This Santa Barbara Beach and Zoo Engagement Session was one for the books! Although most engagement session sare to “prepare” for the wedding (pictures for Save the Dates and Table Decor), this one was REALLY for wedding prep!
Molly & Ryne chose the Santa Barbara Zoo for their tropical wedding! I mean they were even planning to complete it with a flamingo encounter for their cocktail hour! It isn’t very often that I get to capture engagement pictures at the same location as their wedding – so I was LOVING getting to find the best spots with the best lighting!
EXPLORING THE ZOO
We searched high and low for the giraffes to capture the couple with! It took a bit to make our way down the the winding paths! When we FINALLY met with the long-necked creatures, we were thrilled! I am not going to lie, besides Molly & Ryne, they were definitely my favorite part of this Santa Barbara Engagement Session! I forget how long and slimy giraffe tongues are!
The botanical vibes were incredible! Plants ranged from palms to succulents! The wide array of green hues matched Ryne’s cheetah shirt so perfectly. Of course, Molly’s white attire SCREAMED bride!
SANDY CUDDLES ON THE BEACH
Once we had explored every inch of the Santa Barbara Zoo, we headed to the beach! I had envisioned cuddles on the pier, and I knew Molly and Ryne were up for the task!
Want to know what was the most incredible part of the whole evening? It has to be how much this sweet coupled laughed! Obviously there are a lot of different ways to express being in love but when you are able to spend most of your time together laughing, you know you have definitely found the one!
It ended up being a rather chilly day in Santa Barabra, and I was grateful that I remembered to pack a blanket! Thankfully Ryne was able to wrap Molly while they watched the sunset! The funny thing about the sunsets in there is that the it actually sets over the hills rather than the ocean.
Here are some of my favorite photos from their Santa Barbara Zoo engagement session!
