Henry Cowell Redwood Forest + Colton Hall Museum - Felton, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Sean + Savannah

Sean + Savannah’s engagement session was swoon worthy! These two are meant for each other, so it was a huge pleasure to help document this part of their love story. After some deliberation, we decided to split the session between two awesome locations: Henry Cowell Redwood Forest and Colton Hall Museum.

It was so cool learning all about these two during our session. Sean is an insurance broker and Savannah is a school psychologist and counselor. How did they meet, you ask? Online! They are both Starbucks addicts, and from there, their relationship has blossomed into something beautiful.

These two could not stop laughing throughout the entire shoot—not that I wanted them too! Their humor was off the walls as they cracked one joke after another. Their cheerful attitudes were contagious!

We started off the session at the Henry Cowell Redwood Forest. These redwoods are so gorgeous! There is a beautiful trail that winds through the hills and trees, so we stuck to the path to find great backgrounds.

For this engagement session, Sean + Savannah decided to go for two different wardrobe styles. Jeans was just the thing for the Redwood forest, but these two also brought along a more formal wardrobe choice for the second half of the session, which took place at the Colton Hall Museum.

Savannah’s green dress was such a statement piece, but we did have a dress malfunction when we stopped to change at a Starbucks. We rushed to the local CVS to get a safety pin, knowing that if we didn’t hurry, all of the good light would be gone.

Fortunately, we managed to find the pins. They did the job, but it didn’t hold up as well as we liked. I’ve had things like this happen before, so I was able to reassure her that everything would be okay.

A lot can be done in the editing process, but I also posed them in a way where the malfunction wouldn’t show as much. In the end, it worked out just fine! Sean + Savannah were able to let their worries go and continue celebrating each other.

These two have set their wedding date for June. We’ll be photographing it too, so we can’t wait to see Sean + Savannah again on their special day! I have a feeling that it’s going to be a day to remember, so keep an eye out for more!

Sean + Savannah, our engagement session at the Henry Cowell Redwood Forest and the Colton Hall Museum was stunning! Thank you so much for letting me tell your story. I wish you all the best as you begin your wedding preparations!

Downtown - Monterey, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Melissa + Kevin

Melissa + Kevin’s wedding is going to be amazing! I’m completely convinced of this, especially after our amazing engagement shoot in Downtown Monterey.

I’ve got to tell you, this was one of those sessions where I have my ideal client, they wear exactly what I want them to wear, and the weather was amazing. Gladly, we checked all the good stuff off on our lists.

If I had to nitpick, I guess it was just a little bit crowded in Downtown, so we had to shoot a bit strategically to avoid getting unwanted photo-bombers. Tourists and traffic can be tricky to work with, but with a little patience, we got some stunning images. Take a look!

First off, Melissa + Kevin are amazing. Melissa works in radiology tech, and Kevin works in agriculture. They both have such big hearts and big smiles, and I know they’re going to absolutely dominate married life.

They once again killed it with their outfits. Our first session was about two months ago with their kids, and they had the same energy and enthusiasm as last time. I loved it! Check out that post here.

With her hat, Melissa is totally the star of the show. You go, girl! But we didn’t count Kevin out. His plaid shirt added the perfect touch against Melissa’s dress.

The weather was absolutely perfect, too. With the couple feeling their absolute best, it was so easy to create organic moments of love.

I can’t recommend Downtown Monterey enough for photos! We found so many cool doors, murals, fountains, and trees to shoot with. This session was totally 10/10!

This will be the last time I see them until their wedding in August, 2023. I know it’ll be here so fast! I can’t wait until that day, and I know they can’t either!

Thanks so much for booking me for your engagement session and your wedding! I’m so thrilled to be able to photograph both events. In my opinion, August really can’t come soon enough! Best of luck with all the wedding plans.

Asilomar State Beach - Pacific Grove, CA - Drew Zavala Photography - Jennsy + Alexis

Last month, I packed up my camera bag and headed to Asilomar State Beach—a favorite spot of mine! Jennsy + Alexis met me there for an absolutely gorgeous engagement session. Congratulations, you two!

One of my favorite parts about my job is that I get to meet new people and learn their stories! Jennsy + Alexis were so sweet and charming. I loved getting to know them during our session. It turns out, they have a pretty cute love story, too!

Jennsy + Alexis are both Registered Dental Assistants, and they actually work in the same office, but they have known each other for a long time. Alexis is friends with Jennsy’s sister, but he never really noticed her until they grew older.

After that, he started developing feelings for her, and then they began working at the same office! Coincidence? I think not!

Once we got to the beach, it was like the world knew we were coming! The weather was crazy good, and that really set the mood for our engagement session.

They brought two outfits, and both showed different sides of their personalities. With a casual outfit and a more semi-formal one, we got some fantastic variety! I loved both outfits, but the second set was definitely my favorite. I could tell it was theirs, too!

Jennsy + Alexis also brought some cheap champagne to the shoot for some epic spraying shots. Champagne can be a bit predictable, so I recommend bringing a couple in case the first one doesn’t spray the way we want it to! Overall, these shots were so much fun.

Watching them celebrate in the glory of the day was one of the most uplifting things ever. These two are so happy to be together, and I’m brimming with joy just watching them!

When I sent them their gallery, they were overcome with joy all over again. “THESE ARE SO INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL!! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH DREW WE HAD A BLAST!” Alexis wrote, caps and all. “THESE ARE LITERALLY THE WAY I ENVISIONED OUR ENGAGEMENT PICTURES COMING OUT!”

I had a blast too, Alexis! And thanks so much for your encouraging and heartfelt words! I’m so glad that you and Jennsy love these as much as I do. It was definitely one of my absolute favorite engagement sessions. Thanks for choosing me as your engagement photographer!