This Couple Threw Proposal Norms Out The Window (and We Love Their Idea!)

Simultaneous planned proposals, an engagement vacation, and incredible engagement photos?! Mark and Jeremy’s engagement session is about to inspire you!

Their story began after meeting at the grocery store where Mark worked. He was actually called in to cover a shift that day when Jeremy walked in. The two hit it off instantly and were on their first date a week later.

From there, they became inseparable; recognizing that they were truly each other’s forever.

“I can’t pinpoint a single event, I just always knew,” says Mark. “Every gift, every gesture, every day. He just always has been the one since we met. The one who was always there, the one who always supported me, and the one who I’m going to marry.”

“Several years ago, I suffered a major depressive episode,” recalls Jeremy. “Mark was there every moment to hold me and support me throughout a very difficult time. His devotion to me made me trust that if he was there through that crisis, he would be there no matter what.”

Knowing how much they meant to one another, Jeremy and Mark both wanted to propose. So instead of planning on how to surprise one another, they forwent the norm and did something unique.

“We decided to completely eliminate the surprise and spontaneity that some norms insist should exist in a proposal, and instead we planned an ‘engagement vacation' to Asheville, North Carolina, one of the places we had wanted to explore.”

On the exact date of their six year anniversary they made it happen. “Though it was not spontaneous, we woke up, had our normal breakfast, sat at the kitchen table, hand-in-hand, and expressed why we wanted to marry one another and exchanged our rings.”

While their rings with each other’s fingerprint engraved on them were actually exchanged at the kitchen table in their pajamas, the day before they were able to take photos with Cynthia Viola Photography at Black Balsam Knob. The weather was something they didn’t plan for, but nonetheless the rain added to the romance.

“It was planned for Black Balsam Knob in hopes of a clear day with vast views, but the mountain ended up being covered in a cloud. It turned out to be a magical vibe we didn’t know we needed. We all became wet as we hiked, and had the most fun capturing how we spend much of our time. Smiling, joking, and getting lost in each other’s eyes — cheesy, but true.”