Monterey Bay Engagement Photos – Suzanne and Erich

I just got back from the most amazing weekend down in Monterey, California! I got to take these Monterey Bay engagement photos for one of my absolute BEST friends from childhood, plus photograph her intimate Carmel-by-the-sea wedding! It was a dream. I’ll share more about their beautiful wedding in my next blog post, but first I wanted to post these awesome Monterey Bay engagement photos that we did on the first night I arrived! The California coast has always had a special place in my heart. My grandparents lived in Bodega Bay when I was a child and some of my earliest memories are of playing on those beaches. They also owned a cottage in Jenner that is still in our family today. Even though Monterey is a little further south, it still has the same rugged feeling as the beaches I grew up with. The air feels the same – the smell of salt mingling with eucalyptus, cypress trees, succulents and golden grasses. And the FOG. The way it rolls in slowly, shrouding the surrounding hillsides. The dull sounds of fog-horns blowing in the distance. The crash of turquoise waters. Everything about it gives me shivers in a good way. Nostalgia to the bone. Happiness.

Catching up with an old friend

Speaking of nostalgia – getting to spend the weekend with Suzanne was a treat. This gorgeous girl was my closest friend in 8th and 9th grade. I felt like I practically lived at her house because we had sleepovers so often. We had so many inside jokes! We were inseparable friends supporting each other through some of the most awkward years of our pre-teen lives. Sadly, the summer after freshman year, Suzanne’s parents told her that they were moving her to Texas. She had only a few days to pack her things and I barely even got to say goodbye. It happened so fast. Of course, I was at that age where I was constantly trying to be “cool,” but man, I was heartbroken. Losing your best friend when you are 13 or 14 is rough. We talked a lot during the next 4-5 years, but after college started we both fell out of touch. We were still friends on social media though, so we were able to loosely keep track of each other. Fast forward almost a decade (man we are old). When I got the email from her last year saying that she was engaged to her long-time boyfriend, I was overjoyed. Both because she found someone perfect for her, and because she wanted me to come out to Monterey to photograph them! The long weekend by the sea was perfect for catching up with one of my favorite people, and getting to know her amazing fiancé Erich. These Monterey Bay engagement photos were SO fun to take, and I can’t wait to share more of the wedding weekend with you next! So happy for these two