Inspiration

Monika, Karl and their wedding photographer Carla Thomas laughed all day at their engagement shoot at their wedding venue, Micklefield Hall. Having only spoken twice before the session, the couple were nervous about what to expect from their photographs. But, even when being photo bombed by a chicken, Carla allowed them to be themselves and just have fun. Every capture is full of joy, and they both look incredible wearing their official Indian engagement outfits.

How We Met

We met each other through networking. Karl flirted with me and tried to ask me out but I didn't realise he fancied me so continued life as normal. Until he messaged me again a couple of weeks later asking how I was and we started talking over text for hours each day until we fell asleep, then started talking on the phone and again kept talking until I normally fell asleep at 3:30am.

Monika & Karl

Engagement Shoot

Carla Thoms Photography first met Karl and Monika at a wedding show last year and they hit it off straight away. With an April 2020 wedding booked, they decided to do an engagement shoot at their wedding venue, Micklefield Hall in Septemeber 2019. They wore the outfits they wore for their official Indian engagement and laughed all day. Carla made them feel completely at ease and captured their carefree spirit perfectly.

Proposal

It had just been snowing and Karl made me come back home for a special dinner to celebrate being in our new home for 6months. When I had arrived home, Karl made me enter through the side entrance, which I thought was strange as we never use that door but when I opened the door I was led to the garden by a candle lit pathway under a canopy of fairy lights. It was so magical! As I walked down the candle lit pathway there were roses laid on the ground and I heard Jagged Edge's song 'let's get married', my heart stopped and I froze! I looked up to see Karl standing in the middle of the garden and telling me to walk over to him because I was in so much shock and froze still. I somehow managed to walk over to him with my heels getting stuck in the grass and then Karl told me how much he loved me and would always be there for me and then went down on one knee! I remember panicking and asking him whether he had asked my parents first which he already had! So instantly, I obviously said yes! But there's another layer to this wonderful night, after being amazed by the new rock on my finger... That is fancy yellow by the way, I was led into our conservatory, which Karl had decorated with red rose petals on the floor, candle lit dinner, and a chandelier of balloons which had monumental pictures from our relationship hanging off. It was incredibly decorated and there was just so much attention to detail, with a fairy light back drop, hard rock café cocktail glasses from our first ever Valentine's lunch--Karl even made the exact same dinner we had from the Hard Rock Café. After dinner we went into the living room and Karl had created another layer to his magical night there were candles all across the floor under the tv and Karl had created a video montage of our best bits of our relationship so far! It truly was the best night of my life. It was so special and truly magical!

Monika & Karl

Engagement Session

The engagement shoot helped allow us to experience a snippet of what our wedding day will be like. It confirmed what poses work well for us and not so well. We loved the candid photos and really feel they look natural. We also thought that you captured our personalities well, we liked that you took pictures of our silly poses too! When you helped put us into 'couply' positions, they also looked candid too! Loved the photos through bushes- you captured a the feeling that we were in our own little world! We would like more symmetry in the photos (when we are at the stairs or temple by the pond, we are the centre of the picture) and some close-up snaps that show off the detail of the embroidery/ stitching and jewellery.

Monika & Karl

Monika and Karl were due to get married in April 2020 but like many couples, due to COVID-19, have had to postpone their wedding until next April 2021. Booking your photographer for a socially distanced engagement shoot is a great way to honour your original wedding date. Read our article for lots more reasons why you'll want to remember this joyous moment in your relationship.

Lorna Shaw

Written by Lorna Shaw

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