I always get nervous shooting for fellow photographers. This is Tara and her main squeeze Derrick and they are getting married next June….eeek!! We met at Hartwood Acres in Pittsburgh to shoot their session and I thought for sure we would run into a million other photographers also shooting sessions…but we had the whole dang place to ourselves! It’s a gorgeous mansion sitting on 629 acres with gorgeous architecture and flower gardens.
Tara and Derrick met thru mutual friends. Derrick was the best man in her friend’s wedding. Eventually their friends started- not so subtly- setting them up.
“We both love hockey, so we like going to game together, or I will watch while Derrick plays. We love little weekend getaways. We’d love to travel more, but for now Erie wineries make for a pretty good weekend! Derrick likes to tag along when I take pictures. I keep threatening to teach him to be my assistant. Derrick thinks we like to go hiking, but really he likes hiking and I go with him and whine about being tired or hot. and of course, we always love just sitting on the couch watching movies”- Tara
Tell us about the proposal:
“I LOVE reading. My favorite author is Nora Roberts. I also love Jane Austen. Nora Roberts owns a B&B in Maryland, and each room is based on a classic literary couple. Derrick booked the Elizabeth and Darcy room. I had no idea we were going there. We went to Gettysburg “for the weekend” and then we were only there for one night before we went to the B&B. when we got there, there were roses and champagne. Derrick made a photo book of “our story” and he gave it to me and when i got to the last page he was down on a knee and said “Will you be my happily ever after” =]
Derrick’s answer – Tara thought we were spending the weekend in Gettysburg. I surprised her by driving her to Boonsboro, MD to the Inn Boonsboro (a bed and breakfast owned and written about by her favorite author, Nora Roberts). We stayed in the Elizabeth and Darcy room (from Tara’s favorite book Pride and Prejudice). After Tara spent a few moments playing on the heated bathroom floor (thankfully that was an easy enough distraction) I had a picture book of us I had her glance through. On the second to last page I think it finally clicked to her what was going on when she read “there was only one more thing for him to ask.” As she flipped to the final page I got on one knee and asked Tara if she would be my happily ever after.”- Tara
” Derrick said ‘I love you’ first. He took a day off of work and we went to Phipps and the museum. Then we went back to his house and he me cooked dinner. That was the first time he cooked for me.”- Tara
Three things you can’t live without:
Derrick- Hockey, Outdoors & Tara
Tara – books, chocolate & Derrick and wine 
“I think we’re perfect together because, we’re awesome of course, and because we make the most and best of any situation. Living almost an hour apart it doesn’t matter if we’re going out, staying in, alone, or with others, we always manage to be smiling and happy and enjoy our time together.”- Derrick
“I think we’re perfect together because we compliment each other well. we have a lot of common interests, but we also have a lot of differences that make us stronger as a unit. I’m (slowly) teaching him to relax, and he has pulled my nose begrudgingly out of my books and gotten me to enjoy (sometimes) being busy and active. “- Tara
Give us three random things about yourselves:
Tara
1. I’m very easily scared. I can know exactly where Derrick is hiding and I still jump when he pops out… he does it a lot
2. I love BBC – I probably watch more British TV than American… and I love TV
3. i studied abroad in Dublin. I have Irish ancestry and have always been a little obsessed with it.
Derrick
1. Speaks 99% of the time in (Bad) movie quotes. Mostly Will Farrel
2. Technologically challenged. Manages to get viruses every time he touches a computer
3. He coaches high school hockey, and loves it. His players love him too!
Oh boy oh boy oh boy….I can’t wait until next year!
