Oh man.  You know those people who spread positivity everywhere they go?  I feel like I know a lot of those people these days and I feel really really really lucky to have such incredible people in my life.  Austyn is one of those people.  I got to do a San Luis Obispo anniversary session for her and her husband Brian when I went out to visit them in sunny California (even though it wasn’t technically their anniversary but I don’t know what else to call it- sweetheart session?).

 

I met Austyn in early 2016 at the leaders retreat for the Rising Tide Society.  I sat next to her during lunch the first day and immediately knew she had a heart of pure gold.  Literally, there is not a single mean bone in her body.  Not only does she spread positivity, she spreads joy and love.  And that can only be matched with someone who does the exact same.

 

After attending a photo conference in Arizona, I wanted to fly out to visit Austyn and her family since California only seemed like a hop skip and a jump away from Arizona.  She graciously welcomed me to her home and I immediately fell in love with her family.  We spent the days living slowly.  Taking her kids and dog Winston to the dog park, going to the beach, paddle boarding, getting a massage, drinking margaritas, having bonfires on the beach.  To me, it was the most perfect week.

 

I wanted to do something as a thank you for allowing me to stay with them and since Austyn so eagerly took new headshot pictures for me, I asked if I could do either a family session or couple session of her and her husband, Brian!

 

She was excited to do a couple session so one morning when we were going to explore the Oceano Sand Dunes,  I got my camera ready and we went off to explore endless miles of sand.  The kids got to play in the dunes while we took pictures because you could literally see for miles and miles.  While we just did a quick mini session with them before the kids wanted to join, I loved seeing their love unfold in front of me.

 

Through everything in life that Austyn and Brian have been through together, they still look at each other with so much love in their eyes.  They are, without a doubt, two halves of a whole and their positive attitude towards everything life throws was radiant that day.

 

They met through a mutual friend while Austyn was visiting that friend on a school break.  While Brian wasn’t at the time, available for a relationship, they remained friends for a long time.  After Brian became single, he was chatting to Austyn about her Thanksgiving plans and when she told him she was staying in California (where she was going to photography school) at the time for the holiday, he decided he’d road trip out from Colorado so she didn’t have to spend Thanksgiving alone.

 

She didn’t know what to think.  She had been crushing on this guy since the day she met him and now he was coming to spend Thanksgiving with her.  Were the friends? Did he like her too? SO MANY QUESTIONS.

 

After he got out to California, they found themselves laying on the beach one night.  Brian said something funny and Austyn threw her hand on his chest as a result of her laughter.  He grabbed her hand back and didn’t let go.  She said something along the lines of “Is this just because of the atmosphere?”…

 

NO! Brian did in fact like her right back! Shortly after that day, the got engaged, and then eloped in the Carolinas with their closest friends and family! They then moved up to Alaska so Brian could fly planes in the bush (he’s a pilot and engineer!) and then surprise number one came along- Liam!  They didn’t feel Alaska was the best place to raise a baby so they moved back to Colorado where Brian was from.  Then Emery came along and since then, they’ve moved their family to the sunny town of San Luis Obispo, California, where Austyn is a wedding photographer and Brian is an aero engineer.

 

They welcomed me into their family with open arms and for that I couldn’t thank them enough.  This week I got to spend more time with Austyn at our second annual leaders retreat and I am just so thankful for her friendship.  I feel truly lucky these days to have such special people in my life and am so glad that the creative industry allows you to meet people and connect with people from all over the country. Thankful is an understatement.

 

Here are the pictures from our trip to the dunes!  Thank you, Austyn and Brian for allowing me to capture this time in your life, and for allowing me into your home. I can’t wait to see you again!