They Say Don’t Get Involved With Co-Workers, But Why?
One of the best parts about being an Orange County wedding photographer is hearing about all the unique stories of all these great people I come across. Their stories, especially the thought processes that go into their proposals, inspire me. Ariel and Jarrod’s story is no different as I recently shot their Yorba Linda engagement photos at Yorba Regional Park in Yorba Linda, located in Orange County.
Often you hear people say, “Don’t get involved with co-workers, it never works out.” Well, for these co-workers, everything seems to be working out just fine. They’re a cute couple and were very playful with one another. In fact, they even wore Star Wars shirts to their engagement session to show their love for Star Wars. It truly was a great day to shoot their shots as we had the perfect orange sun shining through the trees during the session.
Simply Beautiful. Enjoy their story.
Ariel and Jarrod’s Love Story
Ariel’s Perspective….
Q: What do you do for work and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: I work for Disney California Adventure doing Custodial. I enjoy talking to people, both the guests and the friends I’ve made the most.
Q: How did you first meet Jarrod? Describe to us your thoughts upon first meeting him…. was he goofy, weird, prince charming, etc.?
A: Jarrod was the first person I met outside of my training. I thought he was really nice and funny. I was super shy and he was really nice about showing me around the area.
Q: What is something that you find totally cute about Jarrod?
A: His laugh, when he finds something really funny he has this laugh that is just super adorable.
Q: What’s the proposal story? How did it all unfold and were you surprised?
A: Our proposal story is that we were on a road trip to visit my sister. The day was super stormy and cold. We were in Colorado and Jarrod had these two places he said he wanted to visit. The first place was too crowded so we didn’t stop. The second place was closed because of the storms, which made the roads unable to drive on. I couldn’t figure out why Jarrod was so upset we couldn’t go to these places. While driving through Colorado the storm got really bad and it was really cold, but we eventually made it to the Rocky Mountains. I was dressed like a true California girl in shorts and a t-shirt and didn’t want to get out of the car at the rest stop, but I reluctantly did.
Jarrod asked his brother to take a video and I was just like, “why do we need a video it’s just a picture.” I was so cold that I was just like, “let’s take the picture so I can get back in the warm car.” Right as his brother was taking the picture Jarrod asked me, “You know what would make this a better picture.” And like a little brat, I said, “A sweater.” Right at the same time, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I immediately yelled, “STOP IT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!….. YES!!” I was completely surprised. I knew we had talked about getting engaged and we had already picked out the ring, but I was just completely blindsided.
Q: As you plan your wedding, what has this experience been like and what would your advice to others be as they plan their wedding?
A: Planning our wedding has been a very stressful kind of fun…. if that makes any sense. I never realized how many small details and things went into a wedding, but it has been so much fun figuring out how to make our day something we will always remember. My advice is to have fun and don’t get stressed out. Your wedding is one day that you’ll think about forever and there’s no point in becoming a bridezilla or groomzilla, because that’s just ruined memories.
Q: If Jarrod were a Star Wars character, who would he be and why?
A: Chewbacca, because he’s furry with his beard.
Q: As you have planned your wedding, what’s something new you’ve learned about Jarrod?
A: He is way more laid back than I thought he was, but he has a very good design sense.
Jarrod’s Perspective….
Q: What do you do for work and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: I work custodial at Disney California Adventure and would have to say the friends I’ve made and the people.
Q: Describe Ariel in one word and why did you choose that word?
A: Sweet. Because she makes me smile when she sees animals and people she loves; she is very sweet and loving.
Q: Tell us about your first date. What did you do and were you nervous?
A: Our first date was seeing the movie Zombieland. She was the last person I knew who hadn’t seen it, so I picked her up and we went to see it. After the movie, I asked her if she wanted to go to dinner and we went to one of her favorite restaurants, P.F. Chang’s. I was nervous at first, but only until we got more comfortable around each other.
Q: Was Ariel surprised when you proposed and why did you choose to propose the way you did?
A: Yes, she was very surprised when I proposed. She was mad at me because I lied and told her that I hadn’t asked for her dad’s permission; her parents are very traditional. I chose to propose the way I did because I thought it would be a great place to propose to her in the middle of our road trip in Colorado. It took me three tries, but I found the perfect spot!
Q: Looking towards the future, what do you most look forward to doing with Ariel?
A: I look forward to doing more adventurous stuff with her. I want to take her out of her shell and get her more into nature/outdoor stuff, along with eventually starting a family together.
Q: What is something unique, quirky or special about Ariel that you’ve come to admire?
A: Her laugh. Especially when she finds something really funny she has this hiccup type laugh that makes me laugh even harder.
Q: How has wedding planning brought you two closer together?
A: Even though some of the planning has been stressful, we have gotten better at communicating and finding a way to make sure both of us are happy with our decisions and relying on each other.
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