We were looking forward to a Monday afternoon getaway from the studio to Santa Barbara for an engagement session. We had not shot at the Santa Barbara Courthouse in several years and remembered it fondly and Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara is one of our favorite beaches. So, we knew we were in for an awesome day! We had diligently been checking the weather forcast to make sure it wasn’t too cold or windy and everything looked perfect. There was a great surprise at the end of the day that we could not have even imagined.
We met Mandi and Ryan downtown near the courthouse and they were ready to go with lots of great clothing options and changes. We kept teasing this dedicated nurse and hunky paramedic that they were like Barbie & Ken- adorable, beautiful, handsome and ready to play! So play we did- exploring every nook and cranny of the courthouse, capturing the incredible warm light at the end of the day on the beach, and climbing up and down the rocks to get just the right shots. They were game for anything, and not afraid to get just a little wet. The only thing that stopped us after hours of shooting was the setting sun and wet clothing. Wow! We could not wait to work on these images and we hope you like the creative effects we used on them. We are sure they will end up on the R & R Creative Photography website in the near future.
Ryan casually asked us at the car what our plans were next. We said we would probably get a bite to eat and head back across the 126 towards home. Ryan asked if we would like to join them for dinner at a steakhouse nearby that they had reservations at. Of course we accepted, who wouldn’t want to spend more time with this couple? The surprise was that they were taking us to dinner at the renowned restaurant- The Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch. This nearby steakhouse is in fact (we later found out when we went home and googled this extraordinary delight) quite famous and has received the Diner’s Choice Award as one of the 50 best restaurants in the United States, as well as one of the most romantic restaurants by Travel & Leisure Magazine. This was an amazingly generous surprise, from a very special couple that we will never forget. Thank you again!
R & R Creative Photography 