diablolake-engagementsession

Diablo Lake North Cascades National Park Engagement Photos

When I first saw Diablo Lake, located in North Cascades National Park, I KNEW I had to photograph a couple there. The turquoise and blue water, and a beautiful mountain range in the background make the perfect backdrop for an epic engagement session. Living in Portland Oregon, I knew I would have to find the right couple willing to make the trip.

Kelsey & Carnegie (seriously, coolest name) are getting married this winter in Hawaii! When we first spoke, they expressed the desire to have engagement photos that had a PNW vibe. When I told them about Diablo Lake and sent some photos for them to see, I think they may have been just as excited! Even though it would mean making a seven-hour car ride there and back (on the same day), they were on board. The stars aligned, and we made it happen. I am so incredibly thankful that my couples love adventures as much as I do.

Normally, I love to take the opportunity to travel with couples who hire me to photograph their engagement sessions. Kelsey & Carnegie traveled from the coast (where they live), and we decided to meet in the small (but adorable!) town of Marblemount. It was so wonderful to finally meet these two in person. We spent months planning this session, so it was great to finally meet in person.  After we grabbed some dinner, we headed out to our final destination. When we arrived at Diablo Lake, we were in absolute awe. The photos that I have seen just couldn’t do it justice. We had perfect weather, an amazing sunset. Kelsey & Carnegie were such a blast to work with and NAILED their engagement session. I’m so happy they went on this adventure with me and wish them the best!

Featured on: Engaged Life

Featured on: Wandering Weddings

hugpoint-engagementphotos

Hug Point Oregon Coast Engagement Photos

It wasn’t until I became a wedding photographer that I learned of Hug Point, located near Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast. Since discovering it, it has quickly become one of my FAVORITE places to photograph couples for engagement sessions. When Nick and Jennifer expressed the desire to have both forest and beach as the backdrop for their photos, I knew the perfect spot: Hug Point!

Aside from the obvious beauty of this location, it is also conveniently located near one of my favorite breweries (a little plug for Pelican brewery here), so we took full advantage and made a little pit stop along the way. One of my favorite things to do with my couples before an engagement session is to stop for happy hour before their session! It gives us an opportunity to catch up and relax before we start shooting. I love getting to know their stories. Nick and Jennifer are a modern-day romance, initially meeting online. When I asked Nick what made Jennifer different, he recalled that on their first date she stood in line with him when he went to order their 2nd round of beers. So often it’s the little things that make all the difference!

These two moved to Portland Oregon recently and are enjoying exploring all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. They love to travel and do it as often as possible. I really enjoyed spending the day with them and exploring Hug Point, and we couldn’t have asked for a better spring day at the Oregon Coast. I can’t wait for their wedding this September at Bridal Veil! Congrats to Nick and Jennifer on their engagement!

San Juan Puerto Rico Engagement Session

While traveling to San Juan to photograph Mark and Kuralay’s destination wedding in Puerto Rico, we decided to take their “engagement photos” the day after their wedding! Kuralay is an extremely talanted photographer herself, and her and Mark reside in Washington DC. These two love to travel, so it came as no surprise that they decided to have a destination wedding. Puerto Rico, obviously a beuatiful destination in itself, also made sense for the location of their wedding. Friends and family from the east coast could easily travel within a few hours, and make a long weekend out of the trip.

When I learned I would be photographing their wedding in Puerto Rico, I was estatic! Anyone who knows me, understands my love for travel and the opportunity to photograph weddings outside of my home base in Portland, Oregon. This was my first visit to Puerto Rico and I have to say, it stole my heart. Downtown San Juan was such a fun place to take Mark and Kuralay’s engagement photos. Their wedding provided a completely different backdrop in the middle of a rain forest, so it was great to incorporate the architecture and city vibe of this country. I can’t wait to go back and visit!

While most people opt to take photos before their wedding day, it was so fun to do this the day after! We were able to explore the city and hit up some great restaurants in between shots. It is always so much fun to photograph fellow photographers, and her and Mark were amazing to photograph. Thanks for exploring with me Mark & Kuralay!

 

Smith Rock State Park Engagement Session

Smith Rock State Park, located just a miles from Bend Oregon, is one of the most beuatiful places to visit in Oregon. Whenever I am there, I seem to forget that I am still in my home state. Since my first trip, I knew I had to photograph a couple here. I was so thrilled when the opportunity presented itself 6 months later. Kori & Aric had recently moved from Portland to Bend, and had not yet had the chance to explore the area yet. When they arrived on location, they were in absolute awe of its bueaty.