beth + matt: their story.

beth was one of my first friends at westmont. and for that i am grateful. she is a brilliant actress and loyal friend. she is wonderful i tell you. and through her, i meet her now fiance matt, who is simply awesome. and now, i get to photograph their wedding and tell their story. how cool is that?

Matt’s Version: When I lived in Clark (a res hall at Westmont), I had a table that I always studied at in the A Lounge. One afternoon I went in there to study. Sitting at one of the couches by my study table was Beth. So I took my seat at my table, got out my books, and began to immerse myself in them. Suddenly, a soft voice asked me “what are you reading” and everything from that moment on is history. The day was Feb 9, 2005 at about 4:00 in the afternoon. See below for the wrong version.

Beth’s Version: One sunny afternoon during my freshman year, I decided to get out of my dorm and study in a new environment. I passed by the Clark A Lounge and thought that it might be a nice place to study, especially since it was empty and I really wanted to sit on a couch. So I read for about 15-20 minutes when suddenly a boy came in the lounge, and instead of sitting at any of the empty table or couches across the room (like a normal person would do) he sat down at the table right next to me. I thought it was so bizarre that a person would sit so close and not say anything, so I felt compelled to say hello. Then a great conversation turned into a great friendship.

when i read both versions of the story of their meeting side by side, i chuckled. it was perfect and fitting that they would have different versions. so typical of these two. two sides to a quite simple yet remarkable love story, each one steeped with genuine love and adoration. each one showing a bit of who they are as individuals and as a couple. i love it.

now, finally i got a chance to post their engagement shoot photos. i have been itching to do so for weeks. check it: beth & matt: their story. for a complete slideshow, click here.
(this is the first of many slideshows to feature the soulful sounds of my new friend tiffany thompson. the uber-talented singer-songwriter from chicago, has allowed me to use her songs for my site and slideshows. check out her site here).

courtney + matt: their story.

courtney wong. we go way back. we met over five years ago when the campus crusades crew from usc came up to our church in crowley lake for their winter retreat. fresh from the dmv, i volunteered to shuttle them around crowley for they were in serious need of showers after a long day playing in the snow. i love that group of people. i remember something so real and sweet about them. i wanted them to be my friends. they were to types of people i wanted to be like. and company i wanted to keep. and courtney, well, she was one of those people on whom i had a friend crush since we met. it has since become a real friendship. whew. just recently, through e-mail, we discovered that we were ironically both living in santa barbara. sad news was that i was moving back home a week after this discovery. but times have changed. i am back, and we are friends again. woo.

and to makes things EVEN better. she is getting married. to one of my new favorite people: matt davis. we are of one mind when it comes to all things visual. we could talk shop for hours. about design, websites, photography, marketing and branding...insta-friend in the making to be sure. and lucky for me, the duo will be living in santa barbara once they get married. i am simply delighted about that. and selfishly want them to get married tomorrow so we can all hang out more. haha. so in other words, i can't wait for their wedding in september and was amped to shoot there engagement session this past weekend. it was a blast and i found myself in awe of their obvious love for each other. it is SO evident in their relationship and of course, in their photos.

so alas, this is their story. their romance. their love. the essence of matt + courtney...

marc + jenelle: their story.

marc grew up in denmark and jenelle in cali. they both have a passion for travel and missions. it eventually brought them together. yup. she was on a mission trip and he just so happened to one of the interpreters at the camp. they meet and well, the rest is history. they started dating long distance, and soon thereafter marc moved to the US to be with jenelle. now, they are getting hitched. how cool is that?

we did their engagement shoot here in santa barbara, and we decided it would be fun to play up their love for travel and adventure. i thought it would be awesome if we took a retro approach to it and brought along a polaroid camera and a map of sb. marc brought a legit yellow suitcase with various stickers marking the places to which he has travelled. this series of photos is one of my favorites. well that and the shots "under the boardwalk"...ah that was a precious moment. i nearly cried as i was taking (and editing) their photos. it is so evident that they are deeply in love and are excited to share the rest of their lives together. so, so cool. i can't wait till their wedding in august. ahhh, they are the best. i adore them. already :). here is their story...









their entire online gallery can be viewed here.