We may not have been there for Will’s proposal, but you bet we were there for all the fun after! We covered a lot of ground during our Carmel-by-the-Sea adventure engagement session. For a Monterey engagement, you get so much more than just the beach! 

Angelica and Will often enjoy taking walks together and exploring new areas, so Carmel Beach was the perfect place for their engagement shoot. Carmel Beach is about 30 miles north of Big Sur and one of the most beautiful beach towns. It’s not touristy, all visitors can feel like a local!

The couple made a full California trip out of it, which I highly recommend! They started their adventure in wine country and enjoyed a bottle of cabernet. Que c’est romantique!

They ventured into the big city of San Francisco, home to the second best football team in 2024. Then they started south for Carmel to wind down for the last part of the trip. Angelica traveled to Carmel in 2021 and has dreamt of bringing Will here ever since. She definitely showed him all the best parts!

What’s the difference between Carmel and Carmel-by-the-Sea?

What I love about the Carmel-by-the-Sea adventure engagement session with Will and Angelica is that we explored general Carmel AND Carmel-by-the-Sea. As shared by Visit Carmel-By-The-Sea, Carmel-by-the-Sea is the incorporated, one-square-mile city consisting of the downtown commercial district and the surrounding residential area. As for Carmel, it includes the residential Highlands which is just south of Carmel-by-the-Sea and leads you into Big Sur. There is also Carmel Valley, a few miles from the water. For reference, Carmel Valley village is 12 miles from Carmel by the Sea.

Back to our amazing couple! Angelica and Will were so open and comfortable during the whole day. We floated from one spot to the next, and it was genuinely such a good time. We started at the Le Petit Pali | At 8th Ave. The 24-room craftsman-style hotel, reimagined by Palisociety, is nestled in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea. This was a great place to start our adventure since it’s so close to dining, boutiques, and Carmel’s beautiful white sand beach. 

We also love the lodging for complimentary amenities. I mean, don’t we all? Included at Le Petit Pali is a Continental Champagne Breakfast, featuring pastries from Rise + Roam Bakery, daily cookie delivery, house bicycles and so much more. One of my favorite things about Carmel is that the community really loves our cookies.

If you come for an engagement session, I promise we will find a cookie just for you. Also, while we didn’t take advantage of the house bikes, those could be a really fun engagement session as well. I’m already picturing bikes with baskets full of flowers, so if you are ready to book a Pebble Beach engagement photoshoot or wedding, let’s start planning what your day looks like!

Leading up to their Carmel-by-the-Sea Adventure Engagement Session

Back to our sweet couple. They both ran cross country for John Carroll University, although Will hypes Angelica up and says that she’s the much faster runner. We love a supportive king! When the cross country team were sitting in a big circle and introducing themselves, Will and Angelica learned that they both had summer jobs as lifeguards!  Angelica was a “real lifeguard” according to Will as she had a job at a public beach. Will refers to himself as more of a “for-show” lifeguard working on his tan at a country club in Toledo. He likes to think his presence deterred horseplay. It’s evident from Will’s recount of their early days that this couple has a good sense of humor. It’s probably better they didn’t lifeguard together otherwise there might have been some playful energy at the Toledo country club!

Coming on TEN YEARS together, this couple is more than sure about each other. Angelica loves that Will is a comforting presence and puts people at ease. Will loves that Angelica is a go-getter who always sees the bigger picture beyond herself. Speaking of being a go getter, Will knew without a doubt that Angelica was the one when she was literally the go-getter for Will in Italy. The pair were vacationing in a small Italian town off the beaten path, when Will became very ill. Angelica took drastic measures to make sure he got back on the plane in one piece. We were not surprised to learn Angelica’s way of showing her love is acts of service! 

Urban Portraits

We started out their Carmel-by-the-Sea adventure engagement session at Le Petit Pali. Angelica was beaming as she looked at her new fiancé. She wore a floor length, casual dress with the sleeves pinned above the elbow. Will had on a warm jacket, and you could tell by his smile that he was absolutely smitten with her. The hotel was so unique- drapes with a leaf design, the turquoise furniture. The couple was wearing neutral colors, and the room had a warm feel. Both of these aspects woven together looked like photos out of a catalog. I can already tell these will look great hung on their wall!

