Carissa & Jacob wanted a fall themed engagement session and I think we definitely accomplished that vision! They suggested doing their session at The Historic Covered Bridge in Salisbury Center, NY. I've always heard about this place, growing up not too far from there, but surprisingly had never been there. I have to say, this will probably become a new favorite photo location of mine, because it was absolutely beautiful! The fall foliage was incredible and Carissa & Jacob were just adorable, and so fun to work with!
I loved getting to know more about Carissa & Jacob and their love story! Here's what I learned:
How did you meet? I'd love to hear all the details!
Carissa: I had just moved to the West Canada Valley School District and I had 1st period study hall in the cafeteria. Jacob would come in at the end of the period and he stood out to me over anyone else. So, for over the next year, I had the biggest crush on him. I didn’t have much hope, thinking he didn’t notice me because I never thought of myself as a girl to be noticed by anyone. In the spring we did track and did the same events for the most part, so practice would be combined and I would look forward to practice just so I could flirt with him... but now knowing Jacob that was hopeless, since he can be pretty oblivious to things like that. Afterwards, into the winter of my junior year, he finally asked me out and our first date was to the winter wonderland of lights. From there on we became the stereotypical football and cheerleader couple who ended up as high school sweethearts.
Jacob: It was something out of a Nicholas Sparks book, none of which I have ever read. I was a star football player and she was the sexy new blonde girl. I never had the courage to say anything myself so I went to a mutual friend of ours to get her phone number. I would have been better off writing letters because it took him 3 months to get it to me because he kept forgetting. When I finally got her number I began working my charm and sealed the deal. And the rest...as they say is history...
What was your first date?
Carissa: Our first date was to the Winter Wonderland of Lights, about a week before Christmas. We ended up going with Jacob's older brother and his girlfriend because Jacob didn’t have his license yet and didn’t want me driving. After going through the lights we stopped at Stewart’s to get milkshakes but I was so nervous I didn’t get anything. After, we ended up going to his house. That night, I was already nervous but then also ended up meeting his parents, so I was terrified. Jacob grew up on a dairy farm. We went there because Jacobs chore every night was to make sure the cows were fed, so I got to see everything that night which was crazy to me because I grew up in a small town and was never around this and always said I’ll never date a cowboy. But I guess never say never because now I’m marrying one!
Jacob: I was only 15 when we started dating and me being the gentleman, I did not like the idea of making my new girlfriend drive me around...so I arranged a chauffeur for our first date disguised as a double date with my brother and his girlfriend (now wife). We enjoyed some dairy based desserts and headed to the Wonderland of Lights at the Acacia Village in Utica, NY. It was an innocent yet romantic night that I will never forget.
Do you have a favorite date you've ever been on together?
Jacob: This is an odd date but one of my favorites because it cemented our commitment early on. For as long as I can remember, my parents have celebrated my birthday on New Year’s Eve instead of on my actual birthday, Christmas. Carissa and I had only been dating for less than 2 weeks at this point and throughout the course of the party my uncle became intoxicated and belligerent resulting in a familial brawl and the cops being called. Carissa had a curfew of 10:00PM and we were most definitely not going to meet it because of the police presence at my house. There was a large amount of fear that went thought me when we tried to explain why the police were at the first family event Carissa ever attended. Fortunately, her parents were very understanding and we laugh about it to this day, but the whole thing made me realize that Carissa was not going to be easily scared off by my crazy family.
Carissa: My favorite date was probably the one that we went on for our first anniversary. I was honestly mad at Jacob because he had been working so much on the farm and I worked at McDonald’s at the time and with school and sports, it had been so hectic. It was a Saturday and I thought he wasn’t going to be able to do anything yet again... so little did I know he kept everything a secret and actually worked the plans out with my mom. I hadn’t heard from him and my mom said put nice clothes on, we’re going to go out for dinner tonight. Me being me, I put on jeans and a nice shirt because I’m with my family, I had no one to impress, so I honestly half assed it. Afterwards, my mom yelled and said we’re leaving, and I walked out of my room to see Jacob at the front door all dressed up in a suit and a gift in his hands, so it’s easy to say I had some happy tears. And of course ran back into my room to look better. He took me to Olive Garden for a nice dinner and gave me a blue stone snowflake necklace with some diamonds in it for my gift that year. It was perfect and didn’t imagine a high school boy pulling something like that off....
Carissa, What made you fall in love with Jacob? What do you love most about him?
Carissa: What made me fall in love with him was how mature he was for our age and being such a gentleman about anything and everything. Jacob has always been so sweet, kind, and family oriented. He was just perfect all the way around and left me speechless and still does.
Jacob: Dedication and loyalty are two of the things that I value most in people. Carissa has displayed those from the start and has proven to me time and time again she is someone I can trust with my heart and my life to help me raise our future children.
How did you get engaged?
Carissa: Jacob finally popped the question after a Jason Aldean concert. We went back to the hotel room after the concert. I walked out of the bathroom and then I saw Jacob turn around and the way he said my name, I just had a feeling... he said the sweetest things and asked me and I of course said yes!
Jacob: For me, the engagement story begins the month prior to the actual proposal. My grandmother had passed away in June from her battle with cancer that had been ongoing for years and it was that event that really changed my mindset on the marriage thing. I made the decision that it was time for some good news. So, I called my childhood best friend and now best man and asked him if he would come ring shopping with me; we went and ordered a custom engagement ring that was going to be unique for a unique woman. A month later, I received word that the ring was in and ready for pickup. I knew we were going to this concert and saw it as an opportunity to pop the question so I arranged for Carissa to be out of the house so I could speak with her parents, one on one. Saying I was nervous asking for their permission is an understatement. I was sweating and could barely put a sentence together. When they gave me their blessing I headed to Kay to pick up the ring, with Carissa none the wiser. When we arrived to the hotel I was still debating how I would do it and what I would say. Was I going to do it at the show during a sappy song? No that’s too cliche. Before the show? No, we might not make it to the concert. So my best bet was after the show in the room where I didn’t have to worry about the ring getting lost or stolen. When the show was over and we headed back to the room, I was trying to figure out how I was going to ask her and put together this long speech in my head. That all changed when the moment finally came... when I saw her face my mind when blank and I was back to square one and all I could say was her name, then I began to improvise. Luckily she said yes, to make me the happiest man in the world!!
What are you most looking forward to about your wedding day?
Carissa: Seeing Jacob's reaction to me when he sees me for the first time walking down the aisle.
Jacob: Being surrounded my family and friends during one the the greatest times of our lives.
I am certainly looking forward to Carissa & Jacob's wedding next October at Rustic Ties in Dolgeville, NY!
