Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures

Love in Old City

“Love is like the wind, you can’t see it, but you can feel it.” – Nicholas Sparks

Amy-Kate and Doug have brought joy to our hearts after witnessing their love through one romantic story. Their grace and genuine chemistry can be felt through the storytelling photographs captured by MLE Pictures. We are in awe of how perfectly their photographers captured the essence of their relationship and the architectural beauty of Old City. The history of this couple’s connection and the antiquity of Philadelphia are a lovely pair, and we’re totally smitten with these two love-birds!

From the Photographer, MLE Pictures: “Amy-Kate and Doug are dream clients for any photographer. Not only are they super stylish and photogenic, but they make it easy to document their love for each other. They have so much history with the city of Philadelphia so we wanted to capture some of their favorite locations creatively. Old City is a gem location; you can take advantage of historical architecture, waterfront views, parks and the amazing light all in one shoot!”
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors

How They Met

Amy-Kate: “It was something like love-at-first-sight-of-dance-moves. We met about 5 years ago at an outdoor bar in Philly (Morgan’s Pier) dancing under the lights of the Ben Franklin Bridge. As the story goes, Doug was leaving the bar when a few friends showed up and dragged him back inside. Not more than a few minutes later we locked eyes. I bought him a PBR, we danced, and the rest was history.”
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Doug: “I am amazed on a daily basis by Amy’s caring, compassionate and loving disposition. Coming from a large and wholesome family where she is the eldest of 5 siblings, she was born into a natural role of leadership and caretaking. Her ability to provide unconditional love, support, and stability during even the most trying of times has made her my rock – my foundation.
 Amy’s stability, combined with my adventurous/care-free nature, creates a unique balance of opposites in our relationship. We are able to both explore and share new experiences together in the world, at the same time, remaining grounded in our mutual love of family and our Philadelphia community.”
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Amy-Kate: “I love how genuine he is. He is truly his own person, and I’m always inspired by his authenticity. Without even realizing it, he encourages those around him to challenge social norms, and to be thoughtful about their own individual interests and goals. When we met, I was kind of stunned at how honest and open he was, and how interested and unafraid he was in learning new things together. We continue to enjoy sharing new experiences together (see below: renovating our house) and try to help each other be mindful of how we live our life.”
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors

The Proposal

Amy-Kate: “We love to travel, and especially enjoy immersing ourselves in nature. On a trip out west in November 2016, Doug was intent to take photos of the milky way on our first night in Death Valley National Park. So, at 1 AM we walked a long way out across the salt flats, under the shooting stars of the Taurid meteor shower. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before! I was in constant awe. After an hour or so of taking photos, and just as the moon passed behind the mountains, he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. On every adventure, as his wife.”
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors

Engagement Photo Inspiration

Doug: “My inspiration for our engagement photo session was the city of Philadelphia itself. We both live in and love this city. From growing up, going to college, and meeting at Morgan’s Pier, this city is the tie that binds us together. My intention for the photos, which serve as a symbol of our impending union, was to illustrate our roots in this richly historical city. Having studied architecture, and with a deep love of history, I felt compelled to immerse our story in the milieu of historic Old City Philadelphia.”

Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors

Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors

Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors

Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors

Wedding Planning

Amy-Kate: “Yes, we have started wedding planning! We got engaged at the end of 2016, so we’ve had a long engagement and plenty of time to enjoy planning. Also, we bought a house last year and are doing some serious renovating. It’s exciting and crazy to renovate a house and plan a wedding in the same year! But we love it, and couldn’t feel more thankful for the opportunities we’ve had and the support we’ve received. Having more time to plan has made the entire process feel more personal and has allowed us to be thoughtful about our planning. I’m the chairwoman of the board for the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, and we are firm believers in supporting a local business that builds our communities, give back, and are sustainably focused. So, it’s been fun to explore our local business community and really get to know who we are working with. It feels so much more like building a day where we’re celebrating the interconnectedness of our friends and family and our community.”
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors
Romantic Old City Engagement Session by MLE Pictures Philly In Love Philadelphia Weddings Venues Vendors

Working With The Photographer | MLE Pictures

Amy-Kate: “In one word: Fun! Emily and Claude are a really cool couple, in general, and it was very easy to feel comfortable around them. We laughed the entire time and enjoyed wandering the city and sharing stories. It was neat to see them ‘in action’ and Emily had so many creative ideas for the session. By the end, we decided to head to La Peg at Fringe Arts and hang out for another hour. We’re so glad we did, and can’t wait to work with them again for our wedding!”

Vendors | Photographer: MLE Pictures