"We met Alex Grace up at Washington Park in Portland, OR by the zoo! The sun was low in the sky and was shining beautifully through the trees. It was a perfect day too with no rain, which is a miracle in the spring in Oregon! It was easy to be natural around her and she helped us out with multiple poses. We then changed out of our fancier clothes into jeans and sweaters and our vans, and then drove down to the South waterfront to take some pictures with our longboards. She got some shots of us riding around and then more poses sitting on benches and with him carrying me. It was a blast!"
- the couple
Photo credit: Alexandra Grace Photography
Their love story: We met when we were in high school at a small private school where dating was not even technically allowed. We spent the first summer together riding bikes, going swimming, hanging out with friends, and enjoying all the free time we had back then before we had jobs. Shortly, we became very good friends who also liked each other, well more than a friend :) We went on to enjoy the last two years of high school together, doing cross country and track, and cheering each other on in our basketball games. It has been wonderful being able to support each other and be by each other's sides through the ups and downs of growing up and having more responsibilities. We are so excited to be finally engaged after almost five years of dating and cannot wait to get married this coming August and start our new life together!
The proposal: I (Jessica) was at school most of the day and Ben didn't have class that day. He texted me while I was in class asking me if I could hang out later and get some dinner. I had class til 3:00 and then had Bible study that night at 7:00, so I told him I could between then! We ended up going to a Chinese restaurant for dinner and then afterwards he asked me if I wanted to go on a walk. I was a little suspicious and asked why...? And he said because we don't go on enough walks! We walked up a trail near the restaurant to a park where we would sometimes go in the summer after grabbing a slurpie. When we got there, he asked me if I remembered coming here and then he showed me a picture we took there 4 summers ago. We laughed at how young we looked and then talked for a while. FINALLY after much suspense, he told me he had something to ask me, and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!! I freaked out and said yesss of course! And then we hugged and cried a little and went home to tell our families. An hour later, about 20 girls came over for Bible study and all freaked out in excitement with me and I told the story multiple times. It was a blast!
