Their Session: Barcade & Love City Brewing, Philadelphia, PA

Maria and Victor certainly brought the fun for this Philadelphia engagement session! This laidback couple wanted to stay true to themselves and their love for the city with this session. They introduced me to Barcade, which was an absolute blast! (Since then, it’s become a fun date night spot for Shawn and me!) Maria and Victor were too cute in the arcade, playfully showing off their competitive side. Next, we stopped by Love City Brewing and explored some unique Philly locations that aren’t the usual tourist spots. This sweet couple is so real and down to earth… it was so easy capturing their love. I love how connected they are and how much that shows in these photos. It felt like I was grabbing drinks and exploring Philly with old friends!

Their Love Story

Maria and Victor met online! At the time, Maria had a grueling job that required her to travel a lot so she wanted to be as efficient as possible with her time and this included dating! “I was so tired of endless go-nowhere dates so I decided all future first dates would be daytime, 1 hour long, hard stop,” she explains! But this worked perfectly for Victor! Their first date was lunch at the Grand Lux Cafe, where Maria says Victor was “such a charmer.” They both had a wonderful time and continued to see each other. Somewhere along the way, they found vulnerability with one another and it became not only companionship but love!

Maria and her son, Noah, and Victor, with his sons, Lucas and Matteo, have loved blending their families together over the years. They love big Sunday dinners with family and delicious food (“Sunday gravy” from his Italian side and “Puerto Rican feasts” from hers!), brewery trips, and any opportunity they can get to spend time with the kids! Maria and Victor really want their wedding to be a reflection of their beautiful life together. They’re planning an event that’s on the non-traditional side with a laidback vibe focused on really being together and celebrating all night!

Maria and Victor,

I just adore you!!! I appreciate you both for being so open and having fun with this session! I truly think it shows how sweet and true your relationship is. I cannot wait for your big day and to see your family come together and celebrate this love! Thank you for showing me around Philadelphia and introducing me to some great new spots 🙂 Congratulations again, love you both so much!!!!