Monica + Jaron / Chateau Elan Engagement Portraits

Ever since I turned 40, life has been a bit different.  I don’t know what it is about that number, but I tell you what… it hasn’t been easy.  Mid life crisis struggle is real, and even though I’m still struggling over here, I have taken the first step of admitting it, so there’s progress.  I need Jesus more than ever!  By God’s grace though, we have a job that reminds us day in and day out that life is good.  Really, really good!  How blessed are we to have a business where we get to celebrate someone’s BEST days of their lives?  We’ve been in business for over 13 years now and no one has ever contacted us to photograph a bad day except one funeral.  Everyone wants to remember and cherish and capture their BEST selves on their BEST day.  We get to see people at their finest and BEST mood (well, most of the time hehe). I kid you not… we have an emotional fulfillment at every single wedding and engagement session to this day even after shooting hundreds and hundreds of them.  Every single shoot and event has its own story and we remember them distinctly. So, let me tell you how distinctly I will forever remember Monica + Jaron’s engagement shoot.  Brides and grooms are almost always happy.  I mean, why wouldn’t you be?  I mean, if you’re not happy at your engagement session or your wedding day, when can you possibly be?  We have seen many happy brides, but none like Monica.  She was full of joy and all of that joy within her was truly contagious. I have never met Monica in my entire life, but as soon as I saw her, I had the biggest smile on my face.  I couldn’t help it… She encountered us like long lost family and embraced us like she will never see us again.  Our engagement shoots are two hours long, and I’m telling you… she laughed and smiled for every single second of it.  Jaron, too, was just so happy.  He could not stop giggling and embracing everything that was going on.  I’ve never seen such a positive couple who just knew how to embrace life.  In the middle of it was when I literally said to myself, “I want to be more like that! I NEED to be more like that!”  Being around them was like this good, natural medicine to my soul… I seriously can’t wait for their wedding to laugh again the entire day with them!  Their photographs turned out beautifully… let me tell you…. when you’re that happy, you can’t help but take good photos.  Happy people are confident people and confidence produces great portraits.  Monica + Jaron, I will always remember you guys!  Thank you for reminding me how good life is and that happiness in this life is a CHOICE!  Thank you for choosing the goodness of life and impacting those around you so positively.  Even though I met you guys only once, I can honestly say that I love you guys so much!  We hope that you love these photos and that these will fuel your joy even more!  See you on your wedding day in the fall!

With much love,

Craig + Unchong