I got a text from one of my couples that said, “Hey Kerry, I have a really weird ask about to follow…” And I knew, regardless of what the ask was, I was in. But as I kept reading, I understood the weight of the photos I was about to take.
If I’m honest, it’s couples like Abby and Conor, and friends like Jackie and Brian, who I got into this business of memory-holding for. For the people who love deeply. For the people who want their relationship title to match the seriousness of their commitment to one another, in sickness and in health. I witnessed magic on the evening of Abby and Conor’s elopement. I couldn’t be more grateful to these two and their best friends for letting me in to photograph their love. Congrats to the newlyweds!!!
In Abby’s words, here’s their love story:
We met during senior year at Drexel. We were both in mechanical engineering and probably had a million classes together. Soon mutual school friends had us sitting closer together and that’s how we started casually talking.
I’m a huge nerd when it comes to engineering school and took studying for midterms and finals pretty seriously. Conor took an easier approach to school and was rarely seen in the lab (he’s just naturally smart). Conor would sit next to me in the lab and pretend he studied as well to spend time with me. After summer term was over, Conor asked me on a date and took me to Cape May for an amazing day trip for our first date. We very quickly fell in love and could barely spend a day away from each other. I have never enjoyed spending so much time with someone as I do with him.
After getting an apartment together 10 months after dating and then buying a house together after 3 years of dating, we had built an incredible partnership. We often talked about getting married but we didn’t know how exactly we wanted to get married. We always dreamed about eloping in the mountains or something. No frills just us.
Conor’s health started acting odd the past few months and a bunch of diagnostic testing followed. Once the possibility of a serious illness presented itself, I knew I wanted to elope regardless of the diagnosis. He was eventually diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (the good Hodgkin’s!). The months and years ahead are going to challenge him physically. I wanted our relationship title to match how serious I am to being there for him through this bump in the road (or giant pothole or big sinkhole?) to a happy life together.
-Abby
***Update: Conor kicked ass through treatment and Abby was an absolute rockstar wife supporting him and taking care of herself and their adorable cat Mr. Wilson too. Conor has finished treatment and has NO evidence of disease! Conor and Abby, from one survivor to another, CONGRATS!!!!!***
IF YOU LOVED THIS ELOPEMENT STORY, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THIS ADVENTUROUS IRELAND ELOPEMENT!
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