When it comes to moments that define a lifetime, few can rival the beauty and emotion of a marriage proposal. As a photographer, I have had the privilege of witnessing and capturing some of the most heartwarming proposals. When Rylan reached out to me to capture his romantic Laguna Beach proposal to Ingrid I could hardly contain my excitement.

Remember when a disposable camera was on every summer camp packing list as a kid? The thrill of taking the photos and then getting to see them all developed after you returned home was like magic. Well, this nostalgic couple’s film photography session felt just like that!

When booking photos one of the questions you might have is “what time of day should we schedule our photos?” While I am confident we can create beautiful images no matter what time of day you choose, I will always recommend choosing golden hour. You might be wondering what the heck that even is and why you should choose golden hour for your photos.

Here’s the thing. You are already spending the money to elope in an epic location and will more than likely be spending a few days there. This is the perfect time to get exploring and document these incredibly exciting days leading up to or just following your elopement day. Trust me when I say you are not going to want to forget these moments either.

When I first moved to California I was so excited to build my location guide for my couples! I began exploring and researching new places all over Southern California. This particular location jumped out at me and I was so excited to plan a shoot here, but I needed the perfect couple to come along. Enter; Claire and Jordan.

Working with Heather and Bryant was so much fun and such a perfect setting for me to get creative. We met up in Oceanside, California and watched some dolphins play in the shore while the sun started to dip in the sky. The whole scene was such a vibe!

I loved the neutral colors so much and they went beautifully with the location. Soft, earthy, neutral colors are super flattering & they help your location HELP YOU. The right color choices COMPLIMENT your surroundings. Don’t get me wrong, you want to stand out, but not like a sore thumb.

Sunrise on the beach is such a magical time of day and always a favorite for couples sessions. The ocean waves are so calm and peaceful, the morning light is soft and romantic, and there usually aren’t too many people around. Even if you aren’t an early bird, it’s worth waking up for.

They say the early bird gets the worm but I would argue that the early bird catches the best wave. At least that’s how it worked out for this gorgeous sunrise surf session in Kaneohe, Oahu.

My session with these two was such a great reminder that the best photos are made when you let loose and just have fun! Rolling around in sand, running through water, and kissing in the rain can lead to some romantic and emotive photos. Trust the process and trust your photographer at your next couple’s shoot.