Heather and Terence celebrated their love with a classy black and white-themed engagement session at Brand Park in Glendale, California.
After meeting by chance at Sharky’s, a Mexican restaurant, the couple shared their first date at a wedding. (Yes, you read that right – a wedding!). Sharing mutual friends, Terence asked Heather to attend with him. Of course, she said yes, and even bought a new dress.
Heather recalls, “It was so special because we took our first photos together, had our ‘first dance’, and shared our first meal, all because of this wedding!”
Their friend’s wedding will always hold a special place in their hearts. However, their favorite part was the car ride, where they had ample uninterrupted time to learn more about each other.
In case you’re wondering, I did not catch the bouquet, but another couple at our table said we’d be married by the next year. And they were right!
– Heather
The couple will tie the knot this year on September 1st, 2024, in Palm Springs, California. They can’t wait to say “I do” and officially become husband and wife!
Keep scrolling for more on their love story and photos from their elegant black-and-white engagement session.
- Couple: Heather Harvin & Terence Dickson
- Occupations: Nonprofit & Property Management
- Wedding date: September 1, 2024
- Wedding location: Palm Springs, CA
- Location of Engagement shoot: Brand Park (Glendale, CA)
How did you meet?
We met at Sharky’s, a Mexican restaurant. It was absolutely a chance encounter and one of
those moments that seemed to be guided by God himself. The first time I laid eyes on Heather, something whispered, urging me to introduce myself. And so I did. What I intended to be a brief exchange turned into something far more profound, and time seemed to stand still as we effortlessly flowed from one topic to the next, losing ourselves in each other’s company. Before we knew it, an hour had passed, and it felt like mere minutes. I was intrigued and I had to get her number…
Tell us your proposal story:
Heather’s mother invited me to their home (in Maryland) for the Christmas holiday. I had already purchased a ring (waiting for the right time to propose) and I instantly knew this would be the perfect time! Heather’s favorite holiday is Christmas and I know how close she is with her parents. So, I flew almost 3,000 miles and proposed on Christmas evening.
I was a bit nervous because Heather’s entire family came over, but luckily Heather had no clue. In fact, her brother took me outside for a pep talk, and right after, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. I remember seeing her tears of shock, but most importantly I remember seeing her smile of love. I must mention, Heather was also wearing my favorite color (green) that evening. That made things even more special for me.
When did you know you found “the one”?
Terence: After initially meeting Heather, she was a bit elusive, and I was left with a sense of confusion and interest. I kept contemplating giving up or trying one more time. God totally intervened, with the help of a mutual friend, learning that Heather was scared of putting herself out there. Eventually, Heather reached out to me, and at that moment, everything became clear: SHE WAS GOING TO BE MY WIFE!
Heather: I guess I should give LYFT a big thank you because they play a major part in our story. A few weeks after Terence and I had met, I was traveling for work and I left my keys in my LYFT. It hadn’t occurred to me that my keys were missing until I was boarding my flight, and by that time my LYFT driver was across town. I sent Terence a message, asking for his prayers, because I was panicking. He sent me a message right back asking for my LYFT driver’s number, saying he would figure something out. I kid you not, as soon as I landed at my destination, Terence sent me a photo of him holding my keys! I knew then, he was the one! The fact that he dropped whatever he was doing to track down my keys, said it all. He was my person!
Describe your engagement session. Did you have a theme?
I am a Pinterest queen and I’m always creating boards for inspiration. Terence and I had agreed we both wanted a more classy and elegant theme for our engagement photos. We came across a photo in black and white, and then Terence suggested we wear black and white for our engagement shoot. We went to our photographer (Trinity Williams) with our vision and she suggested the perfect location.
I assumed our session would be maybe an hour tops since we were only doing one look, but it lasted two hours. We had so much fun! We danced, we sang, we laughed… We honestly forgot Trinity was there, capturing everything, because it felt like we were on this magical date, simply enjoying each other’s company. Everything was organic and smooth. Not to mention, the scenery was beautiful!
What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple?
Terence loves tacos. Every Tuesday, we (with his daughter) walk their dog around the
neighborhood and grab food from the Taco Truck. It gives us uninterrupted time to check in as a family and to pray together. It’s our special family time!
How has wedding planning been so far?
Wedding planning has been an adventure, indeed. I’ve had my ups and downs, from being excited to being stressed. I have cried a few times, haha. And every time I think I can take a moment to breathe, there’s always another detail lingering for my attention. But I’m truly grateful for Terence. He’s been very supportive and very involved.
I don’t feel alone in planning our wedding, which puts the biggest smile on my face. This is something we get to experience together and I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else. If anything, planning a wedding is turning us into the best team, forcing us to communicate well with each other. I love that!
Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day.
Terence: I am most looking forward to saying, “I do!” Those two words begin the life I’ve always envisioned with Heather. It’s the moment our love turns into an eternity. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with Heather and I can’t wait to do life together!
Heather: I’m most excited about exchanging vows. For me, that is the moment where we’re able to set intentions and speak promise into our marriage. I want to pledge my love and my commitment to Terence because I know God chose him, for me, forever! Terence is my one and only true love. Our vows make our unity and our connection real!
Looking for more classy black and white-themed engagement sessions?
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Vendors:
- Photographer: Trinity Williams, 3-N-1 Visuals
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