Atlanta Wedding Photographer Lauren Wright

I was very excited when Kyleen said that she had arranged a surprise adventure for us for Saturday morning, mostly because I love surprises in general but also because Kyleen is such a great planner and she knows me really well. Friday night I said how lucky she was to be able to go riding over Thanksgiving, and her smile was so broad and telling that I didn’t even have to ask. I knew we would be going horseback riding. What I didn’t know was that we were going to be riding up the Zuma Canyon Trail, where we would have breathtaking views of both the coast and the mountains. Unfortunately, I left my camera behind, because I didn’t want to have to manage it and my somewhat unruly horse at the same time while winding up and down a very narrow mountain path. Here are a few from before I hopped up into the saddle.

One of the things that I love so much about going to visit Kyleen is that she knows how to slow down. There some things in life that just can’t be enjoyed in a hurry, and Saturday was one of those days that just had to be enjoyed. Instead of taking the most direct route to our destination, we decided to drive down the PCH. When we got onto the highway, she looked at me and said, “If you see somewhere you want to stop, just let me know.” Now THAT’S what I like to hear! We pulled over to wander around Zuma and to watch the windsurfers who had taken over the beach, then we took Piuma Road up over the mountain for some more breathtaking views.

As I boarded the plane in Atlanta on Friday morning, all I could think about was how much I was looking forward to seeing Kyleen and being able to ride around with the windows down and not freeze. Unfortunately, bad weather seems to follow me everywhere I go, including what most people know to be “sunny” Southern California. That’s right, when I stepped off of the plane, it was raining. And I don’t mean the drizzle that most L.A. natives are used to- I am talking about real rain. Take a look at the sight that greeted me as we rode down the interstate:

Wonderful, right? As the day went on, the rain finally let up and gave way to a beautiful afternoon and evening. The rain actually turned out in our favor, because the next few days were beautifully bright and clear (but I’ll get to those pictures later!) Here are some from the roof of a parking deck around the Grove. I love seeing city skylines, and this was my first time being able to really take a look a good look at Los Angeles.

As the sun faded, we headed to Santa Monica to wander around the 3rd Street Promenade. Before we found our parking spot, however, I happened to look over my shoulder in time to see the sky painted a bright, wonderful pink. I squealed, nearly causing Kyleen to run into the car in front of us. I can’t remember the last time I saw the sky that color, if I ever have. We went around the block again, and I made it to the beach just in time to capture this shot of the sun as it slipped behind the cloud-covered horizon. I can’t believe how lucky some people are to be able to enjoy view like this every evening!