Introducing Annemarie and Mark

Annemarie and Mark are such a fun couple! Last week we took them out to Elena Gallegos Open Space to shoot their engagement photos. They had us laughing the entire time. The Ciepiela family has become one of our biggest clients seeing as how they currently have two weddings booked with us! That's right - two. We are also photographing Annemarie's brother's wedding. Anyway, Annemarie and Mark will be tying the knot in September at the Prairie Star. I asked them to tell me a little about themselves - here's what Annemarie had to say;

I was in limbo, moving back to Arizona from Los Angeles, when I made a pit stop in Albuquerque to visit family. During that visit, Mark and I connected and began and developed a friendship over about 8 months. After dozens of emails and phone calls, I flew into town for a weekend to be able to go on an official first date. Our mutual love for adventure and snowboarding spontaneously landed us in Telluride, CO for the weekend. We went snowboarding that first day for our official first date. That was the day I fell for him. And, surprisingly, he says the same thing. A couple months later I moved to Spain for 5 months and didn't really expect to continue a relationship. While in Spain, our friendship continued to grow and deepen, and in December of 2006, I moved to Albuquerque. We've been inseparable ever since.

On September 1, 2007, we were in San Francisco visiting friends. San Francisco is my favorite city, and when he had asked me how I would want to be proposed to, I said privately at sunset in San Francisco. I knew a proposal was probably coming, but I was predicting it would be months later while back in Telluride for snowboarding season. The morning of September 1, continuing our love of adventure and spontaneity, we groggily decided to skydive out of a perfectly good airplane. While 14,000 feet in the air, on camera and surrounded by about 10 people (including my maid of honor, who was in on the whole thing) he pulled the ring out and asked me to marry him. I was completely surprised! We jumped out of the plane after that and spent the rest of the weekend celebrating with friends.

I can't wait to be his wife! I'm in love with his sense of humor, his integrity, his heart, his intelligence. I want to marry him because he makes me laugh every day, I trust him, I respect him, and I can depend on him. He makes me a better person and respects and celebrates all the things that are important to me. He really is my best friend.