Is there anything sweeter than a love story that begins and ends with red velvet cake? No, I don’t think there is. Except maybe this cute-as-can-be couple, and the lovely Natalie Franke Photography, who photographed their urban, fall engagement session. Because, while separately they’re each very sweet, together it’s an explosion of sweetness!! Lucky for us, we don’t have to choose a favorite, because they all go so perfectly together (like cream cheese frosting and red velvet cake). Be prepared to fall in love with this one, y’all! It’s extremely easy to do…

One January evening, two and a half years ago, Sarah went to a local cafe with her parents for dessert. She was living in Seattle, Washington at the time, and was in town for a belated winter-holiday visit. One week prior to her trip, Jesse had moved to Annapolis, Maryland to be stationed at Fort Meade with the United States Air Force. He too was at the local cafe enjoying a beer and studying soem Farsi (he’s a Farsi/Dari linguist).

It was Sarah’s mother who spotted Jesse sitting alone and chose the table next to him, forcing her daughter to sit closest to Jesse in an attempt to intervene with her daughter’s lovelife. Oh, Lord, I can see my mother doing this to me soon.

Ten or so minutes later, Sarah was enjoying a delicious piece of red velvet cake, her favorite, when Jesse leaned over to ask what flavor she had ordered. Baffled that he didn’t know (as the signature red color is usually a dead giveaway) Sarah simply replied, “Red Velvet” and proceeded to ignore him. At the same time, her father noticed that Jesse was reading a Farsi dictionary and struck up a converation with him about the language. As a former officer in the Navy, Sarah’s father was familiar with Jesse’s training at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and continued to exchange stories with him for much of their visit at the cafe.

After coffee and dessert, Sarah’s family said goodybe to Jesse and left the cafe. As Sarah walked with her parents to their car, her mother began lecturing her on her inability to flirt with men exclaiming, “That’s it! It’s time for an intervention.” I can see this happening too. It’s like I’m watching my life flash before my eyes right now. With that, Sarah’s father left Sarah and her mother at the car, and walked all the way back to the cafe. He walked right up to Jesse, gave him his business card and said, “My daughter was too embarrassed to talk to you in front of her parents, but just in case you’re interested, here is my card. Send me an email sometime and I can forward it to her so you can get her number.” Two days later, Jesse did just that.

Jesse began calling Sarah every week, and with her love of jazz music and his love of blues music, they instantly became fast friends. In March, Sarah flew home for a “bridesmaid dress fitting” so that she and Jesse could go on their first date. He picked her up at her parents’ house and brought her back to his apartment for jalapeno margaritas and appetizers (crackers and pre-sliced cheese – a real bachelor man’s appetizer) before taking her dancing at a local blues bar.

It is fitting to note that Sarah (a University of Alabama graduate and lover of Southern football) and Jesse (having discovered a love for cowboy boots and Texas-inspired Southern food after being stationed in Texas) both wore cowboy boots that night. Also, the whole crackers and pre-sliced cheese thing (he said he didn’t have a cheese slicer so he had to buy pre-sliced?) is what made her decide she wanted to see him again (regardless of the fact that he could have just used a knife to, you know, slice the cheese).

A couple of days after their first date, Sarah flew back to Seattle. A few weeks after that, Sarah was laid off from her job at an e-commerce startup company. She packed up her belongings and moved back to Annapolis. They began dating almost immediately and have been inseparable ever since.

Sarah sort of told Jesse that she loved him several months after they started dating, but wasn’t exactly clear about it. And it wasn’t until after Valentine’s Day that they exchanged those three letter words. It was the day after because she kept waiting and waiting for him to say it on V-Day, but he never did. Needless to say, she was cranky the day after which is when he spilled the beans and told her that he loved her. They both think their wedding date (this past Thursday – Valentine’s Day) is extremely appropriate. And we agree.

On a Friday in July, Jesse suggested they go for a picnic that Sunday, and Sarah instantly knew something was up. He’d been weird for a week and usually told her everything, so…

Sunday came and because there was a big thunderstorm brewing decided to have their picnic indoors. They set up a blanket in the living room and she cooked dinner (he helped!). She lit some candles and made sure to wear a cute dress (you know, just in case). After dinner, she waited and waited, nervously suspecting every moment was the moment he was going to propose.

He went into the kitchen to gather a special dessert and brought the box into the living room for her to open. Because they were already on the floor, he was already conveniently kneeling as she opened the box. Inside were 6 red velvet cupcakes with the words “Marry Me?” written in a frosting pen. The ring was also inside. She, of course, said yes!

It is extremely cute to note that later, Sarah came across a bag in the freezer with a cupcake in it. He had been testing cupcakes (and places) for weeks before finding the best one!! :)

{Behind the Lens with Natalie} Sarah and Jesse are big music buffs. And I don’t mean to suggest that they are “Top 40” obsessed or love the urban club scene… No, you see, Sarah and Jesse both share a love for Jazz and Blues. Old classics, up and coming artists, music that captivates the soul.

And as we were walking along the historic streets of Annapolis, Maryland – we stumbled across an old Record Store with a window display filled with vintage records. A coincidence? Maybe. Destiny? I’d like to think so!

There was something about this window that seemed like the perfect place to begin our engagement session. And so we did!

I absolutely loved capturing Sarah and Jesse’s love story! These two are incredibly laidback and fun! They light up when they are together, Sarah’s smile turns to laughter, Jesse’s eyes fill with happiness… They are a perfect reminder of what true love is all about!

{Advice for Couples} For the men, buy the book “The Groom’s Survival Manual,” and be prepared for the bride to laugh one moment and cry the next. The best thing you can do is to give the bride a hug and tell her you love her. Works every time!

For the bride, remember it’s your big day, but remember that it’s just one day. It’s really not necessary to go insane. Regardless of what some people say, it really is just a big party. Make sure to have fun and don’t overly obsess about all the details.

Congratulations, Sarah and Jesse, and thank you so much for sharing your love story with us! We wish you both so much love and laughter in the many years you’ll share together, and a beyond beautiful wedding day too! Many, many, many thanks to Natalie for encouraging us to fall in love with her work again and again!! xoxo

Love Note from the Editor: Sarah is the creator and writer behind the blog, Clean and Proper. Jesse is often referred to anonymously as The Beau. You should probably check it out because it’s seriously so cute!!

Natalie Franke Photography is a fabulous member of our Vendor Boutique. For more information on how members are chosen, click here.