Kourtney had not seen The Carswells since she was a little girl, but when she found out they would be in Savannah she wanted to see them. She had known the couple since she was a little girl and was a student in Mrs. Carswell’s summer Bible class. While catching up, Mrs. Carswell asked Kourtney if she was dating anyone at the time and she was not. With Kourtney’s best intentions in mind, Mrs. Carswell’s wheels started turning and she thought about Gregory who lived in Mobile, AL.

Mrs. Carswell quickly got to work. Even though she hadn’t talked to him in nearly four years, she called Gregory to confirm that he was also single. With her nudge of encouragement to them both, Kourtney and Gregory eventually found themselves on a call and the rest, as they say, is history.

Though they were both nervous, their first phone call lasted until late into the night, as they shared and discovered common interests. Each call was longer than the last, with them spending hours on the phone over the course of two months before deciding to meet in person.

In August 2021, Gregory drove eight hours from Mobile to Savannah and met Kourtney at Chili’s, the only restaurant open when he arrived. The two sat across the table from each other, too nervous to even make eye contact… But as you guessed, they were able to move past the akwardness and find the chemistry they shared over the phone. At the end of the date, they made their relationship official.

Over the months to follow, Kourtney and Gregory were creative with their long distance dating. “Together” they did everything from virtual escape games and watching movies and their favorite, studying the bible.

On February 12, 2022, Gregory took Kourtney to Fairhope, Alabama where they coincidentally ran into two of his fellow photographer friends. After trading tips on poses, his friend Megan suggested that Kourtney and Gregory act as a “test couple” for a few practice shots. They were instructed to stand back-to-back, take a few steps away from each other, turn and for Kourtney to “skip hop” into his arms. After a practice round of skipping, Kourtney turned to find Gregory on one knee.

Needless to say, she tearfully said, “yes!”

I travelled to Savannah, Georgia to capture this special moment in the very special relationship on camera. For me, the session was particularly special because it wasn’t the first time I worked with Kourtney; I photographed her college graduation from the University of Montevallo some years ago. Being trusted to capture two milestones is truly a blessing.

Be on the lookout for their beautiful Birmingham wedding at The Sonnet House!