The sun shone brightly at the 5 o’clock hour. As we walked through the wildflowers, a soft ocean breeze gently blew through her hair and the smell of cool salty waves filled the air. He gazed at the blue horizon, his arm holding her close to his side. Picture perfect. This is how Peter and Carol’s engagement shoot went… perfect, picturesque, and utterly romantic. Their love for each other displayed itself naturally… from the way he held her hand, to the way she looked into his eyes.

I first met Carol in junior high. We were two silly kids who happened to like swimming and we decided to take a summer water polo class. I remember the first day of the class, we both realized VERY QUICKLY that water polo was A LOT harder than we thought. So in between bobbing up for air, giggling at our incompetence, and then choking on water…. we survived the class and continued on as friends through our high school years. From high school, we both went our different ways to college, we both had some traveling adventures… and sure enough we both met our Prince Charmings. And now, as Carol and Peter are nearing their wedding day…. I can’t help but be excited for my longtime friend! Here are my favorites from the evening…. I think you’ll agree that they are TOO CUTE!!

This is one of my favs!

Special thanks to Danyell Weinberg for the beautiful job on Carol’s makeup!

Before I begin, I have to tell you that I LOVE Kyle and Stacy’s story. I really really do.

They first met at work. She was the new girl who had just moved to California from Texas. She was a brilliant blonde whose love for conversation and relationship annoyed Kyle a little bit. To Kyle, this chatty country girl wanted to talk too long as she walked by his desk, and smiled way to much for his liking. So he kept his distance and maintained a professional respect for his outgoing co-worker.

Kyle happened to be a somewhat quiet young man who prided himself in focus and hard work. He was a high achiever and had ambitious plans for his career future. Stacy just saw him as a stuck up surfer dude, and left him alone after countless attempts at conversation with him.

But, as experience teaches us time and time again, first impressions aren’t always a true reflection of a person. And THANK YOU JESUS, for that!! A little while down the road, Kyle realized he was wrong about Stacy, and Stacy realized Kyle really wasn’t mean and he wasn’t really a surfer….. and they both kind of fell in love…  in the forever kind of love.

Kyle loves Stacy more than words…. and Stacy has truly found the man of her dreams. He appreciates her excitement for life… and her relational personality has brought out the best in him. For two people who came from such different backgrounds, they’ve truly found “home” in each other.

I met them at their old stomping grounds, Hermosa Beach, and we had a great time walking, talking, and shooting some super cute engagement photos. Here are my favorites from the afternoon….

Kyle and Stacy…. you were a dream to work with. I had so much fun with you two and I’m so glad we had the chance to meet and document your engagement. Thanks for sharing your story with me, and I hope our paths cross again someday. You’ve got something great in each other…. God is SO GOOD.

Daniel and Che-monte met dancing. How romantic is that?! They also happen to work for the same large company near Nuremberg, Germany. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her… for a good reason… she’s GORGEOUS. And she couldn’t stop thinking of that sweet young man and how he’s “not like other guys in Germany.” Somehow, both Daniel and Che-monte knew they had something special… and they’ve been together ever since.

They recently got engaged and are SEHR SHOEN (sooo cute) together! Che-monte contacted me when she heard I would be traveling to Nuremberg and we quickly set up a time to shoot some engagement photos. They couldn’t have picked better locations… a beautiful park and a beautiful castle. That’s right… a castle. And even though it was a bit cold outside, the rain held up until the very last shot of the evening.

Daniel and Che-monte, I am so glad we met. Your love for each other is something really amazing and I wish you the absolute best as you continue on your journey together. It was such an honor to capture all your sweet whispers, stolen glances, and genuinely happy smiles. Here are some of my favorites from the day…

There are few young couples who know the depth of love Brian and Megan do. Something happens in a love story when hardships put mountains in the way… it refines things down to what really matters and forces you to find courage from beyond yourself to make the climb. If you didn’t get a chance to read their story, you can find it here… it’s pretty amazing. So on their wedding day, they celebrated a new chapter in their love story, but they also celebrated reaching the pinnacle of a mountain.  Their wedding day was a joyful triumph and such a stark reminder that love wins… always.

Just as Megan planned it, the details of the wedding day came together flawlessly to create wedding day perfection. I have to say how thoroughly impressed I was at her attention to detail and her overall vision. Cori from Events by Cori was the mastermind throughout the day, making sure that everything flowed peacefully and beautifully as Megan’s pieces came together. Here are my favorites from the day….

Brian was STOKED on his wedding day…. it was hard to keep this groom from smiling! And he was so sweet throughout the day as little moments here and there impressed their “realness” on his heart. He married the absolute woman of his dreams and he knew it! Look at that grin!

Casa Romantica was such a great place to have a wedding! Not only was it GORGEOUS, but it’s cool knowing it’s such a historic location in Southern Orange County. And the balcony where the ceremonies take place overlooked the San Clemente Pier… such a great view! I highly recommend this place…

This was such a beautiful, meaningful, and FUN wedding to be a part of… and I couldn’t have done it without my dream team, Christopher and Amanda! Thank you, with all my heart, for all your help and patience with me…. I couldn’t dream for a better team!

Also, many thanks go to all the wonderful vendors who came together to make Brian and Megan’s day a dream! Wedding Planning: Events by Cori, Venue: Casa Romantica, Catering: Iva Lee’s Catering, Hair: Salon Incognito, Makeup: Makeup by Berit, DJ: Essential Mobile Music, Florist: Flower Company of San Clemente, Custom Invitations: Li’K Designs, Cake: It’s All About the Cake