Unique Tampa Bay Engagement Session | Airport Engagement Shoot
Marissa and Mike met at the airport, bonded during a 17-hour flight and work trip to Dubai and spent the next five weeks building the framework of their relationship.
“We had a long layover, and after a couple cocktails and a dare from one of my friends, I walked up to the quiet 6'4” tattooed man and said Heyyyyy!” the bride-to-be shared.
Soon after their return, Mike made the move from Pittsburgh to be with Marissa in Tampa, then proposed three years later.
“We were walking our dog Macho on Bayshore Boulevard. He was barking at the runners, so I picked him up and carried him to the closest bench near where Mike was standing. When I turned around, Mike was on one knee, and I lost it!” the bride-to-be reminisced. “He had gotten me my dream black diamond and the exact ring that I had picked out two years prior. The first thing I did was look around and see if this was a joke he was playing on me, and then I said, ‘Holy shit, is that thing real?!'”
Since their love story began at the airport and they're hosting a destination wedding, travel was the main inspiration behind the Tampa couple's vintage old Hollywood glam engagement session.
“I have crush on plus size icon Marilyn Monroe and wanted to have that sassy look with a little mix of Casablanca thrown in,” Marissa explained. “Getting to feel like a movie star, along side the love of my life, was like a something out of Nicholas Sparks novel.”
To capture her celebrity style moment, the bride hired Tampa Bay wedding photographer Ailyn La Torre Photography.
“Because I style weddings for a living, I work with a lot of photographers. Ailyn's passion, love of art and support of my vision made me make that decision to have her shoot Mike and I. She trusted me and my crazy ideas of shooting and styling a vintage old Hollywood airport photo shoot, and I trusted her to make my dream come true.”
Marissa and Mike will tie knot this fall at the Hard Rock Casino in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
“I am most looking forward to the “first look” with Mike. It doesn't matter how many times I see this moment with other brides, seeing the look on the husband's face when he first sees his wife in her dress is the most magical moment,” the bride-to-be shared.
What was the inspiration of your engagement shoot?
The inspiration for our photo shoot is that Mike and I met at an airport and are also are having a destination wedding. The vintage old Hollywood glam theme of it was what I was more excited about because I have a #WCW crush of rebel plus size icon Marilyn Monroe and wanted to have that sassy look with a little mix of Casablanca thrown in.
How did your engagement shoot reflect you and your fiance's personalities?
The photo shoot definitely reflected our personalities because Mike is normally shy in person, but seeing him modeling, feeling confident and working it in front of the camera was so exciting. I was a theatre major, so acting and being a crazy personality is easy for me, so getting to feel like a movie star, along side the love of my life, was like a something out of Nicholas Sparks nove
What did you look for in a wedding photographer?
Because I style weddings for a living, I work with a lot of photographers. Her passion, love of art and support of my vision made me make that decision to have her shoot Mike and I. She trusted me and my crazy ideas of shooting and styling a vintage old Hollywood airport photo shoot, and I trusted her to make my dream come true.
My grandfather Tony Moran was a very known photographer in Tampa Florida. He shot everything from over 200 weddings to some of the team photos of The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so the fact that Ailyn made all my dreams come true with this photo shoot meant so much more to myself and my family than she will ever know!
Venue: Hernando County Airport
Photographer: Ailyn La Torre Photography
Hair: Tina Marie Hair Styling
Makeup: Marissa Moran: Hair & Makeup Artist (the bride-to-be)
