The couple: @alyssa_kraus and @jacquesadebeer
Photographer: @lynnlewisphotography
Location: Carmel Highlands, California
How we met: Jacques was born in South Africa and came to the University of Maryland for graduate school. Alyssa was also attending UMD for her undergraduate degree. We met on the co-ed club field hockey team, since we both played the sport our entire lives. We instantly became good friends and ended up dating all throughout college. After graduation, we moved in together and eventually started growing our family with Winston, our now 2-year-old golden retriever!
The ring: We visited Ken and Dana on an impulse when we were still in college during Jacques' first trip to NYC! We kept it a secret since we were still young -- but years later, we still loved the same designs! That's how we ended up with the beautiful Isabella ring.
The proposal: Jacques planned a surprise trip to the Carmel Highlands in California. We stayed at a beautiful boutique hotel on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It was a week full of stunning views and nature. Eventually, he took us to an outlook in Big Sur, where a photographer was hiding. He proposed in front of the crashing waves at the cliffs at golden hour. It was perfect!
