With engagement sessions, I love when it’s as if I’m just accompanying the couple on a date… natural laughs, quiet intimate moments, an organic unfolding. This is definitely how this one felt – just an afternoon in downtown, a couple cups of coffee, a walk around the neighborhood, a spontaneous stop here and there. I do give some direction during sessions but the ultimate goal is this right here; Dina & Mark interacting in the fun sweet way they do and me accompanying with camera in tow.

Wedding photos are lovely and joyous and so precious, but I love engagement sessions in that they can really show a bit more of who you are together on an everyday level. A snapshot of this.particular.moment in your life.

Ridiculous light, a super fun couple, and a pair of red shoes… what more could you ask for? Once again I have the interwebs to thank for connecting me to an amazing couple – our first meeting was via video chat, but I swear it felt like talking to old friends. Christina & Mark are the kinds of people who bring the happy with them wherever they go {my favorite kind!} and I was so excited to finally meet them in person & explore Laguna together. If this session is any indication of what their wedding might be like? It’s going to be awesome.

I feel like this wedding was such a perfect blend of elegant + casual, with a brilliant dash of east coast charm thrown in {carried over by Dana & Brandon from NYC}. And the Hartley Botanica? With its lush gardens, sun-dappled lawns, quiet tucked-away location, it has officially been added to my list of super-duper-swoonworthy venues. I seriously fell in love with the location just from the ceremony area alone!

And while pretty green willows, cute jam favors, and whimsical bouquets all can add to the loveliness of a day, none of it quite compares to the emotion. The laughter, the tears, the love in this wedding was what really made the photos :)