Outside, the couple brought their drinks and settled into the bistro table. These everyday shots were so sweet. I am obsessed with details! I know these shoots can make the day feel like a blur to the couple, so the details are really important. By having these pictures, they will be able remember everything about this special day! I showed off Angelica’s delicate hands with her beautiful emerald cut ring around the stem of the wine glass. The ring is from Brilliant Earth, and Will definitely did good work! I captured a photo of Will reaching over and holding Angelica’s hand in his. They are just so sweet together and it brings so much meaning to me being their Pebble beach photographer.

Mixing it up for a Carmel-by-the-Sea Adventure Engagement

As a portrait photographer, I am so excited for the following photo set. We moved outside for the next stop on our Carmel-by-the-Sea adventure engagement session. We got a lot of great photos out on the nearby bridge. Angelica and Will are a set of naturals in front of the camera and their sincerity comes across. He looked down at her endearingly. If you are wondering, “Where can I take pictures at Carmel-by-the-Sea?” I highly recommend shots across from the Carmel Surf Shop. The ironwood fence adds such charm and the green bushes lining it drown out any shop noise in the photos, making it feel more secluded.

We took a walk by the Carmel-By-The-Sea Fire Station which is a gorgeous, historical landmark. The Carmel Fire Station is a two-story Reinforced concrete Modern and WPA style architecture located on 6th Avenue between San Carolos and Mission Streets. The firehouse was designed by local architect Milton Latham and built by master builder Michael J. Murphy and the WPA supervisor Bernard Rountree. Lots of history there!

Pebble Beach Engagement Photos

We ended the Carmel-by-the-Sea adventure engagement session at the beach. It’s a midsummer day, yet the sun was hiding. There is an assumption that foggy or cloudy days aren’t great for photos. Couples imagine themselves dancing under sun beams and feeling their skin radiating. While that kind of day feels beautiful, the overcast day looks beautiful. This engagement shoot was completely shot in gray skies providing softer lighting. When the sun is out, the direct light casts shadows over the entire scene. No sun, no shadows, no problem! In contrast, we had a Pebble Beach Proposal in direct sunlight and were able to work around it, but you can see the differences between these two!

Angelica changed from her dress into white pants adorned with a black belt, as well as a black and white shirt. Will rocked jeans and a relaxed, sangria-colored shirt.  Angelica and Will took adventure engagement to the next level and started to ascend the rocks! Will led Angelica up above them and then out on the edge of the rocks. Nature surrounded the couple. The rocks that have been there for centuries, the waves splashing up, the flock of birds overhead, and then Angelica and Will. Ten years down, and forever to go.

Back to the sand

This couple was all in on our wild ideas of the day. After venturing to the edge of the sea, we came across a beautiful piece of driftwood, upon which Angelica and Will sat together. Wildflowers were grouped behind them. She leaned towards him, and he wrapped his arm around her waist. Another beautiful day in what will be a full life shared together! They reconfigured themselves and Will wrapped both arms around Angelica, nuzzling himself into her slick black hair. Their chemistry is off the charts!

Last stop- liberation! The couple removed their shoes and dipped their toes into the sinking sand. Will lifted her up and pulled her in close. It was so romantic! They left the day with the biggest smiles and amazing photos to choose from! Our favorite engagement sessions end with sandy feet and beachy waves.

Will and Angelica went in with the intention of having an assortment of photos. It is SO helpful to know what a couple wants so that I can be the best Carmel-by-the-Sea photographer as I can for them! The couple wanted them to be print-worthy and a combination of up-close photos, as well as some that showcased the beautiful terrain. The day was perfect from beginning to end. If you are interested in your own Carmel-by-the-Sea adventure engagement session, let’s connect! I am so excited to plan your dream day with you.