Samantha, Tony, and I had so much fun getting to know each other at their engagement session!  When we were emailing back and forth about their wedding plans, they really emphasized how much they love Bellingham's coastline and water views.  Larrabee was the perfect spot for their autumn engagement photos!  We talked about how they met, fell in love, got engaged in Disneyland, and their excitement for their upcoming wedding, and I don't think I had to ask them to smile once.  ;)  I've really enjoyed seeing Sam and Tony share their favorite images as they count down to May, so here's a handful of my favorites, too!

In addition to Erika being my go-to hair stylist, Erika and Chris are both partial owners of their family business, Appel Farms. When we talked about a location for their anniversary portraits, they knew there was no place they'd be happier than at their farm. They brought their dogs, we threw a few sticks, and left with a huge gallery of photos and some sweet memories, too. If you love dogs and golden hour, this blog is for you!

Erika styled her hair herself, and her sister-in-law Beauty by Elizabeth Marie did a gorgeous job on her golden makeup. I couldn't recommend them more for your next portrait session or wedding!

We photographed Lauren and Dane's Bellingham backyard wedding in September 2017, and this year we got to celebrate their first wedding anniversary with an autumn portrait session at Bellewood Acres!  I have to admit: we all laughed when we pulled into the parking lot and it was so foggy we couldn't see the entrance, but I knew it'd be gorgeous. I assured them that their session would be dreamy and magical, and that if the fog became too thick we could wait it out inside over some hot cider.  Lauren and Dane fully embraced the fog and the fun—skipping through the pumpkin patch, dancing in the corn fields, and even playing some catch in the orchards.  Scroll to see some of my favorites!

When I heard Jordan and Marco got engaged, I really hoped I'd get the chance to take their photos! To my excitement, they reached out to book an engagement session at their favorite little park, Zuanich.  We set plans for September, and they ended up eloping just a couple weeks prior to our shoot.  ;)  So call it an engagement session, or a "we just got married" session, but either way, these photos are so full of the joy they share together, and I'm so glad I got to spend an hour laughing and running around the waterfront with them. The sun broke out two minutes before their session on an otherwise cloudy and stormy day, giving us bright light, dark clouds in the distance, and a whole lot of waves!

We've both known Mackenzie and Bryan for years, so when they got engaged and asked us to photograph their wedding, we were SO excited! They're both so sweet, silly, and kind-hearted, and it was no surprise that their friends and families were the same way. Keep scrolling to take a look at some of my favorites from their Rein Fire Ranch wedding.

The new Baby Greens plant shop was our first stop on this three-part Bellingham engagement session!  Elyssa is one of my very best friends, and it's been such a joy getting to know Curtis and seeing how happy they are together.  It only takes a few minutes with these two to realize they were made for each other, and I can't wait to watch them get married!

When Anni and Brian first asked about doing maternity photos together, Anni told me she wasn't looking for a "glamour" session.  I teased her that I could more easily imagine her cracking up and tossing on a dinosaur costume, like that silly viral video (keep scrolling to see the best party crashers).  We loved the idea of planning a fun weekend getaway, and having me tag along for a portion of it.  We picked a place special to them, took the ferry from Anacores to Orcas Island, and enjoyed puzzles and ferry coffee along the way (their favorites!).  It was the perfect way to celebrate one of their last adventures before becoming a family of three!

When one of my best friends from junior high started posting photos of him and his new girlfriend, I knew I needed to get them in front of my camera.  I love photographing many kinds of love and a spectrum of personalities, but wow this couple session had my heart singing!!  Keegan and Tara are sweet, silly, and ridiculously in love--all of my favorite things!

We danced under cherry blossom trees at Saint Edwards Park, ran through the grass, and hiked  through the trails down to Lake Washington.  I hadn't seen Keegan in about four years, and we hadn't really known each other since high school.   There's something so incredibly special about seeing your childhood friends truly happy, and you can bet I fought back some happy tears while shooting and editing this session for them.

Tara is heading out on a year and a half long mission trip, so I put together one of my long distance sets for the two of them, packaged it with love, and sent it off for them to hang onto in this time apart.  Here are just some of my favorites!

Cydni and Antonio wanted to shoot "rain or shine" for their April engagement session at Bellingham's Whatcom Falls. We ended the hour together muddy and wet, but we went into it with an adventure mindset and had a blast!  Scroll down to take a look through their sweet walk in the woods.

Maria and Jarod wanted a colorful and fun February destination wedding, and I think it's safe to say that the Saguaro Resort and David Rohr Studios floral did not disappoint!  This beautiful bride is my step-sister, and I felt so honored to be asked to photograph their engagement photos and wedding.  Some friends asked "wouldn't you rather be a guest?" but there wasn't a chance I was going to pass this up.  As a photographer, I got to spend nearly the entire day with these two: zipping the dress, witnessing a "bouquet first look," getting a close up view of all those happy tears at the ceremony, feeling their joy as they took a moment to breathe before family portraits began... I'd take that over some pool time and a few minutes of conversation at the reception any day.  I am so grateful for all the moments I get to be a part of as a photographer.  I seriously have the best job ever.

I've never photographed such a vibrant day, and I'm so excited to finally be able to share it with you all!

Venue: Saguaro Resort Palm Springs
Saguaro Director of Special Events: Stephany Wilder
Floral: David Rohr Studio

All images copyrighted by Caylie Mash Photography.