Jennifer Bowen Photography Blog

Traci & Ryan: Napa Valley Engagement Session
Monday, August 17, 2009

Traci and Ryan live in Napa. Live there. If you have ever been, you know how incredibly beautiful it is. When they booked me to photograph their wedding, I was very stoked obviously. I love Napa and have always wanted to photograph a wedding there. But what I didn't know is that they would be so damn cool, which has made me all the more excited to capture their big day. Just where they are getting married? See that image above? That is the driveway. Of this place.

After some thought about where to do the engagement session, they eventually settled on Napa, which I think worked out well because I could see the venue and get to know them on their turf. Having literally just met them for the first time in person, it felt more like I'd known them for years. The conversation just flowed and they were extremely easy to be around. Funny, generous, kind beyond belief. Just cool. We started the day with lunch at a tasty little deli-slash-restaurant-picnic area that felt very...well, Napa'ish. Yum. Then we decided it was time to hit some winery's and see what we could get away with picture-wise. (Funny Cakebread Winery story below). We took lots of pictures. We drank a little wine. We found some sweet light. Then they introduced me to Taylor's Burgers (voted one of the country's best burgers) and I never wanted to go back home. Well, except to see my family of course. But that burger...AH-MA-ZING. Im still craving it.

Alright so here are some of my favorites from the day...yes, there are a handful. Or two.

We started the day a little more casual, around the winery's.

This one is for Jeff. We met adorable Jeff at Cakebread who made some suggestions about what he felt would be a great photo opp. Ryan showing Traci the grapes. He was very sincere and it was truly cute, so we took this for him!