Alyssa + Kevin’s Engagement Session – It’s one thing to have a couple find you online or through word of mouth, but it’s something completely different when you’ve been friends with the bride for 10 years and she inquired about your photography services roughly 2 years before her wedding date. I met Alyssa during our undergraduate days at Harvey Mudd College, when we were both studying engineering. Little did I know that Alyssa was going to law school after graduating from HMC, and I’m guessing little did Alyssa know that she would meet the man of her dreams there.

Kevin also went to the Claremont Colleges, but didn’t cross paths with Alyssa until both went to Layola Law School. And the rest, as many would say, is history. But for Alyssa and Kevin, their journey in life together was just beginning, as they got engaged in Central America and will be traveling to Eastern Africa for their honeymoon. To say they’re adventurous would be an understatement!

Last Tuesday, I had the distinct pleasure and honor of photographing the bride that I’ve known the longest and her fiance. It’s really amazing how everything has come full circles around. I was able to do wedding photography because of my engineering career, and now I’m able to photograph a dear friend’s wedding next June all thanks to my engineering education.

Alyssa and Kevin are planning an out-of-the-world wedding, filled with so much unique details and love. They’ve been so supported of my photography over the years, and have always believed in me and what I was doing. Thanks Alyssa and Kevin for your trust and patience, looking forward to seeing you soon for part two of your e-session, and of course, your big day!

Sharon + Jaemi’s Engagement Session – It’s not only meeting some of the most wonderful individuals in the world but becoming friends that makes all of this worthwhile. Some of you might know Jaemi already, as he’s not only a very talented photographer but also one of my dearest friends. The crazy thing is I’ve only known Jaemi for about a year and half, when he reached out to me via Twitter and ran into each other at last year’s WPPI in Vegas.

But I saw something in Jaemi where I knew not only did I want to work with him, but I also wanted to be his friend. Jaemi is one of the hardest working guys I’ve ever met, as he always puts 110% into everything he does. And I couldn’t be more happy for him as he found an amazing girl in Sharon. They had met several years ago in the Bay area and now live down here in the OC. Funny thing is when I first met Jaemi, he was telling me how he plans to propose to Sharon soon. I could tell from the way Jaemi spoke of her how much he truly loves her and how happy she makes him.

Jaemi doesn’t know this, but I really look up to him. Not only is he one of the most hard working guys I’ve ever met, but he’s also one of the most sincere, nicest, down-to-earth, and smartest ones too (here’s to partying in Vegas again!). Plus. he’s a diehard NBA/Warriors fan, so being the Clipper fan that I am, we have a lot in common already :). I had the pleasure and privilege of shooting Sharon and Jaemi’s e-session this past Friday. It’s always, always, always an honor to photograph a friend’s wedding, and I couldn’t be more trilled to spend October 1st with this awesome couple, congrats Sharon and Jaemi!

Jia + Adam’s Engagement Session – What a blast it was seeing Jia and Adam again last week for their e-session. They both currently live and work in NYC, but came out to LA to take care of some wedding planning, spend the 4th of July with family and friends, and do their shoot :). And the photography Gods were good to us, providing a warm, overcast sky during the afternoon and beautiful light during the evening, which is the best of both worlds!

It was a beautiful, lightly overcast (yay!) day in West LA, as we went to Getty Center and a park in Beverly Hills. Jia and Adam were so much fun to hang out and work with. They’re both total naturals in front of the camera, as neither stopped hugging, kissing, laughing, and just gazing into each others eyes when other people, including security, walked by.

I’m really looking forward to Jia and Adam’s big day, just about 2.5 months away! Thanks again to you both for being so awesome during the shoot and overall just patient with me :). Please enjoy the sneak peek below!

Joyce + Dennis’ Engagement Session – Some weeks are a bit crazier than others. Also, trying to fight traffic, take care of all your errands, and just find enough time to eat and sleep might make you ask if all of this worth it. Well, when you show up to your destination and you see two amazing individuals who have put their faith in you to capture their big day, it’s most definitely worth every ounce of energy and time. And I feel so blessed to have Joyce and Dennis be those individuals.

It’s been nothing but a pleasure getting to know them from our initial meeting, as Joyce and Dennis shared with me how they met through a mutual friend and got engaged in the most romantic city in the world, Paris! Everything about them speaks romance and happiness. During the first half of the e-session when we shot at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, I was hoping they would not kick us out. But Joyce and Dennis were as calm as ever and all smiles, which made everything so much easier and fun for me.

We finished the shoot at the beautiful Venice Canals. I believe Joyce and Dennis might be planning a trip to Italy or Spain, and since they got engaged in Paris, it was only fitting we throw a bit of European flare into their shoot :). Thanks again Joyce and Dennis, as well as Joyce’s sister and MOH Melody, for hanging out with me late Tuesday afternoon. Looking forward to your big day, just less than 4 months away!