Shannon + Brandon

A Berry Hill Resort Wedding – South Boston, Virginia

These two were married on October 19th, 2018 at one of my FAVORITE places in our town, the Berry Hill Resort in South Boston, Virginia!

These two and their lives changed forever when Brandon surprised Shannon with one of the most romantic surprise proposals I have ever seen (you can find that here) on August 31st, 2018. Oh, you guys…their story is just incredible. I mean, honestly, I get chills even thinking about it.

Speaking of chills…y’all…the ENTIRE day on Friday was a DREAM! First off, they literally planned the wedding day around what days I had open in October. It was VERY important to Shannon and Brandon that I be their photographer. Like…y’all!!! HOW SPECIAL?!?!?! I seriously was in AWE during every aspect of the day, but mostly when these two shared their own vows….ohhhhhhhhhhhhh my goodness! BEST. VOWS. EVER.

While I could literally write a story book for you guys, I mean…their love is a fairy tale after all! I will let Shannon and Brandon tell the story below, because it’s GREAT one y’all! Congratulations again you, two!!!

Their Love Story

When and where did you both meet?

We first met on August 20, 2016. Shannon: My brother recruited several of his friends to help build a huge shed for my family’s farm. Brandon was one of the friends that showed up to help. That was the first day we ever spoke to each other and we didn’t speak again for another year following that. Brandon: Fast forward to August 2017 at Shannon’s brother’s house for his son’s birthday party – we spoke for the second time. We talked about Shannon obtaining her Doctorate at UNC and about her work and our kids in general. I already knew she was beautiful, but I didn’t know she was brilliant, kind, and genuinely sweet until that day. I am never at a lose for words, but when Shannon left her brother’s house, all I could say was “Wow! Just wow!”. Shannon: We didn’t have another opportunity to speak until January 2018 when my brother tricked me into going to Brandon’s house during a snow storm (long story). And my brother and I ended up back at Brandon’s house several times during that same snow storm with our kids and other friends. Brandon: The first time she came to my house (when she was allegedly tricked there by her brother), she had on no makeup, bib overalls, and a stocking cap. When she took off her stocking cap with her hair a mess on her head, she just brushed it to the side with her hand and all I could think was “Holy crap! You are beautiful!”. I loved that she was confident and just naturally gorgeous. Shannon: In reality, I was freaking out about being there with no makeup and in a stocking cap with my hair a mess (remember I was tricked into being there – so I wasn’t prepared to see anyone), but I figured, what the heck, I am just Jimmy’s little sister to him so I played it off. Shortly after that, I went through a very difficult breakup and Brandon and my brother were my closest friends and protectors during that time. My friendship with Brandon quickly grew and he asked me out on our first date on March 30, 2018.

When did you know he was the one and vice versa?

Shannon: I didn’t really have an “ah ha” moment. I learned that he was a great person and became a great friend. There were numerous moments that hinted to me that he could be the one, but I tried to ignore them. After all, I had just went through a bad breakup. Once I let my wall down, our relationship rapidly evolved into something magical and there was no ignoring it. He absolutely WAS the one!

Brandon: I knew before our first date that I wanted to end up with her. There were several “wow” moments as we spent more time together, which validated that this was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I knew that I had never meant anyone like her before and never would again. She was way too impressive to remain simply a girlfriend. She is sweet, smart, and beautiful – and I am one lucky man!

What is the one thing you both love each other the most for?

Shannon: I love that he treats me like a queen – and he seriously really does – and that he is truly a partner in everything we do. I love that he is affectionate, that he supports my dreams, and that he shows me he loves me and makes me laugh every single day.

Brandon: I love that we were best friends before our first date. I love that I can tell her everything and that she always responds as a best friend would – with logic and kindness even when she sometimes doesn’t agree with me. I know that together we can accomplish anything we choose. I love that she is sweet, smart, and beautiful, and I am so happy to marry my Dream Girl!

How did he propose?

He orchestrated a surprise proposal on my family’s farm, at the very place we first met almost exactly 2 years prior and the location of my childhood home. On HIS birthday, August 31, 2018, we had plans to go out to eat with my brother. Little did I know, he had bigger plans and had been working on this elaborate proposal for several weeks prior and my family was in on it. He tricked me into going there to have a few drinks with my brother, who lives on the farm, before dinner. I realized there was a surprise for me when he told me to close my eyes before we got to the driveway. He said my brother had picked something up for us and he didn’t know where it was parked. Of course, I was thinking he must have gotten a new car. In reality, he had set up a tent that was decorated with lanterns, candles, and flowers with a sand walkway lined with tobacco sticks (because the location was a few feet from my childhood sandbox and my family raised tobacco when I was a kid) and mason jars hanging on shepherd’s hooks. He stopped the vehicle on the side of the shed (the same shed he helped build the day we first met) and he got out. He told me to count to 25 before I opened my eyes and walked around. When I walked around the shed, music started playing to a song we love and my family was there with our kids and 2 of our closest friends. He was standing under the tent waiting for me to walk to him and had secretly arranged for Heather Chipps to photograph it all. He had a sign made that said “Wow! Just Wow!” at the end of the walk way. When I got to him, one of the first things he told me was that it was okay to cry because he had went through my makeup bag and ordered one of everything he knew I wore every day and had it there if I needed it. He even had a miniature version of my ring made that he presented to my daughter. It was absolutely incredible!