So excited to share the results from our recent engagement photo session with Nardia from Foolishly Rushing In today! It was seriously hard trying to narrow down all the amazing photos Nardia sent our way (over 300!), but I got it down to 10 of my faves. I feel like I’ve been thinking about this photoshoot since January, so to finally see the end product feels incredible.

The Venue: We shot these photos at Montalvo Arts Center during an afternoon in late April. Montalvo was actually my #1 choice for a wedding venue before we even got engaged. As soon as David proposed, I booked a site tour thinking this was it. Turns out, an average wedding there costs upwards of $100K, and no matter how much I wanted it to work, it just wouldn’t have been possible. After a period of mourning, I had to let go of my dream of having a wedding there. Instead, we decided to shoot our engagement photos there and I couldn’t be happier with the decision. Didn’t get the villa wedding, but at least I got the photos! (And let’s be real, that’s all that really matters lol.)

If you’re also thinking of shooting here, just wanted to note that a photo permit costs $200 for 3 hours (and yes, someone actually asked to check our permit while we were there). We secured everything with the team during the winter for a spring weekday shoot. I’ve heard from friends who inquired that they received no response from the venue, so my advice would be to inquire in the winter (during the off wedding season), and shoot in spring before wedding season. The flowers won’t be in full bloom, but the greenery will have filled in from winter, and the sunlight will still be soft in the afternoon since you’ll need to shoot before the grounds close at 5pm. If your shoot is during the summer, the lighting will still be harsh before 5pm.

The Outfits: The outfits are the reason I’ve been thinking about this shoot since January. I knew I wanted one formal look and one casual look, both in creamy tones. Initially, I thought a sharp pantsuit would be my formal look, while a dress would be the casual look, but then I found this custom dress option on Etsy and knew it would be my formal look. I then decided satin-y wide leg trousers dressed down with a strappy tank or bandeau would make up the casual look. The top was actually the hardest piece to figure out since everything I bought felt a little too casual. In the end I went with a top I’ve had for years. Sometimes, it’s all about shopping your own closet!

Going back to the custom dress for a sec — I could not have been happier with my experience. I’ve never ordered something custom from Etsy before, so didn’t quite know what to expect. The dress fits like a glove, and I’ll probably end up wearing it again for my rehearsal dinner. I keep joking that I only want to wear custom-made clothes from now on.

The Vibe: I just love the European garden look of Montalvo and knew that the location itself would be enough of a “concept” for the photos. When Nardia suggested we go for a modern Jane Austen vibe, it couldn’t have been more perfect.

Call me extra, but I’m considering doing a second shoot that would lean more heavily on a “concept,” something that focuses more on the outfits, the props, and the idea, more than a nice location. Listen, I’m only going to be a bride once, I want to take all the opportunities I can!

You can check out some more from our engagement shoot on Instagram here, here, here, here, and here!