As a San Diego engagement photographer, I get to hear all kinds of “how we met” stories, but Gabe and Karina’s has a little bit of everything: Bumble, long-distance date days, soccer, travel, church, family, the beach—and one very suspicious boyfriend.

These two have been together for four years, and it all started on Bumble. Gabe grew up in Murrieta, Karina grew up in San Diego, and somehow a dating app match turned into a relationship that has lasted through miles, busy schedules, and Gabe’s traveling nurse career.

Their first date was at Disneyland, but honestly, the better part of their story is everything that came after.

Because long-distance dating requires some creativity.

Their usual date days are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Not exactly the standard Friday-night-dinner-and-Saturday-brunch setup, but when you really want to see someone, you make the calendar work. You find the pockets of time. You make the most of the days you have.

And these two know how to make the most of them.

Karina loves soccer, traveling, exploring, being outdoors, skating, and pretty much any excuse to be near the beach. Gabe is into golf, hiking, and spending time outside too. They both attend church, both come from Mexican families, and while Karina grew up in a small family, Gabe grew up in a family of nine—which means I imagine their family gatherings have slightly different definitions of the word “quiet.”

So when Gabe told me about the plan, the setting felt very them.

A beach day.

Nothing too suspicious.

Just Gabe and Karina hanging out, playing their favorite board game, Seaquence, putting their feet in the ocean, and kicking a soccer ball around a little.

Totally normal.

Except I was hiding nearby with a camera.

Which brings us to my favorite part.

Gabe was acting far too strange.

Apparently, his version of “act casual” needed a little work.

Karina started looking around, clearly sensing that something was up. And then she spotted me hiding nearby.

Busted.

But here’s where she deserves an Oscar—or at least a very solid “nice save.”

She played it off.

She didn’t completely blow the surprise. She didn’t march over and ask what I was doing hiding behind whatever excellent photographer camouflage I had managed to find. She just… went with it.

Meanwhile, Gabe was trying to pull off the biggest surprise of their four-year relationship while looking increasingly suspicious.

And somehow, it worked.

This is exactly why I love being a San Diego engagement photographer.

It’s not just about getting the big moment. It’s about everything happening around it. The nervous energy. The weird behavior. The inside jokes. The little moments that make a couple them. The things you could never recreate if you tried.

For Gabe and Karina, their surprise proposal wasn’t about putting on a production. It was about spending time together somewhere they love, doing things that feel like them, and creating one more adventure to add to the four years they’ve already shared.

And then, of course, there was that moment.

The question.

The yes.

The realization that this ordinary beach day was actually the beginning of a whole new chapter.

For couples looking for proposal photographers in Coronado, a San Diego beach engagement photographer, or someone to document a surprise proposal without making it feel overly staged, this is exactly the kind of story I love to photograph.

Real people. Real reactions. A little chaos.

And maybe a boyfriend who needs to work on his poker face.

San Diego Engagement Photographer | Let’s Tell Your Story

If you’re dreaming up a proposal or engagement session that feels like you—whether that’s barefoot at the beach, exploring Coronado, playing soccer, wandering somewhere beautiful, or doing absolutely nothing fancy at all—I’d love to photograph it. As your San Diego engagement photographer, I’ll be there for the big moment and all the wonderfully imperfect little ones surrounding it, too. Let’s make photos that feel less like a photoshoot and more like your favorite day together.

Lisa G (Elle G) is a San Diego beach photographer based in Pacific Beach, CA. Proudly serving San Diego’s coastal communities: La Jolla, Del Mar, Encinitas, Mission Beach, Mission Bay, Sunset Cliffs, Ocean Beach, Point Loma and Coronado. 858-344-1068. To chat about booking your own portrait session click HERE.