One of my favorite things to do as a Dallas wedding photographer is to spend some time getting to know my couples in person before their wedding day! And one of the most fun ways is with an engagement session. To learn their story and witness their love firsthand is both a privilege and a pleasure! Before Ashley and Andre’s upcoming wedding at the stunning Knotting Hill Place, I got to meet up with them for their Richardson, TX, engagement session at one of my favorite engagement photo locations in DFW, Prairie Creek Park. And let me tell you, their story is both romantic and fun!

Richardson TX Engagement Session

There are so many stunning engagement photo locations around the DFW area featuring lush backdrops and beautiful water features. But Prairie Creek Park is at the top of my favorites list! Just 25 minutes north of Dallas, this spot is tucked away in a neighborhood in Richardson.

There is something for everybody at Prairie Creek Park. With open fields, lush woods, winding walkways, a creek, cute bridges, a stone waterfall and so much more! In addition, the park is well maintained making it not only accessible but also a location that you’ll want to actually visit.

Check out more on Prairie Creek Park Engagement Photos.

How They Met

Now, let’s talk about this gorgeous couple! Ashley and Andre met back in the spring of 2021 on a dating app. And after about a month of chatting they had their first date at the Thirsty Lion in Las Colinas.

Here are a few of Ashley’s memories from the date:

“He REFUSES to believe that he didn’t actually plan the date, but really, he didn’t. He asked me out but then was like “so where do you want to go?” which I DESPISE, lol, but went along with for whatever reason. We drove to the Music Factory area in Las Colinas and decided on Thirsty Lion. I remember just staring at him really intently when we were seated. He was wearing his cute little glasses, a red/white/black vertically striped shirt and smelled REALLY good.

It was our first time physically being around each other and I didn’t feel uncomfortable but I did feel this like “weird” feeling in my stomach… yea, he made me feel “weird”… but wasn’t doing anything wrong… later I came to realize it was butterflies… the man gave me butterflies and I didn’t like to admit that HAHA. He went to the bathroom and I contemplated running (hahahahaha shhh) but obviously didn’t. We talked the entire time, laughed the entire time (I made him laugh because I’m funny but seeing him smile and laugh made me laugh because he was just so darn cute) and had a lot of fun just being around each other.”

Dating

They have basically been inseparable since that first date! But when asked about their favorite date since then, they each agreed it was their first trip to Chicago!

Ashley said:

“Our first Valentine’s Day together as a couple. He surprised me with a trip back to Chicago just to go to dinner at my all-time favorite restaurant, RPM Steak. And he planned the entire thing which was impressive because he’s not a planner…at all. He booked us a room at one of my favorite hotels in Chicago, bought us tickets to “The Office” Experience (my favorite show ever), and made sure that we had time to drive to the suburbs to see and spend time with my mom/family and then spent the rest of the night in Chicago. I thought this was just so sweet and attentive of him. All of my favorite things incorporated into a single-day trip. His memory of what’s important to me. The time we got to spend with just the two of us, how much fun we had together…he did good.”

Andre said:

“It was my favorite because I got to see her sweet and fun side. It also let me know that we can travel together, which is very important in a relationship!”

How Did You Know They Were The One?

One of my favorite questions to ask my couples is how and when did you know? Every couple has such a different story when it comes to knowing their partner was the one. Some couples knew at the same time. While others come to that realization at different times in their relationship – and for different reasons. Here was Ashley and Andre’s experience…

From Andre:

“The first date! I kept looking at her from across the table and was amazed by how beautiful she was. She made me laugh, I made her laugh. Us not officially meeting after talking to each other for a month really made us both comfortable on the first date and it let me see how funny and smart she was. I will always remember her on the way home rapping a song that I never would’ve thought she would know. I was wrong lol!”

From Ashley:

“We met/matched on Hinge after I had been in a near-death car accident and totaled my car. So when we started dating, I was still in the middle of handling everything with the car accident as well as looking for a new car. Long story short, it got to a point where I wasn’t going to have access to the car that I was temporarily driving at the time anymore. And Dre offered to give me his 2nd car until I was able to get everything situated with myself.

Even when it got to the point where he ended up having to sell his 2nd car. He made sure that he rearranged his entire schedule with himself and his son for the summer so that he could be there to support me and my daughter, get us where we needed to go, let me use his car (or we’d go together) to get my daughter to and from summer camp, literally just stepped up in every way possible when I had no help (being new to Texas and living here with just my daughter) all without me even having to ask.

NO ONE (outside of my immediate family) has ever shown up for me in such a way. And I’ve always been too prideful to ever even ask anyone for help. I only knew him for a couple of short months and there he was rearranging his life to accommodate and be there for me. I’ve never fully trusted someone so quickly and so easily EVER before. And I finally felt like I could TRULY let my guard down and trust someone else with my life AND my daughter’s. It was just unbelievable. LITERAL INSANITY TO ME, but that’s when I first thought to myself “I think God sent me my husband”.”

Cue all the tears… am I right? These two are something else.

The Proposal

Their proposal story begins in April of 2022…

“He proposed at the reunion tower (no Sears tower, but it’ll suffice lol). About a week earlier he sent me a text message with a date night itinerary and so I thought it was just going to be one of our usual date nights. I typically still get my hair, nails, etc done for our date nights. So this wasn’t out of the norm for me to do; except this day, none of the above was going as planned. My nails came out average, I made my hair appt for the wrong day so I couldn’t even get my hair done (ended up having to do it myself which ultimately ended up being disastrous because of the humidity). I HATED the dress that I ended up having to wear. On top of having a horrible work day and calling off halfway through the day.

It started off as a terrible day for me to say the least. All the way to the point where I practically begged him to cancel whatever plans we had. My mom convinced me somehow to still get up and go (my family had come to town to visit which wasn’t out of the norm either because they come randomly quite often since we’ve moved to TX). When we got reunion tower I discovered he had ordered an elaborate package with Champagne and a private tour. Which helped me perk up because I love to feel exclusive lol…

When we got upstairs I had noticed out of the corner of my eye that there was some kind of decoration on the wall across the room that said “love is in the air”. And I remember turning to him and jokingly saying “mmm, must be nice” and we laughed before we walked outside. Once we got back inside I realized low and behold that the decor was actually for me/us. And there was a table with Champagne and all of our favorite travel photos on it, candles and roses in a shape of a heart. And my entire family (and his sister) standing in the corner recording us and then I KNEWWW!!!!

We stood in the middle of the heart (after I pretty much stepped over everything and ruined it because I was so flustered lol) and he got down on one knee. We spent time upstairs with our families, then went to dinner at RH Rooftop. Which I had been dying to try.

Lastly, he surprised me by getting us a hotel room so we could spend the night alone (since my family was staying at our house). And it turns out he had his sister decorate the room with flowers, champagne, rose petals and balloons. We got to just spend the night alone where all of my nerves finally went away. And I was able to let out my tears of joy cus ISSA FIANCEEEE’! lol I was so happy. I feel like I always say he’s not good at planning things. But once again, he did such a good job planning all of this especially without me knowing.”

Dallas Engagement Photo Locations At Prairie Creek Park

I have so thoroughly loved getting to know Ashley and Andre. In just the first few minutes of being around them, I could tell that they are truly the best of friends and balanced each other out perfectly.

I couldn’t be more excited for these two nor more honored to get to be part of their big day!

If you enjoyed Ashley + Andre’s session you might also enjoy this engagement session!

Ready to book your own Dallas engagement session? Reach out and let’s connect!