Idyllic engagement session in Idyllwild

When life through Lemons at you when you plan to get married in 2020, don’t make some lemonade, just go to Idyllwild to take photos with your sweet heart instead…!

Bree and Drew met when they were attending College, 8 years ago. They now live together and are the proud parents of two little furry babies. Like a lot of couples who were planning on getting married in 2020, they had to adapt and postpone their wedding day. It was a hard decision but they both wanted to be able to celebrate with their families and friends and in these uncertain times, that was just the right thing to do.

I first talked to Bree about her big day via Zoom, and I was delighted to see that she was very relaxed and was open minded and flexible. I instantly felt she had a kind heart and when we started to exchanged emails about the possible location for their engagement session, I realized she was also adventurous!

My family and I are travelers. The three of us have a curious heart and we’re never happier of feel more complete than when we are in the wilderness. Ever heard of the wanderlust bug? Wes and I definitely caught it years ago, even before we met, and we are passing it to our son! Together, we’ve been exploring California deserts, forests, coastal roads, snowy mountain caps and its hidden gems for the last few years. This summer, we went to Sequoia National Park, and the Sierra Mountains and we loved it! I wanted to find a closer location for Drew and Bree’s engagement session, but it needed to feel as wild as Mammoth Lake or Kings Canyon National Park. And there it was on the map, a little mountain near Palm Spring, only two hours drive away from Los Angeles: Idyllwild!

I asked Bree and Drew if they wanted to go on an Adventure in Idyllwild.

They said yes!

So I did a little happy dance, I booked a night in Idyllwild in a little trailer and started to make a list of locations in Idyllwild to shoot.

On the day of the session, I drove in the morning in direction of Palm Springs and then up the mountain. The road was smooth and easy and even my old 1991 Volvo did the trip without a hiccup. I drove around in search of the best area that will be the perfect place in terms of variety of background and good lighting at sunset.

I decided to take photos at the Nature Center, it was the best place as the Nature was beautiful right outside the parking lot and it was not crowded. Bree and Drew arrived ready for the session with their two little rescue dogs and with Bree’s Mom and Sister who became my assistants and dog sitters for the session!

The connection between Drew and Bree is beautiful and strong and it was easy to capture their bond in photographs. In between shots, I often felt that they were speaking to each other through the eyes. Their love seems evident, like they knew each other from a past life.

The atmosphere became light and playful very quickly. I always try to make it easy and natural for my clients to pose with a real smile. And this time, these soulmates made it even easier for me as they were making each other crack up!

I can’t wait to photograph their wedding day this year. I can see that it will be a truly beautiful union!