"I simply do not know where to begin with these two. In the short amount of time I have known them, we have laughed, we have drank, we've shed tears, so much has happened! I had the great honor and privilege of capturing Pra's surprise proposal to Kelsey, immediately followed by a dinner with both of their families. These two reinforced why I belong in this industry and are a living affirmation that I was meant to capture love for a living. I am so proud of this collection of images because I truly believe they capture the essence of who Pra & Kelsey are... I don't need to have known them for years, that they are just as fierce, just as loving, just as fun and amazing as they appear in these images. They are wonderful and probably the best thing that has happened to me in my career!"
How did you meet?On the interwebs! Despite the fact that we met on an app called Coffee Meets Bagel, we discovered pretty quickly that we had overlapping social circles. We like to think we'd have met eventually, even if not online. Some things, after all, are just meant to be.
What is your proposal story?Pra popped the question at Redbird in downtown Los Angeles, the restaurant where we had our first real date. The ask itself happened in the middle of the restaurant (Pra didn't realize just how public it was until he got down on one knee and the entire restaurant went silent). After a champagne toast courtesy of the woman who had been our server on our first date, Pra surprised Kelsey yet again by taking her upstairs and opening the door to a private dining room where both our families were waiting to celebrate with us. And of course, throughout the night, we had Dennis with us to capture the whole thing.
Tell us about the ring/band. Please be as descriptive as possible.Pra knocked this one out of the park. Before the actual engagement, we had discussed the possibility of a sapphire ring since Sri Lanka (where Pra's parent's immigrated from) is known for the beautiful blue stone (fun fact: Princess Diana's ring features a Sri Lankan sapphire). Pra designed the engagement ring entirely on his own and could not have done a better job. The center stone is a three-carat sapphire in a basket setting with a halo of diamonds, all atop a platinum band. On first sight, one of Kelsey's bridesmaid's exclaimed, "It's Kelsey in a ring!"
Tell us about your engagement shoot outfits and accessories.We were both pretty nervous about getting in front of the camera - neither of us would self-identify as very photogenic! Dennis made the process easy and fun by coming up with the idea to track a day in our lives together. So, instead of getting all dressed up and heading somewhere unfamiliar, we stayed at home and Dennis captured us in our element. Our first outfits were just t-shirts and sweats as we made coffee and breakfast. Then we got (a little) more dressed up for some shots making (and enjoying!) cocktails and playing the piano and guitar. After we had gotten used to the camera a bit, we changed into more formal attire and headed up to the roof of our apartment building in the Arts District. Not much to say about our accessories: Pra was wearing his dad's watch (a Vacheron Constantin Overseas), and Kelsey was wearing a sapphire ring some guy got down on one knee and gave her at Redbird about six months earlier - anyone's guess as to why she picked that... Anyway, after we were promptly kicked off our roof by security (don't ask us), we finished up on the top floor of a parking lot across the street. We got kicked off of that roof, too (we're pretty edgy), but not before we finished every roll of film Dennis had on hand!
How did you choose your wedding venue?There are lots of tough decisions to be made in the process of planning a wedding, but this one was a no-brainer. Even before we got engaged, we pictured ourselves exchanging vows at Pra's parents' house in Pasadena, next to a tree planted by Pra's beloved grandmother shortly before she passed away. We love the idea of spending this special day surrounded by family and friends in a place with so many memories and a history of family weddings - both of Pra's older brothers and his cousin got married at the house. We can't wait to carry on the tradition.
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Dennis is a Fine Art Wedding, Portrait and Editorial Photographer based in Los Angeles, California.
He also has a special soft spot for Destination Weddings.
Participating Vendors:
Photography: Dennis Roy Coronel Photography | Beauty: Hannah Elisabeth Beauty | Film Lab: Indie Film Lab | Dress: Victoria Beckham | Groom's Attire: Astor and Black | Groom's Shoes: Ferragamo | Bride's Shoes: Manolo Blahnik | Submitted via: Matchology