Ahhhh the Millwick. Without a doubt, it's one of my favorite wedding venues in downtown Los Angeles. I mean, who doesn’t love a beautifully curated urban jungle in an industrial style warehouse in the middle of DTLA?! If your dream is to get married amongst a bunch of plants and you’re into cute, unexpected details (hello gorgeous gold wall!), this is definitely your wedding venue. PLUS it gets gorgeous light for photos, and it's close to a bunch of really cool murals in the Arts District for even more photo opts. Was I in photographic heaven? Yes. Did I scout the Arts District prior to this wedding in hopes of finding a rooftop with skyline views of the Los Angeles? Yes. Did I take these newly weds up on said rooftop for some sunset romantics, and thus simultaneously almost retire my career as a Los Angeles wedding photographer because, let’s be real, DOES IT GET BETTER THAN THAT? YES. YES I DID. Just a FYI, I opted not to retire from wedding photography because I still need to photograph at the Millwick’s sister venues Valentine, Grass Room, and the Smog Shoppe!

 I probably don’t even need to say this, but the Millwick also just happens to attracts some of the most fun engaged couples. Lani & Rick were no exception, and their stylish yet casual wedding at this boutique venue was soooo fun. They chose the Hotel Indigo to get ready at, which paired so well with so many of their blue details, including Lani’s completely unforgettable, one-of-a-kind blue wedding dress! Seriously, that dress is something dreams are made of! I love when brides skip wedding day traditions and instead opt to do something that's just totally them. Traditions were made to be broken, right?! Her dress was handmade by Hip & Unique, who was completely floored (and later totally inspired) by Lani’s eclectic wedding dress request. Once the inspiration hit, she crafted a dress that was completely unexpected and entirely perfect. The skirt was made out of layers of blue tulle that caught the wind and light, making for the most incredible photographs. Paired with her groom in a navy blue suit, they looked absolutely stunning together. Seriously though. Just look at these two and try to tell me you don't agree!

OMG... How cute are these two?!  This engagement session was just soooo easy to photograph!! Megan & Santiago live in Orange County, so I met them in Chino Hills for their engagement photos. This heat wave in Southern California is NO joke, so a nice tree lined park with lots of shade felt perfect for their summer engagement session! I absolutely adored Megan's breezy floral print dress, which caught the light and wind in the most gorgeous way. But my favorite part of this engagement session? Definitely how this couple joked and played with each other the whole time. That, my friends, is what soulmates do best. Congratulations on your engagement, Megan & Santiago!

AHH! I finally got to do a champagne pop for engagement photos!! I've been wanting to do one for so long!  For Alex & Angela's engagement pictures, they wanted something a bit different from their venue, so we decided to hit an easy hiking trail in Malibu! If you've read any of my blog posts, I'm sure you know that I'm allllll about Malibu engagement sessions. The light there is just seriously unreal, and all the mountain views make the perfect backdrop for photos! These two were so FUN to work with, and I cannot wait to photograph their wedding in downtown LA next year!

Ugh... These two are SO IN LOVE! Photographing their Malibu engagement session was seriously a dream and SO much fun!  Sara & Matt both moved to Los Angeles from New York a few months ago, so they really wanted engagement photos that showed off the beautiful California landscape. Obviously, we had to go to the beach AND the mountains.  Malibu is one of my favorite places to hang out in, so whenever I can convince my clients to drive out there for some romantic photos is a good day! The light there is AMAZING for photographs, and it really makes the perfect location for engagement sessions. For their photo session, we started at Malibu Creek State Park, and then we finished with a gorgeous sunset at El Matador Beach. These two will wed next spring at an old bank in New York... How cool is that?! Congrats, Sara & Matt! It was a pleasure working with you both!

Is Malibu Creek a favorite engagement session location of mine? Probably. But seriously, what's not to love about about a gorgeous mountain view featuring a super in love couple?! Joel proposed to Heather on the beach, and in a couple of months, they will get married in Palos Verdes overlooking the ocean. They wanted to mix it up a bit and get some photos with a little greenery... and Luckily for us, California got a little rain this spring, so Malibu looked so lush for their engagement photos! 

We chose the beach for Ashley & Zach's playful engagement session, because, let's be real... The beach is one of the BEST parts about living in California! These Illinois natives are all about warmth and fun in the sun, so the Santa Monica Beach felt like the perfect choice for their engagement photos. After a pretty cold spring (for SoCal, at least), basically everyone in Los Angeles was out on the beach on this perfectly warm day... So we claimed one of the only open spots on the beach and milked it for all its worth. Choosing just one spot for an engagement photos allowed us to just really focus on the good stuff: their totally adorable chemistry together. Ashley & Zach held their destination wedding just two weeks after these photos were taken. Congratulations, newly weds!

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Want to know how to make a wedding photographer extremely happy? Plan a crazy fun wedding at a unique venue and hire a bunch of incredible vendors to help create the most amazing atmosphere. Cara & Dan did just that, and their wedding at the Alcazar Palm Springs was definitely one of my favorites of 2017! Their poolside wedding felt like a vacation. Seriously, I felt like I walked into a pool party while on a tropical getaway. They served coconuts to drink, had a delicious donut bar, and even jumped into the pool at the end of the night... wedding attire and all! I absolutely LOVED their floral design (I'm lowkey obsessed with monstera deliciosa.. it's all over my apartment!); and the pops of green, pink, and coral made their day feel like a breath of fresh air. Ready to get away?! Relive some of my favorite moments and details of their day below!

Planning Kristen & Keith's engagement session was tons of fun because they both love all the things I do: Downtown LA, colorful murals, gorgeous walls of bougainvillea, and lots of laughs! To say I'm excited for their wedding at the quirky Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo is DEFINITELY an understatement. 

For their engagement photos, we decided on the Walt Disney Concert Hall first, and then we hit the Arts District to check out some amazing murals. Another one of my favorite things about the Arts District is that it has the most beautiful view of downtown Los Angeles, so getting some sunset photos with the cityscape in the background was a must. Luckily for us, we had access to an amazing rooftop! Photographing some final photos there while the sun went down was the perfect way to end this fun engagement session!

If you want to dance on a rooftop in the middle of downtown Los Angeles on your wedding day, the Los Angeles Athletic Club is the place for you. It's right in the middle of it all, and its rooftop views will definitely make you fall in love with LA (or in my case, all over again). Samantha & Jon selected this venue because, and I quote, "We thought it would be cool to get married on rooftop in downtown LA." Yup. I totally agreed! Double bonus: The AC in this venue was super clutch... It was so hot that day! Their wedding was fun AND elegant, with lots of dancing and stylish details. Enjoy!

You know what I absolutely LOVE about engagement sessions? It gives you the opportunity to dress up really, really cute and take photographs in gorgeous locations that may have a special meaning to your relationship. In my opinion, we just don't document ourselves quite enough. Photography makes time stand still. It is my greatest hope to always transport you back to that moment, that feeling, and that super ridiculous time I asked you to dance in the middle of the street for your engagement photos. CoCo & Jonathan did just that during their super cuddly engagement session in DTLA, and they looked SO GOOD while doing it. Seriously, their outfit choices nailed the whole "Night Out in the City" look! I love the pale pink heels CoCo paired with her white dress, and how it complimented Jonathan's blue suit perfectly. They chose downtown LA for their engagement pictures because of all the good times they shared there throughout their relationship. We thought the Walt Disney Concert Hall would be a fun place to photograph at, and I LOVED the way the steel walls took on a golden hue around sunset. These two rocked their engagement session, and I'm sure their wedding at the Fig House will be just as fun!