Noelle and Matt met serendipitously. If any of the factors had been different, their paths would not have crossed. Matt was on his way to Mexico and spent a day in SF before and after his trip. He and Noelle happened to meet in that short timeframe – and lucky they did because clearly it lead to something special! After numerous reschedules (thanks SF weather…. I didn’t realize rain was a thing here?!), Thomas and I were so excited to finally meet these two for their Filoli engagement session! Noelle has such a calming presence and Matt compliments her perfectly by always having a joke at the ready! To top it off, the Filoli garden grounds were beautiful – so many nooks and crannies to explore as the garden was beginning to bloom for the spring season.

After exploring Filoli, we headed through some mountain roads and went west to San Gregorio Beach. I love the cliffs that fall into the water there – it is almost like a mini Big Sur! Matt and Noelle changed into their more casual clothes and we went for a little hike to the top of the hill where we saw the most spectacular views. California is amazing!

Matt proposed to Noelle just a few days before they went on a vacation to Puerto Rico. He coordinated a pretty elaborate plan with a fake gift certificate to a local restaurant and all. He explained to Noelle that the gift certificate had to be used within a certain time frame. They happened to be a little early for their scheduled dinner, so Matt suggested they go to a nearby park – one that Noelle had frequented regularly when she was growing up in Saratoga. After they crossed the bridge, he sat Noelle down on a bench near the river and popped the question! Of course, we had to head back to the special location and take a few photos. Now, they’re ready to celebrate with friends and family next month at their Ruby Hill Wedding!

Matt and Noelle – thank you so much for being troopers about everything! I’m so glad the weather finally cooperated and we had the opportunity to meet you both! I love the way you two fell into each other’s arms so easily throughout the day. It is so clear that you’re happy together – and that your future will filled with laughter! See you next month!