The New Zealand engagement session story..
I am so excited to share this New Zealand engagement session with you guys today! What a crazy amazing day it was with these two. Little back story first though – I was in New Zealand for 5 weeks doing some work and I met Riley & Carlos at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course. They were chatting about all these cool things they had done together and I obviously piped up to ask if they were engaged. I said I was a wedding photographer from Canada & I’d love to take their photos! We pretty much had one day to make this work and I’m so thankful we did!
The next day they drove 45 minutes out of their way to come pick me up in the pouring rain, & we went to Elephant Hill Wine Estate for lunch & some photos around the property. Elephant Hill has incredible food & wine and these two love birds told me their whole whirlwind romance story over lunch. I’ll get to their story in a second though. As we’re eating lunch, the girl working tells us that all of the bridges out of town are going to be closed at 5PM because of Cyclone Cook. This only gave us just over 90 minutes to figure out what we were going to do, and do it! We still had to go up to Cape Kidnappers (20 minute drive just up the driveway) & we really wanted to go out to the cliffs. Do we do it & possibly get stuck in town? Maybe take a helicopter out from the course if we do? Ahh decisions! So we made the call to stay safe & dry, and we quickly went up to The Farm at Cape Kidnappers. I must say, I was completely blown away by this place! So many incredibly designed spots for photographs! Carlos & Riley got cozy for me in a few cute spots for some photos & I had a blast documenting all their love! But…. let’s get back to the real story here… their EPIC love story!
The epic love story..
They met only the year before in June while Carlos, was travelling in the US. Riley was working at another golf course & he saw her there and couldn’t stop thinking about her. Even though he was there for only a short time, he managed to take her on a date & spend as much time with her while he was there. Carlos had to leave to go home to New Zealand, but he had to see her again. As he was leaving, he asked her to come out to see him. It didn’t take her long to decide (the heart wants what the heart wants) but two weeks later she was on a plane to the other side of the world! She spent only 3 days there with him because that’s all the time she had off work. THREE DAYS!
About a month after her journey these two were just so in love & she decided to move to the other side of the world to be with Carlos! Wow!! Family is huge for Riley & she missed them dearly so a trip was planned back to Texas to see all of her family. Having to work up at Kauri Cliffs for a week, Carlos asked Riley to come with him. Once they finished the week, they would fly out to Texas & be reunited with loved ones. On the last day, she went to the spa & relaxed, but little did she know Carlos planned the second biggest surprise for her that day! She wasn’t going home to Texas, Texas was coming to her! Carlos organized for her family to arrive in New Zealand while Riley was at the spa. Rushing off to the airport, he picked everyone up in time. They arrived back to Kauri Cliffs Golf Course only to have a few minutes to put down their bags, change & hide away for the best surprise…
The best surprise!
Carlos got down on one knee & proposed to Riley that evening at Kauri Cliffs. All of her family was there to see her after & it was a crazy emotional love filled day!! I wish I was there to see it all, but when we were at Elephant Hill & they were telling me the whole story – I had goosebumps the whole time. Honestly guys, the world brings people together when you least expect it, and having met these two, my heart is a little more full now. What a great beginning to a wonderful love story.
These two are getting married tomorrow & I couldn’t be happier for them both! Congrats you two!!!
xox
P.S – Dear universe! I would love to photograph a New Zealand wedding someday – especially at the Farm at Cape Kidnappers!!
