Marissa + Jeffrey Rotoli | Washington Oaks Gardens & River to Sea Preserve Engagement Session in St. Augustine, Florida
Filed in engagements — February 8, 2026
A St. Augustine Engagement Session at Washington Oaks Gardens & River to Sea Preserve
Some love stories feel calm and steady. Some feel electric.
Marissa and Jeffrey’s? It feels like home, but the kind of home that’s always laughing.
Their Washington Oaks Gardens engagement photos perfectly captured who they are: playful, outdoorsy, best-friends-first kind of love. The kind that has been growing for nine years and will officially turn ten when they say “I do” at Lakeview Gardens on 06.13.26.
Yes. Their wedding day is their ten-year anniversary. If that’s not full-circle romance, I don’t know what is.
From Siblings to Soulmates
They met because of their siblings.
I love when love sneaks in sideways like that. No dating app. No grand meet-cute. Just real life and family connections that turned into something lasting.
They’ve been together for nine years already. Nine years of shared laughs, shared adventures, and building something solid. On their wedding day, it will officially be a decade of choosing each other.
And when I asked what they love most about one another?
“Our personalities are so similar. We are always cracking up. Literally my best friend.”
That’s it. That’s the foundation.
A Tennessee Cabin Proposal
Their engagement happened during a birthday trip to Tennessee in a little cabin.
I’m picturing cozy wood interiors, mountain air, maybe a little mist rolling in. Quiet. Intentional. Just the two of them.
The kind of proposal that feels intimate and real not flashy, just meaningful.
And honestly? It fits them perfectly.
We started their engagement session at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, one of my favorite locations for engagement photos in St. Augustine.
Washington Oaks is magic because it gives you two completely different worlds:
• Romantic formal gardens
• Dramatic coquina rock coastline
And for a couple who loves the outdoors, fishing, paddleboarding, hiking, camping, beach days, this location felt like an extension of their relationship.
The wind off the ocean caught Marissa’s white dress in the most cinematic way. Jeffrey pulled her in close, barefoot on the rocks, waves rolling behind them. It felt effortless. Natural. Like they’ve done this a thousand times before.
Because they have, just without the camera.
River to Sea Preserve Beach Moments
After the gardens, we headed to River to Sea Preserve for that open-sky, salty-air vibe.
The wind picked up. Her hair moved. His arms wrapped around her from behind. And the way he rests his chin against her shoulder? That’s not posing. That’s comfort.
There’s something about beach engagement photos in St. Augustine that feels both romantic and grounded. The colors were soft blues and sandy neutrals, which is going to contrast so beautifully with their wedding vision next year.
Looking Ahead to Lakeview Gardens | 06.13.26
Marissa and Jeffrey are planning a romantic garden wedding at Lakeview Gardens and I already know it’s going to be stunning.
Colorful florals in pinks, yellows, and oranges.
Soft garden romance meets vibrant personality.
And knowing them? There will be laughter. Probably inside jokes during the vows. Definitely happy tears. And that comfortable kind of love that only comes from almost ten years of doing life together.
Lakeview Gardens is going to transform into this colorful, joy-filled celebration of a love that has already stood the test of time.
And I cannot wait.
Why Washington Oaks Gardens is Perfect for Engagement Photos
If you’re looking for engagement photos in St. Augustine, Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is one of the most versatile locations in Florida.
You get:
• Lush gardens
• Historic charm
• Coastal rock formations
• Open beach views
• Sunset glow over the Atlantic
It’s ideal for couples who want romantic, natural, and slightly dramatic engagement photos without traveling all over town.
Marissa + Jeffrey
Nine years in.
Ten years on wedding day.
Best friends first.
They love the outdoors. They love adventure. But most of all, they love laughing together.
And that’s the kind of love that lasts.
June 13, 2026 at Lakeview Gardens is going to be vibrant, romantic, and completely them.
And I’m already counting down.
Planning Your Own Washington Oaks Gardens Engagement Photos?
If you’re dreaming of colorful, emotional engagement photos in St. Augustine, Washington Oaks Gardens, or River to Sea Preserve, I would love to help you plan something that feels alive and true to you.
The wind. The movement. The laughter. The quiet in-between moments.
Let’s tell your story.
