Nick & Tori // Randyland, Pittsburgh, PA Engagement Photographer

Bright Cheerful Engagement Photo Inspiration at Randyland in Pittsburgh, PA.

I’ve known Nick for so long. Our Moms were best friends when we were growing up, so to say we did a lot of stuff together as tweens & teenagers would be an understatement. We went to the same church, were in the same homeschool circles, and Nick even got me my first job at KFC. Nick was my go-to computer guy, if I had questions about programs or specs or if my computer crashed, I asked for Nick’s help. We were good friends – close enough that I knew that Nick swore he would never get married.

As life ebbs & flows, we went our separate ways after high school. I took an internship at Disney World and he took a job at the United States Postal Service. I literally haven’t seen or talked to Nick in almost 10 years (wow, that number makes me feel super old). Our Moms are still friends though, so every once in a great while, I’ll get an update on Nick’s life.

A few years ago, I got the “newsflash” that Nick had a girlfriend. I couldn’t believe it – my friend, who would stomp his foot and swear that he’d never be in a relationship with anyone other than his computer, had a girlfriend?! Sure enough, it was true. Nick & Tori met at KFC (after I had left to go to Disney, but while Nick was still working there). They didn’t work together long though, before Nick left to begin his career at USPS. When he left, Tori realized she missed him – his quirky sense of humor, the way he made every task a game, and how he made her laugh.

So, Tori decided she had to do something and she messaged him on Facebook. A little time went by and Facebook chatting just wasn’t cutting it for Tori. She wanted to see him – so boldly, she asked him out on a date. And he turned her down (remember? this is my old friend who promised he’d never move into a relationship) Tori was hurt, but was determined to remain friends (by the way, can we talk about a determined girl? It takes guts to ask a guy out & then when he turns you down, to want to still remain friends? Tori – you go girl!)

Some more time went by, and weirdly, Nick started to realize that he missed Tori. So, when she asked him out again, he actually agreed. And the rest is history. A few years went by and Tori said she knew he was going to bring up “the marriage question” when he switched his joking from “I’m terrible boyfriend material” to “I’m terrible fiance material”. Once he let that slip, she knew it was coming. Never one to be traditional, Nick “popped the question” with a cuckoo-clock instead of an engagement ring.

They truly did not want engagement pictures taken, but their Moms won out in the end. In discussing options, we agreed that anything even remotely traditional would simply not fit Nick & Tori! So, they wore silly outfits and we found the craziest spot we could come up with: Randyland. What a cool place though! Buried in the North Side, Randyland is a super bright & colorful, totally eclectic lot of art. Randy lives in the building next door, and Randyland is a compilation of his own art, recycled items, and colorful collections of many years. If you’re ever on the North Side, you simply have to stop by & check it out! It was the perfect setting for Nick & Tori and we had a blast there! (Also, don’t let the bright colors & their smiling faces fool you – we took these last Monday evening as that Nor’Easter was blowing in and it was COLD! Randyland is so bright though, you’d never even know it!)