Casual Tuscan engagement session in Virginia is a romantic walk down memory lane with multiple meaningful outfits and lots of love.
After dating for 9 years, Jordan and Aleena tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on May 1st, 2021. To celebrate their 1 year anniversary, we’re sharing their adorable engagement photos! Captured by our very own Muna Coterie member, Terri Baskin Photography, the couple showcase their love in a romantic walkabout in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.
Connected through their shared passion for Dentistry, they paid tribute to their shared alma mater, the University of Maryland (which is where they first met!) wearing their Greek apparel for their casual looks. Other outfits of the shoot included a stunning emerald formal gown, a white coat look honoring their doctoral backgrounds, and a semi-bridal look featuring a white dress and a suit. As their wedding was Tuscan themed, the photos taken before the old cobblestone especially tied everything together for them.
Ultimately, their personalities and love for one another truly shine and we wish them many more years of happiness! More sweet details from their casual Tuscan engagement session below.
- Couple: Alenna Monet & Jordan Jackson
- Occupations: They are both Dentists and Jordan is a Dentist in the US Navy
Quick Facts:
- Wedding date: May 1, 2021
- Wedding Location: Monte Ventoso in Madison, VA
- Location of Engagement shoot: Old Town Alexandria Virginia
- Date of shoot: Jan 16, 2021
- Couple Hashtag: #TERPlove
How they met…
Jordan and Alenna met freshman year of college. He lived on the same floor as her best friend in Easton Hall. Alenna would see him all the time and just wave, and he would say hello back.
Junior year, Jordan and Alenna had organic chemistry together, and she asked him to be her study partner. He agreed, probably because she cooked a meal for him. They met up all the time to study and never really got any work done because they talked and talked for hours. Alenna always likes to tell people that she and Jordan had chemistry together 4 times because they actually did, but it sounds cute.
On February 29th, 2012 he asked her to be his girlfriend, and that was all she wrote. The couple has been kickin’ it ever since. They helped each other through undergrad, their master’s program, and dental school. Going through 10 years of schooling together was trying to say the least, but they are excited to jump into real-life post-school and residency. They can’t wait to lift each other up through it all.
Their first date…
We went for a walk around a lake in a park near our college and talked for hours.
Their proposal story…
On Sunday September 6, 2020, in a year full of COVID chaos and craziness, Jordan found a quiet corner in their world to ask Alenna to be his wife, partner, and companion.
It was 9 am after a perfect breakfast at a quaint coffee shop down the street from her apartment, following a brisk morning walk around the river, when they stopped at a beautiful rose garden to take some pictures. All along Jordan had a plan, a thoughtful plan. He gently grabbed her hands, and he began to utter words that were incomprehensible to her as she blacked out after, I love you.
Alenna was beyond surprised when he knelt down on bended knee. Some assumed she was waiting or anticipating this moment, but Alenna was completely in shock. Alenna didn’t fully believe it until the ring was on her finger, and it all sank in as it glistened in the sunlight on that beautiful morning.
Engagement session & theme…
The main inspiration behind our looks was just to incorporate things about ourselves within the shoot to make it unique to us. The photographs are the most important part of this entire experience for me, from the engagement shoot down to the actual wedding photos.
Luckily, Terri is a wonderful photographer and really knows how to capture the moment. She helps you with poses and knows exactly how to catch the light. Photos are worth a 1000 words, and I really wanted them to encompass us and our relationship to look back on forever. We went for an elegant gown dressed up look, a white coat look for the culture because representation matters, our Greek apparel look for our casual wear, and a semi-bridal look featuring a white dress and a suit.
We were only supposed to have two looks, but we were having so much fun during our shoot that Terri let us shoot all the looks, partly because we couldn’t go to our original DC sites, due to shooting the weekend of the presidential inauguration. The whole city was shut down! But we made it work in Old Town Alexandria in 42 degree weather. Virginia actually ended up being a way better option anyway because our wedding theme is Tuscan, and I feel like our cobble stone shots fit that vibe perfectly.
Favorite thing to do as a couple…
Eat dinner together. Watch movies. Drive around really nice neighborhoods and look at pretty houses and get ideas.
Wedding planning so far…
We had a wonderful wedding planner who made wedding planning effortless. BAstonished Events is the best planning/ design company around.
What they looked forward to most on their wedding day…
I looked forward to a perfect day because it was so well planned and that is exactly what I got. To have a perfect day with not even one hiccup was absolutely amazing.
Looking for more casual Tuscan engagement session inspiration?
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Vendors:
- Planning + Design: B Astonished Events
- Photography: Terri Baskin
- Videography + Live stream: Blair Williams
- Florals: Pretty Petals Florals
- MUA: Makeup By Toshia
- Hair: Tress Art Hair
- Catering: Get Plated Catering
- Rentals: Select Event Group
- Stationery: By Dami Studio NYC
- Grooms Cake: Sugar On Top Cakes
- DJ: Cuffie SZN
- Photobooth: Get Captured Photos
- Venue: Monte Ventoso
Wow, these are gorgeous!