Real Engagements {Washington, D.C.}: Anita & Derrick!

Derrick and Anita’s love story is one for the books. Boy meets girl. Boy loses touch with girl and years pass by. However, with love and admiration in Derrick’s heart he did not let the story end there. Years later Derrick set out on a quest to find his girl, even if it meant searching the white pages and calling everyone with the last name of his long lost love. Derrick’s romantic gesture was rewarded when the two united after Anita’s grandmother picked up the phone and sealed the fate of these two love birds. Although Anita lived on the west coast and Derrick lived in Atlanta at the time, love could not wait. The two picked up where they left off years ago and a rekindled friendship turned into true love. The couple decided to capture their love with an intimate engagement session in the nation’s capital, captured by the talented photographer Andrew Thomas Clifton.

Bride: Anita C. Wheeler, 29, Post-doctoral Fellow at UCLA

Groom: Derrick L. Plummer, 31, Press Secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Engagement Shoot Location: Washington, D.C.

Wedding Date: 7/27/2013

Engagement story:

“We hosted a party to celebrate my graduation from graduate school. With 60 of our closest family and friends, the groom surprised the crowd with a performance by guitarist and vocalist. The vocalist sang John Legend’s “Stay With You”. I had no idea why Derrick had decided to have a performance in the middle of the party. I remembered that Derrick is a musician and has hosted bands at past parties. It also occurred to me then that since John Legend attended my graduation, perhaps it was a romantic reminder of my commencement that was held earlier that day. The next thing I knew there was a collective gasp from the crowd; I looked next to me and Derrick was on one knee.”

Location, Location, Location!

“We wanted photos that emphasized our interactions in and with the DC urban landscapes. Our photographer, Andrew Thomas Clifton, chose quintessential DC settings that captured the unique intersection of DC’s memorials and monuments with trendy restaurants and quaint neighborhoods.”

Memorable moments :

“The photo shoot took place 366 days before our wedding day. When we realized this–midway through–we meditated on the idea that at that time next year we would have experienced our first 24 hours as Mr. and Mrs. Plummer. That moment made real for us that we are so blessed and excited about our love.”

Wedding Prep:

“We are both looking forward to getting married in the Dominican Republic. We both enjoy traveling domestically and internationally and it’s going to be amazing being able to experience our wedding day with family and friends in an unfamiliar place. It’s going to be a beautiful, luxurious and loving adventure!”