As promised in my earlier post about our family vacation to the bay area, the big dinner celebrating our yearly reunion, beautifully captured by the lovely Kate Harrison. Even without the motivation of a photographer, we were all so glad that we put in the effort to create such a special meal for all of us to enjoy together. Good food, great company… two of life’s real treasures and certainly meant to be cherished and enjoyed properly.

This is so not a styled shoot, btw. We used what the rental house had (with the exception of a few little bits of decor), made a meal we wanted to eat, wore what we’d packed in our suitcases… totally real life. Of course Kate made everything look great, but you guys… with a teeny bit of planning anyone could do this on their next family vacation.

We dragged the big outdoor table into the field behind the house and set the table properly.

Came up with a delicious menu.

Had adorable children.

Made delicious cocktails.

So many activities to keep the kids entertained.

And my favorite part – the family portraits.

Totally recommend hiring a local photographer during your next family vacation. Even better and more affordable with lots of families. That way everyone gets a few shots together while they’re relaxed and dressed without having to spring for their own solo photo shoot. Kate probably spent 5 – 10 minutes with each family. Super easy and low stress.

The babies were put to sleep and the older kids watched a movie on a blanket next to the table.

So memorable. Thank you, Kate!

All photos by Kate Harrison. Kenwood vacation rental on VRBO.