The Funk Zone | Urban Santa Barbara Engagement Session | Marit + Naj

Marit and Naj live in Santa Barbara, but originally met while travelling in Malaysia.  They both just happened to be snorkelling at the same beach that day and let that be the foundation for long distance dating.

Dating over long distances is a challenge, but even more so when you are in different countries.  To take things to the next step, Naj headed out to Norway and wanted to plan something truly special.  But as his trip drew to a close, he knew he had to muster up the courage or risk waiting for the next time they were together.  So, recognizing that there is no time like the present, they went skiing.  Shortly after, he dropped down on one knee, sinking in the deep snow, and asked Marit to be his wife.

 

Now that they are both here in Santa Barbara, they are having a mostly traditional Indian wedding.  So, to contrast that look and have pictures like they are in everyday life, they wanted something funky and urban for their engagement photos.  They suggested The Funk Zone in Downtown Santa Barbara and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

We met up at one of the local wine bars and just spent the afternoon hanging out, drinking a little wine, and walking around the neighborhood.  From the Guitar Bar to the little alleys between wineries, it was so much fun taking photos of these two around the city of Santa Barbara.

As you will notice, this wasn’t our typical engagement photo session.  It was so much fun being creative and taking photos of Marit and Naj in a comfortable setting for them, but still capturing them being natural with each other instead of posing.  Their  engagement session had a more commercial feel to it than the typical photos we share, but it was just true to how these two are.

We had such a blast hanging out in the Santa Barbara Funk Zone with Marit and Naj and really look forward to their wedding!

 

If you enjoyed these photos and would like to see our full gallery, then check it out here.

If you want to know more about how we work with our couples to get such real moments, then start with our video.

If you want to have a fun engagement session, then contact us.