Where to start? I always encourage couples to personalize their engagement session, think of something unique, bring a prop or two… but Dawn & Craig took it to an entirely different (and amazingly wonderful) level!

In our email exchanges, Dawn sent me the idea of a vintage picnic session that combined all of their favorite things, and we immediately took off on a mad brainstorming session. The result had me giddy with excitement – the perfect sun-kissed location, a picnic basket (complete with a baguette!), vintage sodas, books, cupcakes from Frostings (links to a wonderfully written review by Dawn), and a bouquet of bright yellow flowers. The finishing touch was their custom-made bicycles – Craig goes biking daily and they have over 15 (fifteen!) at their home (as Dawn puts it, the bikes multiply like rabbits).

From our very first meeting, where Dawn and I chatted about folding cranes (she’s folding 1000 for the wedding!), our shared hapa roots, travel, music, and food (Dawn & Craig met working at Roy’s – what a deliciously romantic way to meet!), I felt like they would be the perfect couple for us, and can’t WAIT for their wedding in December! It’s going to a beautiful and fresh wintery-wonderland affair!

Special thanks to Ruffled for featuring this session!

I am uber excited to share this engagement session for a few reasons: (1) it was for Scott’s beautiful sister Lauren & her sweet fiance Josh, (2) it was personalized to fit them & their relationship to a tee, and (3) it involved amazing, delicious, get-in-mah-tummy FOOD!

From the first time they met, Lauren & Josh bonded over their love of good food and wine, and cooking together immediately became a pastime that they shared. When they suggested a “cooking” theme for their session, I was SO on board – by choosing something that was special to their relationship, the session was innately and wonderfully unique. Lauren & Josh put such thought into all the details, crafting up a colorful menu, busting out their cute aprons, and cracking open one of their favorite wines. The result – a wonderful themed engagement session that just shone with their personalities!

Lauren & Josh save the corks (in these perfect apothecary jars!) from all the wine bottles they have enjoyed together & with friends over the years:

I loved this “Lady & the Tramp” inspired shot, but Scott later suggested it would have been even better if Josh had rolled a tomato towards Lauren with his nose. Ha!

After the cooking was done, we headed to the park right across the street to finish up the session. I have lived by and visited this park since I was a wee little child, but I never imagined it’d be so awesome for an engagement session! Train tracks + pretty light? YES PLEASE!

Stay tuned for their beautiful vineyard wedding coming up next! They were married at the amazing Firestone Vineyards in Los Olivos, which is pretty much my new favorite town! (A large contributing factor to this is the fact that it houses the most amazing cupcakes known to man.)

When we first meet up with our couples for their engagement session, we always start by catching up a bit, chatting about the wedding, and then going over a quick description of how engagement sessions usually flow – that I’ll be giving some direction, but the ultimate goal is to capture you, the two of you, in your natural element being your totally awesome natural selves. And at the end of this recap, almost every time, the super sweet and beyond adorable couple claims that they’re horribly bad with photos. And every time, they go on to totally rock and make my camera fall madly in love with them :)

Jaenee & A were no exception. I met with Jaenee last year over gelato-filled mochi and she was one of the first clients to book me for 2009. Jaenee was so warm and so excited about her wedding, and had such trust in my photography, which meant the world to me, especially at that time when I was still somewhat of a newbie. On a sunny Sunday afternoon last month, I drove down to Seaport Village in San Diego to meet up with Jaenee & A for their engagement session. And as I mentioned before, their inspirational love and fun personalities made them so easy to work with. They’re getting married in just 2 (yes 2!) days in San Diego and we are beyond giddy with excitement to see them again soon!

Jaenee & A have this phenomenal coordinated walk that they do. Love it!

Scott captured the next one – love that juicy light!

After a change of clothes (check out that fabulous dress.. and the shoes, the shoes!), we headed to the San Diego Convention Center for a few more photos:

Loved this aqua wall. And don’t pockets on dresses make them that much more perfect?

I would have loved to take credit for this cute shot, but it was all their idea! :)

We finished up with some shots in the garage & fun with off-camera lighting…