For this Yucaipa summer engagement, I knew the perfect location to take Michael and Alexandria to!

Alex found me on Instagram through several posts from a venue, The Retreat in Corona (check out the wedding that led her to me here). She loved the emotional reaction of the groom seeing his bride walk up the aisle and the wild and windy mountain photos that stole my heart. After months of emailing back and forth, we finally met the day of their Yucaipa summer engagement session. Since I knew that Alex loved the one certain mountain photo from the wedding I did at the venue, she said that an open area in nature would be just the thing I knew a hidden gem of a spot that required a little hike in Yucaipa. Being the lovers of nature they are, they were down for an adventure with me! California had really gone for it with the rain the winter before, so instead of a golden open field, we were adventuring through waist high overgrowth in our race for the golden hour. The greens were so vibrant and thrilling for an area that was usually miles of rolling gold hills and oak trees. It was glorious and oh so beautiful!

After planning two years out, they bought a house and pivoted their wedding to be on three acres of their own desert property. We went off roading for their portraits and watched the smoky sunset as it dipped below the joshua trees. It was such a contrast to their green and golden summer Yucaipa engagement session! Check that out here!