Romantic Mission San Juan Capistrano Engagement Session

Growing up in San Diego and having never visited Mission San Juan Capistrano (SJC) was such a missed opportunity. Now that I live in Sacramento and frequently travel back to SoCal I was fortunate that Atiya and Paiyum fell in love with this location for their engagement photos. As Irvine, CA locals and frequent travelers, Mission SJC offered that unique location A & P were looking for. It is a local hidden gem that wows its guests due to its rich history and architectural heritage. Having Native American, Spanish, Mexican and European influences the mission has a lot of education to offer alongside its beautiful scenery. A&P even mentioned they love to frequent date nights to SJC – having only seen the mission from the outside oblivious to its beauty within.

The Session:

In the Mission

There is nothing I love more than a couple that trusts the vision and wants it ALL! From romantic candids, to more posed shots, blurry photos, detail shots, AND film photography? How did I get so lucky? Our session started at 9:00am, one of the first ones there so we immediately headed to ruins of the great stone church which collapsed due to an earthquake in 1812. Luckily it was overcast that day so we had even lighting throughout the session although I would’ve loved some harsh sunlight because I love shadow art play and getting those creative shots. Atiya and Paiyum had a genuine chemistry and with just a little guidance their personalities and love for eachother shined. We continued throughout the grounds, my favorites being the Bell Wall and the corridors of South Wall Museum Room. If you know me by now you should know I love symmetry, leading lines, and subframing. And you know I also love to break those rules for the candid, cinematic shots! The dichotomy perfectly matched their personalities as well as couple that loves the romantic shots as well as the editorial ones. 

We ended with an outfit change and a quick stroll downtown to switch things up and add variety. With a hour before my train back to San Diego I got to chat with the couple and it was amazing getting to know them more intimately, their adventures, and their upcoming wedding plans. Any couple that buys me a post session gelato truly has my heart. Maybe i’ll start incorporating post engagement session coffee dates with my couples because that truly was an amazing opportunity.

Getting there:

You can easily spend a day exploring downtown SJC as well as the Mission. Located only a 5 minute walk from the amtrak station I opted to take a train from San Diego to SJC – budget friendly AND I didn’t have to fight the Oceanside traffic. If you’re opting to drive in, SJC is nestled alongside interstate-5 making it a popular rest stop between San Diego and LA drivers. As a child driving to Disneyland I always thought it was a rest stop, completely ignorant of the rich history, cuisine, and fun San Juan Capistrano has to offer. Before the session I stopped by Breezy – a brunch coastal restaurant. I didn’t know until I got there but they serve a selection of Filipino breakfasts – sarap (tasty!). Gave me the fuel and energy I needed to be pumped for our session!

Photography Permits

Before you go you should know that Mission SJC does require photography permits. Allow yourself time to book a permit as reservations are required at least one week in advance and late applications are subjected to a $75 late fee. We opted for a portrait package which is perfect for photography only events for weddings and engagement sessions. We went on a Saturday which was $80 total – and this includes entry so don’t buy tickets unless you want to explore the Mission on your own free time. The Mission is open between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday. You can opt for a Monday session which they allow but i’ll cost you $100 for that permit. 

You can find more information on the their website

Truly an honor to capture their love in a city that I haven’t explored before. Take this as an opportunity to exploit my desire to travel to new destinations and photograph you madly in-love couples. We’ll turn a fun moment to make everlasting memories. I will LOVE you if you add 35mm film photography as an add-on to your engagement session like Atiya and Paiyum did. View my faves below. Cheers for now!