Julia & Mark : Sweet Summertime Engagement || Lafayette Square, St Louis Missouri

When there are closet mirror selfies,
links to high heel options,
and then an extra outfit in the backseat just-in-case,
you know that this couple’s engagement session is going to be nothing short of fun.

Meet Julia & Mark.
A sweet, sweet St Louis couple.

They have a plethora of
out-of-the-blue-jokes,
quick wit,
and such deep, sentimental cords woven throughout their love story
that is, quite frankly,
adorable.

Location: Lafayette Square, St Louis.
^ where, this past weekend, they moved to.

–> Listen to THIS, while you scroll (their soon-to-be First Dance song) <–

Mark & Julia were kind enough to write out their love story – with hilarious moments throughout – to accompany these favorites from their summertime engagement session a few weeks ago! Enjoy!

I will never forget walking into my coworker’s apartment, describing a truly horrendous date I had experienced from the night before, and seeing those eyebrows and that sudden wide-eyed smirk.

Love those brows.

Whenever Mark makes the expression now, I can’t help but smile. The whole night, I had assumed he had a crush on the cute blonde we were with, but I can’t deny that we locked eyes every time we both laughed at something.

I didn’t think “vibes” were real until now.

This sweet, selfless guy wanted to take me on a date.

Mark was shy, but not awkward;
so sweet, but didn’t overdo it with time-and-again phrases.
He doesn’t say much but when he does, it is thoughtful and so meaningful.

Really, Mark balances out the talker that I am, and our first date just flowed. All I can say is that it was a wonderful beginning.

Mark is always patient and kind with me and never fails to make me feel loved – especially when I need it most.

When I get stressed and moody,
he is there with a hug and a dad joke.

We were told we would either hate each other or love each other because of our opposite personalities.

I am so grateful and blessed that it turned out to be the latter.
We complement each other perfectly. 

We are always laughing
and I know we always will be – through the good times and the tough ones.

In the two and a half years we have known each other,
we have suffered a lot of pain, expected and unexpected.

Knowing that this is the person who will be by my side until the very end helps us both get through it all.

As we spend our days together in the home we have built for ourselves and our two pups, I know that he’s not just my boyfriend
– my fiancé –
– my future hubs –
– but my best friend. 

I never thought this sort of love existed…
until it did.

Julia and I met on Super Bowl Sunday and I will never forget that day. 

It was a very tame super bowl party
– except for the fact that Julia was there.

My roommate had invited a co-worker over and a few other people. As soon as Julia walked in we caught eyes and were instantly attached to each other. 

We shared laughs throughout the game and
I just knew that I had to see her again. 

We went on our first date a week later and I immediately set up a second and third date.

From that point on, we were pretty much inseparable. 

The more I learned about Julia, the quicker I fell in love with her. 

We would talk for hours just walking around Tower Grove Park near her apartment, (which will soon be where we get married)!

It never seemed to matter what else was going on in our lives,
we would always go for a walk and forget about everything else but each other.

I quickly realized that we were meant to be with each other forever. 

Fast forward to our engagement day, I just knew I had to ask Julia to marry me in the park where we had fallen in love and spent so much time together.

…However, it is harder than you think to come up with a legitimate reason to take a walk in the park in early December.  

Despite how nervous I was, I should have realized that everything would fall into place as it always had. 

Julia and I were meant to be!

I came up with an excuse to walk with Julia in the park
and instantly my nerves went away.

We walked and talked as we had so many times before and nothing else seemed to matter except for the two of us.  

Julia is the love of my life
and she made my dreams come true that day when she said,
“YES!”  

I love dreaming about our future and cannot wait for our wedding day this fall!

Julia & Mark —

What can I say? I mean really.
You have been so sweet to welcome us into your city, your love story, and soon, the biggest day of your life! Thank you. I am honored to walk this journey & adventure alongside of you two. Here’s to a summer full of taco trucks & too much ice-cream. Love you both!

Always,
–Tara M