Christa + Isaac: {Engaged}

They don’t say “California dreaming” for no reason! Christa and Isaac moved to California to pursue important dreams: for Christa, to live there and work with a dance company and for Isaac, to be close to family. They thought those dreams were important enough until they found the most romantic dream – each other. Now, Christa and Isaac will be living out their dreams right next to each other.

This beautiful e-session was photographed by Carissa Hoopes Photography.

The Bride: Christa Oliver
The Groom: Isaac Torres
Occupations: Isaac is a writer and a grant specialist. Christa is a professional concert dancer, a professor of dance at Texas State University, Huston-Tillotson University, and a Dance Instructor at Austin School for the Visual and Performing Arts and Zach Theatre. She is also the former dancer captain of the 2010 national broadway tour of “The Color Purple”.
The Wedding Date: 09.22.2012
The Location: The Winfield Inn, Kyle, Texas

The Meeting …. “Isaac and I met in Los Angeles, CA in June 2009. I was living and working in LA with a dance company and he had just moved back to LA from Oregon to be closer to his family. He was looking for a church home at the time. I was brought up in the church so I invited him to go to church with me. We clicked right away and became close friends.

In September of 2009 I invited him to go back to Ohio with me for my church’s annual conference and he accepted. We flew to Ohio and on September 21st, 2009 I drove my father’s Lincoln from Youngstown to Pittsburgh, so that we could catch our plane back to Los Angeles. My dad, Reverend Oliver, rode in the backseat, and the three of us had a pleasant conversation about Isaac’s first trip to Ohio, and his introduction as my friend to my family. There was a pause in the discussion and as Isaac says “I thought that it would be the perfect moment to ask Elder Oliver for his blessing that I may officially date Christa”. At first, my dad didn’t quite hear him, and Isaac mistakenly took his silence for a passive rebuke of his proposal. Then, I said, “Dad, he asked you for your blessing!” Thankfully, my dad realized what he had asked, and he blessed us as boyfriend and girlfriend. We prayed together.

In December of 2009 Isaac and I were able to go back to Youngstown for Christmas. Well, actually Isaac helped me drive my car cross-country from L.A. to Ohio, and then Ohio to New York. We got prayer from his former pastor (Bishop Noel Jones) before driving home (he thought we were crazy to drive across the country in the dead of winter, but it had to be done). I was moving to NY to start touring with “The Color Purple” and Isaac was getting ready to move to Texas to start his MFA program. We were both able to spend time at home with my family and I was able to introduce him properly as my significant other. The late Honorable Bishop Norman L.Wagner looked Isaac up and down from head to toe, stared at him with that piercing I can see your soul stare. Bishop complimented him on his suit and tie ensemble and told him “You’re alright son!” Lol. I could see Isaac breaking out into a little sweat. Before we left, Bishop shook Isaac’s hand and told him “Son, take care of my baby!” He prayed for God’s protection over me, gave me a hug, patted me on the face.”

The Proposal …. “It is now the summer of 2011, and our two-year anniversary was right around the corner. Isaac said that he would plan how we would celebrate. However, I made him promise me that we would both get dressed up for whatever he planned for us to do. Saturday September 24th, 2011 he picked me up and we started to drive towards San Antonio. It was like an adventure. He knows that I like to know what’s going on and what’s happening, but he wouldn’t tell me. I just had to go along for the ride. I remember my mom calling me in the car and Isaac asked “What did they want?” I asked him ‘Why? You never ask what my parents want. Why are you acting weird?” He said “I’m not acting weird.” I said “Yes you are and you’re being really quiet.” I just ignored it, and finally we pulled into a parking garage downtown San Antonio.

