Surprise! Remember that fantastic proposal from back in April? Well it just so happens that they also eloped on that same visit. I didn't want to post about it until they had time to tell their family and friends, and then it was busy season, so it kept getting put on the back burner. But now their elopement gets it's day on the blog!
Being a military partner has so many challenges, but one of the biggest ones is having to deal with a long distance relationship as you both pursue your career aspirations. Pooja has been in medical school in the New England area for the last few years, which is where she and Krishna crossed paths while he was there for a special school. When he was stationed in Virginia, they knew it would be difficult to maintain a healthy relationship, but they also knew how much they cared about one another. When I first met Krishna, he immediately told me about Pooja and his plans to propose!
So when the time came for the next steps in Pooja and Krishna's careers, they were determined to move forward as a unit. Even though they weren't *technically* engaged yet, they had planned to elope during Pooja's visit in order to work out some of the logistical aspects of military marriage while they both had the time in their schedules. Pooja asked me to come take photos for them on Monday morning and she had no idea that Krishna had also asked me to be there the day before for the proposal!
For those of you who don't know, there are absolutely zero electronic devices allowed inside of a Virginia Courthouse. It doesn't matter if you're going in for a court date or a marriage license. Zero electronics. Well, we learned that the hard way. I had been to courthouse ceremonies in other states before and never considered the possibility that I wouldn't be allowed inside with my camera.
Pooja and Krishna were kind enough to let me wait in their car since they were parked significantly closer and it was waaaaaaay colder than we anticipated, especially after having such amazing weather the day before. I worked on some content planning while they did all the legal things and it was probably one of the most productive waiting periods I've ever had!
When Pooja and Krishna were all done with the paperwork, they came back outside and we took a few quick photos to celebrate their special day. The Virginia Beach Courthouse has lovely steps, brick walls, and even a few small green spaces that made for incredible backdrops for their elopement photos. They plan on having a big celebration with family and friends next year, but for now they get to enjoy wedded bliss and have some wedding planning tasks taken off their plate! Congratulations to Pooja and Krishna! May your marriage be as beautiful as your sweet souls!