It never ceases to amaze me how some of my best clients find me by way of my hubby AJ. Actually, when I think of how many rad couples have come my way because of him, it almost seems like I should give him a bonus, or a foot rub, or both. ;) Anyways, Jen is one such client! You see my hubby is a big Dodgers fan and spends a good deal of his leisure time chatting and commenting on True Blue LA. Jen happened to comment there one day, and, while introducing herself to the other members, mentioned she was engaged. AJ got all excited and proceeded to rave about how I am "the best wedding photographer on Earth", his words not mine! So Jen checked out my site, sent me an email, set up a time to meet me and BAM booked on the spot! Which was awesome!!!And just like many of the fab clients AJ sent my way before her, Jen is totally rad. She has an amazing sense of style, is very funny and smart and has oh so much in common with me! It was as if it was meant to be! Ever since we met, I have been SOOOO excited for our e-sesh, and last Sunday it finally happened! And it was as amazing as I had been imagining!At the engagement session, I also got to meet Eric for the first time. And I finally got to see how Jen and him interact! Jen and Eric are pure adorableness together! Eric could't take his eyes off Jen, and gushed over how cute she is and how smokin' she looked in all her outfits. All of which is truth! And Jen loved to just hold onto Eric, hug him, and snuggle in close. But she also likes being silly for him and make him laugh. So adorable indeed! But honestly, these two are more then just adorable. They have great chemistry and we definitely took advantage of that and got some kinda steamy pics towards the end of the sesh! Love!We started off the session in the bluffs of Malibu...

Jen + Eric, you two are FIERCE! Love it!!

Are you sure you two aren't super models?!!! HOT!

Then we moved down to El Matador Beach....

The light! The water! Jen + Eric! I love everything about this!

One of my faves of the day... these two are workin' it!!!

Jen, and you said you weren't photogenic??? You are GORGEOUS!!!!

And this is when things got a little steamy in the sand... Jen you look damn SEXY in this photo!

...this one I focused on Eric's gorgeous blue eyes which Jen just LOVES!

To see more from this fabulous Malibu engagement watch the SLIDE SHOW below:

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I met Adriana through one of my favorite past brides, Dani! Adriana is so sweet, stylish and beautiful just like Dani! And her love for her fiance Phil is powerful! I absolutely loved getting to know these two and document this special time in their lives-- their engagement!Adriana wanted to shoot at Union Station in Downtown LA, which I love! That location is so historic and beautiful and it ALWAYS inspires me. I love downtown shoots-- especially mixing the old and new, the classic with the funky, the historic with the modern, the grit with the glamor! Oh yes, I love Downtown shoots oh so much!! After Union Station, I asked these two to follow me to a secret, amazetastic shooting spot I discovered via the Callaways. Only thing is we got lost and I think I made them circle some funky neighborhoods wayyyy too many times. Luckily I called Brian + Allie and they got my lost tushie back on track-- so thankful to them! Because the second spot really did make this shoot EXTRA awesome!Thanks Adriana and Phil for trusting me with your love story, and trusting me as your tour guide through some somewhat sketchy areas of Downtown LA! LOL! You two are so sweet and I know your love will last a life time! The images we created were pure magic and some of my faves to date! So thank you for rocking it for my camera. You are super stars!

LOVE this picture! It's so fun! And how cute that the colors of Adriana's outfit match the background so nicely!

Adriana, you are STUNNING! No seriously, YOU ARE!

The classic tunnel shot. Hey, it's a classic for a reason!

Work it you two! WORK IT OUTTTTTTTT!

Love these! Very sexy!

Rawr!

Seriously, you two are FIERCE! Love!!!

GORGEOUS!!!! Just gorgeous!!

Okay so are you two professional super models or what? Just gotta ask! Cause you two rock the camera!

Sexy! Love it!!

Fierce, gorgeous, BREATH-TAKING! Adriana, you are amazing! Phil is one lucky man!

Love it! Just love!

