Trendy couple masters the desert boho vibe in their earthy Joshua Tree engagement session

Real Engagements: Akeila & Lucio

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When commenting on Twitter, as two single folks, Akeila and Lucio never dreamt that by leaving a message on the media platform of millions of users that it would lead to lifelong love. Lucio and Akeila had no friends in common, no mutual connections. Yet in the isolation of a global pandemic, each found they were not alone – they had found each other. After exchanging a simple message on the app, Lucio and Akeila immediately got on an hour-long FaceTime phone call. Organically their relationship took off and the pair became official in August of 2020. Akeila, a school psychologist with a Master’s degree and a graduate of Denison University for undergrad, and Lucio dated for one year before he knew it was time to lock down his catch.

Lucio knew Akeila is a huge fan of all things Disney. Since the pair live in California, he figured the perfect proposal should be at Disneyland. Lucio waited until Akeila’s sister and her 10-year-old niece were in town, as he knew they would all take Akeila’s niece to the amusement park for her 10th birthday. Though Akeila’s sister was in on the surprise, Lucio managed to coax a slightly suspicious Akeila to take some pictures on Snow White’s bridge that has a wishing well. He instructed her to stand on the bridge, turn around, close her eyes and make a wish. Once she was able to open her eyes, she swung around to see Lucio on bended knee asking for her hand in marriage. For engagement photos, the couple decided on using the breathtaking deserts of Joshua Tree National Park as their backdrop. “I did research on colors that would match with the tones of the background, which were neutrals, tans and beiges,” said Akeila about planning their photoshoot. The couple married on April 23, 2022, in Imperial, CA.