These clients, that quickly turn friends after bonding over evenings out in New York that included late-night pizza, too much sangria and loops of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” were incredible hosts as they treated me to the life of New York a la Keith/Bri style.  Take a minute to get to know this sweet couple;  Their story is adorable, and I am so looking forward to their trip to Cali in June for their wedding <3

Keith and Briana were both born and raised in California, but upon moving to New York, they quickly adopted the city as their new home. So when it came down to selecting locations for their engagement shoot, they knew all the city’s hidden gems.  The couple lived a block away from Central Park, so we started our day exploring the park. As avid runners who knew every inch of the park, Briana and Keith took me to hidden spots with green canopies as well as the iconic Bow Bridge which provided a stunning backdrop of both Central Park’s foliage and the Manhattan skyline.

While many couples these days meet online or through mutual friends, Keith and Briana’s story is a bit more “athletic” in its inspiration. The couple both played volleyball in college – true to their California origins – and when they moved to New York, they joined a social volleyball team where they quickly met. So it only seemed true to photograph them at the beach volleyball courts in Central Park.

After Central Park, we migrated downtown to the couple’s old neighborhood and first apartment. Briana and Keith first lived on Jones Street, a quaint one block street where Bob Dylan’s Freewheelin’ album cover was photographed. As I studied the original album cover, I was able to recreate the couple’s pose with Keith and Briana ~ with only a few near-misses from delivery trucks not seeing me lying on the road….s.e.r.i.o.u.s.l.y people ~

We visited Grand Central during the hustle and bustle of rush hour. As commuters whizzed by, the couple posed in New York’s historic landmark. They posed with the local NYPD and on the stairs overlooking this 100 year space.

Next we ventured down to the Meatpacking District and High Line. As the sun was setting, the light peeked out in between the buildings and tree-lined streets. We dined at Spice Market, one of Keith and Briana’s favorite restaurants, and then headed to the High Line, providing a a stunning shot of the neighborhood’s mix of lush greenery and cobblestone streets.

We ended the night taking photos in front of Lincoln Center, near the couple’s current apartment. The space was overflowing with New York Fashion Week attendees. Briana arrived in a stunning gold sequin gown with a sheer back from Lovely Bride that was the perfect mix of elegance and glamour. So when the couple arrived dressed to the nines, they also received some attention from a few Fashion Week photographers who wanted to capture their style. And then just before dark, we were able to catch a luminous shot in front of the Lincoln Center fountain.

Briana and Keith took me to dinner at a wonderful tapas restaurants in Greenwich Village. The exterior was a brownstone house overflowing with flowers and vines – you would have never suspected it was a restaurant – but upon walking in, the place transformed into a rustic space reminiscent of a spanish hacienda. When the host led us upstairs to an intimate alcove, Briana and Keith immediately realized that we were being brought to the same seats where they had their first date! We dined over goat-cheese fritters with lavender honey and sipped on true Spanish sangria, as we talked about our adventures around the city and the upcoming wedding. When dinner concluded, we were all stuffed, but Keith and Briana insisted that we make one last culinary adventure. They took me around the corner to one of their West Village favorites, Joe’s Pizza. The owner and staff warmly welcomed Briana and Keith, who used to live only a few blocks away from this New York institution. They gave us each a crispy thin slice of cheese pizza, and we hovered over the few tables among late-night partygoers who similarly were indulging in a midnight snack.

My visit to New York to shoot on location was not only fun and inspiring, but I walked away with a connection to this couple that only comes with fun arising from too much sangria and a much too-late pizza fix, followed by pints of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream (one for each of us, of course). XOXO

*Don’t forget to check out the bloopers on the last collage ~ NYPD’s finest, a wannabe paparazzi and smiles*