Be sure to see all the GORGEOUS photos in the SLIDE SHOW, set to the music of my current favorite love song, Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory":

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Back in April, I photographed Carolyn + Prescott's adorable spring/Easter themed engagement session! The shoot was featured on Style Me Pretty's Facebook Page and in a gallery on the main site! Super exciting!I absolutely adore Carolyn + Prescott! They are so super sweet and adorable together. They recently bought a house together in Valencia, CA and the home over looks a beautiful nature preserve! We shot our session in the nature preserve-- Carolyn collected some props and made some baked goods (she is the owner and pastry chef of Half Baked Co) and I also brought a few things! Together we styled an amazing little picnic set up that just screamed springtime love!I just love how the pictures turned out and I am so excited to finally share them with y'all! Hope you enjoy!!!Seriously how adorable are these sweets Carolyn made?? From cake pops, to chocolate covered oreos to mini cupcakes! ADORABLE! And Deeeelicious!Carolyn you are STUNNING!!!! And Prescott is so handsome! Loveeee!The photos below are FIERCE and FUN!!!! Which is why I <3 them!!!!!Swoon. That is all. Just SWOON!These are my two faves of the day. And they are sexxxxxy.How adorable is this marshmallow on a stick topped with a candy engagement ring?????? I die it's so cute!Gah! You two are just too gorgeous for words!!! For real!!!!To see more of this adorable engagement session watch the slide show below!What do you think of the images? Please leave your comments below, and help Carolyn + Prescott when a free canvas from their session!!

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Last Sunday I had the pleasure of meeting Liz and Robert and shooting their engagement session at the Griffith Observatory! Liz and Robert are good friends of Dani and Tony, so I knew their session would be FAB and they definitely did not disappoint!Liz and Robert define the term whirlwind romance! They met in April, and they are already engaged and will be married next July! But you know what? When you know, you know. To quote my favorite movie ever When Harry Met Sally, "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." I think that line is SO true and totally speaks to Liz and Robert's relationship.And really, these two are perfect for each other! The entire session they were in their own little world. When they look at each other they just beam and get all smiley and giggly. It's so sweet! I barely had to give them any direction because the way they were with each other was just too darn cute. For realz. Liz and Robert, you make my job easy peasy! Thank you both so much for letting me document your love! I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of it!!! ;)And now onto the photos!

Liz, you have the best smile!!! :)

For SERIOUS!! How fabulous are these two?!

My new obsession is the hiking trails around the Observatory! Such a pretty and naturey back drop! It was a gray day last Sunday, and I think Liz and Robert's outfits perfectly matched the backdrop and the weather! :)

I LOVE when my clients let loose and just have fun with each other during their sessions and that is totally what Liz and Robert did!

Robert had some pretty sweet kicks! And Liz worked her pumps like any fierce chica would!

Awww love. Le sigh.....

I LOVE when couples will sit or lay down on the ground for me. Even in dirt!! I think the results are always worth the dry cleaning bill! Don't you agree?!

We were losing light quickly so I upped my ISO to get this shot. What I LOVE about it is all the blurry city lights in the background! LOVE IT!

If you want to see more of Liz & Robert's lovely engagement session, please watch the SLIDE SHOW below!

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Matt & Patricia are one of the sweetness couples ever! They are both so caring and tender.  They also balance each other so well. They sort of remind me of how AJ & I are together. Matt is quiet, laid back but he is always watching out for Patricia to make sure she's okay and happy. And Patricia has a huge, bright smile and laugh that just lights up her face as well as the faces of everyone around her. And when she looks at Matt, that's when she smiles the biggest! It was so great to see!AJ & I had so much fun wandering around Shoreline Village in Long Beach with them and documenting their love!I also got to say, Matt & Patricia know the key to my heart, which, by the way, is through my taste buds. They treated me & AJ to the nummiest funnel cake EVER after our shoot! It was deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious! And I am still touched by their generosity! It was oh so unexpected and so very sweet in more ways than one! Thank you both again for that! :)This first shot is one of my all time faves! Love what the light is doing!

I might be weird but I love capturing people laughing! There is something so beautiful about laughter. It makes the whole face light up. And of course it makes people look so joyful. So I made Patricia laugh and hit the shutter button. I love the results! She looks radiant!

I love this! Matt & Patricia looking gorgeous! That line of Palm Trees in the background? FAB!

AJ took this fierce photo. That hubs of mine, he is a talent!

Patricia, you are GORGEOUS!!! Matt is one lucky fellow!

Loves it! SO MUCH!!

Another fave! I love that big smile on Patricia's face! The love filled expression on Matt's and the Queen Mary in the background! Perfection!

