I have so enjoyed getting to know Jiwon and Ricky thus far. Our first zoom meeting was much fun and I can see why these two are such a good match. I’m so thankful God brought us into each other’s lives and I can’t wait to serve them on their wedding day. And when they picked Waterperry for their engagement, I was pretty excited because this is one of my all time favorite locations! It did not disappoint. Ricky and Jiwon loved it too….and boy does it show!

So without further ado, here is their sweet love story, followed by highlights from their engagement session:

From Jiwon’s perspective:

“Meeting and dating Ricky was an unexpected journey. When we first crossed paths in pharmacy school, my initial impression of him wasn’t the best. Admittedly, I was probably too quick to judge. When we actually started talking, I wasn’t looking for a relationship, nor was I ready to trust again. Ricky was also so different from the type of guy I thought I was looking for. But from our first date, his honesty, openness, and straightforwardness intrigued me, and I wanted to learn more. With Ricky, I felt like I didn’t have to play any games or guess what he was thinking or hiding. We spoke candidly about our beliefs, values, and intentions. At that point, they didn’t always align, and we both knew that pursuing a relationship could be risky because of our differences. But looking back, I’m so grateful we took the leap.

Through it all, I’ve seen how God has worked in both our lives, drawing us closer to Him and to each other. Dating while living on opposite coasts in different time zones for three years, coupled with family disapproval, wasn’t easy. But it taught us to trust each other, communicate more intentionally, and fight for our relationship. Ricky and I have very different strengths and weaknesses. While our differences can be difficult to reconcile at times, I think those very differences are what make us stronger as a team. He constantly reminds me that life doesn’t have to be so serious—that the most joy can often be found in the smallest, silliest moments. His genuine heart, always seeking to help and uplift others, challenges me to look outward and live out the grace and love I’ve received.”

From Ricky’s perspective:

“Jiwon and I met during my fourth and final year of pharmacy school and her second year of pharmacy school. My rotations were located in the UNC Hospital site where I was around the area, but would have very little contact with younger pharmacy school students. In November of 2017, I happened to set up a rotation off site at a local Durham health center with a mentor of mine. This led to me having to drive back to the UNC hospital site for presentations and taking the bus onto campus.

As I was waiting for my intended bus, a different bus that would take me behind the pharmacy school rather than in front of the pharmacy school appeared in front of me. This bus was not on my phone app, so I was surprised that it showed up. Hoping to save a few minutes to my commute, I took the bus and ended up behind the pharmacy school. As I was walking through the second floor of the school, I noticed some friends in my pharmacy fraternity and stopped to talk to them. Jiwon happened to be in their class project group and I immediately took interest in her. I ended up asking her out to coffee later on that evening and the rest is history.

After our initial first few years living in the same area while Jiwon was finishing up pharmacy school, she ended up accepting a position at a pharmaceutical company across the country in Washington. We started long distance dating and kept strong over the next 3 years until Jiwon eventually moved back to the east coast after accepting a position at a different company.

For the proposal, Jiwon let me know that she wanted lights and candles. I coordinated with one of her best friends, Yea Jee, to transform the entrance way of their house into a runway of fairy string lights and candles of various sizes. As Jiwon was being distracted by her best friend, I was quickly setting up over the next two hours with Tim (best friend’s husband). Among the small effects of the proposal was a table of Jiwon’s favorite snacks and beverages accompanied by background music from one of her favorite films (Howl’s Moving Castle). It was then that I popped the question and she said ‘Yes!'”

Be sure to check out the Charlottesville Wedding Venues page and the Virginia Winery Weddings page for more locations for lovely Virginia weddings and engagement sessions. And if you want to see some stunning bridal portraits at some of these places, be sure to check out the Bridal Portraits page as well.