Jasmine and Kerry: A Personal Destination Engagement Story

I first met Jasmine in March of 2025 after discovering we were related through A DNA test. Meeting her for the first time in Jacksonville was emotional and surreal, and it felt like finding a missing piece of myself immediately. From that moment on, we clicked effortlessly.

In September of 2025, I traveled to Montréal to visit her for the first time. It was my first time traveling internationally alone, and stepping into a version of family I didn’t know I was missing. Jasmine and her fiancé Kerry welcomed me with open arms. I spent a week there feeling like I truly belonged, eating traditional Chinese food, sharing childhood memories, and watching Lilo & Stitch, a recurring theme in our lives that has always connected us. We both relate to Stitch on a deeper level when it comes to family. Our story is little and broken, but still good

I was able to photograph their engagement session in the park where they got engaged, with their Shiba Inu, Takumi. It had been raining all day, and the sky was overcast, but we caught a break in the weather just long enough to take these photos. The session was quiet, intimate, and calm, very much like their love.

We also photographed in Old Montréal, which felt like Europe to a girl who’s never been to Europe. The cobblestone streets and the soft golden hour light made everything feel timeless. The city was quiet and empty, giving us space to explore and capture moments naturally. We finished at the iconic Hôtel Place d’Armes, which was incredibly photogenic and in my opinion, every photographer’s dream.

Being in Montréal, immersed in French Canadian culture and Kerry’s Chinese family traditions, was humbling. I felt small in the best way, realizing how much I still have to learn. It reminded me how powerful it is to step outside of what feels familiar if it means finding your people.

This trip healed parts of me I didn’t know were still in need of healing. Jasmine is truly the missing puzzle piece I didn’t know was missing. Maybe one day I’ll share the story of our first meeting in Jacksonville, but for now, this chapter, outside the states and surrounded by chosen and found family, feels like the right place to begin.

Reaching out was scary, but it taught me that if you feel a pull toward your roots, toward answers, or toward someone, you owe it to yourself to follow it. You never know, the person waiting on the other side might just be the best thing that ever happened to you.

This wasn’t just any destination engagement session. It was a reminder of why I do what I do. For the stories, the connection, and the moments that feel like home. This trip reminded me that a place doesn’t define a home, the people do…and I hope to show the same depth of story and connection through my work for others, whether that be in Florida, New York, or beyond.