And if you want to see even more gorgeous pics from this fun, fresh engagement session please watch the SLIDESHOW below:

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If you follow me on Twitter or are a Fan on Facebook, you may remember that I gave away a mini-Anytime session, to take place in Culver City, to one lucky fan/follower! Well that lucky winner was Elena!! I was so pleased Elena won because she is the sweetest person you could ever hope to meet, and this session gave us the chance to get to know each other better! When I asked her what type of session she wanted to do, she said enthusiastically "an engagement type session!" Except she and her handsome and equally sweet husband have been married for eleven years! Yep Eleven years! And they have three beautiful sons together! But they never had a chance to do an engagement session...so eleven years later it was about time!We met in Downtown Culver City which is one of my favorite places to shoot. It's always low key while still feeling urban, has great backdrops every where you look, and is a pretty unique spot as not everyone shoots here! Yep Culver City is kinda a hidden gem! And I LOVE that about it.The thing I loved most about this session was that Elena & Memo had the passion of a newly engaged couple! They were so giddy, they couldn't take their eyes off each other. Clearly these two are meant for each other and are doing something right! I also love their fierce and fabulous style! They worked the camera so well, it was like they were professional models! And Elena, if you didn't know, is a very talented make up artist so of course her make up for the session was impeccable! She just looked stunning! Culver City has never seen a hotter couple, I am sure!!

I love the way Elena's blue dress just POPS in every single picture! Ladies, this is why I tell you to wear "jewel tones, jewel tones, jewel tones" for our sessions!

I love the way you two look at each other! I really do! Its just...sizzle!

Elena & Memo thanks for being so awesome! I had a blast with you two and am so glad you won! For a few more images from this session check out the SLIDESHOW below!

And readers remember, if you become a fan on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, you too could win an anytime session! I'm planning to give one away soon, so what are you waiting for?

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So Engagement season has officially begun!!! :) On Saturday, I got to photograph Ryan & Kristina's engagement pictures at the Getty Center and it was an ABSOLUTE BLAST!! Ryan & Kristina were one of the first couples to book me for 2010-- they actually booked me on the spot at our meeting and I was so thrilled! My awesome 2009 bride Crystal referred them to me, so it was no surprise that we hit it off right away! Ever since the that day we met I have been sooo excited for their wedding, and this engagement session means the wedding really is just around the corner!Ryan & Kristina chose the most beautiful spot for the session, the Los Angeles Getty Center, but they didn't just choose it because its gorgeous. They chose it because it means something. This is the place these two go when they need a break. When life gets stressful. When they need to slow down and just enjoy each other. And as we walked around the grounds of the Getty I could tell these two were totally in their element. The way they gazed at each other, the way they held hands, the way they laughed-- it was like all they could see was each other. Seeing them together, so caught up in each other's eyes was really a beautiful thing!The other great thing about this shoot was that my husband came along and second shot with me for the first time! And guys, my husband has been hiding his talents from me!!! He shot the whole thing in manual and nearly every shot was exposed perfectly! And he captured some great moments! It was really fun having my lovey with me at a place as romantical as the Getty, with a couple as fun as Ryan & Kristina! I can see us all catching some dinner together sometime soon! Perhaps Ryan can make us some stuffed salmon with the herbed goat cheese, eh Ryan? You KNOW you want to ;)

AJ took this shot & I love it! I think that Ryan & Kristina were laughing at something I said (because I am like superrrr funnylicious) and I just love how candid it is! So them!

Ryan & Kristina, you two are so good looking it hurts!!!

AJ nailed the photo on the left while I grabbed the tighter shot on the right!

Check out that view! And the gorgeous architecture of the Getty! Doesn't get any more gorgeous than that! I love how its SO Los Angeles as well!

So sweet! Ryan & Kristina I just love you guys to pieces and cannot wait for your wedding in July! It is going to ROCK!

And for everyone who can't get enough of Ryan & Kristina (because really how can you ever get enough of Ryan & Kristina) please check out their SLIDESHOW below with more fab pictures from the engagement session!!

After seeing that epic engagement session, aren't you just so inspired to check out the Getty yourself? Here the info: 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049

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So...first off I'm back from Texas! It was a great trip and I will post about it soon...but first I gotta get to Rachel & Mark's engagement session! These two shot with me the day before I left and they have been so patient about waiting for their pics. So I didn't want to be cruel and make them wait any longer!!Rachel & Mark are a wonderful couple! When I met with them I just knew I HAD to do their wedding. They are my kind of people! There is just something about them that I really connect with and makes me so giddy to think that I get to capture their memories! Sweet!Rachel is an artist! And a darn talented one!!! Mark teaches at El Camino College in Torrance, which is actually where he & Rachel went to school for awhile. You see, Rachel & Mark were really good friends growing up. They hung out together in high school and were good friends-- but they never dated. Eventually they went their separate ways when Rachel went to college at CSU Long Beach & Mark went up north to Berkeley. But they kept touch. Then not too long ago they reconnected, back here in LA, and the love sparks flew. Soon they were engaged and now here we are! With a love story like theirs its hard not to believe in destiny and soul mates. And when you see how good they are for each other, and how in sync these two are, you just know they will be together forever and ever!Rachel & Mark chose to take their engagement pictures at El Camino College, where Mark teaches and where they spent so much time together as friends! It made for a really personal & unique shoot! I love how the pics turned out and CANNOT WAIT for their wedding (just a month away)!! Enjoy!

