Lucas & Vanessa’s Romantic Benbow Inn Engagement Session

Lucas and Vanessa met in Community College. They were both math tutors at the time and had a few friends in the same circles and saw each other in some study groups. After a few years and an Associate’s Degree, Vanessa transferred to UCSC for Astrophysics.  They really got together after Lucas first summer session at UCSD. Lucas came to visit Vanessa. They had hung out with friends and both decided to leave a little early, but ended up going to see some holiday lights at the beautiful Riverside Mission Inn. It was there that they agreed on their first “date” to Disneyland. (I am so jealous by the way! I have always wanted to do a theme park date!)  Disneyland was a long fun day, and by the end of the night Lucas had picked up on Vanessas interest. They “officially” became a couple after a discussion and hanging out on New Year’s Eve in 2010.

Lucas proposed to Vanessa in September of 2015.  She had no idea he was going to propose, even though they  lived together.  They went to San Francisco just to walk around and explore some touristy sites like Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, and dinner at McCormick and Kuleto’s.  He proposed by the Hyde Street Pier. After a long night walking the streets of SF, he finally got the courage to bend on one knee when they were just about ready to go home from walking the late night empty beach. He proposed with his mother’s wedding ring. He wanted to have the engagement ring be something that they picked out together to really represent them and do something else with his mom’s ring that was given to him.  They eventually picked out Vanessas engagement ring. His mom’s ring has been taken apart, and her small stones are in Vanessas wedding band, and her gold is in Lucas’s wedding band.

Lucas and Vanessa found me online and we met up for coffee to get to know each other at the wedding consultation. We met 30 minutes later to do their engagement photo shoot at the Benbow Inn. It was a gorgeous winter day in February. We really lucked out with the weather.  It enabled us to get some amazing images! I cant wait to continue their love story at their Benbow Inn wedding in May!