From an in-person meeting in high school, to a friendship blossoming over Facebook, Maya and Corey have been on an exciting journey of love, travel, fitness, and friendship. Get to know this sweet couple and enjoy their fun Dallas engagement session.

How we met:

We went to rival high schools, DeSoto and Duncanville, and shared a lot of mutual friends. I had been really good friends with his cousin for a while, before I even realized they were cousins! We chatted at a party one night; later, he was in the backseat of a car with his cousin, LB, and I was strolling along the sidewalk with my best friend, Mckennizie. He called for me and I looked, smiled, then kept walking. His cousin had told to him that I was off limits. Corey left me alone for moment, but I thought about him for some time afterwards. We became Facebook friends, and I started to take notice of his words and his thoughts. I began to like all of his statuses, his notes, and I probably even poked him a few times (lol).  One day, while I was at Texas A&M, we were messaging each other, when I looked at the time and realized I was about to be late to class. I sent him a sweet message like, “Okay, I have to go to class but here’s my number, text me.” The rest is history!

The First Date:

It’s funny, because we didn’t really have a “traditional” first date. Because we were in college in different cities, we talked for a while from a distance, before we could really hang out. I remember getting mad at him for wanting to play a video game over talking to me, so we stopped talking for a little bit. I was at home one weekend, and saw him at a club while I was out with a group of friends. We danced and talked, and even hung out after we left the club. He came and visited me at College Station a few times and we grew to be good friends, really best friends, before we started officially dating. That time in our lives was so spontaneous, I loved every moment of it and still remember the morning he asked me to be his girlfriend. He texted me, “I’m ready if you are…”, which was so cute to me. Corey’s such a sweet man.

The proposal:

I was still in school… the last semester of grad school. Wow, actually it was within the last few weeks of school. Leading up to that time, we talked about marriage and when we planned on getting engaged. We had gone ring shopping earlier that year. I was ready, but the plan was to get married after I graduated in May. I had just taken my Board of Certification exam to become a certified athletic trainer, and I was just waiting for the results of the test and my diploma. On Thursday, April 23, Corey had planned for us to go to dinner for our 6th year dating anniversary. He said to pack an overnight bag and something nice to wear for dinner, and that he would take care of everything else. After class, I met up with him, ready to celebrate and wondering where the surprise dinner would be held. We rode toward downtown and pulled up at the Omni Hotel. We had reservations at Texas Spice, where we ate from the buffet. The next morning on our anniversary date, April 24, he woke me up, opened the blinds on a rainy day, and bent down on one knee. I hugged him before he could say anything and then he held my hands and looked me in my teary eyes and told me sweet promises and that he loved me and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I hesitated, cried some more, and he assured me that he had already talked to my daddy and received his blessing. I hugged him again and I said yes, as he dressed my ring finger with the most beautiful engagement ring I had ever laid my eyes on.

The engagement session:

The engagement session was everything! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, not to mention, I was not too comfortable in front of a camera, but the whole day was just perfect. We began in our athletic gear, and it was as if we had literally just worked out and taken a stroll through the park downtown. We were just loving on each other and truly happy in the moment. I couldn’t stop smiling. Everything was so fun and easy. We walked and talked about a lot of things. We changed locations for our next outfit, and the scenery was amazing. We stood in the middle of the street, and it felt like the world stood still for us while we were there. I could only imagine how those pictures would turn out. Nothing short of amazing! Corey made it easy for me, too… he was a natural. It’s funny; he always mentioned that he wanted to be a model. The model came out of him that day. With coaching from everybody, including my older sister, I made him look even better! Lol! I’ll always cherish it that day.

The couple’s favorite thing to do:

We just love being around each other. We both enjoy sports and fitness, so we work out together (my favorite part of the day, though he may not think the same! lol) and we attend and watch sporting events together. We are very competitive with each other, too. I usually win at most things, of course. Beyond sports, our favorite thing to do is travel. We try to go on at least 2 vacations a year. Corey plans all of our trips from the airplane ticket, to the hotel, to the itinerary, including all the restaurants he wants us to try. We love food! We travel, work out, and eat!

Wedding Planning:

Whew! The wedding planning process started out rough, but as the date gets closer, it has gotten a bit easier. I’m not a bridezilla or anything! Lol, I don’t think. I think the toughest thing for us was finding a wedding venue that was best for everybody. Communication is really key to a smooth planning process, which we had to learn the hard way. Mica, my sister and professional wedding planner, has been such a great help in this whole process! I don’t know where I would be without her! She found the most beautiful wedding chapel for us in Fort Worth. The moment I saw it, I fell in love. After getting the venue booked, everything was a little easier. She had the resources for everything else, including the florist, the baker for the wedding cake, the make up artist… I mean I haven’t really had to do anything concerning the details of the wedding! It really helps to have somebody that is known in the field and has so many connections. I am so blessed! I just can’t wait until the day comes. I feel like it’s taking forever!

Looking Forward to on the Wedding Day:

I am most looking forward to, of course, Corey seeing me all dolled up in my wedding dress and hearing and reciting our wedding vows. That’s the only secret that we’ve been keeping from each other during this year long engagement. As I mentioned before, Corey is so sweet with his words, but I can’t wait to tell him how much I love him and look forward to spending the rest of my life as his helpmate and best friend. I also can’t wait to celebrate with our close family and friends and dance the night away with my husband. We are both so family-oriented and I’m excited to dance with my daddy during our dance. I always picture how special that moment will be for the both of us. Did I mention cake? My goodness, I can’t wait to eat the cake! I’m just ready to marry the love of my life and celebrate with those people that have seen us grow and have supported us over these 7 years. I’m ready to party!

Photographer: Jackson Wedding Studios // Wedding Planner: Micaela L. Seals // Makeup Artist: Nijia Britt

Submitted via Two Bright Lights