Savanna + Brandon

A Cloverdale Quarters Wedding

SQUEEE!!! I am so excited be posting Savanna and Brandon’s ohhhhh so filled with all the love and smiles you could ever imagine! They had their wedding at Cloverdale Quarters on July 29th, 2017.

Contrary to popular belief, although I am a complete SOCIAL BUTTERFLY, I always get a TAD bit nervous before taking photos any and every single time. So when I meet my couples for the first time, it’s like…times ten nervous! I always just hope that they like me (LOL), they enjoy their session, but mostly that they LOVE their photos. When I met them for the first time, it was INSTANT friendship. It was crazy!!! They fell right into rocking out their engagement session (you can find that here), so I just knew their wedding day would be nothing different.

Fast forward to their WEDDING DAY!!! AHHH!!! Still over here SO excited after watching them say “I DO”…or rather the moment Brandon saw his bride for the first time. It was quite honestly one of the most pure, genuine reactions that I have ever witnessed. Filled with the happiest of tears and biggest of cheeky smiles! YOU GUYS. I just WISH you had been there. Thankfully they had a good videographer friend capturing it all as well, so hopefully you can indeed see that because I know it will be GOLDEN!!!

The rest of the evening was magic too!!! I mean, did anyone really expect anything less though? It was something else to watch God bring together two sweet souls. Their smiles seriously say it all!!!

When and where did you both meet?

Our story began 3 years ago (January 2014) on a volleyball court in North Main Street, in the small town of Danville, VA.When did you know he was the one and vice versa?

Savanna: From the time that I met Brandon back in the beginning of 2014, we had developed a friendship very quickly and became best friends. Fast forward almost a year (Nov. of 2014), I started to realize that I loved this guy like crazy and that he was one of the absolute best guys (and best friend’s) in the entire world.. and it was then that I realized I was starting to fall for him. It was during this time that I had to decide – would this just be a short fling that would ruin one of the best friendships of my life? Or am I going to seriously commit to this guy acknowledging that if I do, I’m pursuing this with the intention of marriage? So I thought about him. I prayed about him. I was falling in love with him. And… I wanted to keep him. So that was the moment I knew he was the one. Shortly thereafter. on Nov. 4th, we began our relationship.

Brandon: Shortly after my friendship with her started to deepen, as I spent more and more time with her, I fell in love with my wonderful Savanna in May of 2014. Everything about her was all that I ever wanted, her smile, her laughter. That craziness, the love for adventure. Month after month would go by and I could never bring myself to tell her, (my best friend) that I was falling ever so fast for her every day. So not until that very night, on the 4th of November, after I had finally mustered up the courage to tell her she had my heart in all its entirety. I knew she was the one, in the moment that she accepted my heart, and gave me hers in its stead.

What’s the one thing you both love each other the most for?

Savanna: One thing I love Brandon for the most is his sweetness/gentleness/tenderness. Brandon is just so so so sweet, tender, and gentle with me. This is something I’ve always LOVED about him. I feel like an incredibly priceless jewel the way he takes such good care of me always.

Colin: The thing I love most about her today, I would have to say is her gentle brilliance. The way her smile radiates on the rainiest of days. She has always astounded me with her strength to always be a joyful spot in my life. The way she lights up, and just cares so gently for me and others is something I keep falling in love with over and over again.

How did he propose?

It was a cold day in March, 2017. It was a Saturday, and Brandon had told me he was taking me out on a date and that I needed to dress warmly. So, I spent my afternoon preparing for my cool-weather date with Brandon and dressed for the warmth. I had on my colorful parka and favorite boots, and waited for him to come pick me up. Suddenly, there was a knock on my door. As I heard it open, I was perplexed to hear a voice that I did not recognize.. it was Brandon’s DAD! And as he turned to see my perplexed face, he said, “I’ve come to take you to Neverland.” He then led me to his car, asked me to be blindfolded, and put on head-phones that were playing special songs from mine and Brandon’s relationship. We drove and drove for what seemed like forever until finally – we had ARRIVED. Where to? I did not know. He took me by the hand and led me into a “place” (which I did not know), until I felt the touch of another hand – the hand of my brother! His hand said, “I got you” and continued to lead me further. Finally, I was brought before something that felt like curtains. He told me to reach out in front of me, open the curtains, and open my eyes. I was astounded! I found myself outside, IN a room that was made up of black curtains with icicle lights cascading down every side, and a large canvas picture of the Northern lights draped across the wall. In the middle of this room sat a single bench covered in snow, as well as all the floor beneath it. As I looked closer at the dangling icicle lights, I noticed small, Polaroid photos, DOZENS of them, clipped onto the lights; these photos were of me and Brandon ALL throughout our relationship – from the very beginning, to this very moment. It took me back through time. I was in awe. I was captivated. Suddenly, a tall, handsome man dressed in a sharp navy suit entered the room.. and music began to play. It was my Brandon. He took me by my hand and led me to the bench in the middle of the room. As we sat down, he held my hand and poured out his heart in love to me. Tears welded up in my eyes. “Is this the moment?”, I thought. And before I could breathe, he was down on one knee.. and something more than magical started to happen above me.. it began to snow. And as the snow fell and magic eclipsed the room, my love, my Brandon said the words I will never forget – “Will you, Savanna Dienstfrei, marry ME?” “YES!” I exclaimed, “yes!”. And in the glory of that moment with the snow falling and music playing in my winter wonderland, I leapt into the arms of the one I love and he kissed me. And this is the story of how he proposed to me.