After a weekend of laboring, I finally have the chance to sit down and look through all the images from the past few days. I couldn’t help but feel completely blessed to have been a part of Kraig and Eryn’s day yesterday. There are so many wonderful shots, but these ones made me smile extra big today… I hope you do too…

Tonight I laughed. Hard.

It felt amazing to be able to let loose.

Brad and Czarina…. Thank You.

You made my week with this Engagement Shoot!

More to come…

It finally felt like the weather had finally gotten the “flip the summer weather switch” memo and, even at the beach, it was HOT. I met up with Justin in Heisler Park, Laguna Beach, and immediately I noticed that his face was stuck in a smile almost as bright as it was outside. He gave me a huge hug and almost jumped up and down with anticipation when I asked if he was ready to start shooting. He was genuinely GIDDY with excitement because that day, he would be marrying his best friend.

The thing about Justin and Bryna’s love is it’s so tangibly real. And when they read their vows to each other (which they wrote themselves), I couldn’t help but smile inside at how truthful and genuine they were towards each other. I suppose when you date as long as they have, you come to realize the things that matter most in the other person…. and just the fact that they’re even more in love than they were when they first started, says a lot. I loved spending the evening with them and I felt so honored to be a part of their day. Here’s my favorite shots from the evening….

To the New Mr. and Mrs. Crandell,

Thank you so much for inviting me into your day and allowing me a glimpse of true love. Your friendship is inspiring, your dedication to each other makes me want to be a better person, and your love is beautiful. It was so fun and I wish you the best of the best as husband and wife!

My cousin called me this morning around 11am and asked if I could spare an hour this evening. I asked what for… and he said he was proposing to his girlfriend, Kate. I almost forgot to swallow for about a minute as he told me his initial plan for the evening and when he asked what I thought… I loudly gulped and said how AWESOME I thought the whole idea was. I told him I’d be there. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

As I stealthily stalked them on the tourist packed beach in Newport this evening, I thought how stinkin’ lucky I was, in that moment, to be able to share this with my cousin Scott and my soon to be cousin-in-law Kate. (Is that right? Cousin-in-law?) Anyways… I’m so so SOOO happy for them… and so proud that two such talented and ridiculously intelligent good looking people found each other and fell in love. Here’s some shots from the evening…

Scotty and Kate, I was so honored to be included… and I hope you know I love you more than all the sand in Newport. You rock my world, you give me something to strive to be when I grow up, and I hope you enjoy every second of your engagement. Lastly, Kate… take care of the name you’re marrying into… I’ll expect nothing less than excellence from the future “Katie Akamine.”