Leila and Michael wanted a desert backdrop for their engagement photos in Scottsdale, and we found the perfect location. The desert can get such a bad reputation! When people think of or hear the word “desert”, I think a certain picture often comes to mind. But here in Arizona, there is so much beauty in our desert. Not only that, but there is variety! One location can have soft pastels and a beautiful mountain backdrop, and another can be bursting with lush plant life and red mountains. Regardless, what really helps desert locations stand out is the beautiful light that blankets them at sunrise and sunset.
My husband and I have known Michael for many years. We’ve always known him to be a great person, working hard to become a firefighter and meet the woman he’d been searching for. And we couldn’t have been happier when he met Leila! She exudes kindness and warmth when you are around her. It makes sense that she’s chosen a job working with and serving children in pediatrics as a physician assistant. This same calm energy is something she said she also loved about Michael from the beginning:
I felt that Michael's energy was very calm and kind and gentle, this was one of the things I really loved about him from the very beginning of getting to know him.
About 8 months into dating Michael, my grandfather passed away on my 28th birthday. He and I were extremely close. School was very stressful at the time and difficult to deal with on top of my grief. I then had to temporarily move to San Diego for 3 months shortly after my grandpa's death to complete my school rotations there, and Michael faithfully came to visit me about every other weekend. I don't think I could have made it through that time without him. I doubt if most couples go through personally hard times so early into their relationships but this was something that definitely showed me how supportive of a partner he truly is.
He proposed to me at home, just a few days after I had graduated from PA school. I had an idea it would be happening soon, but I thought he would do it on our upcoming trip to Hawaii. I was definitely shocked in the moment and it felt a bit surreal that it was happening! I remember I cried and it was just a very special moment between the two of us.
Their wedding this fall in Sedona at Sky Ranch Lodge is going to be such a beautiful celebration of their love, and I cannot wait to capture it all!
