Tone It Up Co-Founder Karena Dawn's Engagement Shoot

After talking about getting engaged for about one year, Karena knew a proposal was coming, but she was overjoyed and completely surprised when Bobby made the occasion a public affair. "Our annual Tone It Up Retreat was taking place in Newport Beach, California, and both our moms were in town for it," she shares. "It was the perfect setting on the beach, and I was completely surprised when Bobby took the stage in front of 400 Tone It Up women and proposed!" View more of their proposal story on ToneItUp.com.

When it came time to capture their love in engagement photos prior to their upcoming wedding in Kauai, the couple chose Palm Springs as their desired location. "Bobby and I have a love for mid-century architecture and the lifestyle, so we spend a lot of time in Palm Springs," Karena shares of their decision. "My favorite part of the shoot was shooting around the pool at our home in Palm Springs. We have a lot of memories with friends and family [there and] it's where a lot of quality time is spent."

Take a look at some of our favorite images from their beautiful Palm Springs engagement session below:

For couples deciding whether or not to have an engagement session, Karena offers the following advice: "Initially we weren't planning on doing an engagement shoot, but I'm so happy we did! I would highly recommend it to any couple. Not only is it a great time to get to know your photographer, but the entire day was full of laughter and time spent celebrating our love."

Take a look at the engagement shoot and real wedding of Tone It Up's Katrina Scott (née Hodgson), and browse other engagement shoots in Atlanta, Joshua Tree, Paris, and more. Find inspiration for your own wedding here and follow Inside Weddings on Instagram and Pinterest for additional décor ideas.