Upper West Side Engagement: Congratulations Tara and Mike!

Tara and Mike met me on the Upper West Side for their engagement session.

Tara shares, “Mike and I met on February 14th, 2011 (yes, Valentine’s Day). Mike slyly walked over to my table and dropped a note that said “Do you love me? Yes or Absolutely?” I thought this was pretty ridiculous, but reluctantly I gave my number to him anyway. After a few days, we went on our first date to watch the New York Rangers at MSG, then continued the fun with some late night K-Town karaoke. The rest is history!”

Three years later, Mike created an elaborate hoax to surprise Tara with a proposal. He fabricated a story about staying at the Waldorf Astoria for business the night before a conference. Tara continues, “This had happened before, therefore, there was no suspicion.

We got to the Waldorf around 9:15 Friday morning and Mike asked me to find a table for breakfast while he checked in. As I was waiting for him for breakfast, he came down with a huge UPS box. He said, “Looks like my office got all the attendee gifts this year.” When he opened it, he pulled out a large Tiffany box. He asked me to open it. We bickered for a minute with me telling him to open it since it was probably a gift from his office.

Finally I gave in and saw that it was two champagne glasses. I gave it back saying, “that’s nice.” He asked me, “What do they have on them? My name? My company’s logo?” As I unwrapped the glasses, I pulled one out that said “Yes!” with Friday’s date, 2-7-14, underneath. I looked at him and said, “What does this mean?” He then got up, pulled out a box with the ring and asked me to marry him.

We spent the rest of the day calling friends and family and celebrating with LOTS of champagne. Finally, around 5:00 we went to dinner and all of a sudden I see my parents walk in. I definitely cried my eyes out and was completely overwhelmed with excitement. The reason he proposed early Friday morning was so I could call my parents at home in Arizona before they got on their flight. Mike had flown my parents out as a surprise and we spent the rest of the weekend with our families celebrating!”

Tara shares, “Mike has been playing the guitar since he was 16 years old. He has such a passion for music and really enjoys songwriting as well. Mike actually wrote me a song and played it for me the morning before we got engaged. He had been practicing this song in front of me a few times, however, it wasn’t until the second verse when I realized he finished it. I still didn’t suspect anything, and little did I know he would propose in just a few short hours. Mike now plays in a band that performs around the city once a month. Mike will be playing the song he wrote for me at the cocktail hour before our reception.

Mike’s dad, Art, is a HUGE Beatles fan and spread this love for the Beatles to Mike and his siblings and Mike has made me a fan as well. When Mike proposed, it just so happened that he proposed on the Beatles 50th Anniversary of playing on the Ed Sullivan Show. My parents stay at the Grand Central Hyatt every time they visit, and after my parents came in and surprised me, we went there for a cocktail. Beatlemania was in full effect! There were probably 100 people sitting around the lobby, playing Beatles songs on their guitars, and there were even cardboard cut-outs of the Beatles where we ended up taking our engagement announcement photo that night. It only felt right to take a few pics in Strawberry Fields at Central Park.”

The couple will be married this March at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in downtown Manhattan with a reception at Battery Gardens. I can’t wait to photograph their wedding! Congratulations Tara and Mike!