From Carmen: Since they’re getting married in Hawaii we decided to add a Hawaiian theme to their engagement session. Finding an exotic location in Manhattan, NY, In March (!), was not the easiest task, especially on a chilly and windy day. But Diana and Lee look as if there were 90 degrees out, and they were out on the beach…I loved photographing them! We used leis, ukuleles, and a funny looking coconut band for their session, to add some color and flair to their engagement photos.
Diana Zhou and Lee Tobey met in September 2006 on a blind date. Lee showed up very late to this first date (a Tobey family curse), almost ruining his chance to connect with his one true love! Luckily, Diana gave him another try and agreed to a second date at Roy's Restaurant in Center City Philadelphia. Amid the laughter, conversation, and Hawaiian appetizers, destiny took hold and they've been together ever since. Given the history, Hawaii was a natural choice for their wedding. They'll be tying the knot at the beach of the Four Seasons Lanai at sunset on September 29th, 2012. In lieu of a reception, they will also be hosting a Hawaiian-style luau at the Tobey household in New Jersey for friends and extended family on June 30th, 2012.
The proposal:
Shortly after moving from Chicago to Manhattan in September 2010, the pair went to explore the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens for their four-year anniversary, where Lee had secretly orchestrated a surprise marriage proposal. An undercover photographer was waiting for them in the Japanese gardens, as well as twelve special anniversary presents (3 for each year they'd been together). The final gift, of course, was a proposal in poem form and a ring.
