M was looking for a place that felt like Lord of the Rings (since his girlfriend was a huge fan!) and I knew just the place. He originally going to propose in Portland, but he thought it might be too obvious. So instead he surprised her with an impromptu road trip to Big Sur, where he brought the PNW vibes with him to California! Though it rained, these two couldn’t stop smiling and laughing. Check out the rest of M + K's Big Sur redwoods proposal below!

When S drove down to the Inn at Spanish Bay to celebrate her uncle's birthday, little did she know that her boyfriend had planned a surprise proposal and brought his family along as well. He had everyone hidden behind the sand dunes, so when she pulled up in a golf cart, the look of surprise and shock was evident. It was so sweet getting to see everyone celebrate with them - there were tears, smiles, and laughter all around. After sending their family to meet them at dinner, we captured a few engagement photos with just the two of them. It was the perfect setting, with waves crashing against the rocks right in Pebble Beach, the famous place known for the start of the 17-Mile Drive. Check out the rest of their proposal below!

When P started planning his proposal, he thought about choosing an iconic spot in San Francisco where they lived. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized he wanted somewhere a bit more special. P and S had started their relationship in long distance, with one of them in San Francisco and the other in Los Angeles. They made many road trips up and down Highway 1 before eventually finding their way to the same city. The ocean was always something they loved - they spent a lot of time at the beach, just enjoying spending time with each other. So when P emailed me asking for help planning a last minute trip to Big Sur so that he could propose to her, I hopped on it right away! We secretly met at the parking turnout, and he carefully brought her down to the spot where he proposed. She was so surprised and overjoyed when he knelt down on one knee, and the sun peeked through the clouds just in time for them! After introducing myself, I took them to the beach where we chased the waves and ended the night snuggled up in the flower beds. Check out the rest of P + S's Big Sur proposal below!

When A + S first met, they were working in downtown Chicago. They quickly fell in love from the very first date that ended up lasting well into the night. After a few years, they started a new adventure together and moved to Dallas. When A started thinking about how to propose to the love of his life, he did a quick Google search on most beautiful places to propose and stumbled upon Big Sur! After seeing photos of the incredible coastline, he knew that it was the perfect place to pop the question. Together we plotted to arrange a photoshoot (which wasn't unusual for them) as a surprise gift for their trip to California. She didn't suspect a thing when he suddenly got down on one knee. We ended the day with sunset on the beach - it couldn't have been more romantic. Check out the rest of A + S's proposal below!

You may have heard of engagement or pre-wedding sessions, but L + E chose to do a post-wedding session instead! These two eloped at San Francisco City Hall with a simple ceremony, and then drove down to Big Sur a week later as newlyweds to capture their wedding photos. It was one of the warmest days in Big Sur, but they trekked up the stairs all the same and made each other laugh all along the way. We ended their session at the beach, capturing the last sunlight over the horizon before making our way home. These photos then became their announcement to their family and friends that these two high school sweethearts had finally got married! Check out the rest of their Big Sur wedding portraits below!

C + H met in school in college, but their love story didn't start until the fateful year of COVID. C had stayed in America, but H had moved back to Singapore. They started chatting, and what began as a few conversations turned into a cross country love story. A few trips later, she finally made the move back to America to be with C. With two weddings planned - one in each country - they decided to capture their pre-wedding photos here in California where they now live. Check out their beautiful redwoods and coast session in Big Sur!

When I heard G + K's story, I felt like we had shared parallel lives! These two grew up just living down the block from one another and started dating right after graduating high school (just like my husband and I!) They shared many memories exploring the redwoods on the coast of Santa Cruz, and so when they had a family wedding in the area, G reached out to me to plan a surprise proposal for his girlfriend of 7 years. It was the weekend of the Big Sur Marathon, so we planned for a sunset proposal after all the runners had gone. It couldn't have been more perfect - she was certainly surprised, and happily said yes! Check out the rest of G + K's Big Sur proposal below.

D told me that they had been to Big Sur once before, and that they had loved their time there. So it only made sense to come back to a place they loved to propose there! I helped him plan locations, and he decided to bring her down one of my favorite proposal spots. Though she was a little skeptical of the steep hike down, she didn't suspect that it would turn out to be the day they got engaged! It was so sweet getting to see her genuinely react in surprise and joy as he got down on one knee. Check out the rest of D + T's Big Sur proposal below!

Did you know that sunsets look different at different times of year? When you shoot at the same locations year round, you learn to notice how important the direction of the sun is. A winter sunset will look different from a summer sunset on the coast because the angle of the sun affects which views get soaked in the golden light. When shooting on the cliffside, you're also limited by where you can stand. But the very nuances of Big Sur are exactly what make it so magical in the first place. Check out the rest of A + G's Big Sur coast engagement session below!