Shanette + Gabriel picked their favorite beach and picnic spot for their colorful, candid Playa Del Rey engagement photos in Los Angeles! They’ve been picnicking here for years, so I knew we had to do a mini-recreation of their favorite date (courtesy of a few Coronas!). They told me that lots of their significant moments happened right in this very spot, and I think it’s high time they finally had some nice photos to document it!! Sooo smart to head to your own favorite area for pictures, makes you feel even more of a connection during our session. 🙂

For every single engagement or couples session, I love to talk with my couples ahead of time to hear about their favorite snacks or drinks as well as their favorite songs. So far, this approach has been a HUGE success. I absolutely love making sure that our time together is personalized and tailored to you two! What if you think my music choices are dumb? What if you don’t drink alcohol and I show up with champagne? I think it’s all about knowing your audience which means needing to ask questions. SO don’t get freaked out if I send you some questions, it’s just because I want to give you the best experience possible. <3

This session kept making me laugh because these two made each other laugh! We also encountered a couple funny situations including a group of guys that decided to hang on the jetty super nearby us to smoke pot and listen to annoyingly loud rap music hahaha. These two were amazing at just being together and seeming completely relaxed. It was such a great time for us to get to know each other and get comfortable together, and I’m grateful for it!

Absolutely loved hanging with these two on the beach, and I can’t wait for their wedding this summer!