Who can endure driving through hours of stop-and-go traffic while an infant screams at the top of her lungs and still remain kind, cool, and generous? A real keeper, that’s who!

The backstory: in 2009, I photographed the wedding of a college friend in New England, and Sarah was a bridesmaid in the wedding. My then 3 month old daughter was too young to leave at home with Dad (we lived in New Mexico at the time), so she and a friend/baby wrangler came along for the adventure.

Sarah had just begun dating Jenny, and they were adorable together! I clearly remember them stealing glances of each other over the breakfast table at the inn where we all stayed. After the wedding weekend was over, Jenny offered me a ride to the airport, and what a ride it was! My daughter’s hair-splitting screams were relentless, but Jenny and Sarah were nothing but kind to me.

Fast forward 3ish years, and I received the kind of e-mail that makes a photographer dance around the house with giddiness: “Ever since Sara and Devin’s wedding I’ve been waiting to send you an email like this! Jenny and I just looked over your website again and we loved what we saw.” Seriously, getting inquiries from guests of past weddings I’ve photographed is the best, and I was thrilled that it worked out for me to be their photographer (and fly out to Oakland sans kiddos this time!).

For Sarah and Jenny’s engagement session we visited two fantastic locations in Oakland that they enjoy often as a couple: Oakland’s Lake Merritt, and a nearby cozy spice shop, Oaktown Spice Shop. Notice how they still, years later, like to steal glances of each other!