JB + Gloria

We really should never have met each other. Colton and I made an extra last minute decision, on a Friday night, to drive all the way to Palo Alto for a football game. On Saturday morning I received an email from Gloria - a friend of a dear past bride who was planning her August wedding in San Francisco. And then, on Sunday, JB + Gloria took me to a sweet little bakery called La Tartine where we spent the morning talking about life and love and a summer full of weddingness. It was an excellent weekend! When it came to their engagement photos JB + Gloria knew they wanted the chance to document the place where they met and fell in love. Gloria did the most amazing job of planning every last detail of this engagement session in San Luis Obispo. She mapped an entire walking course throughout downtown and included all of the spots near + dear to her and JB's hearts. And while she claims this was a skill acquired from her time working in advertising, I seem to think it's just her way of being extra awesome.

JB + Gloria, thank you for asking me to be a small part of your adventure of a story. Thank you for exchanging emails with loads!of!exclamation!points! and for planning an engagement session full of all of your most favorite places and spaces. Thank you for showing me a glimpse of your story in San Luis Obispo and thank you - thankyouthankyouthankyou - for letting me capture your love. It's a love that is truly so wonderful and happy and allwarmandfuzzy!

M.

After a quick outfit change we headed south toward Pismo Beach. While both JB + Gloria attended Cal Poly, it wasn't until the two began working at The Cliff's Resort that they finally met each other. It only made sense that their engagement photos capture a little taste of their sweet beginning.

I'll end with this photo because it so perfectly captures JB + Gloria and the happiness they seem to exude together...

The Wilson Family

It’s always a little nerve-wracking meeting a family on the same day you’re taking their photos. But this beautiful family was referred to me by one of my most favorite couples, ever. And since amazing people tend to be related to other amazing people, I had a small feeling the Wilson’s were going to be pretty great. When I met the these sweet people at Black Butte Ranch and discovered their home was full of Oregon State Alumni, I knew we would get along just fine! With children traveling from New York City and Hong Kong, January marked the perfect opportunity for a family portrait session. After grabbing a few group photos inside, we bundled up and braved the chilly weather for a collection of pictures in the snow. Here are just a few of my favorites from my time with the Wilson family...

Ty + Gina

Here’s the thing about Gina – she’s the type of bride a photographer can only dream of having. She’s the girl who lets you be a part of her big, big plans as she tells you her colors and her bridesmaids and all of her gorgeous little details. She’s the girl who, at her engagement session, asks when would be the best time to take pictures on her wedding day (I almost died and kissed her, all at the same time). But most of all she’s the girl who loves her boy more than anything else in the entire world. And her boy? Well, I only met Ty for the first time at the engagement session but it was easy to tell he is equally as wonderful as Gina. Which means that I am the luckiest photographer in the universe to get to photograph these two when they say I Do come August.

There’s one other thing about Ty + Gina that I think is important to know. We met at Bend’s Shevlin Park on New Year’s Day for their engagement session and while it was the most beautifully crisp and clear day we could possibly ask for, it was also one of the coldest days I’ve ever had the joy of photographing. The sun was doing that dewy, glowy thing it does and the snow seemed even more stunning and sparkly than normal. But along with our absolutely perfect day came a thermostat that read 19. Nineteen!! Nineteen degrees!! As in one-nine. And here comes Gina, happy as can be, in a stunning little dress and tights.

It was far below freezing for their entire session but Ty + Gina were such troopers. They smiled and laughed and had I not been there to see (and feel!) it myself, I’d never have believed the air was chilling them to the bone. Things like this leave me knowing that come rain or shine, nothing can keep Ty + Gina from sporting those gorgeous smiles of theirs come the wedding day.

A little blingbling...

...and some fun in the snow to end our session!