If I could bottle up perfect engagement session energy, it would be Lexi & Derek’s Portsmouth Gardens shoot. We had it all: beautiful golden light, a beautiful couple, and beautiful weather—basically the engagement session trifecta.

From the moment we met up, I knew this was going to be an easy night. We instantly bonded over our shared obsession with The Summer I Turned Pretty (yes, we did spend more time than necessary discussing Team Conrad vs. Team Jeremiah). At one point, I casually mentioned that Derek totally gives off Conrad vibes—something about his eye shape just seals the deal—and now I can’t unsee it.

We also bonded over our love for Barrio (because what’s more romantic than tacos and queso?). We got to wander through the Portsmouth Gardens during golden hour, which is basically photographer heaven. The flowers were in bloom, the light was soft and glowy, and these two were absolutely effortless in front of my camera.

Lexi and Derek are the kind of couple who just radiate joy. Every laugh, every sweet glance, every little moment between them felt natural—and it shows in the images. I kept finding myself gasping at the back of my camera (which, for the record, is the highest form of compliment a photographer can give).

By the end of the night, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, my camera roll was bursting with magic, and I was already counting down the days until I get to photograph them again on their wedding day.

Lexi & Derek—thank you for making my night, for embracing all my prompts, and for proving that tacos + The Summer I Turned Pretty talk really is the perfect recipe for an incredible engagement session.