Featured in MunaLuchi Bride, Issue No. 26, Brittany & Charlie didn’t let low temperatures or windy weather from shooting their engagement photos! A stunning black-tie desert engagement session followed with photos by the fabulous Reem Photography.
Brittany and Charlie describe their first meeting as “the beginning of a Hollywood Love story” as they were introduced to each other at the release of a Beverly Hills club while awaiting their valets. One year later, they reconnected at a mutual friend’s birthday dinner where they just so happened to sit directly across from one another. Making eyes with one another over dinner, Charlie eventually shot his shot. And so began their love story!
Following an intimate surprise proposal at their shared home together, they set out to show off their love in an epic black-tie- inspired engagement shoot. Set against the golden rocky backdrop of Joshua Tree, California, they are truly glowing! We can’t wait to see their wedding photos!
More sweet details on their love story and black-tie desert engagement below.
- Couple: Brittany Thompson & Charlie Jim-George
- Occupations: Brittany – Head of HR and Charlie – Senior Marketer
- Wedding date: January 27, 2023
- Wedding location: The Majestic Downtown
- Location of Engagement shoot: Joshua Tree, CA
How they met…
Our initial encounter could be described as the epitome of a Hollywood Love Story. We first met during the let-out of a Beverly Hills club. I was leaving with my best friend, who is my maid of honor, and Charlie was doing the same with some of his friends. While we were both waiting for our cars at the valet, Charlie and my best friend recognized each other. They attended the same college and hadn’t seen each other since they graduated 5+ years prior.
Naturally, they caught up and Charlie and I were introduced to one another in the process, but that was it. Fast forward to a year later, we ended up at a mutual friend’s (at the time) birthday dinner. Funny enough, we sat directly across from each other so Charlie swears that I was staring at him from across the table in awe as he cracked his jokes which prompted him to shoot his shot. The rest is history.
Their first date…
We met up to catch a movie and dinner for our first date. This was our first time really getting to talk to each other and getting to know each other outside of social media, so we spent hours together talking and laughing. He’s actually pretty funny.
The proposal…
March 2020 was a crazy time for us. Not only were we living through a pandemic like the rest of the world, but we also had this crazy idea to purchase a home in the middle of a national lockdown. Knowing that this would be a new chapter for us and the home would take close to a year to be built, Charlie decided to plan the proposal around our close of escrow date.
On March 20, 2021, almost a year to the exact day we first inquired about our home, Charlie pulled off the surprise proposal in front of an intimate group of our family and friends, inside of our new home, on the day we received our keys. Charlie got on one knee, I said “Of course I will!” and we became engaged and first-time homeowners all at the same time!
When Brittany knew she found “the one”…
Charlie was the first person I ever dated and just let things flow. There wasn’t any pressure to make our relationship fit into any box. This allowed it to evolve in such a beautiful way. There was a point where I thought back to all we had experienced and grown through and I felt peace. Being with him felt like home, which always sounds so cheesy but it was a feeling I couldn’t explain… it just felt peaceful. Between that and how easy it was to move through life with him, that was all the confirmation I needed.
When Charlie knew Brittany was “the one”…
After experiencing what didn’t work out and what I didn’t like in past relationships, I had a better understanding of what I was looking for. The best part of it all, I wasn’t currently searching for a companion. So even though we met unexpectedly and naturally progressed without any expectations, everything was just so easy, fun, and refreshing. We complemented each other in every way and we both inspired each other to be better in our personal lives. That translated perfectly to us wanting to better our relationship.
The engagement session…
We knew that we wanted our wedding to be an all-black, black-tie affair, so we used that as a starting point for our engagement session. When it came to location, we wanted to shoot somewhere that was beautiful but would really allow us to stand out. We wanted a desert, but with character. Joshua Tree gave us all we were looking for.
The day of the shoot was a different story. After our two-hour drive to reach our destination, we were welcomed with 30mph winds and a temperature in the low 40s. We contemplated rescheduling, but thankfully our photographer gave us the reassurance we needed to keep the party going. He worked his magic and shot something really special.
Favorite thing to do as a couple…
We do a lot together so it’s hard to pick favorites, but if we had to pick it would be shopping and working out together.
Wedding planning so far…
It’s been great, honestly. Because we got engaged and bought a house at the same time, we decided to hold off on planning for a couple of months to give each moment its own time. We found our wedding planner, Elana Walker, in our early stages. She’s really helped us stay ahead on our planning. We’re planners ourselves in all areas of our lives and knew a lot of what we wanted. So we’ve enjoyed being hands-on with the planning but also having her in our corner has made it much more enjoyable than stressful, thankfully.
What they’re looking forward to most on their wedding day…
So many things. I think we both are ready to see our planning come to life and just enjoy this special day. We can’t wait to share that day with our family and friends. Our reception is going to be a PARTY so we are anxious to just get there, even though we are enjoying the process leading up to it.
We both are looking forward to exchanging vows and rings. Outside of that, I’m looking forward to my walk down the aisle. I know it’s going to be such a special moment that will be a forever memory, but I also have a goal of making him cry. I chose a song that I’m not sharing with him because I want him to be surprised and overcome with all the emotions – I can’t wait!
Looking for more inspiration like this black-tie desert engagement?
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Vendors:
- Photographer: Reem Photography
- Makeup: Natalie Aguirre
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