Knapps Castle & Loon Point Beach Engagement // Melina + Ashot
Beach and Knapps Ruins Sunset Engagement
Santa Barbara, CA
I’m not gonna try to sugar-coat this, I definitely take a lot of credit in how Melina and Ashot met. Some background for you guys: Melina and I went to film school together and were admitted in the same semester, meaning that we would be doing our senior thesis at the same time and that all of our classes will align. Melina is a ball of sunshine and energy. The first time I met here was in our Film Production class. Our professor asked us how we wanted to rate our classroom etiquette, whether it would be an R-rated class (meaning swearing is fine and no one takes offense) or keep it PG. Melina immediately raised her hand and said something in the lines of, “I would like to make films in this class in PG because I want to show it to my kids in the future.” Everyone tried to explain what our professor meant, and pretty much fell in love with her personality. Somehow with a strike of good luck, we became great friends. She would drive me around Los Angeles, the map embedded in her head, and we would eat in new places and watch independent films at the NoHo Laemmles. If you ask her today what movie we liked the best, I’m sure her answer would be “Wiener Dog.” It’s a great movie, y’all should watch it ;)
So senior year of college comes and she told our group of friends that she’s ready to find love and was thinking of creating an online dating profile. The year went by and she still hasn’t created anything. Finally, one night, I asked a couple friends to come over for a game of Catan and after a victorious round, I told them I was planning on creating a profile for Melina to inspire her to finally make one. Naturally we all gathered around my laptop and started writing everything we knew about her. Once it was done, we sent her an email with her new account. She thought it was hilarious and soon enough, she made a more serious profile on eharmony and used some of our well-thought descriptions!
Guess what happened next? Enter Ashot.
Ashot complemented Melina so much. It’s crazy how you want the best for a friend and then their partner comes along and you hope he’s worthy enough of her, and then BAM, you see that they’re such a match made in heaven. When her engagement session came, I knew it had to be in locations that reflected them and I knew it had to be somewhere that screamed adventure. That’s exactly what this whole session was. A trip to a favorite beach close to Santa Barbara, delicious Thai food, and some phenomenal views and magical light in the mountains. Add some good friends in a car and the time just flew by.
Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park Engagement // Susan + Adam
Orange County, CA
Susan and Adam were the perfect couple to start our 2020 season with! It was a beautiful proposal story and it sounded very much like them: cozy and romantic. They planned on having a New Year’s Eve night in with dinner and a movie at home. He didn’t want to risk her falling asleep before midnight arrived so right after their meal, he went down on one knee and popped the question! She said yes and two weeks later, we were snapping some very cute engagement photos.
As we were walking to a different spot, I found this area where the sun was peeking through the trees giving the most gorgeous light! I maaaaayy have been too enthusiastic about it but it rubbed off and they went with it! What can I say? Light is M-A-G-I-C.
Adam and Susan met through Coffee Meets Bagel, which in my opinion, is the cutest online dating site name. They said they went on a first date, then a couple more, and just never stopped! Lines like that get me all the time. So excited to be a part of their wedding journey and we can’t wait to shoot their wedding in September!
Descanso Gardens Sisters Maternity // Luz + Mayela
Summertime Sisters Garden Maternity
La Canada Flintridge, CA
I’ve always loved the idea of being pregnant at the same time as your sister or a good friend. You get to share stories of your experiences, plan each other’s baby showers, and maaaaayybbbeee take your maternity photos together! So glad that’s the route my sister-in-law and her sister decided to go to. We spent the morning roaming around Descanso Gardens and probably took photos in all the magical spots we found.
Oak Glen Engagement Session // Melanie and Nicholas
Cozy Engagement in the Woods
Oak Glen, CA
Melanie and Nicholas were the winners of our 2019 December giveaway and I was so happy that they won! While figuring out where to do their engagement session, we found out that we had a mutual love for Oak Glen. Their session was cozy, fun, and filled with all the giggles. I freaked out a bit when they said they met Roger Deakins (a cinematographer Andy and I LOVE)!
Photos by A+M Badillo Images
Makeup by Beleza by Claudia Pinto
Check out Melanie and Nicholas’s wedding that I photographed a little less than a year later!
Founders Park Engagement // Elizabeth + Joe
Cliff-side Beach Spring Engagement
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
If there was one word we could use to describe Elizabeth and Joe it would be: sweet. They weren’t just sweet towards each other but their personalities were exactly that! Talking to them throughout their shoot felt like we were catching up with old friends. PLUS they met in (what Marijo thinks) is the best way possible: Disneyland! Not like they were waiting in a two-hour long queue for Indiana Jones, but they were both chefs at Disney! Elizabeth was a pastry chef. We just needed to type that out because it reminds us of beignets *mouths watering*. Anyway. All thoughts of pastries aside, we were so ecstatic that they had a place in mind to do their engagement session. On a beautiful spring day they lead us to this gem of a park in Rancho Palos Verdes. It had EVERYTHING: the views, the cliffside, the wildflowers, the greens, AND that was the dreamiest day for any photographer because we got every single kind of weather in our 1.5 hour session. We got some beautiful overcast soft light and right in the nick of time, gorgeous sunset rays, followed by a little drizzle and then some very cool storm clouds.
The Verdana Green River Golf Course Wedding // Rochelle + Bryce
Classic Spring-time Wedding
Corona, CA
Are there such things as throwback blog posts? If not then this can officially be the first #tbb. Andy and I were just dating when we shot Rochelle and Bryce’s wedding and it was way back on April 2017. We can’t believe it’s been 2 years ago and that they now have a beautiful baby boy!
Here is their highlight video! And as usual, if you’d like to see a full video just send us a message and we’ll send a link over :)
P.S. We’ve got a double blog post and it’s on Rochelle & Bryce’s engagement session! So if you’d like to see more love, click here: http://ambadillo.com/new-blog/2019/6/17/engagement-rochelle-and-bryce
Oak Glen Engagement // Rochelle + Bryce
Cozy Apple Orchard Winter Engagement
Yucaipa, CA
You got that right! DOUBLE POST! Since we’ve got a #tbb (throwback blog), we decided to show Rochelle & Bryce’s engagement session as well. Their session took place in such a magical season in Oak Glen. It’s places like this that make us fall in love with California over and over again.
To check out Bryce & Rochelle’s wedding post, click here: http://ambadillo.com/new-blog/20190614/rochelleandbrycewedding
Pasadena City Hall Engagement // Amanda + Kyle
Pasadena, CA
This blog post is long overdue but what better time to post than the day before their wedding! We are far too excited to capture their wedding because we just know it’s gonna be a blast! Amanda and Kyle have known each other since elementary school. When we asked them if they had crushes on each other they just smiled and Amanda said she thought he was cute. Now here they are madly in love with and about to tie the knot!
Santa Barbara Courthouse Wedding // Ally + Kyle
Santa Barbara, CA
Ally & Kyle had one of those classic love stories. His buddy’s wife was Ally’s best friend. They met, they talked, and haven’t looked back since. Courthouse weddings hold a special place in our hearts - it’s where Andy and I first got married! It’s the perfect place to remind us what’s really important in a wedding, and that is to be united as one. Ally and Kyle were beaming the entire time! Even when they were signing their marriage license, smiles were thrown around and you could tell that they were just happy to be together. The beauty of the Santa Barbara Courthouse was enhanced by the love of these two gorgeous souls and my heart was melting the ENTIRE time!
