Rob and Jackie met in high school. Being introduced by mutual friends, they started the first years of their relationship as friends…. hanging out at lunch, studying, and discussing the future of their young lives. When it came time to decide on colleges, Rob landed a place at USC and Jackie decided on an east coast school. They hung out all summer with their friends, and it wasn’t until their first college school year started to approach that they began to realize they didn’t want to lose each other. Rob took Jackie on their first official date to Laguna Beach and as they enjoyed a delicious dinner at Las Brisas, he asked her to be his girlfriend. She said yes.

Then, as life often happens, school drew them apart to their prospective universities…. but they maintained their deepening relationship through the distance. The tragedy of “9-11″ happened and Jackie and Rob found themselves shaken and uncomfortably aware that the “important things” in life needed to be prioritized a little better. Jackie transferred to a university back in California to be closer to family, and to Rob. And 12 years after that first date, we found ourselves back where it all began to document their engagement before they tie the knot next month.

These two have a love that is rare…. their love runs deeper than deep, and their friendship truly is the foundation of their relationship. The comfortability, the predictability, and the intuitiveness toward each other’s needs is remarkable. I absolutely loved spending the evening with them. Here are my favorites from the evening….

How beautiful is Jackie?!!!! Danyell Weinberg did a beautiful job with the hair and makeup!

Rob, you’re pretty handsome yourself…

Back when I first started my business in 2008, I worked part time at a local coffee shop called It’s a Grind. It was one of those bucket list jobs that seemed to be available at the perfect time in my life… and I met so many wonderful people. While I am no morning person… the shift I enjoyed most was the opening shift which started at 5:30am. I would roll out of bed at the sound of my alarm, make an angry face at the darkness outside my window, and stumble out the door to start brewing coffee and get the store ready for the day. That part of those mornings, the waking up and getting out the door part, was the hardest…. but the fun part began at about 6am when the daily customers started rolling in. This was where I first met Bill. He’d come into the store more chipper than any other human being alive at that time of morning. He’d ask me how my morning’s going, poke fun at my sloth-ish mannerisms, sip his black coffee from his travel mug, and tell me about the new things in his life. His buddy would come in right after him and join the conversation…. then they’d sit down to read and answer emails on their Blackberrys for the next 30 minutes. Those early risers MADE my morning.

Well, fast forward to 2011… I got a phone call from Bill excitedly telling me he met someone and that they had just gotten engaged. He asked if I was still doing wedding photography and asked to meet up and talk about possibly being his wedding photographer. Long story short, I am his and Leslie’s wedding photographer and I couldn’t be more excited for their wedding day! These two are SO GREAT together and the life that shines out of their relationship is refreshing and inspiring. And Leslie…. Leslie, Leslie, Leslie. Leslie is a complete joy and her laugh is so contagious I could feel myself laughing with her every time she tipped her head back and giggled. She brings the “lovey dovey” out in her strong and shrewd business man of a fiance… and I absolutely love them together! Here are some of my favorites from their engagement shoot at the Orange Circle in Orange….

Bill and Leslie, thanks for choosing me to tell your love story. I’m stoked for your wedding day later this month…. and I’m so glad you’ve found each other!

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!