Ever been said no to go on a date? Brendan not only had to ask Laryssa twice to go on a date, he also had to propose twice, because the first time around she didn’t really grasp what he was asking, language barrier and all. Meant to be or what?
Originally from Brazil, English wasn’t Laryssa’s first language, so the first time Brendan asked her out, she said no, but not on purpose -:) Thankfully, he was persistent and asked again a few months later and this time she said yes. They shared their first kiss on a windy nigh at the beach, so it only made sense that the day they chose for their adventure session in Laguna was windy and rainy. It didn’t stop these two from having a ton of fun and embracing the elements like champions and basically, they were more worried about my camera than I was.
It was my first time shooting in so much rain and I will admit I was a little worried too, but not about my camera, just about how their pictures would turn out, but they loved them so Rain or Shine, we will shoot. And now i have a super cool umbrella for future clients and a rain cover for my camera -:)
Yaya & Randall
I met Yaya through the neighborhood gym I go to. She was my instructor for Barre and Pound - and it turns out she was also the owner, but you know the kind of cool owner who is super laid-back. And I believe the first time I met her husband, he was dressed up in a dinosaur costume :) that’s how cool he is.
These two met super young, practically grew up together, going on family vacations, going to the same high school. But the timing was never quite right. Randall liked her, but she wasn't into him. Then, she liked him, but he wasn’t ready to be “tied down.”
It wasn't until years later, after college, that fate brought them back together. It was Randall’s step brother's wedding. He was the best man, and Yaya was the photographer. She is a Jill of all trades - and if you don’t know what that means, like I didn’t, it’s the female version of the expression Jack of all trades. They reconnected that evening, became friends again, and then, like “most people,” they took a trip to Japan to hike Mount Fuji. And when they finally got to the summit, that’s when Randall knew he has to marry his best friend.
Yaya and Randall eloped during a random lunch break - SPONTANEOUS, or what? And then we got to take pictures for their anniversary and it was a blast.