In a love story fit for the 21st century, Taylor and Sheldon met in 2016 when Sheldon sent Taylor a “DM” (direct message) on Facebook. They went on their first date later that year during the Bayou Classic weekend. Sheldon took Taylor to lunch where he told her he was going to marry her. As the couple tells it, “Taylor smirked and thought to herself he was crazy and that would probably be the last time they ever went on a date. Sheldon escorted Taylor back to her car and before leaving he invited her to dinner that evening. Although Taylor played hard to get for months, Sheldon consistently courted Taylor and when he felt the time was right, he asked her to be his girlfriend in 2017. Of course, she said yes and the rest of their story is still being written.”
Taylor is a Baton Rouge native, but Sheldon, a New Orleans native, wanted to incorporate the Crescent City in the couple’s engagement photos. Sheldon reminisced about playing in City Park as a child, climbing trees and really enjoying everything the location had to offer. So, photographer Khrystina Steib with Steib Photography knew the park was the perfect place to conduct the couple’s engagement photo session.
Steib expressed Taylor’s being a true Southern lady and the more reserved of the duo, though still secretly calling the shots, while Sheldon is the more extroverted. Steib wanted to make sure their personalities were incorporated in the photos, “I posed them in a way to show their style and also their true character. I also wanted to emphasize the natural simplistic signs of love and emotion through the photos.”
Steib says together they decided on the New Orleans Museum of Art as the backdrop for the session. “The museum has a modern feel with plenty of Historical and Architectural elements,” said Steib. “The columns created a repetitiveness that was perfect for leading lines to the couple, the high exterior ceilings really drew the viewer’s eye to them, and the neutral tone really allowed for Sheldon and Taylor to really stand out like art itself.”
Lagniappe:
Q. What’s your most memorable date?
Taylor’s grandfather passed away in December 2016. Sheldon planned something every evening to help keep her mind off of her loss. Sheldon planned a picnic one night on the State Capitol’s lawn. He brought the pizza, wine, blanket, and radio.
Details:
Photography: Khrystina Steib, Steib Photography
Hair: Jessica Argue @jess_thehairblesser
Makeup: Courtney Foulds @loveyourlookmua
Dress: Fashion Nova
Tux/suit: @asos