A Subtle and Romantic Pre-Wedding Shoot in Los Angeles

Gisella and Juan first met in Los Angeles, back when they were in college. After dating for seven years, they are finally tying the knot this coming September. "Juan is not the typical romantic guy, but the proposal was very special to me. It happened last year, when he proposed at my rooftop with 600 self-arranged roses, complete with a ring inside a self-made cake," recalled Gisella.

The pair decided to take their pre-wedding pictures in the city where it all began. "Los Angeles was the witness of how our love bloomed, although it took quite a while for me to find the perfect photographer," said Gisella. She and Juan had always wanted personal, raw, subtle, yet romantic pre-wedding photos. "Photographs that emphasize us in the pictures rather than focus only on the beautiful scenery," said Gisella, who was excited to discover Beatrice Howell of Luna de Mare Photography. Beatrice's romantic, fine art, and editorial style had the perfect balance between what Gisella and Juan wanted and what their parents hoped for.

The preparation was indeed challenging, as Gisella had to do everything by herself with the help of her mother. Finding the perfect venue was no less troublesome. She even had to move Beatrice back and forth a couple of times before she spotted Greystone Mansion, a beautiful chateau in West Hollywood. The chateau happened to be located near UCLA, Gisella's alma mater.

"Aside from Juan and I, some of my family members and best friends were also there to assist us. The day turned out to be just like what I've always expected. We had so much fun and such a memorable time taking pictures. Beatrice was an awesome photographer, I really loved working with her and really adore her work. Because she used film photography instead of digital, the softness in her photographs is just ineffable," uttered Gisella.