept thinking that she was going to find it by accident.
Lydia: Regardless of what he says went wrong, I think it was the most perfect proposal that could have happened between us. Of course I knew it was coming. Duk made some comments slip a few months earlier that helped me put two and two together… I think it was just as hard for me to act surprised as it was for him to propose! 🙂 The ring was gorgeous, the book he re-wrote for the proposal was so sweet, and he looked so happy… there isn’t a thing that I would have changed.
Last Questions!
What’s the one thing about each other you couldn’t live without?
Duk: The accountability. I love that she keeps me accountable for the things I do, the things I say, and the way I think. Although I don’t always respond in the most positive ways, I know for the most part, she’s right and she’s saying those things because she ultimately loves me and she wants me to be at my best. That’s how I know that I couldn’t live without her in that sense because she makes me better than I am.
Lydia: He is one of the most patient people I have ever known. I know I have a lot of insecurities and it surfaces a lot, sometimes making me either really depressed or really defensive. Duk has a way of working through both, saying words of encouragement that go straight to heart of what’s wrong… and he genuinely tries to learn something new and improve his understanding of who I am. I know it’s hard, I know it takes patience and I know he bites his tongue a lot, and I appreciate that and love him for it.
As an Atlanta wedding photography studio, we love it when we get the opportunity to photograph locations that truly represent Atlanta! We had such a blast capturing these Piedmont Park engagement photos with Meredith & Greg. I cannot say enough good things about what a positive vibe these two radiated throughout their engagement session. It was such a pleasure to work with this amazing couple. Below is a quick interview with the Most Fun Loving Couple of 2016, Meredith & Greg!
How did you meet?
Bride: We were set up by a mutual friend at his birthday party. I thought he was adorable and super handsome. I was a bit weary because he was wearing a “Keep Calm and Chive On” T-shirt. We chatted briefly and there was definitely an attraction.
Groom: My good friend’s fiance introduced us. We had met and then went on a double date to Hudson Grille. She obviously was very attractive and had a demeanor that was fun. Her jokes and playful spirit had me laughing all night. There certainly were sparks flying after our first date.
How/ when did you start dating? What attracted you most to each other?
Bride: Looks for sure, we went on a few double dates in the following weeks but our first solo date was at Sweetwater Brewery. I was super nervous!!!
Groom: She, of course, is beautiful and I certainly recognized that at first sight. But for me, her personality is what drew me in. Her ability to have fun in any situation and quick wit are very attractive. We started dating shortly after being introduced. Was I nervous? Absolutely. She is a gorgeous, funny and intelligent woman. Who wouldn’t be?
Tell me about your relationship. Were you nervous about one another meeting your family? Who said I love you first?
Bride: He is my biggest support system, no questions asked. He knows everything about everything and makes me a better person every single day. He also makes me laugh every single day. He holds me accountable and pushes me to use logic and keeps me calm during times of stress. I wasn’t nervous for him to meet my family, I knew they would love him just as much as I do. We disagree on who said it first, but I will back down, he said I love you first. I was beyond thrilled to hear it.
Groom: It’s hard to put in to words exactly what makes Meredith different. When I’m with her, nothing else matters. I constantly find myself smiling or laughing, sometimes for no apparent reason. We have fun together regardless of what we are doing, and I couldn’t imagine life without her. I was not nervous about her meeting my family, however I was nervous to meet her parents. As all parents do, they quite clearly love their daughter very much, and it was important for me to show them that I cherish her just as much as they do. I said I love you first after she came home from an out of town trip. After the words were said, I felt so good and it was just the beginning of our story.
When did you know this person was the one?
Bride: I knew he was the one when we were driving to Jacksonville to visit his best friend and I found Mickey Avalon on his ipod. It was a slow realization, but I feel like it was something that I knew for a very long time, since the day I met him. It’s overwhelmingly terrifying and wonderful when you realize that you don’t want to live your life the same way ever again. He was a game changer.
Groom: I’m not sure that it was one single event, but a collection of all times spent together that led me to know that she was the one. It seemed every day was amazing and my love got stronger. However once it had built up, it hit me like a freight train. I knew she was the one I wanted to start a family with and I felt like a million bucks.
How did the engagement happen? Did everything go as planned?
Bride: Engagement happened July 9th at Piedmont Park. As far as I know, everything went as planned. First person I told was my mom, but she already knew. I had no idea it was coming that day, there had been many times before that I thought, this is it, and it wasn’t. As soon as he grabbed my hand I knew what was happening and I kept saying “Oh my God, Oh my God, It’s happening, it’s happening” and tried to keep myself from collapsing.
Groom: Engagement happened as described, Piedmont Park. I arranged for us and some friends to “walk the dogs” in the park, and then I would propose at a predetermined spot by one of the lakes, and our friends would photograph it. I also arranged for our friends and family that lived in Atlanta to meet us at Park Tavern for a surprise brunch. Everything went as planned with no hiccups, but it couldn’t have been done without the help of friends and family. There was extreme nervousness leading up to asking, which intensified as we got closer to the “spot” I was going to ask her. I’m not sure whether or not she had an idea it was coming, but she seems genuinely surprised. However, she had been terrorizing me for a few months about it prior to.
Last Questions! What’s the one thing about each other you couldn’t live without?
Atlanta Wedding Photographer Shoots Piedmont Park Engagement Session
Shannon & Alex were an ADORABLE couple to work with. We were so excited they chose Piedmont Park for their engagement session. Despite the fact that it was a rainy and muggy day, and most photo shoots would reschedule, we were brimming with new and exciting ideas for their rainy day engagement shoot. Shannon & Alex embraced their environment together and had a blast! Any Atlanta wedding photographer would have loved to shoot with this fun loving couple! Here’s a quick peek from their session, more coming soon!
Engagement photos done at Piedmont Park are particularly beautiful when photographed during sunset. Every Atlanta wedding photographer can agree sunrise & sunset are perhaps the most magical times of day to shoot. These two are avid Atlanta Braves fans. They did an excellent job incorporating their love of baseball into their engagement session. Piedmont Park, based in Atlanta, Georgia was an excellent location choice for their engagement photos.
Hi! We're Jaimie & Kyle (+Associates) with Jaimie Dee Photography. We're Atlanta photographers based in the metro area and service clients all over the globe. Jaimie Dee Photography was established in 2008. We're primarily a wedding and portrait studio. Our images are crisp, clean & colorful and strike a balance between classic and candid styled portraits. Aside from the photography, we help you craft the perfect photo experience - from the beginning planning stages to the finished artwork hanging on your walls. When you're in front of our camera, we'll also offer you gentle guidance through a combo of stationary and movement based poses. We'll help bring out your inner diva too - even if you're shy! If you're looking for a photographer in the metro Atlanta area or beyond, we'd love to meet you!
