Anthony & Miranda
Storyteller: Miranda Sergas, USA
When did your love story begin?
Our love story is a classic tale of 21st century love in Philadelphia. After connecting on Hinge, we quickly met up on a Sunday afternoon after an Eagles game in 2018. I was initially attracted to Anthony’s compassionate spirit, his witty sense of humor, and of course his die hard love for Philadelphia sport teams. He loved my “life of the party” spirit, and (surprisingly) large corporate card to buy drinks.
As time went on and our love grew, we decided that we needed to spread our wings west – to Los Angeles. A few months of long distance went by as Anthony relocated for work, then we and our amazing dogs Harper and Bella made the first of many cross country drives to our new home in Manhattan Beach, California. When we were hit with lockdown, we found new hobbies together. We attended concerts, went hiking, travelled up the California coast, and (most importantly) we spent time with our furry friends.
How was the engagement planned?
Fast forward to 2022, Anthony arranged quite the surprise for me when we attended an SG Lewis concert at the Greek Theatre. SG Lewis is one of our favorite artists to go see live whenever the opportunity presents itself. Anthony provided us with backstage passes, which he said he was given through a friend of a friend. This turned out to be a ruse!
SG Lewis and the band welcomed him on stage to propose, before playing his new song Lifetime. Once I got over the shock and said yes, we left the stage and were surprised by both our families, who were there waiting to kick off a weekend of celebrations.
What is your favorite image from your photo book and why?
Our favorite photo from this book is on page 11. Anthony and I finally warmed up behind the lens at this point in the shoot. We both have an extreme love for the Palm Springs desert & architecture that exists in this region. This photo captures the desert vibe & our happiness there perfectly. These were also our favorite retro outfits during the shoot.
What does your photo book mean to you and your loved ones?
With all our family & friends being East Coast based, we wanted this photo book and shoot to capture the lifestyle we live every day in California. We hope this book connects everyone to the desert & makes them fall in love with the geography through our photos.
What inspires you to have your photos taken this way?
Anthony and I are big believers in capturing moments and energy in photos and artwork. Our main goal with our own photo shoot was for our personalities and interests to be captured in this shoot. Anthony is a musician, so it was important for us to incorporate the guitar detail at some point in the shoot. This book made us so excited - we've only recently transitioned to our wedding day on New Year’s Eve 2023/2024!
What bit of advice would you offer to someone creating their own memento for their engagement photos?
We’d recommend making a list of your favorite places and things you’ve done together as a couple. Include everything that drives you and be sure to incorporate the things that make you both individually and as a couple truly happy. Also, invest the time to find a photographer that fits your vibe/energy. Without our photographer, Tayler Ashley (@taylerashleyphotography), none of this would’ve been possible.
Customer Imagery: Miranda Sergas
Photographer: Tayler Ashley
