They got engaged on February 13th. By February 14th, they were already out there making memories.

Greta and Andrew reached out the day after their proposal, fresh off a yes and ready to capture the feeling before it faded into ordinary life. They found me through my website, they were staying at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort in Rio Grande, and they had one window of availability: Valentine's Day at 5pm. We made it work.

What I love most about last-minute bookings like this one is that they tend to carry the most energy. There is no overthinking, no months of anticipation building pressure. Just two people who are newly engaged, on vacation, and ready to go on an adventure.

Starting in the Jungle, Ending at Golden Hour

We started at the Marbella Garden area of the resort before making our way through the jungle trails that connect the property to the beach. If you have never been to the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar, the grounds are unlike anything else on the island. You step off the manicured resort lawn and within minutes you are walking through a canopy of tropical trees, over a bed of dried leaves, past tangled roots and wild palms.

That contrast is what makes this location so special for engagement sessions. You get lush and raw in the jungle, then wide open and cinematic at the water.

Greta and Andrew were both self-described photo-awkward, which I couldn't believe as we moved happily through the session. It's all a matter of letting yourself enjoy the process, and trust your photographer.

The Wind, the Weather, and Going With It

After nearly a week of rain across Puerto Rico, the skies finally cleared for us on Valentine's Day. The tradeoff? Wind. A lot of it.

These are the sessions that require the most flexibility, from both photographer and couple. There is no point in fighting it. The wind moves Greta's dress, it pulls her hair, it makes the palm trees dramatic. You lean into it or you lose the moment.

Greta mentioned in her inquiry that she and Andrew were both photo-awkward and looking for direction. This is one of the most common things I hear, and I promise it is not a problem.

My job is to create the conditions where you forget there is a camera. Movement helps. Laughter helps. Starting in a low-pressure environment like a garden path before building toward more open, exposed locations helps too. By the time you are standing at the edge of the ocean at golden hour, you have already shaken off the stiffness and found your rhythm.

That is exactly what happened with Greta and Andrew. And the photos show it.

We laughed a lot. We moved constantly. We chased the light as it dropped toward the mountains behind El Yunque and eventually settled into that warm, hazy golden hour glow on the resort's golf course lawn. Some of my favorite frames of the entire session came from those last twenty minutes.

The Sato Who Joined the Session

We were barely five minutes into the session when we picked up a shadow.

A little sato dog appeared out of nowhere, tail up, completely unbothered, and decided she was coming with us. She followed us through the jungle paths, onto the beach, and back through the resort grounds for nearly the entire session. She even made it into a few frames, sitting patiently by the couple as if she was the family dog.

If you have spent any time in Puerto Rico, you know satos. They are our iconic village dogs, and they are everywhere: on beaches, in neighborhoods, along roadsides. Some are shy, some playful. This one was giving some serious main character energy.

Satos are a mixed-breed dog native to Puerto Rico, and many of them live without homes, navigating life on the streets or on the beaches. The name itself comes from Puerto Rican slang and carries a lot of heart for those of us who know and love them. They tend to be resilient, scrappy, and incredibly sweet once they trust you.

I recently adopted my own sato, and I can tell you firsthand that these dogs make extraordinary companions. If you are visiting Puerto Rico and fall in love with one, or if you want to support the dogs on the island from wherever you are in the world, I would love for you to learn more about Paradise Rescue PR, the organization where I adopted my baby boy. They do incredible work rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming satos both on the island and on the mainland. You can find them at paradiserescuepr.com.

Our little session crasher that afternoon was a reminder of why I love shooting outdoors. You never know exactly what the day is going to bring. Sometimes it is wind. Sometimes it is a golden hour that stops you mid-sentence. And sometimes it is a satita trotting ahead of you on a jungle path like she owns the place.

She does, honestly.

Two Looks, Two Completely Different Feels

Greta and Andrew came prepared with two outfit changes, which gave the gallery so much range.

The first look was casual and grounded: black and beige tones, relaxed cuts, perfect for the jungle trails and sandy paths closer to the river mouth. The second look brought more intention to the beach: a flowing blush dress for Greta against the moody overcast sky and the surf behind them.

The variety between looks, locations, and light conditions means their gallery tells a full story rather than one note repeated thirty times.

Why the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Works So Well for Engagement Sessions

The resort sits where the jungle meets the sea, and that setting does most of the heavy lifting. Within a single session you can move through multiple distinct environments: the manicured lawns, the garden paths, the wild coastal jungle, the river mouth beach, and the open ocean shoreline.

I am an approved photographer at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar, which means I can work the full property with you without any interruptions. If you are staying at the resort and want to book a session during your trip, feel free to reach out through my contact page. Sessions can come together quickly, and some of my favorite galleries have started with a same-week inquiry.

The east side of Puerto Rico is also just minutes from El Yunque National Rainforest, Playa Fortuna, and Luquillo Beach, so if you want to extend the adventure beyond the resort grounds, there is plenty of terrain to explore.

Greta and Andrew, thank you for trusting me with these first photos as an engaged couple. Getting to be part of day two of your engagement on Valentine's Day was something I will not forget.

xo, Cami