He noticed her blond curls as she worked on a project at his company.  Although they weren’t working on the same project, Bob knew he had to know more.  About her.  They found themselves sitting at a working lunch, however, Trena was more interested in checking her iPhone.  Furthermore, Bob discovered that this lovely young lady with the blond curls — the one who’d been on his mind non-stop since that lunch — had a boyfriend.  Still she was on his mind.  After running into a co-worker, he learned that things had not worked out between Trena and her boyfriend.  He called her to set up another working lunch.  Trena hesitantly agreed to meet him.  The story goes that business was only discussed for a moment, and fortunately, their conversation took a more fun and friendly route.  Had Trena just had the best first date ever?  Perhaps…

After rehearsing what he was going to say a hundred times, Bob dialed Trena’s number the very next day to ask her out on an official date.  Bob didn’t let the weather or bad cell reception slow him down.  In the pouring rain and several dropped calls later, he finally asked her out.  Trena agreed…without hesitation this time.  Had Trena just been asked out by the man of her dreams?  Possibly…

To celebrate their second anniversary, Bob planned a special evening to revisit all the places they had been to the night of their first date.  Each destination came with a post-it note, one of Trena’s favorite things, with a sweet memory from that very first date hand-written by Bob.  The last note held a clue…and a diamond ring.  Had Trena just been proposed to by the man of her dreams?  Definitely, yes!

We met up recently for their engagement session.  I’ve known Trena for several years, and to see her this happy made my day.  Trena and Bob, you are such a wonderful couple!  I’m so, so, so excited for your wedding day!  Here are some of my favorites from your session!  Friends and family, click here to view their online gallery!

Happy Saturday!  I hope everyone is enjoying a nice weekend so far!  And since every post is more fun with a photo, here’s a look at what’s coming up soon on the blog:

Have a great weekend!

In 1999, Katherine hopped on a jet plane headed to Cancun for spring break.  Little did she know that Jesse, now her fiance, did the very same thing.  And as fate would have it, there paths crossed one night.  As she sat at a table with her college girl friends, she saw his sweet smile as he sat at a table with his friends.  After some introductions, they talked and danced the night away, and exchanged numbers before heading back to Indiana and California, respectively.   Back home at IU, Katherine thought about Jesse all the time.  And across the miles in San Francisco, Jesse thought of her too.  Upon graduation in 2000 and many phone calls and frequent flier miles later, Katherine followed her heart to be with Jesse in San Francisco.  After all, they had fallen in love during their visits over the past year and a half.

Last fall, Jesse planned a getaway weekend for the two of them in Palm Springs.  The second evening there was one they won’t ever forget.  Usually very cool, calm, collected, Katherine says that evening Jesse was quite animated, nervous, not quite himself.  Insisting they hurry off for their dinner reservation, Jesse led her to a quiet, secluded area of their resort.  Champagne awaited, sweet words were whispered, and he asked her the single most important question every girl waits to answer.  And Jesse got the answer that every lucky guy hopes to hear from the woman who holds his heart.

Katherine and Jesse are pledging forever to each other in September, and I couldn’t be happier for the two of them.  I met Katherine at IU, and I remember hearing about the night that she met Jesse.  And when I heard that they were engaged, I was beyond excited!  I’m honored and thrilled to be the one to document their wedding day.  A few years back, they moved from San Francisco to Santa Monica.  I was fortunate enough to travel to Santa Monica for their engagement session, along with my husband Reggie.  Besides having such a fun, beautiful couple to photograph, I was in photography heaven – the light, the flowering trees, the beach, the light…did I mention the light?  All in front of me, just waiting to be captured by my camera.  Katherine and Jesse, thank you so much for allowing me the great honor to capture this special time in your lives!  I adore you both!   Please be warned, I have far too many favorites from this session, there’s no possible way I could choose just one…or three…or five.   We started the afternoon in their neighborhood before ending the session at the beach.  Family and friends, to see more from their engagement session, click here for their online gallery.

Katherine and Jesse, thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.  Thank you for being so kind, so genuine, and for just being who you are.  You rocked your session, and I hope you love the images.  Thank you so much for your hospitality – I absolutely loved California!    I am so, so, SO excited for your wedding day!

Just a quick and sweet sneak peek from a recent engagement session with Katherine and Jesse.  More to come soon!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Oh what a fun session I had with Jessica and Derek!   I had been looking forward to this one for quite some time, as we waited for our schedules to sync up and for the weather to clear.  And finally the day came!  These two are so adorable, funny, and just all around super-nice people. And they were all smiles! We met up on a recent spring afternoon for their engagement session, at the very location where they first met 11 years ago.  They had always had a little crush on each other, but it wasn’t until their paths crossed again a couple of years ago that they realized they were perfect for each other.  Time and distance would no longer keep them apart.  Derek proposed to Jessica in the Windy City, after a day of shopping, sightseeing, and walking hand in hand on a wintry day.  For he knew that he wanted – and needed – to spend the rest of his life with her.  Her answer?  YES!  And I’m honored to be the one to document their wedding coming up at the end of May.  Jessica and Derek, you two are such a fantastic couple!  Thank you for sharing this special time in your lives with me.  I’m so excited for you both!

Then it was time to head to our next location, which also happens to be one of Jessica and Derek’s favorite places to take Pokey and Kara.  First up, a little jaunt in a canoe!