Sarah and Gary’s Pismo Beach engagement in San Luis Obispo was nothing short of pure magic. Pismo Beach is a breathtaking location for photos- the only place I know of where the desert dunes kiss the ocean.
Pismo Beach: Where Sand Meets Surf
I extended my trip to Big Sur to meet up with Sarah and Gary in Oceano. The coastal city lies right next to Pismo Beach off Highway 1. Depending on the time of year and tides, you’re allowed to drive right onto the sand. So I hopped into their mid-size car and that’s exactly what we did!
Just as we were about to pull into the lot, the car got stuck in a mountain of sand. We all piled out, laughing, and started to dig the tires out with our hands. Our attempts failed, but a kind passerby offered to pull us out.
Once the car was safely parked, we started our adventurous trek out to the dunes. Our first two attempts to find the right trail dead ended in shrubbery. But the scenery along the way didn’t let us down.
Their Love Story
Gary and Sarah met through mutual friends in the city of Camarillo. After a few dates, they knew they were meant to be together. On May 11th, two days shy of Sarah’s birthday, Gary took her out for a surprise dinner. At first, Sarah thought nothing of it.
On the way to dinner, Gary suddenly pulled off the freeway. He stole Sarah’s heels and tied a blindfold around her eyes. Then he walked her onto the beach where he instructed her to remove the blindfold. There, illuminated in the sand with candles, was the question, “Marry Me?”
Without hesitation, Sarah said yes! The surprises kept on coming. Both sides of their family were waiting at dinner to celebrate with them.
Sunset over San Luis Obispo
We were about to wrap up the day when the sky transformed to all shades of pink and purple. I rallied Sarah and Gary to get out of the car one last time to catch the fading light. These are actually some of my favorite shots from the day and made for an epic finale to their Pismo Beach engagement.
After sunset, we treated ourselves to a well-earned dinner and drinks at a local beach bar and grill. Thanks for a super memorable day and congrats again to you both!
If you love sand dunes and epic sunsets, I recommend checking out Loraine & Kyle’s sand dunes engagement in Glamis or Amitis & Nico’s Joshua Tree engagement!
