This Malibu beach proposal was about as picture perfect as you can possibly get. With a hazy golden sunset and a troop of family members flown in *surprise* from the east coast, to celebrate the moment when Taylor said yes when Bray asked the most important question of both their lives. With a little planning ahead (making sure they knew and I knew where to stand), we pulled off these beautiful photos of the moment and the aftermath, with all the hugs, kisses, and champagne toasts from beloved family.

And I even got to take 20 to sneak these two away for a couples-only session to snap a set of photos for their invitations, frames, wedding website, etc. Congratulations, Bray and Taylor, on your engagement!

Korey and Bev are engaged!!!! And we snapped these awesome sunset beach engagement photos at El Matador State Beach on a gorgeous January evening a few months before their wedding. I'm so excited to photograph Korey and Bev's wedding in March. 

It just doesn't get any better than this. Kevin reached out to me a few weeks ago because he was planning to propose to Holly, the love of his life, at Point Dume in Malibu, California, and he wanted some photos to document the moment. Best. Decision. Ever. At sunrise, just as the beautiful Pacific Ocean was being bathed in morning light, Kevin led Holly up to the clifftop and sat with her a few moments to reflect on their past and future together. And in that inspiring location, with only the waves and the seagulls (and me, hiding in the bushes) as witness, Kevin asked Holly if she would spend the rest of her life with him. And of course she said yes! 

These two cuties are getting married!! Deby and Tom have been dating for a few years, but they delayed getting married until all the kids have graduated from high school and moved off to college. And now it's their turn to begin a new life and build something new together. I'm so excited to photography Deby and Tom's wedding next summer in Malibu. What an incredible, down to earth couple they are. 

Anneleise and Jai are engaged and this is them playing (and kissing) all over downtown Los Angeles and they are fire together and I just cannot wait until their wedding in November. Whooo. That was a run-on sentence but there's just too much to say about this exceptional couple. They remind me of the saying that love is friendship caught fire. Because Anneleise and Jai are obviously best friends, but they're also like two substances that, when brought close to one another, ignite into a wild and beautiful flame that is full of warmth but also adventure. That's how I feel when I think about Anneleise and Jai.

Enjoy clicking through these awesome photos of the two of them playing around at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Broad, and the surrounding arts district. Here's the secret to how it looks like they have the whole place to themselves.... we shot these at 8am on a Sunday morning. There was literally no one around. 

Mike hit a home run by proposing to Nina at sunset at Point Dume State Beach in Malibu, California. And then he hit a grand slam by inviting both their families to arrive to the beach and surprise her immediately after he proposed, hugging and snapping photos on the sand together before going out for a big celebratory dinner (after we sprinted up to the top of Point Dume to capture a quick set of engagement photos with the knockout ocean view). 

Congratulations Mike and Nina!! I'm sure your wedding will be just as playful, easy-going, and stylish as the two of you are! 

If I could shoot a proposal every day of my life, I would die a happy woman. But since I can't, I'll just relive Marcellino's picture-perfect proposal to Rachael at Cielo Farms vineyard. In addition to being a working vineyard and (appointment only) tasting room, Cielo Farms is also an incredible venue where intimate weddings and celebrations take place regularly. So you can imagine—the view is incredible. 

Marcellino and Rachael were on a 4th of July trip to visit Los Angeles. They did it right: stay in downtown, beach hop, wine tasting, concert at the Hollywood Bowl. The only thing they (or rather Rachael) didn't plan on was getting proposed to on one of their perfect days. Together with the Cielo Farms team, Marcellino planned his proposal down to the moment, and all I had to do was hide amid the grapevines with my zoom lens, snapping away.

After popping the question, Cielo Farms hooked them up with glasses of champagne to toast their new beginning together, and we immediately went exploring to snag a quick set of portraits to commemorate their moment. 

Enjoy these beautiful snaps of Marcellino and Rachael's Cielo Farms engagement. 

If I could photograph a proposal every day for the rest of my life, I would be the happiest person in the world. My favorite emails in the world to receive are the ones that begin, "Hi Cecily, I'm planning to propose to my girlfriend in Malibu..." because I know that I get to play Santa's-little-elf and find the right hiding spot, hear the back story, and pull of the surprise of the century for the luckiest girl in the world. 

​That's pretty much the story of Felix and Katheryn's Malibu proposal. Click the read more link to check out the photos! 

Amanda and Brent are getting married this summer and wanted some snaps to commemorate their engagement, use for save the dates, and round out a wedding website. I was packing up to head out on an around the world trip with my husband, so when we compared available dates in our calendars, we came up with.... Sunday morning! So we had a little adventure at Point Dume, exploring the beautiful new spring growth in the sunny mid-morning. 

Check out Brent and Amanda's wedding photos at Stonewall Ranch in Malibu >> 

Cristina and Sean are having their wedding this October at Calamigos Ranch, so they opted to shoot engagement photos their too, to create a cohesive gallery photography. I love that idea! On a beautiful afternoon in March, we got to explore all over the dreamy grounds of Calamigos Ranch, from the ferris wheel to the carousel, from grassy meadows to chandelier-clad oak groves. What an incredible place and what a fun-loving couple! I'm so excited for your wedding this fall.