Engagement Shoot Location: Duke Gardens and North Carolina Central University 

Photography: Donnell Perry Photography

Engagement story from the bride-to-be: 

The proposal happened on December 25th 2017. We were spending the holiday with my parents and family (Bride) in Ohio for the Christmas Holiday. I was playing santa and passing out the gifts to everyone in my family when Xavier mentioned that I missed a gift that was placed in the tree. So I was spending time looking for the gift and unbeknownst to me when I turned back around to the tree, Xavier had gotten on one knee behind me. I turn back around to say that I could not find this gift he mentioned when I immediately see him on one knee and the engagement ring. My parents and brother are all video recording and I start to cry. Once I said “yes”, I just could not believe my already favorite holiday now carried an even better memory and that I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.

What makes your love special?

Our love is special love. He truly is my other half. We have so much fun spending time together laughing and joking. A typical day with the two of us consists of many laughs, inside jokes and enjoying our favorite things together. It is a love that has grown together from the simple college life to adulthood.

Please share your engagement photography experience with Donnell Perry Photography?

The engagement photography experience with Donnell Perry Photography could not have went any better. We had never participated in a more formal photo shoot so I was a bit concerned that our pics may appear a little stiff. But in actuality, from the start of our shoot until the end, Donnell made us feel very comfortable and as a result it was pretty easy for us to just be ourselves. As a result, the pictures came out perfectly. Donnell was great in utilizing our chosen locations to ensure we got the best pictures and honestly the whole shoot just felt like a nice date between my fiance and I that happened to be captured in photo. I could not have asked for a better experience.

How did you meet? 

We actually met our sophomore year in college (2009) and had a lot of mutual friends but did not really know each other too too well. It was not until the summer before my senior year in college that we actually got to really know each other and literally hit it off from the first time that we really got to sit down and talk with each other. We both happened to end up at a pool party together that summer and we sparked up a conversation that lasted for hours. We quickly discovered we shared the same interests and sense of humor and from June 3rd 2011 we have been inseparable. We started out as friends and on July 10th, 2011 Xavier asked me to be his girlfriend and we have been together ever since. We have been together for 6 years. We are excited to start this journey on becoming the Proctors.

What was the theme of your Engagement session?

Our theme was classy yet fun. I as the Bride was looking forward to the engagement sesssion as I could not wait to see the pictures we were able to take. For the session we wanted it to portray both of our personalities. We chose the Sarah P Duke Gardens (a favorite of mine to visit) and the NCCU Stadium (Former College Football Player at NCCU) to reflect both of our alma maters but also the two different sets of sceneries would allow us to really showcase our style and personality.

What are you most looking forward to about your wedding?

Celebrating our love with our family and friends. I am looking forward to seeing my Groom’s face when I walk down the aisle and exchanging our vows. We are really close with our families so we are definitely looking forward to seeing all of our family together at the wedding and having a great time at the wedding reception. We know we will hear some great speeches from our family at the wedding so we are excited to experience that day with them.

Donnell Perry Photography is a Raleigh Wedding Photography company based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Please view our portfolio to see more of our work. We are available to travel for wedding and portrait photography, please contact us through the contact form on our website for more information.