Darina and Elias

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Photography | J & J Studios | @jjstudiosphiladelphia

Venue | Celebrations

Restaurant | Waterworks Restaurant

Museum | Philadelphia Museum of Art | @philamuseum

What do you love most about your partner?

He is always listening even when you think he isn’t. He’s definitely one of those people that will buy the gift that you talked about 5 months prior. He’s also extremely resilient in any situation. I truly admire that about him.

What was your inspiration for the engagement photos?

We like to picnic around this area and found it to be a beautiful place for our pictures.

(Have you started wedding planning) If so, how has your experience been so far?

We have started wedding planning but it’s been a slow process since the pandemic. Hopefully within the next few months we will begin to do more.Share some quirky facts about you.

I love action and sci-fi movies/television. I’ve watched all of the marvel movies as well as all the Harry Potter movies. I am addicted to playing the sims since I’ve been quarantined for 4 months. My favorite snack is either pickles or cucumbers.

What makes your relationship special? Tell us some things that you both value in your time together. What makes your relationship unique?

Our relationship is special because we both challenge each other in ways we’ve never been challenged before. He challenges me to be a more rational thinker and I push him to communicate more. We both love to travel together and in our first year of dating we traveled to about 5 or 6 places and have continued this tradition ever since. In addition to traveling we also love to do absolutely nothing together and just relax. Not many people can do that with their partner. We’re so different but yet the same it’s amazing to be apart of it.

How did you know your partner was the one? When did you first know this in your relationship?

Elias – I knew she was the one from the very first date. I had heard a lot about her from others and to me that made me want to date her even more. But once we went on that first date, I just knew and they weren’t wrong about her.

Darina – I knew he was the one after about 3 months of dating. I started to really evaluate the relationship and I noticed how easy it was to be with him. We clicked better than any relationship or friendship I ever had and how easy it was to be myself with him. He didn’t judge me, he just accepted me for me. That was when I knew.

Give us all the details about the proposal. How and where did it happen? Was it a surprise? What was the planning process?

I haven’t celebrated my birthday with friends in a while. I had gone on trips with Elias since we dated so I decided to switch it up. We went to DC with a bunch of my friends. I had planned the entire weekend and Friday night was dinner before the club. We had dinner and my best friend gave a speech. Shortly after Elias gave a speech while the waiter placed a plate in front of me saying Marry Me? He got down on one knee and asked will you marry me? Of course I said yes but it was a total surprise. He had the whole thing planned with our friends and family.

We’re all about the bling… Tell us all about that ring!

The ring is gorgeous! It’s a pear shaped ring with diamonds on the band. A pear diamond in the middle surrounded by small diamonds in 2 rows. Everyone says the same thing when they see it, “He did good!”