Nothing shows off this fun couple’s personalities more than having a Hot Air Balloon Festival Engagement Session by the bride’s cousin, Lauren E. Merrill Photography! Seriously, how fun is this?! The vibrant colors of the hot air balloons during the festival in Turf Valley created the perfect backdrop to show off their silly side! The bride tells us how they met,  “Where It All Began: When I went away to college, I was looking for a place to call home. I wanted to redefine myself and find my own way, like all other 18 year olds in this world. I was determined to succeed and rely on myself in this crazy place called “life.” It wasn’t but a few short weeks later that I was standing across the room from the man of my dreams. I knew Alex was the one as soon as I looked up and saw him sitting on the bar, laughing with his friends, and playing the songs on the stereo. It was without a doubt a moment of truth, as I looked at my friends and said, “I’m going to marry that guy one day.” They all laughed and went back to their own conversations. The semester went on and time passed but I never could quite get Alex off my mind. As the following Spring rolled around, Alex and my friend group seemed to collide often. Alex was always around and I, of course, did not mind at all. As we got to know each other, we spent more and more time together. We enjoyed trips to Deep Creek, and South Carolina but still never admitted to dating each other. Alex and I were inseparable when we finally decided to try this “dating” thing out. We quickly realized that nothing changed and technically had been dating for quite some time. I was in shock that the guy that I pointed to and said I wanted to marry was my boyfriend! Was this really happening? It felt that all the stars aligned and nothing else mattered. Here we are just a few years later, anxiously waiting for July to come to say, “I do,” for forever! Not only did I find my home away from home, discovered myself, and overcame quite a few trials and tribulations; I had my best friend by my side to do it all!”

HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL ENGAGEMENT SESSION VENDORS:

Photography: Lauren E. Merrill Photography
Event: Turf Valley Hot Air Balloon Festival