I’m the kind of wedding photographer that when my couple pulls up to their fairytale engagement session in a dreamy forest in San Luis Obispo, and my bride leaps out of the car and starts pulling out 27 amazing dresses from the trunk- all more beautiful and whimsical than the next- my heart skips a beat in JOY. Working with engaged couples who are creative and fun and love being playful with fashion as well as a dash of fairytale romance is absolutely my favorite thing in the whole wide world and it’s exactly why I am an engagement and San Luis Obispo wedding photographer.
On your wedding day there will be a lot going on- there are a lot more people that need time with you and you don’t get as much time to just run around and have fun taking photos. This is why your engagement session is the absolute perfect time to just have the most fun possible and just make it as playful and creative as you want. You can change engagement outfits multiple times and we don’t have nearly the same time constraints as you will on your wedding day. Really, the sky is the limit on what we can do for your photos and this fairytale engagement session is a perfect example of how much fun your session can be, and how you can really bring out who you are together as a couple, no matter your personal style.
I encourage my engaged couples to make their engagement session as personal and as uniquely about them as possible. I’ve had couples bring things like a football to play catch during their engagement session because that’s what they like to do together. I’ve had a couple bring a camper tent because they love to go adventure together, and I have had couples just play with fun outfits and dresses because they are living in San Francisco and they love going out together and dressing up. So the point is make it about you- it doesn’t matter what you do but make it fun and make it show who you are together as a couple so that you can look back on it together and remember this time in your relationship.
Wether you want to do a fairytale engagement session or a session about nature or a session that feels like a date in the city- I am so up for it. I can help you find a spot that’s unique and really suits you as a couple and brings your dream engagement session to life! There are so many gorgeous locations to do engagement photos here on the Central Coast like this fairytale forest! We have anything from white pristine beaches to colorful vineyards to urban settings, and I’ve spent years exploring all the different locations and finding out all the best secrets spots to do your engagement pictures. Because I love whimsical and fantasy this fairytale inspired engagement session was definitely a dream come true for me!
Kaelyn and Brian did the first part of their engagement pictures at the Los Osos Oaks Reserve, which I describe as a magical fairytale forest. It’s my little secret spot that I’ve discovered living in Los Osos for many years and there really is no other place like it. It’s extremely dreamy and fantastic and it’s perfect for an engagement session that has a more ethereal feel to it. The reserve is full of old oak trees, and moss and all kinds of beautiful plant life and trees, and it’s really a botanical paradise.
The second half of their photo session for their engagement took place at MontaƱana de Oro State Park, which is a world renowned California state Park that people come from all over to visit because of how beautiful it is. There are beaches and cliff top and hiking trails as far as the eyes can see and it’s usually, not crowded, it’s very peaceful, and it really is absolutely stunning and its natural beauty.
We had so much fun playing with all the dresses and clothes that Kaelyn brought along for her and Brian, and just laughing and playing with champagne and running around through the trees and on the beach, taking in the scenery, the two of them stealing moments of romance while I played third wheel. Not only did they get beautiful photos, but they had a ton of fun and made a beautiful memory as well and to me that is a huge part of why we do engagement sessions as part of your wedding year.
As a San Luis Obispo wedding photographer, your engagement session is a great way for me to get to know you guys and also just to have fun and build more memories for you guys to look back on in the years to come. You can never have enough beautiful moments together and an engagement session is the perfect excuse to go out just be playful. Just have a great time show who you truly are together and I’m here to help make that happen for you! If you’d like to touch base with me, and know more about all the great locations I take my couples for their Central Coast engagement sessions I would love to chat with you- reach out right here and I will send you over my free engagement session guide, and we can get talking about how to make your engagement photo dreams come true!
Santa Barbara based wedding photographer and videographer.
Leana Myra combines a narrative style with a film aesthetic, preserving genuine emotions and connections in stunning imagery that tells each couple's unique love story.