Engagement shoot in the Merensky 2 Library

Sometimes the Department of Library Services’ Marketing Office receives strange requests – such as this one.

On the 4 April 2018, UP Alumnus Jon van der Walt (now a senior associate at the law firm ENSafrica) contacted the Marketing Office with the following request: “I have an odd request - my fiancé and I really want to do our engagement photo shoot in the law library next weekend. Is this something that is even possible in your view and if so how would I go about getting the necessary permission?”

Because I am a romantic at heart the necessary permission forms were provided, completed and approved. Seeing that the photo shoot was to take place on a Sunday, the Merensky 2 library seemed a better locale than the Law Library because it stays open in the afternoon. The photographic shoot took place on 15 April 2018.

Jon shared their story: in short: his fiancée Natasha van Wyk (now a beauty and fashion editor at Vrouekeur who also studied at UP) and he were high school sweethearts. They love books so much that they are giving each other second hand books as wedding gifts and he had personally spent thousands of hours in the Merensky 2 Library while studying. “[The library] is very close to my heart!”

Jon kept his word and sent the promised photographs later, noting : “Here are a few photos from our photo shoot. We appreciate your and UP’s support. I felt very nostalgic!”

We wish the couple all of the best. It is indeed heartwarming that the couple wanted these special forever moments to be captured in one of our libraries!