There’s so much to love about this outdoorsy couple and their Great Falls Park engagement session that included their sweet dog Shadow. You’ll get to read below how Chris surprised Kimmy when he proposed to her, and the way he included Shadow and their favorite hiking spot in Blacksburg (the city that they met). These two share many interests, like their love of God and their love of all things Hokie. They both have such a calming presence about them and their personalities balance each other out so well! Watching them interact together and spending time with these two was such an awesome way to start this week and I’m so excited to share their engagement photos with you all today. Adam and I are counting down the days until they become husband and wife next April and can’t wait to be there to document it. Scroll on for a ton of peeks at their engagement session and enjoy hearing their love story!
How did you meet?
Kimmy: Chris and I both went to Virginia Tech, and we have known each other since the beginning of Junior year. My best friend from the soccer team was friends with Chris and his dorm buddies. When my teammate and I became roommates, I quickly became close friends with that group of guys.
Chris: We met through mutual friends while we were both ‘studying’ at Virginia Tech. Our friend groups started hanging out more and more and we got closer and closer as the years went on.
What was your first thought when you saw or interacted with him/her for the first time?
Chris: My first thought was that it was awesome she was a D1 athlete! She looked the part: tall, blonde, and beautiful. But she was also incredibly funny and smart. My next thought was that it’s too bad she’s not single…
Kimmy: Chris and I can’t remember our first encounter, but my first memory of Chris is that he was really shy, which is hilarious because he’s definitely not shy with me anymore.
How did you start dating?
Kimmy: Oh boy, this one’s a little longer… Chris first asked me out June 2015, right at the start of graduate school summer classes. I was working on my DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) degree and stressed to say the least. We dated for about a week, and I ended things, solely because the stress of long distance (he lived in Blacksburg) and graduate school were too much for me at the time. Chris continued to pursue me though, visiting me when he came up to Northern VA and texting me pretty often. Plus, I heard from friends that he was asking about me and still wanted to try dating again. It wasn’t until Labor Day 2015, when I went down to Blacksburg for the Ohio State game, that things clicked for me. While we were tailgating, several friends asked me about what was a going on, and I honestly couldn’t say. It wasn’t until I met one of Chris’s work friends, who may or may not have been slightly over-served :), and he asked if I was “Chris’s Kimmy,” which stuck with me for some reason. I guess I liked the sound of it because two days later I asked for a second chance, and the rest is history.
Chris: By the time both of us were single at the same time we had both graduated college and lived 260 miles apart. It became my priority to see her every time there was an opportunity (either in Blacksburg or in NoVA). After several months of texting and hanging out it was clear that there was something special between us. We tried to do long distance briefly in the summer of 2015 but Kimmy told me it was too much while she was working on her doctorate of physical therapy. I was too stubborn to give up and kept talking/hanging out with her as much as I could through the summer and beginning of fall. Then the week after Labor Day and an Ohio State vs. VT football game she called me and (thank goodness!) wanted to give the relationship another shot. I said yes without hesitation.
What did you tell your friends or family about each other after your first date?
Chris: Even BEFORE our official first date I had told several people that she might be the one (as cliche as it sounds). Once we officially starting dating I immediately told my friends and family who had heard me talk about Kimmy for a year or so that we were finally together! It was so exciting and their reaction and support further validated my feeling about her.
Kimmy: Well we both have different thoughts about when our first date really occurred. For me, we went to Santini’s for lunch and then to a pet store to play with puppies afterwards. I was definitely interested after the date, and I remember talking to my best friends about how he was really easy to talk to, and I was surprised at how much I didn’t know about him, especially since we had been in the same friend group for a while. But I also remember being so nervous because we were in the same friend group, and I was afraid to mess everything up. Turn out, that wasn’t an issue.
When did you know that your partner was the one?
Kimmy: I know this sounds ridiculous, but I think I knew it all along. Before we officially started dating, I remember talking to my best friend about him, and I said something like “I know that when I start dating him, he’ll be the last person I date”. He’s everything I’d been looking for: a devote Christian, a Hokie, had great sense of humor, and taller than me haha. We started talking about marriage only a few months into our relationship, but I think it became real for me when he moved up to Northern VA to be closer while I finished up school.
