Kestrel Park Santa Ynez CA Engagement

Tucked away in the rolling hills of Santa Ynez, Kestrel Park served as the perfect backdrop for Mariah and Craig’s chic, fairytale engagement session. From Mariah’s stunning off-the-shoulder Marchesa Notte tea-length gown, to Kestrel Park’s beautiful 19th century style English countryside gardens and castle-like horse stables, to the most perfect golden sunset, this engagement session truly epitomized romance!

How They Met

“Craig always laughs when I tell the story of how we met because my interpretation of it is so rom-com! Craig first saw me on the morning of Christmas Eve when I was a sophomore in high school. His father was dropping off a Christmas gift for my mom, when my mom’s little dog, Sophie, ran outside and jumped into their limo. My mom made me go outside to get her. And, of course, I wasn’t looking my best since I had been helping her prepare for the holiday all morning. I didn’t see Craig, but he saw me. That same day he called my mom to ask for my phone number.”

The Vision

“I wanted our engagement session to embody who we are as a couple. Because I am such a fashion girl at heart, I chose two looks for myself: something feminine, soft, and princess-like, and something more classic Californian for an effortless and relaxed second look. Craig wanted to keep it more simple with his wardrobing and opted for a blue suit and white button-up sans tie — very classic debonair. Even though we did not want anything to appear too overly staged and posed, we wanted to make sure our engagement pictures were well thought out and timeless. Kestrel Park was the perfect location for our vision to come to life.”