Grizzly Peak, Oakland Engagement Session

Grizzly Peak Oakland Engagement Session Photographer Rubi And Misa01

It was almost 13 years ago and a few months when Rubi was sitting in the 2nd to back row of her Spanish class at Skyline High school. Maybe for a moment or two daydreaming became part of the daily lesson and instead of notes from the topic in her notebook, secrets ones were exchanged. The cute guy sitting next to her invited her to his Senior Prom and Rubi gracefully accepted. The night was unforgettable, and it was sealed with a first kiss. The impressive night was the beginning of their love story together. Misa sat next to her the rest of the School year and little did she know that the boy that at times made her laugh and sigh would be the one to marry one day.

Misa felt in his heart that it was time for the next chapter in their lives. It had been a little over a decade since they decided to make it official, but now Misa was ready to make it more than official. He ventured out with his mother to search for the perfect ring that would say all that he feels for Rubi. After looking at a few contenders, he decided on a classic design. His impatience caught up to him, and he couldn’t hide it from her much longer. He thought of the perfect demise to ask her to marry him. After being inspired by a recent location Misa had visited, he lured Rubi to the Grizzly Peak views of Berkeley. The mission? To chase the sunset but to seal it with the ring right after. Rubi using her newly acquired camera photographing the sunset realized that he had different intentions. Their engagement that day alluded to the perfect night they had together on their first Prom date, but this time in would end in forever.

Being High school sweethearts and taking into account how much the City of Oakland means to them, they elected to hold their engagement shoot where it all started and where the proposal happened. They wanted it to be unique and tailored to who they are together. They met up with us on a slightly sunny day while they celebrated their 160th month anniversary (or so). Rubi’s romantic heart resonated with mine and Misa’s charm was easy to trigger a smile. We went on a mini-flashback trip with them while they walked down the hallways and checked out their old lockers. The surreal moment came when they sat down in their old desks in that same Spanish classroom still taught to this day by their former teacher. They slowly reminisced about those days while they pointed out their prom pictures plastered on their teacher’s walls. Spanish books were found all over and the frequent Spanish author Miguel Cervantes was also present in the classroom with his famous Don Quixote tale. It was hard not to reflect back on my own high school years and how long ago it looks now. Victor also shared a few stories about his academic excursions in Guatemala. Our session segued in a never-before-visited (by us) site Grizzly Peak in Berkeley. The high winds on a cliff made it easy to burst out in laughter and to grab hold of each other even more in the attempt to create a little heat. Victor and I worked around their affinity for the A’s and the bits and pieces that made their story more personal. It was an unforgettable view, with beautiful souls that day which later broke out from winds into the pouring rain.

Rubi and Misa, wind or no wind, it’s evident that your story together is a tale that one day will rival that of Cervantes. It might not be studied in a classroom for the many students to walk down your former alma mater but it will certainly be treasured by the generations to come. Thank you for taking Victor and me on to see one of the most beautiful sights of our Bay Area but also letting us peek into your souls. Can’t wait for September to come!

Grizzly Peak Oakland Engagement Session Photographer Rubi And Misa02 93426_16