Rhiannon & Tom are engaged! /// Venice, Italy Proposal and Engagement Photographer

Much more to come from the gazillion pictures I took on my mom and I's whirlwind tour of Europe... but first....

While on the tour, in our group, the first day I met a sweet couple from Australia named Rhiannon and Tom. A few days into the tour while in Paris, I pulled Tom aside and couldn't help but ask the girly question, "So what gives, Rhiannon told me you guys have been dating for 3 years, and now you brought your girlfriend on this trip to Europe, are you proposing or something?" Tom paused and admitted, "Yes, I am." I squealed and asked when and where because of course I wanted to document it for them. He said he was hoping Venice, Italy.

The next few days leading up to Venice, I helped him plan with out tour guide behind the scenes the when and were it would happen in Venice. Earlier in the day, I played it off with Rhiannon asking if she and Tom would mind "modeling" for some "engagement-like" photos around Venice during our free time. First we had a ton of fun walking around Venice and documenting their kisses in one of the most romantic cities in the world. My mom and I even jumped in a gondola with them to get a few shots in what Venice is most famous for. Later that night, while our tour group listened to the orchestra play live music in the historic St. Mark's square, Tom grabbed Rhiannon's hand and pulled her up front of the hundreds of people watching. Tom got on his knee and presented the ring that he had been hiding in their camera bag the whole trip.

I was so honored to be able to document this special moment for my new friends from Australia. Not only was it a beautiful moment, but even more special to be one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Here's some of my favorites from the day!




There were pigeons EVERYWHERE in Venice. Including in my shot.


Running around the famous St. Mark's square where just a few feet away Tom would later propose that night. :-)








Rhiannon LOVED the Venetian masks.








I can't help but love the doggie looking at them!




Time for Italian gelato!










This pictures makes me crack up for a million reasons. I swear it wasn't staged. Apparently this Italian had enough of the paparazzi.


Had Rhiannon only known what was to come later that night.... she swear she had no idea!

Back from Europe!

I truly wish every daughter could have their mom as their best friend too. It's such a special gift that I feel so blessed to have with my own mom.

We are back from our mother/daughter whirlwind trip around Europe. We visited some amazing places like London, Paris, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and Italy. I have so many stories to tell and pictures to share but first, the most meaningful one to me. Since I was a little girl, I have dreamed of seeing the Eiffel Tower in person, and we finally made it! Here's mom and I on the top over looking Paris. (Um, right before I LEFT my camera on top of the Eiffel Tower.... talk about a freakout moment! More on that story in a few blog entries! DOH!)

Another fun moment was that I shot an amazing proposal in Venice, Italy for one of our tour group couples from Australia who got engaged there in the romantic city of gondolas! I can't wait to blog their engagement session and proposal soon.

In the meantime, to all who have emailed me the past few weeks, I'm working as fast as I can to respond to your hundreds of emails and inquiries, thank you for your patience while I get back to you and adjust back to East Coast time. The whole 6 hours ahead for 2 weeks thing kicked my butt! And I'll be trying to start posting some of the amazing photos of Europe in the meantime too!

But as amazing as Europe was, I do have to admit, there's no place like home and I'm so glad to be back in America! Visiting the other countries and cultures truly made me have a new appreciation for this great country we live in. :-)

Veronica & Bryan are married! /// San Diego Wedding Photographer

While I'm still in Europe, I wanted to share one last amazing wedding with you that I shot with my fiance, Stephen Knuth, while I was in California during the month of July.

For Bryan and Veronica's wedding day, it wasn't your average wedding day. Not only was I there to shoot the wedding with Stephen, but so was a videographer, and a 7-person camera crew. Last minute before the wedding, Veronica found out that the television network TLC selected her wedding to be featured on a brand new wedding show to debut this fall.

But despite the paparazzi surrounding Bryan and Veronica, you could tell, they still felt like they were in their own little special world enjoying the day the Lord blessed them with. Bryan and Veronica met in college at Point Loma Nazarene University, and in the very spot they met and fell in love, they held their ceremony on the school grounds as well. Their first meet was held in a spot called "The Greek" which replicated an ancient Greek building with striking tall white columns. For the ceremony, having lost her dad a few years ago, Veronica carried a gorgeous bright yellow sunflower in place of her dad walking her down the aisle because sunflowers were a favorite of her dad. At the reception at Liberty Station NTC, oh so cute chinese lanterns hung over the dance floor as Bryan and Veronica danced, and I mean, danced, the night away with all their college buddies.

Beyond how cool it was to be filmed for TLC, what was super special for Stephen and I was that Bryan, who is a pastor, will be the one who is marrying Stephen and I in April. It has been a blast getting to know Bryan and Veronica through their wedding, and then to have them also be such a special part of our upcoming wedding too!

The funny part too is, at the end of the day, the director for the TLC show said to us, "Sooooo, we heard through the grapevine that you two are engaged too, you guys are hot, do you want your wedding to be on our show also?" We just laughed and said, "No thanks." As flattering as it was to be asked, we knew we want our day to simply be about our love, not about being on national TV. As photographers though, yes, we are super pumped about possibly making an appearance in the background of the show!

Here's my favorites from the day! Be sure to check Stephen's awesome shots from the day too here!








A little behind the scenes action with TLC.






A kiss to her daddy. His favorite flower was sunflowers.






Being close to my own mom, I adore these shots of Veronica and her mom.






































Someone isn't liking his bowtie.






















A post-ceremony interview for TLC.




























Who is this Uncle Bob with a camera that I found at the reception? Just kidding, it's the fabulous Jeff Youngren, a photographer friend of Stephen and I's, who was a guest at the wedding.