Recruited on respective Track & Field scholarships, Shaunae and Maicel met during freshman year at the University of Georgia – She coming from the Bahamas and He from Estonia. Immediately attracted to each other their relationship began with an affectionate friendship before blossoming into absolute love. Their engagement session took place in four locations of Shaunae’s home – Nassau, Bahamas. Featuring casual and formal-wear photoshoots at multiple historic landmarks, as well as track & field stadium and beach-front locations. Shaunae looks forward to seeing Maicel’s expression when she walks down the aisle on their wedding day.
Featured in the Summer 2017 Issue of MunaLuchi Bride magazine, this stunning engagement session was perfectly captured by MunaLuchi Coterie member Stanley Babb of Stanlo Photography. See the entire vendor list below, and view the complete selected gallery here. Read all about Shaunae & Maicel’s love story, romantic surprise proposal, and wedding aspirations!
Bride & Groom: Shaunae & Maicel
Occupations: Professional Athletes in the sport of Track & Field
Wedding date: February 4th, 2017
Wedding location: Nassau, Bahamas
Location of Engagement shoot: Nassau, Bahamas (The Cloisters, Fort Charlotte, National Track & Field Stadium, & Saunders Beach)
Tell us how you met and all about the proposal. We were both freshman’s at the university of Georgia and were both recruited on a scholarship for Track & Field. He was from Polva, Estonia, and I was from Nassau, Bahamas. When we first introduced ourselves to one another, it wasn’t love at first sight, though we were both attracted to each other. Slowly we became really good friends and would hang out quite often, laughing and sharing jokes with each other. While other teammates and staff members of the track team at the university thought the two of us were dating, we both made it clear that we were just friends.
In 2014 things had changed up a bit. At this point it was obvious the two of us had strong feelings for each other. Close friends had anticipated us getting together, while we both waited to see how things would turn out. Maicel would always kiss me on the cheek moments before he headed to his room. At some point neither of us knew if we had been thrown in the friend zone or not. It all changed one night when Maicel walked me back to my room after a tutor session. We had flirted the entire walk back, giggling and playing with each other. When we got to my room, I hugged him goodnight and Maicel was going in for his normal kiss routine, only this time it was a kiss on the lips, making me aware that he was really interested in me. He then asked me to be his girlfriend and I agreed.
On April 8th 2016, one week before my birthday, Maicel took me out to a “surprise” early birthday dinner. We talked and laughed the entire night. It was now time for dessert and Maicel made the order for us to share a chocolate treat for my birthday, knowing how much I love chocolate. The waiters brought out this huge chocolate egg and cracked it before my eyes. At first, I thought the ring box was a chocolate cake, obviously I had no clue of what was about to happen. And so I grabbed my knife and fork waiting for the waiters to sing happy birthday for me to dig in. This was until Maicel went down on one knee. I was a little confused, but when I saw Maicel pick up my “dessert” I quickly realized what was going on. Maicel asked me to marry him that night, and overfilled with joy, I said “yes!”
Describe your engagement session. Our engagement session was amazing! We had so much fun, we laughed and smiled the entire time and had ourselves a blast. Our photographer, Stanley Babb, made it really easy for us and comfortable as well. We went with four different themes for the shoot. We started with a casual shoot, and then moved onto a formal wear shoot. The third shoot was by far the easiest, being in our comfort zone with the Track and field shoot. We had originally planned 3 different themes for the shoot, but our photographer came up with an amazing idea for the last theme to be a beach shoot and we loved it.
What did you do on your first date? On our first real date we went to catch a quick movie followed by dinner. We were still a bit shy after taking our relationship to the next level, but this date made everything easy. We got straight to each others personal background, including our most crazy and embarrassing moments. We really opened up to each other that day and that’s what really opened the door for a great relationship for the two of us.
What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple? Our favorite thing to do as a couple is to chill and talk. We have the same jobs so we’re out training during most of the day, so any chance we get, we sit and talk about how our day went, how each other’s journey towards our personal goals are going, our dreams together as a couple, or pretty much anything our mind crosses. We always find something to talk about.
How has wedding planning been so far? It has been wonderful. We’ve had our up and down moments where one minute we like something, the next we don’t, or we wouldn’t like something, then end up falling in love with it. We are enjoying every minute of it. I’m more of a perfectionist, so I’m always making sure things are perfect in my eyes. My fiancé always reminds me not to stress out too much about the planning and so I try my best not to, but it’s all so overwhelming. I’m really excited for the big day.
Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day. Usually when I attend a wedding I look at the father of the bride, because he’s giving away his daughter to someone. I love to read his expressions because it’s almost as though they don’t want to let go. But on my wedding day, it’ll be a bit different. I’m really looking forward to seeing my soon-to-be husband’s expression when he watches me walk down the aisle. He’s been pressuring me so much about seeing my dress and so I can’t wait for him to see it. I’m sure he’s mostly looking forward to the honeymoon.
Congratulations to Shaunae & Maicel on their marriage and beautiful wedding!
Vendors:
Photographer – Stanley Babb
Makeup Artist – Dominic Hepburn
I truly enjoyed the wedding, somewhat of a fairy tale, very elegant and tasteful
I truly enjoyed their engagement photos it seems as though I know the couple, because the photographer captured their love so wonderfully and it made me feel as i was there in person. congrats couple long life, love i Jesus name. from Detroit Mi