Priscilla & Chris are probably the funniest & funnest couple I have ever met. There isn't a dull moment with these two! I learned this during our shoot at the *fabulous* Griffith Observatory. One minute they would be joking and making silly faces, and then the next minute, practically out of nowhere, they would pull out the fiercest Top Model poses! Love it! Just from the few hours I spent with them at Griffith, it is clear to me that Priscilla and Chris know how to have a good time, and know how to inject their lives with joy, laughter, and FUN! And that, my friends, is a recipe for a long, happy life together! So glad these two are engaged and will be married real soon!!!Also, for those who don't know the Griffith Observatory is such a beautiful and fun location! Can't think of a better place to take engagement photos...but it's also just fun to get away and spend the day there. There's a lot to see, do, learn & explore...but it's also nice just soaking in the views! I highly encourage you to check it out!!Griffith Observatory2800 East Observatory RoadLos Angeles, CA 90027Anyways, I digress... I'm sooooo excited for these two's wedding in just a few weeks! I know it will be a blast! Now on with the photos:

I have been sooooo excited to blog these pictures, since, well the very day I shot them. Trouble is there were too many! I had such a hard time narrowing them down. You see, when Leslie & Cody were asking me about engagement picture locations, I asked them what place was the most meaningful to them. With some hesitation I got the answer, "Catalina Island...but you wouldn't be willing to shoot there would you?" UM, YES!!! I was elated! Catalina Island has always been one of my favorite places!! It's just so magical there. I really could write an essay about how much I love Catalina...but I'll spare you. Basically, to be able to do a photoshoot on the Island is a dream of mine...and getting to spend a lovely, summery day with an amazing and sweet couple made the whole thing just heavenly.  And, I took a lot of pictures!Leslie & Cody are just awesome. Cody flies planes, these two scuba dive, they go sailing and boating, they have been to some of the most amazing sounding beach destinations ever! And on top of being totally cool & fascinating, they are just really fun, down to earth, and very caring people. Plus, they clearly have good taste...I mean, they are having a beach wedding (like me), and their wedding colors are pink, orange and lime green (like me), and Leslie's dress is by Pronovias (like me). hehe ;) Anyways, I could go on and on about how much I adore these two, but I won't. Because its 1:00AM and you guys came here for the pictures! So here they are....and there is also a SLIDESHOW! So make sure to watch that too (I told you I couldn't narrow down the pics).

This picture was taken at the dive site on Catalina. A very special place for Cody & Leslie!

And click HERE if you want to see the awesome slideshow!

I was absolutely honored to be asked by Huy & Tran to photograph their engagement ceremony. They are two of the warmest, genuine, and caring people I have ever met. Their families were full of love, and Huy & Tran definitely had that starry-eyed look that newly engaged couples should always have!I have to admit I had never been to, or ever heard of, a Vietnamese Engagement Ceremony prior to being contacted by Huy & Tran. But it was truly one of the most beautiful ceremonies I have ever witnessed-- full of tradition, family bonds, and symbolism. It was all about the introducing and mingling of two families, and that's such an important part of engagement. I imagine that by the wedding day these two families will be so comfortable with each other, and completely united as one. I love that. Man, I wish I had had an engagement ceremony ;)After the festivities were over, I did a short engagement session with Huy & Tran at the beautiful Pacific Palms Resort. That would be a great wedding location, just as an fyi to future brides! :) Anywho, enough talking...let's get to the pictures!The groom and family bring gifts to the brides' house!The gifts are presented to the bride's family.And the bride's family accepts them! I mean, who wouldn't accept gifts, right? ;)The representative of the bride's family welcomes everyone to the house.And the bride's mother uncovers the gifts!The bride is presented, and the families are introduced to each other.The engagement ring is presented!!And then get this, the bride is presented with MORE jewelry!! See, I told you I wish I had an engagement ceremony ;)Prayers are made to their ancestors.Afterward, there was time for families to mingle and get to know each other!  I just couldn't resist posting pictures of the little ones who were there!At the closing of the event, the bride's family returns some of the gifts to the groom's family.And now for some pictures from our session at the Pacific Palms Resort...This shot really shows the beautiful earrings Tran just received! Jealousy! :)Thank you again, Huy & Tran for inviting me to share your day with you and capture your engagement. It was truly an honor, and I wish you and your families much love, health and happiness!