NEED TO KNOW
- Erica Jones and Daniel “Dan” Jones had an unusual engagement photo shoot in 2003
- The couple’s daughter, Addison “Addie” Jones, recently uncovered the engagement photo album and started “laughing uncontrollably” when she saw her parents’ odd poses
- Erica and Dan plan to recreate the photos this year
When a teenager uncovered her parents’ engagement photos, she burst into laughter at the pair’s surprisingly odd poses.
Earlier this month, Addison “Addie” Jones, 15, was perusing her parents Erica Jones and Daniel “Dan” Jones’ CD collection. Because she was struggling to find the CD she wanted, Dan, 45, suggested she look under the couple’s bed upstairs. Upon doing so, Addie discovered their engagement photo album, and was absolutely stunned by what she saw.
“We had literally completely forgotten about [it],” Erica, 43, tells PEOPLE. “I don’t even know that I’ve looked at those photos in 15+ years, probably longer.”
In the images, which were taken in the spring or summer of 2003, a then-20-year-old Erica and then-22-year-old Dan smiled as they were photographed by a close friend, Stacey, at three different locations: Erica’s parents’ backyard, the park at a police station and a beach. While the couple did take a few standard engagement shots, such as close-up portraits and holding hands, the majority of the photos were out of the norm.
As Addie flipped through the album, she saw Erica and Dan express their creativity in unique, quirky poses, such as jumping on a trampoline.
“She was laughing uncontrollably and kept saying, ‘WHY?’ ” Erica remembers.
The most unusual, and arguably funniest, photos were of the couple bending over and grabbing each other’s heads between their legs, which was midway in the album.
“So the further in she got, the more she was laughing,” Erica says.
Although Erica can’t remember if she and Dan specifically asked for engagement photos or if Stacey simply offered to take them, she does recall envisioning “a fun and romantic photo shoot that also showcased our personalities.”
Erica and Dan — who got engaged at one of their favorite local restaurants in April 2003 after two years of dating — were just as dumbfounded as their daughter when they saw the photos again after so many years.
Erica thought, “What were we thinking? Why so many bare feet? Did we take those on several days (there was so many outfit changes!)? Why was I wearing those pants? And lastly, whose idea were some of these photos?”
Erica recently shared a video of Addie laughing at her engagement photos on Instagram, and revealed in the comments section that she and Dan plan to recreate them.
“There are two tentative plans at the moment,” Erica tells PEOPLE, noting it will happen “around early March.”
She explains, “We always take an anniversary trip, somewhere just us to keep us focused on our relationship. Last year was Disneyland, this year is a Disney cruise and Walt Disney World. We are going to see about doing some of them there.”
“I have already been in talks with a photographer friend about recreating the trampoline photos and beach photos, as well as the head between the leg photos. Dan is pretty sure he still has at least one of the shirts — I will have to thrift something that will be similar or go a different direction (So regret not keeping those pants! But who knew?).”
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Erica and Dan will celebrate 22 years of marriage next month on Saturday, Feb. 7. In addition to Addie, they share daughters Audrey Jones, 18, and Lexie Jones, 12.
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