Anniversary

Jen + Dan
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session

April 9, 2019

Lake Hodges Anniversary Session

bLOG CATEGORIEs + Search

LAKE HODGES

Jen are Dan are celebrating 15 years of marriage! Think back to the year 2004. What were you doing? Maybe watching Friends while talking on your Motorola flip phone or your Blackberry? Maybe you were more of a Palm Pilot kind of person, but you were probably only calling people on nights or weekends so you didn’t have to use your minutes. I definitely know you weren’t scrolling Instagram on your iPhone because neither of them existed yet. Most likely you weren’t even texting anyone, because texts were expensive AF at $.10 each and I’m guessing you probably had Mr. Brightside by The Killers playing on repeat in your new iPod Mini (now in different colors!)

15 years is a long time. So I knew this Anniversary Session had to be really special. I spent two FULL weekends scouting locations for this session. I knew what I wanted, wildflowers and a lake. Wildflowers and a lake. Wildflowersandalake. I just kept repeating those words to myself hoping that the universe was listening and would grant my wish. I drove North, South, East, and West, literally, and could not find what I was looking for.

The flowers were either too bright, not bright enough, or nonexistent. Ironically I noticed all the best wildflowers in town are on the side of every freeway in San Diego. Go figure. And where was I going to find a lake, let alone a lake with wildflowers? I recruited my husband to help me location scout. As we were heading home, we turned a corner and he said, “Look over there, see that orange, I think those are wildflowers, I see a road that will get us there.” and after a few more anticipation fueled turns, we were at Lake Hodges. As soon as I stepped out of the car I knew that God and Man had conspired to make this lake and grow these wildflowers back in 1918, just for Jen and Dan’s Anniversary Session.

Jen and Dan were both really excited about this session. Being young kids they didn’t really know much about planning a wedding or hiring a professional wedding photographer. They didn’t have a huge wedding budget and at the time wedding pictures didn’t really seem like a huge priority. Jen has mentioned to me on multiple occasions that she really regrets not having any professional pictures that she truly loves from her wedding. Again, I knew I had to make this session really special for them.

I was in talks with Jen over text (not on my flip phone) to help her decide on the perfect dress and ideas of what Dan could wear to compliment her dress. We talked about makeup, hair, nails, ring cleaning, you name it. They followed my Style Guide to a T! That’s why I always send one out to all my clients because it makes such a huge difference in the final images, I can’t stress this enough. There is no such thing as being too dressed up for your session!

After we had wrapped up, I was talking to Jen and Dan about their marriage after 15 years, and Dan said to me, “You know, being with Jen is the easiest thing.” There is so much love between these two and I’m so happy that I’ve been able to witness it, front row and center. If you were to ask Jen, she’d say she always knew that her and Dan were meant to be together. She’d say that she doesn’t know if Soulmates are really a thing, but she definitely knows that Dan is hers. Here’s to another incredible 15 years, you belong among the wildflowers.

 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session
 
Lake Hodges Anniversary Session

1

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

BEHIND THE LENS

ABOUT VANESSA

There's no place like home. Ever-focused on beauty and the thrilling art of creation; believing that photographs make time travel possible. 

My grandmother gave me my most prized possession the day I graduated high school. An album filled with photographs taken over her lifetime, dating back to the 1930's. A collective chronicling her life, my parents growing up, and my childhood. It's irreplaceable and nothing will ever be as meaningful. It became my 'why' and led me to pursue a college degree in photography, hoping to give this same gift to others.

SIGNATURE WORK

THE LATEST

CALIFORNIA
LOVE

Coastal Splendor

Lavender HAZE

Secret Garden

the

      IDEAL
Timeline guide

Here comes the guide. Get time back on your side with a stress-free and well-organized approach to your wedding photography because timing is everything. 

MORE RESOURCES

ULTIMATE WEDDING PLANNING guide

WEDDING PLANNING guide

WEDDING SPARROW FeATURE

ORDER YOUR HEIRLOOM
WEDDING ALBUM