Sarah + Nathan met through mutual friends, had an instant connection, went on their first date…

And now here we are photographing their engagement session!

I love hearing how couples met and watching their stories unfold. One first date eventually turns into a life together, and getting to photograph that little milestone along the way is pretty dang special.

These two are adorable together.

They’re playful, giggly, affectionate, and clearly just really enjoy being around each other. They snuggled, smooched, laughed, and generally made my job pretty easy.

And you’d NEVER guess it was nearly 100 degrees outside.

It was hot.

It was sweaty.

And they were total troopers.

Castle Lake Engagement Photos

Sarah + Nathan chose Castle Lake near Mt. Shasta for their engagement session, and it’s one of my favorite places around here.

Castle Lake is beautiful pretty much any time of year, and the combination of the lake, towering trees, mountains, and rocky landscape makes it such an incredible setting for couples portraits.

Sarah’s outfit was also absolutely perfect for the location.

She wore a gorgeous emerald green strappy gown, and that rich color looked amazing against the woodsy surroundings. I love when a couple chooses something that complements the landscape without blending into it, and Sarah absolutely nailed it.

Our skies have been pretty smoky this summer, but even with the haze, Northern California is still ridiculously beautiful.

The landscape doesn’t always need perfect blue skies to make a great photograph.

Sometimes a little haze gives everything a softer, moodier feel.

And Then There Was Billy…

But let’s be honest.

Billy stole the show.

This adorable pup had some very important sniffing to do and managed to creep into approximately eleventy-billion photographs.

And I am completely okay with that.

😂

I LOVE when couples bring their dogs to engagement sessions. If your dog is part of your life and your relationship, I want them in the photographs too.

Billy clearly understood the assignment.

She wandered around, investigated everything, and casually inserted herself into plenty of their photos.

Honestly, that’s exactly how I prefer it.

From Engagement to Wedding Day

I’m so excited that I got to photograph this chapter for Sarah + Nathan because I already knew there was another one coming…

Their fall wedding!

And thankfully, it should be considerably cooler than nearly 100 degrees. 😂

I’m hoping for crisp autumn weather, beautiful fall colors, and maybe—just maybe—some clear skies without the summer smoke.

Sarah + Nathan, congratulations on your engagement! I had SO much fun with you two and Billy, and I can’t wait to celebrate with you again for your wedding day. ❤️

You can also check out their Running Y Autumn Wedding to see how their story continued.