A Stylish Engagement Session in Downtown Pittsburgh: Jordan + Jake
/
Photos by Wild Native Photography. Words by Jordan + Jake.
Tell Us About Yourselves
Jordan is from the suburbs of Detroit. He attended college at Central Michigan University. Following college he's lived in several cities, Atlanta and Orlando (for work), followed by NYC where he met Jake on Tinder during a weekend visit. Jordan's career has primarily been in customer success at tech startups.
Jake grew up in Virginia, attended college at the University of South Carolina. After living and working in South Carolina after graduating, Jake moved to NYC to work for Columbia and eventually get his masters degree there. Jake's career has been in advancement at universities. He is currently a Vice Chancellor at the University of Pittsburgh.
How Did You Meet?
We swept right and the rest is history. We matched on Tinder during Jordan's first visit to NYC, a year post college. Without ever meeting in person that weekend, we texted, chatted on the phone, and Skyped (yes this was pre-FaceTime) for four months. Jake worked up the courage to fly to Orlando for the weekend, where Jordan was living at the time. That began what turned into an amazing year. We traveled back and forth between NYC and Orlando, and had fun getaways to places like Austin, Charlotte, Chicago, and Italy during Jake's masters program.
After doing the long distance thing for a year, Jordan moved to NYC to kickstart his tech career, but let's be honest, Jordan moved for Jake. No, they didn't move in together. Yes, Jordan pretty much lived at Jake's studio apartment. For almost two years we watched our love grow, evolve, and be tested in NYC. There were several fun trips to places like The Catskills, Fire Island, and The Hamptons. This chapter ended with us living on the Upper Westside near Central Park.
Everyone has a NYC expiration date and after almost six years and a new Master's degree, Jake's finally came. With a great job opportunity and chance to be closer to family, we made the move to Pittsburgh. For over three years Pittsburgh has been home, keeping us halfway between our families in Michigan and Virginia. Both of our careers have thrived, we bought our first home, and have made life long friends. On a week long visit to Detroit, over a pickle martini, Jake finally popped the question and Jordan said yes! We look forward to what the future holds as husbands.
How Did You Choose Your Venue and Photographer for Your Engagement Session
We're city people. We live, work, and play in the city. We first lived in The Strip District and since bought our home in Lawrenceville. We wanted to choose locations that meant something special to us and we frequent.
We love Alexa's vibe! She has a unique way of capturing the moment in an authentic way. We love the moody, intimate appearance of her photos. She was our favorite of all the photographers we looked at.
WILD NATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY
Alexa is a spirited portrait + wedding photographer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She grew up inspired by music and film, though every form of art absorbed along the way has pushed her into the photographer she is today. She is a firm believer in representation, diversity, and celebrating all forms of love through her imagery.
