Alki Beach Engagement Session: Joey + Morgan

When I convince you and your fiancé to get up at the crack of dawn to meet on the freezing beach, this light is why. Joey, Morgan and I got to bask in the most golden rays Seattle had to offer when we met on Alki for their engagement session. Since it was so early, it was virtually deserted, and we had the whole place to ourselves. They even got in the water, it was freezing! I just adore clients that will take risks, and share their champagne with me :)

Brown's Point Improvement Club: Elise + Nick

Elise and Nick shared their vows on the beautiful Isla de Mujeres in Mexico, but they came back up to the Seattle area to celebrate with friends and family in July. They chose the beautiful Brown’s Point Improvement Club for their reception, located on the water in Tacoma and featuring absolutely stunning views of the sound. The golden light filtered in throughout the evening, which was filled with food, dancing, and vintage cars.

Branding Session: Lauren Acton Reiki + Sound

One thing that I love about our generation is that so many of my fellow business owners understand the value of having great visual content to get their brands started on the right foot. When we met this spring, Lauren was getting ready to launch her reiki healing business. Reiki works with balancing energies within our bodies, and Lauren is a truly talented healer. She brought along her Tibetan singing bowls, which I can’t wait to learn more about. You can really feel the sound of the bowls affect you as she plays them, it’s pretty amazing!

South Sound Newborn Session: Baby Grace

She’s HERE!!!! After welcoming little miss Peyton last year, my family has added baby Grace to the mix! She is absolutely perfect in every way, not only according to us, but according to Tucker the dog as well (as you can see). So excited to see my cousin (and former bride!) Alyssa and her husband Daniel become parents. We’re up to four babies in the family now, so Christmas is going to be a blast this year!

Cattle Barn Wedding: Allison + Stephen

Imagine the most perfect, rustic, fairytale venue. Then add some glorious sunshine, a cool breeze, and an unbeatably fabulous couple, and you’ve got the recipe for Allison and Stephen’s May wedding at the Cattle Barn in Kittitas, WA. Kittitas isn’t too far from Cle Elum in central Washington, so its the perfect mid-state venue for people looking for some rustic charm and wide open spaces. We were blessed with such amazing light in May, and the typical Washington smoke hadn’t even permeated the valley yet (thank goodness). Despite being called the Cattle Barn, its pretty clear that cows haven’t graced the gorgeous wood interior of this space, with floor to ceiling windows, in decades.

Fort Steilacoom Engagement Session: Ellen + Brannon

I got to meet up with these two in one of my favorite spots in the Puget Sound area - Fort Steilacoom near Tacoma, WA. This location, you guys. Just golden fields all over the damn place! Golden hour magic times 1,000. And of course a feature that will put a location on my favorites list right away: dogs/puppies everywhere. Ellen and Brannon mentioned that this was a favorite spot of theirs because they love taking their dogs here too! They’re headed down to Mendocino to get married next spring, and its sure to be a stunner!

áMaurice Vineyard Wedding: Colin + Tori

Ohhhhh what a gorgeous, unforgettable wedding day this was. Some weddings deeply inspire me for my own big day someday (if ever, haha), and this one was one of them. Colin and Tori started in Walla Walla, each getting ready at separate Airbnb’s. Colin’s was a rustic, industrial style loft, with a 350 Shelby GT out front (WHAT?!). Tori’s was a stately Victorian cottage with old magnolia trees and a gorgeous bay window. After their first look, they headed to áMaurice Vineyard to say their vows. My hat is sooOooOO far off my head to their amazing floral designer and coordinator, Kasey. Hit me up if you want her info, mama can do no wrong. I mean, this arch! That bouquet! I thought it was fake at first! They danced the night away as a glorious sunset rolled in and they celebrated with family and friends.

Snowy Mountain Elopement: Marina + Yakov

I met Marina and Yakov up in the Snoqualmie area as part of the Mountain Collective workshop. We got to run around the gorgeous Gold Creek Pond area on one of the brightest, snowiest days of the year! They did an amazing job powering through the freezing temps and sun glare - I even got a full sunburn! Anyone considering a mountain elopement in the snow, get in touch with me! I love connecting with couples who want to wear hiking boots under their wedding outfits - I know I will want to some day! There are so many benefits to a smaller, intimate elopement in somewhere gorgeous like the Snoqualmie national forest, or anywhere in the Central cascades - imagine how amazing your pictures would look hanging on the wall in your house if they featured a stunning landscape like this!

