Hello there beautiful people! Today we wanted to showcase some incredibly special Ojai engagement photography with a sweet couple at a location we have been absolutely loving lately: Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve.

Let me start off by saying that Taft Gardens is a true work of art that the founders have poured their passionate souls into since the 1980s. It is such a unique space that is unlike any other location or wedding venue in Southern California! Tucked fully private and hidden up into the hills of the Ojai valley, making the trek out to this creative paradise is half the magic. You make this gorgeous, magical drive through winding creeks and beautiful local farms before you finally pull up to the property. What makes this place so legendary is that the founder actually brought out top horticulturists from South African and Australian gardens decades ago to help design and build these exotic, climate-matched groves. For an Ojai wedding photographer, it is an absolute dream canvas. There are endless greenery backgrounds, flowers, and some of the most unique succulents and cacti groves we’ve ever seen—featuring stunning South African and Australian sections of the gardens!

Taft Gardens is quickly becoming a major up-and-coming Ojai wedding venue. The celebrations hosted here are just unbelievably magical! It definitely leans toward an upscale, luxury wedding venue once you bring in your decor, long wooden farm tables, and lush florals. They have so many incredible spots on the 264-acre property to design a wedding day around, from doing a first look up at Vista Point overlooking the Topa Topa mountains and Lake Casitas, to hosting a ceremony on the picturesque Lily Lawn or in their rustic outdoor Amphitheater surrounded by old-growth oak trees and bougainvillea. It is an absolute dream spot for anyone planning an estate wedding, an intimate Ojai proposal, or a portrait session in the area!

A quick planning note for your wardrobe: Because Taft Gardens features such rich, vibrant South African and Australian flora, wearing soft neutrals, whites, or earth tones allows you to pop beautifully against the deep greens and desert textures without clashing with the environment.

The Vision: Ojai Engagement Photography and Santa Barbara Elopements

This sweet couple initially contacted me looking for a Santa Barbara wedding photographer to capture their elopement at the classic Santa Barbara Courthouse. They also knew they really wanted to include a session dedicated to Ojai engagement photography as part of their experience. I always tell our couples that an engagement shoot is so nice to have! It gives you alternative looks and images as a couple that aren’t in your full wedding attire, and it’s so great to have those extra photos handy for your save-the-dates, wedding websites, and entry signs.

We met up over a video chat and talked through their vision for both the engagement session and the wedding day. After our call, I sent them over some lovely locations that we love for Ventura wedding photography, hidden gems in Ojai, and spots in Thousand Oaks, as well as some wonderful options for dinner and a reception after a Santa Barbara Courthouse elopement!

During our call, I actually shared a great story about another courthouse wedding I photographed. When it came time to head to their location for dinner and their reception, the local tasting room they had scoped out completely fell through at the last minute! I worked with them quickly right there in the moment to suggest some great local options that typically work amazing for that portion of the day, and I personally called Convivo at the Santa Barbara Inn to secure them a last-minute reservation! It all worked out beautifully, but it was a great story to share about making sure you’ve got all your p’s and q’s in order – and how helpful it is to have a photographer who knows the local area inside and out!

Discovering the Magic of Taft Gardens

After looking over the location suggestions, they were still looking for something that offered a little more greenery—somewhere extra special where they could really enjoy the experience and the session. That’s when I had the perfect idea to bring our focus back to Ojai engagement photography and suggest Taft!

It is, however, a bit more of an investment, being that they require a permit fee of $200 to photograph on the property. But we all thought it was well worth it for exclusive access to some of the most unique gardens in Ventura County! It is definitely more low-key, private, and peaceful than public spots like Lotusland or the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Because we schedule our sessions to happen around sunset, the gardens are actually closed to all other guests. This leaves us with the entire property completely to ourselves!

One thing we absolutely love about booking Taft for an engagement or proposal session is that their photo permit fee is paid directly to their conservation non-profit. It is so wonderful knowing that your beautiful session actively supports the preservation of this incredible local ecosystem!

It makes the experience even more special than a simple session at one of our public beaches (although, you know a Ventura beach engagement session is still a beautiful option!). We can efficiently navigate all of the beautiful backgrounds and not feel like people are in our way or vice versa. It truly is an amazing experience for everyone!

A Sunset Caravan & Golden Hour Glow

I made sure to walk through the driving directions with them ahead of time, and we agreed to caravan up from the private road gate together. After navigating through the beautiful farms and properties and driving through a few shallow creeks, we finally arrived buzzing with excitement for the session!

These two were just the sweetest couple. You could truly feel the love between them in a way that felt like they were entirely destined to be with each other. We had the best time exploring the paths, dancing through the giant aloe plants, and capturing their genuine connection. We all expressed how excited this made us for the wedding day, and we really felt like we got to properly connect through the session in a way that left us all feeling like good friends by the end of it. That’s the way we like it!!

As the gorgeous sunset glow covered Ojai, we took our time on the way back down the mountain, chatting, laughing, and sharing sweet stories along the way. It truly was a perfect evening.

Browse the highlights from our gallery below! If you are looking for timeless Ojai engagement photography or a Ventura and Santa Barbara wedding photographer to help plan your dreamy celebration, a milestone anniversary shoot, or a private Taft Gardens proposal, we would be absolutely thrilled to bring your vision to life. Drop us a line on our Contact Page to share your story!

Ojai Vendor Love

• Photography: Trevor Morrison Photo
• Location: Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve
• Post-Elopement Dinner Recommendation: Convivo Restaurant and Bar