“Let’s go, Blondie.”
I think I had known Sebastian for approximately thirty minutes when I realized this was going to be my favorite thing he said all night. Blondie. Because yes, Madison is blonde. Very observant, Sebastian. 😂 But it wasn’t really the nickname itself that got me. It was the way he said it. So casual. So smooth. So completely natural, like he had probably said it a thousand times before. And then there was Madison. Every time “Blondie” made another appearance during their engagement session, I swear there was a little twinkle in her eye. She knew. She knew exactly what he meant.
And within the first few moments of wandering around Museum Campus with these two, I knew something too. Madison and Sebastian are two peas in a pod. They have been together for a long time. Long enough to experience a whole lot of life side by side before making things officially, officially, ring-on-the-finger official. And I think all of those years together have created something really special between them. They know each other. Like, really know each other. They know how to make each other laugh. They know exactly when to tease. They have years of stories and memories to pull from.
And they seem completely comfortable being exactly who they are when they're together. Which meant their engagement session had a soundtrack. And no, it wasn't the sounds of Chicago in the background. It was their laughter. Constantly and contagiously. There is NEVER a dull moment with Madison and Sebastian. One minute they were teasing each other. The next, they were telling a story about something that happened years ago. Then one of them would start laughing quickly prompting the other to follow suit.
And I don't mean polite little giggles for the camera. I'm talking about the good stuff. Belly laughs. The kind that makes you forget you're having your picture taken. The kind where your smile reaches all the way to your eyes. The kind of laughter that's so contagious you find yourself laughing along even if you missed the beginning of the joke. The kind of joy you wish you could bottle up, tuck onto a shelf, and save for a gloomy day. Museum Campus was absolutely blessed by it that evening. And honestly, so was I. Because underneath all of the jokes, teasing, and belly laughs, there is something incredibly sweet about Madison and Sebastian.
They care so deeply for one another. That's why I kept coming back to “Blondie.” Pet names have always felt like tiny windows into relationships to me. They're usually born somewhere in the middle of all the ordinary moments no one else gets to see. They become part of a language that belongs to two people. And sure, “Blondie” might sound like Sebastian simply stating the obvious. But you should see his face when he says it. There's something almost proud about it. Like, Yep. That's Blondie. She's mine. And you should see Madison's face when she hears it. That little sparkle. That smile. Like she knows exactly what's hiding underneath the joke. Yep. That's my person.
That's Madison and Sebastian. Playful, but never without tenderness. Teasing, but always with love. Silly and completely willing to laugh at themselves, while caring for each other in a way that feels incredibly deep and steady. After spending so much of life together already, they don't seem interested in pretending to be anything other than exactly who they are. And I LOVE that about them.
Their relationship doesn't need to become serious for you to understand that their love is serious. You can see it right there in the laughter. In the stories. In the way they look at each other after a joke lands. In a silly little nickname that somehow says so much more than the word itself ever could.
And now, after all those years... All that life. All those memories. All those belly laughs. All those “Let’s go, Blondie” moments... THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED.
Like, this week. FINALLY. 😂
Which makes looking back on this engagement session even sweeter. Soon, I'll get to watch these two stand together and make official what everyone who knows them can already see so clearly. They found their person. Their teammate. Their favorite person. Their safe place. Their partner in all the ordinary, ridiculous, wonderful parts of life.
Madison and Sebastian, thank you for letting me into your world. Thank you for sharing your stories with me, laughing until our cheeks hurt, and allowing me to capture a tiny piece of the relationship you've spent all these years building. Thank you for being unapologetically yourselves and reminding me that some of the sweetest love stories aren't always the quiet ones. Sometimes they're loud. Sometimes they're filled with belly laughs that echo across Museum Campus. And sometimes they sound a whole lot like... “Let’s go, Blondie.”
I cannot WAIT to laugh with you two again this week. Except this time, you'll be husband and wife. 🤍
