USC Engagement : Bree + Zack

It was the same every morning. He'd receive a phone call from her at 3am, on her way to work at 6am. Waiting for the subway to take her to work, Bree, a newly minted New Yorker, called Zack in California to help her make it through another day of working a very difficult job. In the darkness of morning and the warmth of his bed, Zack reassured her and promised things would get better. And they did.

After meeting in college at the University of Southern California, they became friends and took on leadership positions in the fraternity system, which basically meant they went to all the parties together. They were just friends–with their morning walks to Jamba Juice remaining completely platonic–but a strange thing happened a month before graduating: they became more than just friends. It was nothing, they said. Bree was moving to New York, Zack was staying in California, and, really, Zack swore he couldn't afford Bree's shopping sprees.

When Bree moved, they stayed together and the 3am phone calls began. She missed him, work was challenging, and she was losing her tan. When the opportunity arose for Zack to move to New York for a job, Bree was elated and their love took on a whole new meaning. And, just like Zack promised, things got much better.

I'm thrilled to be shooting their wedding next July and it sounds like it's going to be a blast! Bree and Zack decided to have their engagement pictures at USC, and as we strolled the campus together, I felt so lucky to meet them and document their love….

On a personal note, I'd never met or spoken to Zack or Bree before the engagement session (we love email!), but I was incredibly stoked to chat with Zack toward the end of the session…he's really, really smart. Get him talking about finances, and the guy's a machine! He's kinda awesome.

Like I just mentioned, Bree and I spoke for the first time last Friday and…I…LOVE HER! She's fun, type-a, and a no-nonsense kind of girl, and just my cup of tea!

Bree and Zack specifically requested we stay away from traditional USC engagement pictures and shoot in places a little more urban, chic, and them…..yesssss!

Bree and Zack flew to Los Angeles with their dog, Reggie…named after none other than their football wielding classmate, Reggie Bush…

After a quick change, Zack pointed to a set a stairs and we climbed to a rooftop….I wish I had thought of it on my own! 😉

Bree, you're beautiful. That is all.

Many thanks to Zack's mom, Karen, for coming along and watching Reggie between shots…she taught me a few Cesar Millan tricks throughout the day! 😉

Gotta love the gorgeous November light and weather in SoCal…

To see more of their USC engagement photos, CLICK HERE for a slideshow!