Trabuco Canyon Engagement ~ Madison + Jonathan

While sipping on refreshing cocktails and licking buffalo wing sauce from our finger tips, Madison and Jonathan proceeded to share their ideas of a "Beauty and the Beast" inspired Engagement Session, explaining how their love story has similarities.  A few weeks earlier Jonathan let me know that he was growing out his beard and wanted to have two different looks for the session; the first being casual (depicting him as the "beast," thus the beard), and the second, he would shave his beard, wear a suit, and Madison would wear something more elegant, highlighting her beauty.  They also brought a few props, hoping to incorporate them into the session.  To be honest, I usually don't encourage props or themes (even though I will always do my best to try and incorporate them, especially for sentimental reasons), so I felt a little challenged with how I would pull it off in a way that would satisfy my clients' vision, yet stay true to my brand and style.  

Well, I'm happy to say that the session was a great success!  We had a blast with these two and I loved every minute with them!  Here are a few of my favorites.  Enjoy! 

Downtown Los Angeles Engagement Session ~ Hailey & Justin

Cocktails, appetizers, laughter, and a couple in love -- the perfect recipe for an awesome Engagement Session!  We sure did have a blast with Hailey & Justin.  Our first stop was the Pattern Bar, which we actually stumbled upon by accident.  Such a cool spot, we couldn't pass it up.  The food was incredibly delicious, as were the cocktails.  

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Next, we made our way to the beautiful Walt Disney Concert Hall, taking a few pics along the way.  Wow.. what a remarkable piece of architectural work.  I never realized how beautiful it was up close.  I had the privilege of working in Downtown Los Angeles from 1989 to 2008, so i was able to see the construction from the very beginning to completion, from 1999 to 2003. But never once did I have the opportunity to experience up close, even though I worked there for all those years.  It was beautiful, and I had a great time capturing some awesome shots of Hailey & Justin.  :)

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Next stop was the Arts District, followed by a romp on the roof of a very cool place called Perch.  Our final stop was at a fabulous restaurant called Industriel.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures cuz we were so tired and I just wanted to relax and enjoy the ambiance, food, cocktails, and most importantly, my clients, and friends, Justin & Hailey. :)  It was a great day!

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Orange County Engagement ~ Los Rios

We arranged to meet up with Michael and Jennifer at Five Vines Wine Bar in San Juan Capistrano for some yummy appetizers and wine before shooting their engagement session in the quaint and adorable Los Rios District. After all, you can never go wrong with snacks and wine when meeting new friends!  :) We thoroughly enjoyed meeting these two and especially enjoyed hearing their love story.

Michael and Jennifer met as teenagers, hanging out with the same group of friends, who also were heavy metal fanatics, and would frequently attend metal concerts together. They fed off of the aggression, fast guitars, and pure energy! Entirely unknown to Michael at that time, Jennifer had a secret crush on him. They remained friends for a number of years, always enjoying each other’s company. As time went on, they lost touch.  But after a couple of years, they began hanging out again, and more frequently.  They became inseparable, enjoying each other's company, listening to music and going to concerts as often as they could -- and there was never a shortage of laughter.  Before you know it, they fell for each other.

Jennifer fell in love with Michael's cynical sarcasm and macabre sense of humor. Michael fell in love with Jennifer's her pure heart and kind, genuine personality. No matter what they do together, whether they stay home watching movies, go for long drives, or just being outdoors on a hike, they are always happy, spending time together.  

We had a great time learning about them, and documenting their love for each other. Thank you so much Jennifer & Michael for a great time!

Orange County E-Session - Holley & Richie

I was so very excited when Holley contacted me to shoot her wedding at the end of this year!  You see, I had already had the pleasure of documenting her brother's wedding last year in Temecula, and was so very honored that Holley & Richie loved the pictures so much that they wanted me to document their wedding also!   Here are some of my favorites from their engagement session, which also included their adorable Bailey!