Posts tagged candid
Double the Love: Chey & Mitch’s Surprise Proposal + LA County Fair Engagement Shoot
 

Okay, this one’s gonna hit you right in the feels. 💍✨

Chey thought she was just showing up for a sweet little photoshoot with their pet (who’s getting older - cue the tears already). Mitch said he wanted to capture some memories. Innocent enough, right?

What Chey didn’t know was that Mitch had a whole plan up his sleeve - complete with a surprise proposal. That’s right. In the middle of a cozy, sentimental shoot with their beloved pet, Mitch dropped to one knee and turned a simple session into a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Spoiler alert: She said yes! ❤️

But wait - there’s more!

Fast forward to Part Two of their engagement adventure: the LA County Fair. This shoot was all about fun, laughter, and full-on arcade chaos. These two weren’t afraid to let their playful sides shine. They rode the ferris wheel, won giant Pikachu (which was 100% on their bucket list), and lived out their carnival dreams. It was cute, chaotic, and perfectly them.

From a surprise tearjerker to cotton candy, fair lights, and stuffed animal victories - Chey and Mitch’s engagement story is proof that love can be both emotional and epic fun.

These two? Total goals.

 
Climbing to Forever: Carina & Darren’s Epic Engagement Adventure with Maple
 

Meet Carina and Darren, two adventure-loving weirdos who bonded over climbing holds and friendly competition. After 13+ years of climbing under their belts, they met at a climbing gym in Madison, WI - and it was game on from there. With a shared love for the outdoors, travel, and the occasional wine tasting, these two are the perfect match despite their opposites-attract tastes.

 
 

They’ve been calling sunny San Diego home since 2020, along with their adorable dog, Maple Donut (or just Maple for short). Maple’s basically the third musketeer on their many outdoor adventures.

The proposal? Oh, it’s epic. Darren popped the question on top of a Hawaiian peak at sunrise during their 5th anniversary trip in July 2024. Picture this: breathtaking views, the soft glow of dawn, and two souls ready to climb the next big peak together - marriage.

Carina is currently transitioning from her time in the USMC into a faculty role at a local college, while Darren’s busy crushing code as a senior software developer from their home office. Together, they balance the chaos and calm of life beautifully - with a whole lot of laughter and love.

What makes their love story so special? Their “go with the flow” vibes, their passion for climbing, and that sweet competitive spark that keeps things exciting. Two happy weirdos who found their forever climbing partner - and we’re here for it.

Here’s to many more climbs, travels, and game nights for Carina, Darren, and Maple!

 
Candid Redondo Beach Historic Library Wedding Photos - Cheryl + Scott

It was about 1.5 years ago when I sat down with Alli and Chris at a coffee shop in downtown LA and wished I had hidden in the corner when Chris had proposed to Alli. To Alli, it was a normal day. Chris and Alli visited the hospital where her mom worked (maybe her mom's partner - my memory slightly faded this part... oops) for a casual heart check-up UNTIL Chris abruptly popped the question; of course, Chris had set everything up in advance with her mom. Because they were hooked up to heartbeat monitoring devices, their heart rate was recorded - Alli's went through the roof as she had NO idea about the proposal, while Chris' was a relatively pretty calm wave. Guess what now, they have these heartbeats tattooed on their arms - Chris tattooed Alli's crazy wave of "OMGGGG Yes!" while Alli has Chris' calm yet nervous graph of "Will you marry me?" and this is the coolest thing ever. Literally.

My Wedding Photojournalism in Redondo Beach

I think I cried (not surprisingly) during my candid wedding photography because I felt their love so strongly that it was honestly weird. I loved that Alli and Chris didn't mind being vulnerable with me, sharing their personal stories, those moments of ups and downs, and how they're extremely lucky to have found each other. "I know something was special," Chris told me. I'm seriously the luckiest person on the planet because I got to be the one who preserved special memories for these two, surrounded by the most fun and loving friends and family. It was a lovely, emotion-filled, a little hot September wedding day at Redondo Beach Historic Library.

Check out my wedding photojournalism collections and pricing today!