Aerial and Daniel met in the summer of 2014 at a pickup game of kickball that was arranged by a friend in Washington, D.C. At the time, kickball was a weekly social gathering where they’d all get together, be active and hang out afterward. A lasting friendship and relationship eventually blossomed out of something so simple. The more time they spent together, the more Aerial started to like Daniel! And he already had his eyes set on her. Aerial finally decided to say, “Yes,” to a date and ever since that day, their fate was sealed. Now they’re ready to say, “Yes,” to each other as spouses. Check out their creative pre-wedding celebration at the National Gallery of Art, captured by Amelya Jayne Photography LLC.
Bride’s full name, age and occupation: Aerial Richardson, 27, Customer Support Manager
Groom’s full name, age and occupation: Daniel Stover, 33,
Place of residence: Washington, D.C.
Engagement Shoot Location: National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Wedding date: July 27, 2019
Engagement story:
I planned the proposal by disguising a Paint and Sip event in our apartment’s community room. I invited about six couples who we are close with to help me pull off the surprise. I invited members of our families to come be a part of the surprise. Her family came up from North Carolina.
About two weeks before the event, I ordered our daughter a shirt that said, “Mommy, will you Marry Daddy?” When the Paint and Sip started, I had to hold back on the number of drinks I consumed so I could stay focused, but my nerves were getting the best of me. She had the best painting out of the room. After we were done, we all got together to take a group picture with our paintings and my mom snuck in and handed my daughter to me. Aerial was still posing for the picture when I approached her with my daughter on my knee and asked her if she would continue to make me the happiest man alive for the rest of our lives.
From the bride: The ring! What can I say? He nailed it! It’s a 1 Carat Solitaire Princess Cut with a half Carat diamond 14K yellow gold band. Absolutely beautiful!
For the Groom: Walk us through the behind the scenes of creating this special day.
I knew Aerial was the one before we were officially dating. I was hounding her trying to get her to give me a chance, but she wouldn’t give in. The more I hung around her, I noticed how many things we had in common. Things like having math degrees, both having ECU roots, both of us enjoying not being the center of attention, even though we often were.
I would text her on nights our friends had social gatherings, “U OK?” She often responded, letting me know I had a chance. So, I stayed persistent. Spending time together, the chemistry was crazy. Nothing seemed forced and the conversation was always entertaining. We talked about everything from memes to politics, and even though she knew nothing about football, she learned by watching and questioning me. The fact that we could spend hours together just talking and not get tired of each other was my sign that I could spend my life with her.
What makes your love special?
A few fun facts: both Daniel and I are named after our grandmothers, our birthdays are five days apart, and we both hold a degree in mathematics! Since day one, our connection was organic. Our time together has been filled with ups and downs. Last year we welcomed our baby girl and this year we both lost our grandmothers. Having someone to support you through such hard times makes a difference. Also, we both love to travel and experience new things, spend time in watching movies and binge watching our shows, competing to see who can solve riddles or puzzles the fastest, and taking time to support each other’s endeavors
For me, I knew Daniel was totally different and perfect for me from the first date. I never looked back. He jokingly told me I would not use him for free food and drinks, which was a running joke among us and our friends, and I thought to myself, you’re right. I knew he would be the one when I took him to meet my family for the first time and he fit right in. It was on June 27. We have a thing for 27, my birthday, our daughter, and our wedding date.
What was the theme of your shoot?
Southern Love in Washington, D.C.
Have you started planning your wedding?
Of course! We pretty much have everything nailed down with the exception of a few things. We want our day to be fun, memorable, and enjoyable for not just us, but also our guests. We’ll be using bright, bold colors to accent the beautiful farm venue we’ve chosen and are looking forward to all the little details that will reflect our style and personalities.
Congratulations to the happy couple! We wish you a fruitful marriage and many years of wedded bliss.
Sources
Amelya Jayne Photography LLC|National Gallery of Art|Jessica George Weddings & Events
