What do you get when you combine a beautiful beach with a horse, floral crowns, teepee, and two newly engaged lovebirds? One ridiculously creative engagement session. Shot by Jasmine Lee, this shoot has me awestruck with the level of creativity and beauty, and as I bundle up with another cup of hot tea here in chilly New England, I’ll be squeezing every bit of inspiration out of this gorgeous gallery.
From The Bride… Our engagement session began with a vision of Light and Love. Those were the two words that drove my inspiration. Our relationship has been an effortless romance since the very beginning. If you ask Ryan when he knew he loved me, he’ll tell you it was the very first time he saw me walk into the office where we worked. I usually smile shyly and shake my head as he continues to describe what I was wearing that day. I knew I loved Ryan the first time he serenaded me to sleep playing my favorite Dave Matthews songs on his guitar. It was simple and honest. I wanted our engagement session to reflect the intimate connection and effortless love that we share.
Our first date was spent hand in hand on the California shoreline, sharing our first kiss and first sunset. We knew we wanted the ocean to be the backdrop for our engagement session to celebrate our beginning. Moss Landing was a beautiful setting and near Carmel where we will be married next spring. The golden light produced by a sunset has been enchanting to me all of my life. I was very particular when looking for a photographer that captured the golden light that I desired. Jasmine Lee was everything we could have asked for and more. Her ability to capture couples stories and share them with the world through her own artistic lens was captivating. After our first meeting, I was hooked. Her talent, modesty and above all, kind heart and drive to make our vision a reality was a dream come true. I believe that an engagement session gives each couple a chance to create one of the most unique and intimate settings where they can completely be themselves and capture moments that will last a lifetime. We are forever grateful for Jasmine and what she was able to capture for us.
Our outfits were simple, timeless and romantic with bohemian elements and rustic details that we will be infusing on our wedding day. My horse and I wore matching flower crowns in our wedding colors to add an ethereal quality and to signify our unity. Each of our props were made by hand or were family heirlooms. I dreamt of a timeless lace tent with ivy covered birch branches to coordinate with the lace of my wedding dress and the birch and ivy that will be the arch framing us for our wedding ceremony. Ryan spent hours creating the tent and the result was simply perfect. The mason jars, wood crates and vintage lanterns and books were given to me by my grandparents who had traveled with the antiques their entire lives. I made the twined champagne and wine bottles by hand to illustrate our love for wine and to add an organic and rustic touch. The beautiful quilt and textured pillows were given to me by my angel of a mother. The last two props were the most heartfelt: Ryan’s Taylor guitar and my horse, Britches. Early in life, Ryan became a self-taught musician and quickly realized that it was an undeniable passion of his. Horses have been my passion and a part of my spirit since I could stand on my own two feet. Britches is a Kiger mustang and has been with our family for nearly 18 years. His absolute favorite place to be is in the water. Throughout our e-session he was so calm and completely in his element. When it came time to splash in the waves he ran without hesitation, directly into the ocean. It warmed my heart to see how happy and free he was in that very moment. Ryan and I being able to bring our two passions together and watch them work harmoniously was truly magical. The last pictures taken in the ocean were inspired by The Notebook and that once in a lifetime love that is fearless and the greatest chapter in each of our books. We are excited to write another beautiful page of our love story next April at Holman Ranch in Carmel.
Photography: Jasmine Lee Photography | Makeup Artist:: Kristin Noelle Cipponeri, Makeup & Hair Artistry | Hair: Jessica Lewis Hair Artistry At Jewelz & Company | Venue: Zmudowski State Beach | Brides Outfits: ModCloth | Brides Outfits: Nordstrom | Floral Crowns: Trish Mattos At Merced Floral | Grooms Outfits: J.Crew | Grooms Outfits: Express