Amanda and Ben’s Longwood Gardens summer engagement session was perfect from beginning to end. We spent so much time explore the conservatory and just enjoyed our time together surrounded by all the beautiful plant life. Then we headed outdoors for some final photos with their chocolate lab puppy. We shot until the sun was gone and got some dreamy artistic blue hour photos to end their session with.

Check it all out below and hear more about their love story:

How They Met:

“Ben was 18 and I was 16—we met in our hometown of Lebanon, Pennsylvania at the very end of 2012.

It was the morning of Christmas Eve in our local prison—yes, I said, prison—and we found ourselves both serving a meal with our church for the holiday. Though we had always gone to the same church, we didn’t know it until we were placed in the same group at this event (or maybe I placed myself in Ben’s group ;). Either way, we got chatting and he found me on Facebook soon thereafter, which is when we discovered we were both going on the same mission trip with our church to Tosagua, Ecuador that following weekend.

Ben ended up switching seats to sit next to me on the seven plus hour plane ride and you could say that gave us plenty of time to work through each other’s life history. From there, we talked as much as possible throughout the trip and he asked me to go on our first official date the weekend after we got home.

We ended up doing long distance for five years throughout the end of my high school years and both of our college years…and here we are today, a total of seven plus years later, excited to be officially tying the knot.”

What Defines your relationship:

“God has always played a major role in how we came together and how we’ve grown throughout the years. Growing up in the same area with strong family ties has led us to share the same moral compass and core beliefs, which have strengthened our relationship tremendously.

We are each other’s person and amidst all the craziness of COVID, we simply feel blessed to have the opportunity to spend the rest of our lives together.”

What does your perfect date night look like:

“We love trying new things — be it a new hiking trail, dance lessons, rock climbing, getting away for a weekend or simply trying a new cooking adventure in our apartment.

Therefore, the best date night would be one can share a new experience together — and hopefully be able to bring our pup along too!”