Stunning Garden Session | Maraye + Cameron

Engagement, Gilbert Regional Park, Leslie, Phoenix

September 30, 2026

Some sessions are special before I ever pick up my camera. Maraye is my niece, so this stunning garden session at Gilbert Regional Park meant a little more to me than most. I’ve watched her grow up. Now I get to watch her and Cameron together, and I’m so proud of the two of them.

They met through mutual friends. Maraye didn’t expect to see Cameron again after that night. Then they met up again, and they haven’t spent much time apart since.

When I asked them to describe their relationship in three words, they said adventurous, loving, and comedic. You can see all three in this gallery.

Cameron proposed at Lake Havasu. Maraye was told she was showing up for family photos. Instead, she walked up to an engagement setup waiting just for her.

About three months later, we met up in Gilbert to celebrate with their engagement session.

Maraye picked this spot for one reason: the greenery. Gilbert Regional Park gave us everything a garden session needs without leaving town. We had big cottonwood trees, gravel paths, tall grass, and still water that reflected everything back. The golden light coming through the leaves did the rest.

You don’t need a botanical garden or a long drive to get a garden feel. You need a place with the right textures and a plan for the light.

Maraye wore a cream pleated skirt with a lace corset top. Cameron matched her in a crisp white button-down. The soft colors let the green and gold of the park take center stage.

Then they stepped into the water. Standing together in the marsh with tall grass all around them, they looked completely at home. A few minutes later, we caught a kiss reflected in the canal under a cottonwood tree. It’s one of my favorite frames from the whole session.

There was plenty of fun too. Cameron carried Maraye down the path with her skirt flying behind them. She kicked off her shoes for a barefoot lift under the trees. And the quiet moments, like her hand on his shoulder and the two of them just looking at each other, are the ones I know she’ll treasure.

Maraye and Cameron, I can’t wait for next summer! Watching the two of you grow, together and on your own, has been such a gift. This stunning garden session was just the beginning.