Danielle + Frankie = Engaged

I met Danielle and Frankie at a Starbucks several months ago to discuss their wedding plans.  Frankie sat next to Danielle and held her hand as we went over their plans and thoughts on how we should cover the big day.

She smiled and laughed as they told me how he proposed to her.   Through out their relationship, Frankie would often leave a gift or a simple note on Danielle's doorstep when he wanted to let her know he was thinking about her. When she was sick, or studying hard for school,  there was always a little something on her doorstep to cheer her up and cheer her on. On an August night after a special date Frankie dropped her off at home, and then called Danielle and told her to go look on her doorstep. Danielle opened the door to find her engagement ring, and the man she would soon call husband.  I do believe that was the best gift she ever got!

Heather + Craig = Engaged at the Montage in Laguna

When I first met Heather and Craig, and they mentioned that they wanted their engagement photos taken at the Montage, I was thrilled.  You would think that everyone that lives in SoCal wants their engagement photos taken at the beach. This is not the case and I jumped at the chance to go to the beach on a Saturday afternoon.

For Heather and Craig, the Montage was a very important part of their story and a must for our photo shoot.  On a day not unlike the day that we had our shoot, Craig had carefully planned a romantic proposal on a quiet little bench during sunset at the Montage.  As Heather looked out at the sunset, a little dissappointed she sighed, "This would have been a really nice place to get engaged." As if her wish was Craig's command, a waiter from the Montage presented Heather with the ring that would change her life forever.   Congratulations Heather and Craig :)  I am so glad that you chose me to capture your special day and tell a small part of your story.

Carrie and Kirk Married at Strawberry Farms in Irvine

What a beautiful day this turned out to be.  With clouds overhead we expected a bit of rain on Carrie and Kirk's wedding day.  It would not have been unrealistic since both our engagement photo shoot attempts  were in the midst of fog, but God opened the sky for a bright and beautiful day made especially for Carrie and Kirk.  What a joy it was to be a part of their special day!!!

Here is a link to the slide show !

Sweet Claire

So precious, so sweet, are the small little noises she makes while looking at her big sister Rowan.  She feels at home in the arms of her new best friend.  What a blessing for this sweet family.

Click here to see more of the shoot

Carrie and Kirk

I love Carrie... She is a natural beauty with a heart for God. I first met Carrie 9 years ago when she was in charge of daycare at my daughter's school. She has been a great teacher, sister and second mother to so many children, including my daughter. Thank you Carrie for who you are, and all that you do. Kirk has definitely won the hand of someone very special :)

See more of the shoot here.

Aubree

What fun! Aubree is a ball of energy that laughs and giggles as she goes. She is a sweet baby with a precious smile.

Dora's True Love

I have taken tons of photos this weekend and this is by far my favorite. I took it at Dora's granddaughter's 15th birthday party. There is nothing special about this image, in the way I took the photo, or the way I processed it, rather what I saw through the lens. I saw the way that these two people love each other. They have been married for over 40 years and they still look at each other with such genuine love, respect and appreciation. This is the kind of love that I hope for my friends, for my family, and for my husband and myself. Here is to 40+ years of joy and love for all of us.