Chris: My first clue was just how strong my feelings were when we first started dating. It was nothing like the feeling of any of my previous relationships. I started understanding all the sappy love cliches and just felt at peace. I realized that I loved her and told her so right before going to her Aunt and Uncle’s place in New York for Thanksgiving. It was the first time I had told a girlfriend that I loved her.
How did the proposal happen?
Chris: Since we’re both Hokies, it only made sense for it to be in Blacksburg! Kimmy had been talking about visiting one of her best friends, Emily, who was going to veterinary school at VT, but wasn’t sure about when. I tried to get her to commit to a weekend so I could start planning without tipping her off. To throw her off the trail, I subtly insinuated that it would happen the weekend after she visited Blacksburg. After she drove down Friday evening, I drove down Saturday with her dog Shadow and stayed at a friends place in Blacksburg. I had coordinated with Emily to take Kimmy on a popular hike Sunday morning called the Cascades which ends in a scenic waterfall. I hiked up an hour before Kimmy and Emily with Shadow and Emily’s friend who had a camera ready. Once Kimmy and Emily made it to the end, they got her out on a rock right in front of the falls and I walked down from a different path to surprise her! It was very nerve-wracking and I’m very glad I didn’t drop the ring in the water. To make it even better I brought out Shadow right after so we could share the moment with the whole family!
Kimmy: I went down to Blacksburg to visit my friends in med and vet school. That weekend, there was dangerously high winds (so bad schools were closing), and I was hesitant to drive down. But Chris insisted I go, stating I needed a getaway weekend to relax, despite my concern of the winds haha. I spent all Friday and Saturday visiting my friends and going to all my favorite places in Blacksburg, while Chris watched Shadow up in Northern NA (or so I thought). That Sunday, my vet school friend (Emily) and I had planned a hike at Cascades, which is my favorite spot near Blacksburg. Coincidentally, her roommate had also planned the same hike and left about an hour before us to meet up with a “friend”. When Emily and I got to the top, her roommate was sitting all alone with her camera, and she asked if Emily and I wanted to take a picture on the large rock, out in front of the waterfall. I walk out first, but Emily hesitated, saying she was too scared. While I was trying to convince Emily to walk out, I notice this man walking up in my peripheral. As he gets closer, I realize it’s Chris, and I was completely shocked (with hilarious pictures to prove it). He met me on the rock and asked me to marry him! And there was a second surprise. After he proposed, Emily walked over with Shadow, so the three of us got to take pictures and hike back down together. It was the best surprise proposal I could have ever imagined!
What quality/qualities do you love most about your partner?
Chris: I love Kimmy’s fierce loyalty to her friends, family, and faith. Since I am typically soft-spoken, it is awesome to have a partner who is not afraid to stand up and speak out when it matters. It’s something I have tried to learn from.
Also, she is gorgeous.
Kimmy: I love Chris’s love for God, selflessness, patience, and dedication to place our relationship/family as a priority. I also love his sense of humor, positivity, intelligence, looks :), and his musical talents.
What are some of your partner’s quirks that you love or appreciate?
Kimmy: His sense of humor and silliness make my rainy days so much brighter. He has really quick one-liners that most people miss, but when you hear them, they are just too funny. He also can be so goofy, and we can just be kids together.
Chris: I love and appreciate Kimmy’s fondness for animals, particularly cows. She has been known to be moved to tears by witnessing happy cows.
What moment of your wedding day are you most anticipating?
Chris: The celebration! Kimmy and I are not the most formal of couples so being able to eat, drink, and be merry with our friends and family is where we are most comfortable.
Kimmy: I’m most excited to be his wife, for us to say “I do”. I know that the party is going to be a great time, and I just can’t wait to be married to the man of my dreams.
If you liked this session and want to see another from Great Falls Park, be sure to check out Kristin & Josh and Kellen & Emily‘s engagement sessions as well!