Boudoir in Seattle: Bianca

YOU GUYSSSSSS did you know my best friend is a goddess?? Its true, she’s a boudoir queen and she invented the game. Stop the presses cause Liv Tyler and Elizabeth Taylor had a baby and her name is Bianca!!

Lake Entiat Family Session: Roll Family

After getting to photograph my pal Erica’s wedding in Wenatchee this weekend, I got to work with her sister’s family the next day! We found a super secluded spot on Lake Entiat near Orondo, WA. Our families have been going to Orondo to camp, drink, and boat for years on years on years. Their family actually has property up there, and they finished building a house last year! Its crazy to see how far their land has come since it was a run-down pig farm decades ago. Now its our little oasis from the west side rain :)

Both Riley (baby) and Matt (adult man) weren’t so sure about having their pictures taken again after having to pose for family portraits all weekend. I promised Halani no matter how fussy people got, we would get a full gallery and we would make it snappy. I always try to accommodate the needs of my clients, even when I’ve known them for 23 years, and when those needs meet time = of the essence. I think we did a pretty amazing job considering Riley had an atomic blowout halfway through. Huge thanks to her aunt Angela for all the wrangling she did for this session!

We Love You Hershey: Rylee + Andrew

So, a bit of a sad story, but one we can celebrate too. Rylee and I had been in touch about potentially doing a session for her and her boyfriend, Andrew - they’ve been together for 5 years! But when her precious chocolate lab, Hershey, was diagnosed with cancer, we knew it was time to capture some memories ASAP. These two had an amazing 12 years of friendship - wow I’m getting choked up just writing this. Pets are so special you guys. And Andrew and Rylee are pretty special too :)

Iao Valley, Maui Wedding: Malia + Brett

Dreams do come true. And this wedding is living proof. The sweetest, friendliest, most considerate and FUN couple ever, getting married in Hawaii, and I got to shoot it! Brett and Malia were featured in one of my favorite engagement sessions ever near Hoodsport, and I was wondering how they were going to top such a magical day. Well, they did it. Between the most romantic ceremony in a Japanese tea garden, to the jazzy Hawaiian groomsmen’s shirts, and the tear-jerking personal hula performed by Malia’s mother, the day was a whirlwind of laughter, crying, dancing, and partying. They had an amazing authentic Hawaiian meal, I ate something that I think might have been a limpet?? and they did the money dance for their first dance, which was an absolute riot. No holds barred. If you’re dreaming of a Hawaiian wedding, especially in Maui, send me an email ASAP. We bopped between Kihei, Iao Valley, Lahaina, and all over the dang place. Thank you so much Malia and Brett for an unforgettable experience.

Fisherman's Terminal Engagement Session: Lindsay + Cameron

The last time I saw Lindsay, we were doing her graduation photos to celebrate her finishing her degree at UW! Almost 5 years later, she’s on a whole new adventure, getting married! Its so fun for me to see all the fun milestones my clients go through, and I get to document! Lindsay and Cameron wanted something quintessentially Seattle, and Fishermans Terminal + a stop at Discovery Park was just the ticket. We had some awesome light and almost no rain, and the connection between these two was fire! Can’t wait to get them in front of my lens again next spring for their wedding!

Rattlesnake Ledge Engagement Session: Rachel + Anthony

As you can tell, I live in the PNW. Born and bred, 28 years. I’ve been a photographer for 6. I have never. Ever. In my LIFE - had a session with rain like this. You would think after all these years rolling around in soggy old Seattle I would have seen it all. I shit you not my shoes took a WEEK to dry. Here’s my question though - what dark magic is Rachel using?? She’s been hiking for hours in a torrential downpour and still looks flawless in these pics? I NEED THE SECRET.

Seattle Branding Session: Addie

One of my favorite things about being a photographer is having clients that become friends, who refer me to their friends, who then become my clients, and then my friends! And the cycle continues. Addie is one of such people, I met her through my friend Hunter, who has been doing my hair for 9 years (I think)! Addie is an amazing Seattle foliage specialist - if you have a crap ton of hair, she can make you look more natural than a balayage and more bright than a foil! She’s a master!

