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Ashley and Andrew’s Engagement Photos

A steamy summer Saturday in Brooklyn has a particular vibe: fire hydrants spraying into the street, shirtless people riding Citi-bikes, local vendors selling sliced mangoes or papaya in ziploc bags, and an all-too-familiar New York City stench. Yet being outside is somehow preferable to staying within the comfort of an air conditioned living room. Whether it’s cozying up on a picnic blanket in the shade, catching a baseball game, or grabbing a margarita at a bar, the heat doesn’t scare New Yorkers into hermitude.

When we first met up with Ashley and Andrew for their engagement photos in Prospect Park, Ashley immediately asked if she could hold Capa. It was a trip to see someone I’ve known since my first day in kindergarten throw my eight-month-old baby on their hip. For as long as I can remember, Ashley has always had a maternal presence, caring for her friends as if they were family. Growing up, her mother always welcomed anyone to join their dinner table and it’s endearing to see Ashley embody their tradition of hospitality.

I met Andrew for the first time when I caught a performance of he and Ashley’s band, Moondrunk, at a bar in Brooklyn a few years back. As a hip-hop fan, I was blown away by Andrew’s ability to freestyle rap, a skill that both he and Ashley have shown off in their Broadway performances with Freestyle Love Supreme. From the outside looking in, freestyle rapping is terrifying--conjuring up punchlines seemingly out of thin air--but from a fellow freestyler (albeit a very amateur one), it is one of the most welcoming, loose, fun, and creative experiences I know. You should really try it sometime, or better yet, take a class!

Heather and I are similar to Ash and Andrew in that we are hustlers. While they try to plan things around a hectic performance and rehearsal schedule, we try to plan things around weddings and engagements. We both show up everyday, on time, ready to work, but behind the scenes we are trying to catch our breath (at least speaking for Heather and I). Yet every time Heather and I get a stretch of time at home we enjoy it for a few days then get a bit restless. I imagine it must be the same for Ashley and Andrew, who spend a lot of time in the spotlight.

In the end, it always feels better to push ourselves than to rest on our laurels. For years I allowed myself to stay inside, thinking too much, and not taking enough action. At some point I gave myself an ultimatum: either you put yourself out there or you tell yourself that you are okay never giving it a try. This black-and-white approach allowed me to simplify an otherwise convoluted emotional dilemma, and I began performing spoken word poetry in bars around Manhattan. Through that experience, I learned that I didn’t enjoy performing as much as I enjoyed creating and expressing myself with words and rhythm. I never knew it would lead to me telling couples love stories but here I am--I’ll leave the spotlight for the professionals like Ashley and Andrew.