Engagement photos in San Diego and Los Angeles, California

This photo shoot was initially just a fun shoot for some content for Robin and Kayla for Memorial Day and Pride month. It also ended up turning into a secondary shoot just in time for some engagement photos as they decided to shoot again in some sunshine since we didn’t have any for the first shoot. They took photos in both San Diego and Los Angeles, California, because Robin is from Los Angeles and Kayla was living in San Diego. You can find them on Instagram @robinrandolph and @thetravelingtoothfairy.

Kayla and Robin met through good mutual friend named Hinge (the most reliable dating app around). What was untraditional here was that both Kayla and Robin unknowingly had the default search radius set to 100 miles, meaning they could be matched with someone quite far away. This oversight was a blessing in disguise because the two single ladies literally lived 99 miles apart.

Robin was in LA. Kayla was in Vista, also known as North County San Diego. People in LA won’t even drive more than 10 miles to get animal fries at In ’N Out, so matching with someone 99 miles away quite frankly was a real stretch. Kayla warned Robin that if she kept talking to her, she’d be intrigued and would want to meet in person despite the distance. Kayla must have had a crystal ball because this was all too true—within 36 hours of matching on Hinge, they met halfway between LA and San Diego, in Irvine, for their first date.

They played basketball and arcade games at Dave N Busters and were inseparable until 3 in the morning. Robin went home that night knowing that she had met the love of her life. And Kayla? Well, she was already planning their future because within the first few hours of date #1, Kayla told Robin that she had no idea where she would have to live in a year (#navylife) and that she wanted Robin to proceed at her own risk.

Things really got interesting when Kayla received Navy orders to work in Yokosuka, Japan, for two years. An hour from Tokyo? That’s ideal for a traveling photographer and someone whose favorite food is sushi! However, Japan is 5,472 miles away from Los Angeles, Robin’s hometown, and main client base for her photography business. Their current 99-mile “long distance” relationship was about to be multiplied by 55.

But this didn’t stop them.

Robin thought she might have what it takes to be a navy wife, so, two weeks before Kayla’s flight to Japan, she proposed. And minutes later, Kayla was down on one knee with a ring in her hand, asking Robin to marry her. They had both planned to propose to each other on the SAME weekend.

Fast forward to the beginning of 2019, where Kayla and Robin are strutting colorful kimonos in Japan and eating sashimi, ramen and mochi for all three meals. Robin now splits her time between Yokohama and Los Angeles and she is making the best of the distance by exploring Asia with Kayla in their free time from work.

Kayla and Robin are so excited to come back to the states to share their celebration of love with family and friends in November 2019.

“The story goes something like this: I proposed with a love letter. She said yes. I then went to go get my custom rainbow heart cake from the fridge to pair with some champagne. As I turned around the corner to surprise her with it, the love of my life was down on one knee with my ring in her hand, asking me to marry her. It’s only fitting that we proposed within minutes of each other because it’s us. We live in a love story. Still soaking this in and honestly can’t believe it because it feels too good to be true. My best friend is now my fiancée!” —Robin, one half of the couple