Jacqueline Weppner of Merci New York was given four points to keep in mind when creating the vision for this shoot: Tami (the bride-to-be) adores fashion, is a self proclaimed girly-girl, she adores James (her groom), and she and James have got a thing for cupcakes (not surprising when you read about how he proposed). Such an adorable shoot, and we’re loving how Trent Bailey photographed them in all of their favorite NYC spots.
Their story: James and I met in 2007 while working for the same company in Northern Virginia. One summer afternoon a mutual friend and colleague invited us both to lunch. When James arrived at our office to meet for lunch, he saw, as he says, a “bouncy blonde” walking down the hall and instantly prayed, “Oh please God, let that be the friend I am going to lunch with!” Lucky it was, and after a long lunch filled with laughter, our relationship began. Unfortunately time was not on our side as James was due to leave for business school in Chicago just 6 weeks after we met. We dated long distance for his 2 years at school, including a summer in New York. And while it was challenging at times, we enjoyed the sparks that flew each time we reunited and the dream of living together in New York City after graduation.
In 2009, we settled in to our first (and tiny!) New York City apartment in the West Village which is where James popped the question. It was a Thursday evening when James walked through the door of our apartment with a box of my favorite cupcakes from our neighborhood bakery, Magnolia. I opened the box and to my surprise there lied the most beautiful engagement ring right next to a cupcake! After proposing James told me to pack my suitcase – I was shocked. Not only had he planned a romantic trip for us, but also arranged the vacation days with my boss, without me knowing. We spent the long weekend drinking & eating pool-side, enjoying couples massages and lounging on the beach – the perfect way to celebrate our new engagement!
We knew we wanted to get married back home in Virginia but we also adored the West Village and wanted to forever cherish our memories there. With its charming cobblestone streets and quaint cafes we decided the West Village would be the perfect setting for our engagement photos. We wanted the shoot to embrace our typical Saturday afternoon in the neighborhood and inspired by James’ proposal, and my love of cupcakes, I knew Magnolia Bakery was a must. From there we leaned on our wonderful photographer Trent Bailey and stylist Jacqueline Weppner, to capture some amazing photos.
Photography: Trent Bailey / Styling: Jacqueline Weppner of Merci New York
