I met Cristina and John in Central Park for a sunrise engagement session. We had the whole terrace to ourselves! It was a beautiful day and I really enjoyed capturing their playful personalities.
Cristina shares, “It all started with a “wink” and a few messages back and forth on Match.com. We had our first date at The Smith and sparked instantly, our chemistry was undeniable – the prelude to a 6-month journey of friendship and flirtation. On a cold February night at the historic Green Mountain Inn in Stowe, VT, John asked me to be his girlfriend and the rest was history.
John and I love to spend our time traveling. Over the last 6 years we have visited over 8 countries, our favorite trip is tied between our love of people and nature in Costa Rica and our thirst for culture, romance, history, nightlife and beauty in Italy. Puerto Rico also holds a very special place in our hearts, as it’s where my maternal family originated and John’s closest family members reside.”
She continues, “We were vacationing in Greece on the island of Mykonos after having visited Santorini and Kefalonia for our friends’ wedding. On our last day in Mykonos, I made it my mission to find the the island’s family of large pelicans that roam the streets. After a few hours of walking around, I finally found one. It was the highlight of my day and our trip felt complete.
Little did I know, John was about to steal the show. When we arrived in our room, red rose petals were layered across the room. I figured this was the hotel’s typical parting gesture on a couples’ last evening. As we were both preparing for our last night in Greece, I noticed John slipped away to our balcony and shut the door behind him. After a few minutes I opened the door to see what he was up to and saw he had rose petals and rose-flavored wine awaiting my entrance. Still I thought, “how romantic,” but this was not about to be “THE MOMENT.” Then suddenly, John dropped down on his knee and recited a speech I’ll never forget. I’m grateful he wrote his words down, because I blacked out in disbelief. I said “YES” and we went on to have a beautiful evening, enjoying our last dinner in Mykonos on the sand, beside the ocean as fiancés.”
Cristina grew up on the Upper East Side with The Met and Central Park as her backyard. It was a great backdrop for engagement photos!
The couple will be getting married at the Liberty House this December. Happy engagement, you two!