He helped me out of the car and we started to walk hand in hand towards the river where all of the restaurants are. We dined riverside at a lovely Mexican restaurant. We both love Mexican food! After dinner he began to talk to me about his travels to Mexico and how he heard this wonderful song called “Perdon” sung by two young men on a public bus. He began to tell me what the song meant, translating it from Spanish to English. “Si, tu sabes que te quiero con todo mi corazon – Yes, you know that I love you with all of my heart”. He told me how it was one of his favorite songs and he wanted to share it with me. The next thing I know I am being surrounded by a mariachi band. He asks them if they know “Perdon” They say, “Yes, of course!”

Then, these two men with heavenly voices began to sing the song. Another man came next to me with his horn, another with his guitar, another with his violin and I looked up and Isaac was singing the song along with them! He reached out and grabbed my hand and held it close to his heart. I looked around and other couples began to cuddle up. One guy even came over and asked them to come and serenade his wife next. Lol! Now, I was thinking to myself “This would be such a lovely way for him to propose. It’s beautiful weather, we are dressed up, the stars are out, the river is flowing right next to our dinner table, I am being serenaded by a mariachi band! Ahhh!!!”

After the band finished I was just over the moon and I thought the night was over, but then Isaac asked “Do you want to go on a carriage ride?” I was so excited I started to jump up like a little kid! He knows that I am a big romantic and so is he. He asked me which horse and carriage I wanted and I pointed toward the carriage shaped like the Cinderella carriage. It was beautiful, white and covered in lights. Isaac asked the gentleman lining up the carriages to take a picture of us getting into the carriage. I remember climbing in and trying to get comfortable and as I look up I see Isaac climbing in and being on the floor of the carriage and I said “Do you need some help?” He is 6’2” and the carriage is only so big…I thought he was having trouble getting in, but when I really looked, he was still on the floor of the carriage and I remember saying “ What are you doing?” I looked again and he was on one knee! I remember him talking and I just kept saying, “OH MY GOD!” The only thing I heard was “Will you marry me?” I was shocked and I thought I answered him until he said “You still haven’t answered yet.” I said “Yes, of course yes!” I called my parents only to find out that they knew all along. My dad was finally able to keep a secret!

Isaac told me that he had the ring all week and that he had called my parents to ask them for my hand in marriage, and earlier when they had called during the car ride he was worried that they might give it away. I truly praise God for all of the love, support and guidance of our mentors and families down through the years! I am so glad that I waited on God! His timing is impeccable and I can finally say that I have found my forever!”

The Theme for the Shoot …. “For our engagement shoot I wanted to do something elegant, sophisticated, vintage and artistic but with a southern outdoor flare. When I moved to the south I was so inspired by the quaint yet beautiful southern style. Being in the entertainment business I see a lot of glitz and glam and it has been a big part of my life, so for the styled engagement shoot I told the photographer to find us somewhere we could get the elegant, vintage, sophistacted look but with the quaint southern outdoor feel.”

Incorporating Culture …. “Our wedding is September 22, 2012 in my hometown (Youngstown,OH). We will be incorporating a mix of our cultures for our wedding. Our pastor (my uncle) will be marrying us in the church I grew up in(Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church). Isaac is mixed Latino and European and I am African American. For our ceremony we will have “the Lord’s Prayer” sung in spanish, and we are going to do a surprise dance at our reception. A friend of mine from Cuba who is a wonderful choreographer and former Latin competition dancer is choreographing the number for us. It will be a wonderful compilation of salsa, merengue’, and bachata. We will also have a mariachi band serenade our guest during dinner to represent his culture and to sing the song that he had sung to me on the night he proposed.”

{You Make Loving You So Easy}

“He has often told me that what he loves most about me is my spirit. He admires my takeon life and dreams and how I do all that is in my heart to do. He loves my commitment to being an honest and pure person and the fact that I am dedicated to my family.”

“I love that he loves me for me. In the entertainment business I am constantly being torn apart or critiqued, but Isaac loves me regardless of all of my short comings and imperfections. What I love most about him is that I can fully trust him with my heart. I feel safe and secure with him. He is very sweet, kind and loving and he makes me feel like a queen.”

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