Very, very rarely do I take a couple’s engagement photos just a week and a half before their wedding, but between the coronavirus, Andrew finishing grad school, Joannah being in India while waiting for her visa to be finalized, and Andrew accepting a job offer in San Antonio, things have been more than a little crazy for these two.
But, I’m so glad we were able to get their spring Purdue University engagement photos in before their big day, and I’m thrilled to share Andrew and Joannah’s engagement session on the blog!
Andrew & Joannah met through church while attending Purdue University.
Coincidentally, Andrew and Joannah both went to Purdue for grad school to study computer science. However, they didn’t meet through their program. They met through church!
Andrew doesn’t technically remember the first time he met his bride. You see, Andrew and Joannah attended a welcome night for a Christian fellowship program at Connection Point Church at the beginning of the school year.
Those running the event and students who were already part of the church graciously introduced people to one another. Joannah remembers meeting Andrew, but Andrew says that if he’s honest, he doesn’t remember his first interaction with his fiancé.
Someone introduced them, but they had both met SO many people already that evening. According to Andrew, that night was a bit of a blur, but Joannah doesn’t take it personally!
While their first interaction might’ve been quick, Andrew and Joannah’s paths kept crossing between church activities and being in the same program at Purdue.
Before they knew it, they went from being acquaintances to friends to dating. Now, they’re getting married!
Andrew asked Joannah to be his wife when they visited her family in India.
Joannah is originally from India. Knowing that Joannah’s family is very important to her and wanting to be respectful, Andrew didn’t want to pop the question until he had Joannah’s family’s blessing.
So, when Andrew and Joannah traveled to India so Andrew could meet Joannah’s family, Andrew came ready with a ring. He asked for permission to propose, and Joannah’s family said yes!
Later during their trip, Andrew asked Joannah to be his wife while they sat in her favorite India coffee shop. Joannah, of course, said yes! And, these two were able to celebrate their engagement with Joannah’s family!
Andrew and Joannah had their spring Purdue University engagement photos taken just a week and a half before their wedding!
“Crazy” doesn’t even begin to describe 2020 for Andrew and Joannah! You see, after Joannah finished school, she needed to go back to India to sort out her visa. So, Andrew and Joannah began doing long distance and planned their wedding while Joanna was afar. (Thankfully, they hired Crista Tharp of Blissfully Simple Events to coordinate their wedding. She’s amazing!)
The visa took a little longer than expected, and then the coronavirus happened. Joannah was able to make one of the very last flights out of India before the country suspended travel. This was great because Andrew and Joannah were able to be together, but they quickly realized that there was no way that Joannah’s parents were going to be able to travel to the states for Andrew and Joannah’s June 5 wedding.
Not wanting to wait to get married, Andrew and Joannah came up with a backup plan and decided to keep their wedding date, have a very small celebration with just six close friends, and reschedule their originally planned wedding for their one-year wedding anniversary in 2021! How sweet is that?!
In the midst of all of this craziness and the restrictions caused by the coronavirus, it was a little difficult to fit Andrew and Joannah’s engagement photos in before their big day, but we did it!
And, it was so special to get to take spring Purdue University engagement photos at locations where this darling couple shares so many memories!
Stay tuned for Joannah & Andrew’s intimate, backyard wedding AND one-year anniversary celebration!
In all honesty, in an effort to get Andrew and Joannah’s photos edited before their wedding day, I am blogging their engagement photos after their celebration. You can see photos from their wedding day on the blog here!
That said, you will want to stay tuned for Mr. and Mrs. Groenewold’s one-year anniversary celebration! Like I said, that’s when they’ll have the wedding they originally planned.
And, honestly, I think this will make Andrew and Joannah’s big day even more beautiful. After all, this means that they’ll be celebrating a full year of marriage, and that’s an amazing thing!
Congratulations, Andrew and Joannah! Thank you for trusting me to be your wedding photographer. I hope you love your spring Purdue University engagement photos!
