Stefani and Darnell met with me in historic old town Leesburg for this incredible session together. I had already met them previously at the Morais Vineyards Bridal Open House after chatting with them via the internet. However, I also met Stefani last year at Allison and Connor’s wedding, in which she was a bridesmaid! So I am so excited about their wedding next March at one of my favorite venues.
Their love and proposal story from Stefani’s perspective:
“Darnell and I never knew it but we grew up a couple streets away from each other in Stafford, Virginia. We went to the same middle and high school but never knew each other (Darnell says he remembers me from high school). We are two grades apart. After college, my best friends little sister (Darnell’s best friend Sam) had told me Darnell wanted to take me out, and I said to her “Okay…as long as he knows we’re just friends.” We ended up going out to eat, and the connection was instant. I wasn’t sold on dating someone younger than me, so it took me some time. But once I got out of my own way, the rest was history. Darnell is my best friend and my rock. It’s been five years and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him!
As for our proposal story, Darnell had asked me to go to brunch about a week before proposing. I was a little skeptical because it was NFL Sunday and the commanders were playing, but I convinced myself I was thinking too much into it. As the week when on, he played it completely cool and I started to wonder if it was happening because both of our siblings were in town; but again Darnell was playing it so calm I figured it couldn’t be! On the day of, we got ready to walk to brunch and I was so nervous; but I didn’t see any family members outside, so I figured it wasn’t happening. Darnell then asked me to sit down and I believe I said “omg I’m gonna throw up.” I couldn’t tell you what he said, but I looked up and saw one of his player’s moms taking our photos and I immediately knew. I was so excited. He then told me our families were back in Stafford waiting to celebrate with us. It was the perfect moment and exactly what I wanted…an intimate moment with just us and then a celebration with our closest loved ones after.
Their love and proposal story from Darnell’s perspective:
Stef and I met the summer after I graduated college in 2018. I saw her around a lot, as we both would hang out at a mutual friends house almost every day. Her best friend was the sister of my best friend. I’ve always known who Stefanie Ramos was. We went to the same middle school and high school together, and I’ve had a crush on her since the 9th grade. She was on the dance team, and I played football. Unfortunately, she didn’t know who I was. At a 4th of July party in 2018, I drunkenly asked her out for the first time. I asked if she wanted to get Chipotle one day and she told me no…lol. I talked to both my best friend and her sister (Stef’s best friend) and asked what were the chances she’d take me seriously. They did some convincing for me and I was able to get her number about two months later. We went on a date to TGI Fridays. Halfway through the date I remember thinking, “she hasn’t stopped talking, I think she likes me”…and the rest was history.
As for the proposal, I got the ring in October and was going to wait until December to propose. Once I picked up the ring my heart rate and anxiety went through the roof and I thought “there’s no way I can sit on this.” What was supposed to be a December 6th proposal, turned into a October 16th proposal. Stef knows there are two things I hate: planning and doing anything on a Sunday during football season. I mentioned going to brunch on Sunday and didn’t say much about it after. Once Sunday came, I told her to get dressed and right before we walked in, I pulled her aside and proposed.
I have never met anyone as special, genuine or loving as Stef. She has a calming presence and truly completes me. I could not imagine a world without her and cannot wait to go through life with her! She has helped me grow as a man, and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for our marriage.
Keep scrolling for more highlights from their sun kissed downtown Leesburg engagement session.
Michelle with Lieb Photographic is a Northern Virginia Wedding Photographer, a Charlottesville Wedding Photographer and photographs destinations worldwide. To see more weddings and engagement sessions in the Loudon and Leesburg area, view the Leesburg Wedding Venues page. If you’d like to explore some more of my favorite wedding venues in the Virginia and Washington D.C. areas, view the Wedding Venues page.