Their Session: Farley State Marina, Atlantic City, NJ

Connie and Mike’s summer sailboat engagement session in Atlantic City, NJ was such a beautiful way to wrap up the summer! Just before Labor Day Weekend, we met up at the Farley State Marina in Atlantic City to sail around the inlet on an adorable sailboat with an amazing Captain! I grew up going to Ventnor and Atlantic City my entire life, and seeing the area in such a new way like this was so exciting!!

They soaked in a gorgeous sunset evening on the water by snuggling up together, driving the boat, frolicking around the deck and bow of the sailboat, and celebrating their engagement! Seeing their interactions, hearing more of their love story, and capturing their connection as the sun set was so sweet! It was such a peaceful and serene night that had us all in awe of the beautiful area. Atlantic City is often known for its casinos and nightlife, but so many beautiful spots like this don’t get as much recognition! I’m so glad Connie and Mike, lifetime locals to the area, brought me out for such a fun sailboat engagement session!

We were able to capture so much variety during their session by leveraging the wildness of the docks on the marina to all the parts of the sailboat! I was so creatively fulfilled being in a tight space and having to get strategic with the angles, positions, and poses! Such a unique challenge to have limited space and so many options at the same time!

Their Love Story

Mike and Connie grew up a town apart and attended rival high schools, but they didn’t meet until much later in life! There were so many opportunities where they could have met and didn’t, so when they look back on their lives, it feels very “invisible string” to end up together! They were on the same club swim team as kids, her brother and Mike share a best friend, and other little connections along the way!

They didn’t end up truly meeting until December 2019 when Mike was the swim coach for Connie’s sister and they started talking at a swim meet! Swimming and being in the water plays a big role in them coming together. As well, Covid also played a huge role, because she had just applied to Business School when they met. She was supposed to move away, but once lock-down happened, all of her classes were online. They quarantined together in a little beach house in Ventnor, NJ and the rest is history!

When I asked Connie about their proposal, she shared the sweetest story!! She said, “We had planned a tour of Northern Spain for hiking and surfing, but we wanted to kick-off the trip with something more relaxing & tropical, so we started in Majorca (famously where love island is filmed!). We got engaged over dinner at a boutique hotel. They set up a private table for us in a garden and it was just so serene and perfect. After Majorca, we went to a handful of cities in the “Basque Region” of Spain. There were festivals in every city we went to, and we found out that the week we visited was their version of July 4th, called “Aste Nagusia” which translates to “The Great Week.” How perfectly coincidental that they were celebrating such a special week in their lives, as well!

Being beach lovers, these two love any kind of water activity from surfing, to swimming, to walking the boardwalk! For date nights, they love a good sushi and white wine kind of night, then watching a show together! Of course, ending dates with ice cream is a must for them!

Connie & Mike,

Thank you so much for trusting me with such a special milestone in your lives and for taking me on such a fun adventure!! I had so much fun photographing you love, and I’m in AWE of the magic we created!! Such a perfect end to an amazing summer. Wishing you two the happiest engagement and all the love in the world!! xo Congratulations!

If you loved this summer sailboat engagement session, come check out another adorable boat session I photographed in Cape May!

Summer Sailboat Engagement Session, Atlantic City, NJ | Connie & Mike

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