MELISSA + NATHAN
Location: Glamis Sand Dunes
Date: 08.22.2020
Wedding Photographer: Mike Federis Photography
I absolutely loved this adventure engagement session at Glamis Sand Dunes and Salvation Mountain. Glamis Sand Dunes is my favorite location in San Diego if you are looking for something UNIQUE and EPIC. The dunes extend over 40 miles and seriously feels like you are in Egypt. We also did this during a heat wave in Southern California, but we survived!
Our initial plan was to go straight to Glamis Sand Dunes and spend about 2 hours taking photo and video. I suggested that maybe we could stop by Salvation Mountain and take a few photos since it was on the way. Love this couple, they are so down for anything. It was a perfect match for Melissa and Nathan’s outfit since Salvation Mountain is painted with a rainbow of bright and airy colors. Melissa’s favorite color is TEAL, if you haven’t already figured that out from the photos. We had to keep our masks on the entire time due to the owner’s policy, but we sneaked in a couple without the masks :)
The heat was a bit unbearable so we only spent maybe half an hour max at Salvation Mountain. The drive from Salvation Mountain to Glamis Sand Dunes is only about an hour. Once we arrived at our location, it was actually much cooler at the dunes due to the slight breeze. The breeze is why this place is magical! It helps add to the movement and flow to your photos.
Pro Tip: Advise your soon to be bride to wear a semi-long dress that will flow and show movement. This adds magic to the dress, I promise!
Melissa & Nathan’s Love Story: Melissa and Nathan met through a mutual friend who suggested they add each other on Facebook. Both of them were hesitant at first, but to their surprise, they immediately hit it off. They got along so well that they agreed to meet for dinner with their mutual friends days later. Nathan was a sport and drove miles from San Diego to the Inland Empire just to see her. They had such a great time that they decided to go on their first date right after dinner at Big Al's. They connected through music and shared their life stories and experiences.
Nathan thought their first date went without a hitch and figured he'd ask her out on a second date. That second date led to another, and soon enough they started falling for each other. Distance was no obstacle, as they would talk to each other everyday on the phone and drive wherever just to see each other in person at least once a week. On April 4, 2020 - despite the ongoing pandemic - Nathan still pushed through with a surprise proposal to Melissa on their two-year anniversary. She happily said, "Yes!" and here we are today!
To Melissa & Nathan: Congratulations again to both of you! I’m so honored to be able to capture these special moments and I Iook forward to capturing more of these timeless moments at your wedding.
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