Since opening her own business, Addie has been hard at work getting her branding flawlessly cohesive, and we needed some photo content that would compliment her new website. This is our first branding session, featuring two of her best friends. How fabulous is their hair?

Iao Valley, Maui Engagement Session: Priscilla + Sebastian

After traveling to Maui for a wedding, I knew I had to shoot more while I was there. The beaches, the mountains, and the greenery are so gorgeous, and it was a crazy change of pace from the temperate forests of the Pacific Northwest. The tropical valleys were full of fog, and at 7 pm after St. Patrick’s Day, Sebastian, Priscilla, and I dragged our butts up a mountain to celebrate their engagement.

The story of how I met Priscilla and Sebastian is wild. I was searching far and wide for a couple the work with in Maui, and I ended up DMing everyone on Insta in a 30-mile radius who looked semi-in a relationship. (Hint: tag your location in your Insta posts! You just may find yourself getting a message from me) Priscilla jumped at the chance when I messaged her, and we planned on meeting at the entrance to Iao Valley, not far from their house in Maui.

The next day was St Patrick’s Day, and I decided I was going to eat as many appetizers in Kihei as I could since I was traveling solo. By my second or third bar, I found myself chatting with the bartender because we discovered he grew up about 5 blocks from where I live now in Seattle. He asked what brought me to Hawaii, and I mentioned that I had shot a wedding the day before. I also mentioned that I would be shooting an engagement session with a couple the next day in Iao Valley State Park. He looked and me funny and said “wait, is Priscilla the name of the bride?” I said yes… and he said “are you my photographer???” Turns out, he was Priscilla’s fiancé! He goes “oh she has this wicker peacock chair she wants in the photos” I was like “oh. we’re bringing that. I’ll carry it up the mountain myself if I have to” and I’m so glad we brought it! Doesn’t it fit perfectly with their styling? I’ve got a total 1950’s Cuba vibe from these two.

Rainy Urban Seattle Engagement: Kevin + Rachel

Kevin and Rachel’s engagement session was going down, rain or shine. We were in the middle of a season where just about every session was getting rained out, and for theirs we decided to buckle down and power through. We headed up to the rooftops of Seattle between Pike Place and Pioneer Square, and were surrounded by stormy, moody clouds. After a few laughs and a bit of dancing, we traveled over to Pioneer Square for an outfit change and droplet dodging. Rachel had mentioned that she really wanted twinkly lights, and I was kind of like “…wellllllll maybe they’ll have them out”. We turned the corner onto the plaza and WOW! The lights lit up the puddles in the bricks and made for the most sparkly moment ever.

San Fransisco City Hall Wedding: Tiffany and Micah

Tiffany and Micah chose one of the most gorgeous locations on the west coast to have their wedding: City Hall in San Fransisco, CA. They were able to get married in one of the elegant marble corridors, surrounded by friends, family, and their adorable daughter, Sailor. They flew all the way from Seattle to be surrounded by the amazing architecture and timeless cinderella staircase. The San Fransisco City Hall is the perfect place for a more intimate-feeling wedding, but maximum glamour.

I absolutely love flying down to San Fransisco for any excuse I can come up with. My best friend Savannah and her husband live nearby in Alameda, and the food in the city is worth the plane ticket alone. We were able to hit up Chubby Noodle, Barzotto, and the Hunter Pub. Can’t wait til my next trip!

Anniversary Session: Charlie + Mikey

These two moved all the way from sunny Australia to do life in the gorgeous PNW! They’re also new puppy parents to the adorable Echo, a baby golden retriever! How cute is she?

Capitol Hill Seattle Boudoir Session: Elise

Elise and I got together with her fiancé Nick and our awesome stylist friend Hunter for her engagement session last year, and I’m so excited she’s back for a boudoir session! We met at an amazing Airbnb in Capitol Hill, Seattle, that was filled with plants and the most dreamy light. I love finding new Airbnb spaces for boudoir and in-home sessions! Elise was such a gorgeous model and I’m sure she’ll be just as stunning on her wedding day!