Hello Everyone, Arnel and Lejla here! We have been getting quite a few questions so we thought we would compile a few commonly asked questions and answer them individually below. There are a few different topics covered from relationship questions to working together. We hope you enjoy our first Q & A post!
Question: How did you meet?
Arnel: Her sister introduced us!
Lejla: My sister was dating Arnel’s brother and casually shared that I should become FB friends with him! The rest is history 🙂
Question: How did you know she/ he was the one?
Arnel: It was instant chemistry! I had never met anyone like her before, she was full of life and full of energy! Lejla is genuinely a kind hearted person and constantly willing to help others, her big heart can be seen miles away. There is a story to go along with how spontaneous and loving she is. Well over 6 years ago, when we first started dating, Lejla was living in Richmond at the time and I was here in Atlanta so we used to fly back and forth as much as could. A few months into our relationship Lejla decided to pull a little surprise together.
Lejla had originally told me that she would be arriving on a Wednesday night, since she would finish her finals by then and she would be on Spring Break, but it was a Tuesday evening I went to the gym and was having dinner since I know Lejla was taking her exams and would Skype me after she was finished. My whole family was acting a little funny that day, my mom made a lavish meal, she was a little too dressed up for a casual evening and my brother and dad went and saw a “movie,” hmmm. Everyone was just acting a bit out of the ordinary, but I just let it go. After dinner Lejla sent me a text and told me she was finished with her final and was about to tell me all about it on Skype, so I headed to my room to get on my computer. What I didn’t know was that my dad and brother had gone to pick Lejla up from the airport and she was actually pulling into the driveway. So as the Skype call came through, I answered and within seconds she peaked into the room with a huge smile on her face and said “HI” (this is when I fell out of my chair and thought I was hallucinating). The best part is she had planned the whole thing with my entire family and they loved every second of it.
Lejla: Arnel was one of the kindest humans I had ever met, his smile was adorable and everything about his personality made me want to talk to him for hours. As crazy as it might sound, we just adored one another and felt the same way about each other from the get go. I think our values, goals and dreams matched up perfectly. He was never pushy or demanding or needy, he was relaxed, private, pretty much everything I had ever looked for in a man. He has always been caring and compassionate and such a family man. He would also listen to me talk for hours and would laugh at my not so funny jokes. It wasn’t too long after our initial few dates that I knew he was the one!
Question: Since the both of you were in a long distance relationship, what did you find most challenging and what’s the best advice you would give someone who is currently in a long distance relationship?
Arnel: The most challenging part was not having Lejla physically there everyday, texting and phone calls can be so impersonal and so hard to manage with crazy schedules. Since we were both in college most of our free time was in the evenings which is where Skype came in handy, this was before “face time” days even existed.
The best advice I can give is to understand one another because ultimately you both are in this together and truly work through the challenges that you may face and overcome them together. As long as you are willing to put in the effort then things will naturally work out.
Lejla: Long distance relationships can be tough but I wouldn’t trade ours for the world! There are times I wished I could just give him a big hug or jump into his arms. But just because something isn’t easy doesn’t mean you should quit or give up, it means that you have to work around those challenges.
A piece of advice I would give is, it doesn’t last forever (the long distance part) so while it’s not ideal right now, it won’t always be that way, and never date anyone because they are a convenience but date someone who truly makes you happy even though he/she might be a few hundred miles away, the distance is only temporary I promise!
What’s your advice for newlyweds?
Arnel: Love each other and support each other no matter what, help one another overcome obstacles and respect each other most importantly! Have the same goal in mind, discuss everything from finances to short and long term goals. Being on the same page especially as a newlywed is important. Communicate, be appreciative of small gestures and of one another and always be honest.
Lejla: Communicate, love one another with all you have, work hard and do not hold grudges. It’s typical advice I know but truly it’s all about communication. Too many things get interpreted the wrong way and get said the wrong way that ultimately it’s learning and knowing how to communicate with one another. Love each other and respect each other, thank each other for the small things that get done, appreciate one another other, say thank you when he/she makes breakfast or washes the dishes, be kind and ask if they need anything or need help with something, make dinner together, talk about goals and never go to bed mad.
Question: How do you all find the time to take photos for Hello It’s LOH and how do you all like working together?
Arnel: Hello It’s LOH is a project that had been in the works for a while and a ton of commitment. Since we both have our own careers it’s all about time management and a schedule. We keep a close eye on the weather, for great photos, lighting is key! Hello It’s LOH is a labor of love, it’s filled with great content and Lejla truly dedicates 100% to every post, she cares so much about what gets published and what collaborations she takes on that she can be a bit of a perfectionist. It’s the reason we work so well together, we both want things to be perfect from photography to content to graphics and everything in between. It doesn’t always happen that way and we face challenges from website malfunctions to rainy days that last for weeks which means no photography shoots but we overcome those challenges and we just take a deep breath and do what we can.
Lejla: Timing can be so off and weather has not always been our greatest friend but we stick through it and try to keep a schedule as much as possible. Arnel is definitely the photography guru and really it’s all about good lighting and pretty scenery. As for working together, we have great days and we have not so great days, the not so great days look a little like me with tears down my face because my website isn’t working and I am rushing to get it fixed. Arnel is my calming other half who assures me it’s all going to be okay so I wouldn’t trade him for the world and I am pretty lucky to have him as my partner.
Question: What Camera do you all use for the blog?
Both: Arnel did a guest post on the blog a few months ago sharing cameras for beginners and tips on various photography tips. Also discussed the camera and lens that we most often use for the blog, see here.
Question: How do you all like living in the city? Do you plan on living in the city long term?
Arnel: I love cities in general, but definitely prefer smaller cities and more walkable cities. Atlanta is great and is continuously growing but with that growth comes a ton of traffic. While we can’t complain too much about our commutes I do wish it was a more walkable city like some of the other major cities we have been to. Atlanta isn’t the most walkable place which makes living in it kind of tricky, while we are close to a ton, especially our jobs and the parks there are times where I tell Lejla we should buy a farm, but she usually tells me to wait a few years. I think as our companies grow and as our careers take off we will definitely have to live in the city but eventually we would want to be close to the water. I am big fan of the west coast but I think Lejla prefers the east coast!
Lejla: This is a tough one, I think Arnel and I are both two old souls stuck in young couples body (should probably elaborate on that). I love the culture and various shops and how much the city has to offer. It’s also close to both our jobs which makes me love it that much more since I don’t spend much time in traffic (Atlanta traffic is a nightmare). There are times when the hustle and bustle gets overwhelming and I wished I lived on a farm surrounded by miles of greenery. I don’t see us living in the city long term, maybe just the next few years but after that I hope to live by the beach somewhere.
Thank you all for stopping by and for your constant support and love!
Lejla & Arnel
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