Two weeks ago, Ben and I headed out to LA for what will probably be our last little vacation for a while. And our trip came just in time. Between wedding planning and everything that comes along with being a home owner, we needed a break! So we spent a few days in sunny California, drinking wine, eating cheese, and visiting with my lovely sister and new brother-in-law.

Being the adventurous couple we are, we decided to walk on the beach, no destination in mind, until we wanted to curl over and die from exhaustion. We walked 4 miles, which doesn’t sound very adventurous to you more active types, but for us it was a little tough! We couldn’t tell if it was hot or cold, the sun was beating down on us between gusts of wind. The last mile was uphill as we ventured inland to find food. Meanwhile, Ben (the A Tribe Called Quest fan that he is) kept singing “I left my wallet in El Segundo” in spite of feeling sick all morning. As you might have guessed, we ended up in El Segundo and indulged in a consolation beer. As my sister likes to say after a hike, “we earned this!”

Other than completely throwing caution to the wind with our food choices, our trip was low key and relaxing. Some notable things:

• There was an abundance of hummingbirds. So happy to see them thriving! We need to get a hummingbird feeder for our backyard…
• And the dumplings in Koreatown? Amazing.

On our last day, we headed to the Getty Museum to pass the time before going to the airport. It was here that we fell in love with the view of LA. Something about seeing the beach and the city at the same time was very satisfying. LA, why are you so beautiful?!

And now back to Jacksonville and never ending wedding planning. I must say, it’s interesting being on the bride side of the wedding. As a wedding photographer, I never actually have to worry about guest lists, centerpieces, or food! It’s much easier giving advice to my clients as a nonbiased third party. Sometimes that outside perspective is all you need to see things clearly. Plus, I’ve seen literally hundreds of amazing ideas over the years and want to include them all! I’m sure it’s no surprise that the only decision we’ve made is in regards to photography! But that was a given, wasn’t it?