An afternoon of laughter, love, and a beautiful park is an afternoon well spent.  It’s always exciting when we get to shoot a new couple for the first time.  For most, they aren’t used to having their pictures taken by a professional photographer.  I have heard from some couples that they are sometimes a bit nervous but we’re always excited!  As wedding photographers here in Orange County we get to work with a lot of amazing couples but it’s always a new experience for us when we shoot their engagement session.  Part of the reason for this is that during the engagement session is when we can see how the couple interacts with each other.  Often it has been said getting to know someone is like peeling an onion to get to the different layers.  Easily I can say it is the same during an engagement session.  During Erica and Garrett’s Santiago Oaks Park engagement session, I got to see that these two loved to smile and laugh even when the camera wasn’t on them.  Their playfulness and kind nature truly came out in their photos.  Capturing moments like these is why we LOVE what we do.

Erica and Garrett are such a sweet couple and we’re so glad their friends introduced them to each other.  In a day of online dating and technology, it seems less common that people to meet through an introduction between friends.  Over time as they got to know each other, they realized they couldn’t just be friends.  Thankfully Garrett didn’t get stuck in the “friend zone” because these two were truly meant for one another.  For their first date, they went to one of my favorite restaurants, Honda-Ya.  Erica said one of the cool parts about the experience is the traditional Japanese dining experience where you sit on the floor and take your shoes off.  Well, we’re glad no one got cold feet but their proposal was such a special story and we loved it!  We can tell already that Garrett is going to be a guy full of many epic dates throughout their future.  For the proposal, Garrett took Erica for a gondola ride in Newport Beach and while the sun was setting he took advantage of the perfect moment and proposed to the love of his life.  Let’s just be honest, guys if you’re reading this you might want to ask Garrett for some tips when the right girl comes along.  Truly we are looking forward to capturing Erica and Garrett’s beautiful wedding at the Richard Nixon Library this summer.