I was so excited when Kelie contacted me for their engagement session! They had not yet set a date or location for their wedding, but wanted to do a session around the colorful Santa Monica Pier. I have shot at the pier quite a few times (this was in fact the first of 2 in 2 weeks!) but I loved the challenge of finding new spots and putting new spins on old ones. And of course, Kelie & Kaare’s personalities and love created a session that was so uniquely them. I adore when a location reflects who a couple is, and I really think the bright pier and the calm beach was THE perfect backdrop for their chill yet ridiculously fun personalities!

My favorite shots of the day? The ones with the cotton candy! In all our SM pier shoots, this was the first where we incorporated this delightful (yet sticky) treat.

The magical place. Scott and I first happened upon it while visiting a park in Malibu, which we were considering for an upcoming e-session. Unfortunately after much walking and hiking and exploring (all in flip flops on my part – fail!), we left, realizing the park didn’t quite have the “wow” factor that made me want to rave about it to a couple. I was feeling a bit dejected (and sunburnt), as I had high hopes for the park, so Scott suggested we drive through the hills on the way back and catch some glimpses of the little hippie cottages that line the windy road (a sure-fire way to cheer up even the gloomiest of dispositions).

And that’s when we found it.

Right off the side of the road – tall trees, a mountainous backdrop, and the most delicious juicy light. I could have just drank it with a straw! It was, as Mary Poppins would say, practically perfect in every way.

So this is how we ended up at “the magical place” (as it has since been named) last week, with the wonderful Peggy & Ben for their engagement session. I had met Ben during our consultation, but it was my first time meeting Peggy, and I could see how her bright personality and infectious laughter were the perfect complement to Ben’s warm demeanor. They are so silly and sweet and in love and it was a dream to spend the afternoon with them. They live in San Jose but will be getting married in LA this June – can’t wait for their wedding!

We then headed to the Santa Monica Pier to soak up the remainder of the day’s light:

Love all the splashes of color!

I was sitting at a burrito stand in Westwood when she called me with the news. “I’m engaged!!” she told me, her voice brimming with happiness and disbelief. After getting all the juicy details, I hung up and turned to Scott, my dining partner, and babbled excitedly about my friend Joyce who he had yet to meet – how we had been friends since junior high, how we shared laughter and heartbreak over bags of Hot Cheetoes throughout high school and college, and how she was now GETTING MARRIED! (She is actually the very first of our group of girlfriends to take the plunge.)

So of course I was ecstatic when she not only asked me to be a bridesmaid, but to do an engagement shoot for her and Yuki. Unfortunately they had a plans for 4 pm on the day we decided to shoot, which meant no pretty afternoon light. So we went for the next best thing: pretty morning light! Which is how we found ourselves at the Santa Monica pier at 7 am on a Saturday morning. Even though I am the antithesis of a morning person, I have to admit the conditions were great – the sun was out so it wasn’t too cold and the beach was not yet full of people. We even had time to drop by UCLA for some fun shots in the Sculpture Garden.

A big thank you to Joyce & Yuki for a wonderful shoot. I can’t wait for the wedding!!

* A couple of the above photos utilize Photoshop actions created and graciously shared by the Furious Photographers!