Hold the phone, ’cause these San Diego engagement photos are about to making your eyes pop! Gianna and Evan met me at these epic cliffs with brewskis and their golden doodle Bogey for a sunset stroll.

The Backstory on G+E

These sweethearts have been dating over nine years now. After college, long distance, and tons of memories, they now live together in Orange with two fur babies! Evan dreamed up a proposal that completely caught Gianna off guard. While she was in Oahu on a work trip, he flew out and popped the question – even got the moment on tape, what a guy!

When I first chatted with Evan and Gianna, he opened up and shared that he’s most drawn to her sweetness, her beauty, and how she respects other people so well. She shared that Evan’s love for his family makes her confident that he’ll be an amazing dad to their kids! I’m so honored to get to know these two and share a bit of their story. Friendly reminder to any of my future clients that the more you share your story with me, the better your photos turn out! A little vulnerability helps the three of us connect, and I promise, the results are sooo worth it 🙂

Shoot Inspiration

One of my favorite aspects of this location is the versatility! From a sandy stretch to the rocky shoreline to the craggy cliffs, there are so many backdrops so your photos will have a ton of variety. Before you ask, this is one of my secret spots saved up special for my clients! But I highly recommend exploring all the beautiful San Diego beaches, you never know what you’ll find.

We started out with Bogey so everyone could loosen up and run around on the beach. I’m not sure how they did it, but Gianna and Evan have trained this pup so well! He was sweet, agreeable, and a complete model baby! Can’t say this about all the dogs I photograph, but he’s definitely a gem.

I quickly realized on this shoot that having an extremely relaxed, photojournalism approach was absolutely the way to go with Evan and Gianna. While some of my clients like to have a little more direction, these two exhibited the best sort of chemistry that didn’t require much from me. It was more about *not* interrupting the moment than creating one for them to enjoy. I loved the atmosphere, and the photos turned out so perfect!

So…what next?!

I’m already getting so excited for G+E’s wedding next year at Leo Carrillo Ranch! Get ready to see peacocks, a mariachi band, and these absolute babes dressed to the nines.

Loving these San Diego engagement photos? Then check out these cute Newport Beach engagement photos featuring another cute doggy!