Figlewicz Photo Blog

We met Diana and Jimmy at the LA Bridal Expo.  Casey ended up talking to them more about surfing then their wedding.  We had so much fun shooting their engagement shoot in Venice Beach.  They brought their family along too.

Yes! That is a rabbit in her basket!

Q. How did you meet?
A. We met in line for registration for graduate school in the summer of 2004. We saw each other in line… noticing that Diana seemed nervous and Jimmy eager to find out if Diana was in his class. We immediate began to talk and our friendship began. Diana said that she surfed and Jimmy eventually asked her out on a surf date (without D knowing it was a date). It was a big day out at Huntington and Jimmy thought that for sure Diana would get pummeled and would end up curtailing their surf session. To my surprise (jimmy), she got hammered by a huge set and made the paddle out still paddling strong and with a smile. The connection was solidified. We spent time studying together more and more and began to surf together on the weekends. It was during all this time in class and outside of class day in and day out for months and months that we began to learn more about each other. Our love for the water always gave us a reason to have fun together and school taught us how to struggle and help each other.

A. The proposal took place on their second major surf trip in Nicaragua. We had stopped over in the old colonial town of Granada where church bells and horse drawn carriages were still the norm. In the middle of the town where all the social events and main church was located was the town square/park. The square had children playing, old grandmothers selling street food wrapped in palm leaves and Granadians just sitting and conversing. We walked into the center of the square where there is a gazebo. Diana was reminiscing about her grandparents hometown of Aguascalientes in Mexico which was very similar to this one and where her Grandfather had asked her grandmother out for the first time. I got down on one knee pretending to tie my shoe and pulled out the box with the ring I had been keeping in my pocket the entire trip waiting for the right moment. This seemed like the right place and time. As soon as I pulled the ring out of my pocket, Diana started crying and said yes before I finished my first sentence. In the background, we could hear whispers of the little kids saying “he’s proposing… no… really… he’s asking her.”….

A. To me (Jimmy), marriage was just a word to describe a bond that I already established with Diana. We had gone through so much together in the last 5 years. No ceremony or event was required to give authority to this bond or love that had developed. There was no specific day or event. It was when I realized that there would be no difference between having the title of being married and just being with Diana. I knew I wanted to be with her through all the adventures I would have for the rest of my life.

For me (DIana), I realized that when my journal started being filled completely filled with thoughts all about Jimmy. I was writing about how he is as a person and what he stands for and believes in. Through all the obstacles and roller coaster ride of emotions and events, I realized that my feelings for him had not wavered. Living with him allowed me to understand how we worked together as partners and helped me realize how much fun we had together.

A. Diana – Jimmy makes me laugh. I love his smile and that look he gives me that makes me feel like I’m the most special person in the world. I love his creativity and the rare times that he is very sensitive. Kinda enjoy his sarcasm too. I love that his spontaneity although I understand that this may sometimes not be the best thing, but I really do enjoy knowing that we will live a very interesting and fun-filled life. I feel that we make each other constantly grow and become better people. There is much much more but I figure you get the idea……

Jimmy – I love that Diana’s actions are driven by her heart. She is a kind hearted individual who loves sharing her love and being loved more than anyone that I have ever known. I love that her lying skills are horrendous and thinking about it makes her so uncomfortable she starts squirming and ends up always just telling the truth. I love that she is brave and tough and yet one of the most sensitive and fragile souled people I have seen. I love her old fashioned senses of love and how people should be treated. I love how she possesses the ability to turn any horrible situation into a potentially fun or harmless one. I love her big, genuine, and highly frequent laughs and smiles that seem like they have all just been waiting to burst out of her for years. I love her care for her family and sense of responsibility to people around her. I love how the emotions within are always poorly hidden and always given away by the expressions on her face. I love how she receive so much enjoyment from giving and sharing. I love how she can be woken in the middle of the night sleep deprived and exhausted and still gift me an effortless and genuine smile. I love how the worth of any material object is measured by the depth of the sentimentality. I love how resilient her personality is and how she is able to battle through situations I would have crumbled in. I love how she takes that damned rabbit of hers everywhere she goes… sort of. I love her family and how they generate such a sense of warmth and love when they are together. I love her young heart and how she makes everyone around her feel young and energized when she is around. I love how she enjoys all the little things and how special anything could possibly be. I love how she always takes all my sandals and all of my most comfortable clothes. I love how she is the most beautiful right when she wakes up in the morning with her sleepy, dreamy eyes.

A. go to wonderful beaches to SURF! and go on SURF TRIPS! and drive up and down the coast with our surfboards and explore all the quaint cities, nature, and new breaks.

I love these, you guys are so happy at the beach!