I absolutely LOVE shooting "Bridals" photography! Unfortunately it's not very common here in Santa Barbara and a lot of California girls don't know about. It's a Southern Tradition!Well, lucky for me Kendall, a sweet and stylish Texas gal, moved to Santa Barbara and wanted some bridals photos taken! I jumped at the chance to do a fun session like this... and it left me wanting MORE! Of course, it's partly because Kendall is so fun, sweet, gorgeous stylish and all around amazing!But also... it's just plain fun to take pretty pictures with JUST the bride... stress free and not full of wedding day jitters. It's nice to have over an hour with just the bride and be able to play with locations, light, posing and not be on that tight wedding schedule. I could definitely get used to it! And when I think about it, brides why wouldn't you want this? A stress free session that allows for more FUN photos of you in your very expensive wedding dress! Instead of only getting to wear it once, BOOM, you get to wear it TWICE! And, if you would like, you can bring your man along and we'll get extra photos of both of y'all!Once you see these photos, I think you'll see why you NEED to get in that Southern spirit, baby, and book your bridal session STAT!

Is that not just GORGEOUS? If you feel like a bridal or day after session would be fun, contact me! 

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A few weeks ago I blogged Part One of this amazing Sunstone Winery Wedding + Bridal editorial shoot! I am fully in LOVE with Sunstone Villa + Winery and overjoyed that I am shooting a real wedding there in a few weeks! But for now enjoy this lovely Santa Ynez Winery Wedding inspiration in all it's rustic and elegant glory!

Thanks again to everyone who made this editorial shoot a reality! It was quiet a team effort! Credits are listed below:

Event Organizers- Emma + Josh Smithhttp://coutureclicks.emmajanephotos.com/http://www.facebook.com/emmajanephotographyhttp://www.facebook.com/coutureclickshttp://www.emmaandjosh.com/818-533-1011

Event Decor, Design and Coordination - Serendipitous Events by Julia - Julia Whitley

http://www.facebook.com/julia.d.whitleywww.serendipitouseventsbyjulia.comjulia@serendipitouseventsbyjulia.com

Event Venue- Sunstone Winery

http://www.sunstonewinery.com

Anna Rice805-688-9463

Bride/Bridesmaid GownsThe White Dress

http://www.thewhitedress.com

949-723-0121

Brides-Watters "Palm Spring"Reem Acra- "Candlight"

Bridesmaids

JLMCouture

Gary's Island, Fashion Island

Suits by Hugo Boss, Armani

http://www.garysonline.com/

949.759.1622

Bridal Accessories and wardrobe styling

Renee Pawele -Renee Pawele Bride

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Renee-Pawele-Bride/164189221263http://www.reneepawelebride.com

Lighting

Pacific Event Lighting

http://www.pacificeventlighting.com/1-800-757-7216

Designer Specialty Linens - Dahlia Wexler

Linens and Chair rentals310-548-5183www.designerspecialtylinens.comhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Designer-Specialty-Linens/174874645152Makeup/Hair

ASquared Makeup Artistry - Amber Artiaga

562-883-0971

http://www.facebook.com/#!/amber.artiagahttp://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Squared-Makeup-Artistry/300485890023456

Make Up by Theresa Marie - Theresa Marie Aguilar

310-347-5997

Hair Stylist - Sharone Patterson

span2007@yahoo.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/sharone.patterson.5

Cakes, Catering and food displays - CCK, Cakes and Catering by Karie

310-710-1201

Invitation Suite - Special Letters - Diana Jo Giebler

www.specialletters.net

http://www.facebook.com/julia.d.whitley#!/pages/Special-Letters/110110839013608

http://www.facebook.com/julia.d.whitley#!/diana.j.giebler

Bouquets- Santa Ynez Valley Florist - Kathy Sechlerhttp://www.syvflorist.com

1-805-688-7656

Accomodations - Meadowlark Inn - Bed and Breakfast -

www.meadowlarkinnsolvang.com

800-344-9792

Hair Stylist: Sharone Pattersonhttp://healthyhairandme.com/

Cakes and Catering by Kariewww.cakesandcateringbykarie.com

And now for my pictures, part two!

STUNNING, right?

Fierce fabulous love!!!!!

This bride?! Just BREATH TAKING!

FASHION!

Sexy vineyard love? Yes please!!!

The architecture at The Sunstone Villa is ahhhhmazing!

This photo is sun soaked joy and I adore it!

Undeniably GORGEOUS!

PLANNING A WEDDING? Contact Ashleigh | View More Of Her Online Portfolio | Follow Ashleigh on Twitter | Become a Fan on Facebook | Stalk on Pinterest

About a month ago I got to participate in a very special editorial/stylized bridal shoot at the AMAZING Sunstone Winery here in Santa Barbara (Santa Ynez to be exact)! I am absolutely obsessed with this wedding venue. If you were blindfolded and taken there, you just might think you were somewhere in the middle of Tuscany! The Villa is made out of beautiful rustic stones imported from France. And the grounds are overflowing with trailing bushes of rosemary and lavender. And it is set in the rolling hills of the Santa Ynez Valley, with vineyards all around. It is truly a spectacular place and would be the most gorgeous setting for a real wedding!

I had such a blast on the shoot. Below is a list of everyone who organized the event and made it happen! Thank you all for such a special day and opportunity!

Event Organizers- Emma + Josh Smithhttp://coutureclicks.emmajanephotos.com/http://www.facebook.com/emmajanephotographyhttp://www.facebook.com/coutureclickshttp://www.emmaandjosh.com/818-533-1011

Event Decor, Design and Coordination - Serendipitous Events by Julia - Julia Whitley

http://www.facebook.com/julia.d.whitleywww.serendipitouseventsbyjulia.comjulia@serendipitouseventsbyjulia.com

Event Venue- Sunstone Winery

http://www.sunstonewinery.com

Anna Rice805-688-9463

Bride/Bridesmaid GownsThe White Dress

http://www.thewhitedress.com

949-723-0121

Brides-Watters "Palm Spring"Reem Acra- "Candlight"

Bridesmaids

JLMCouture

Gary's Island, Fashion Island

Suits by Hugo Boss, Armani

http://www.garysonline.com/

949.759.1622

Bridal Accessories and wardrobe styling

Renee Pawele -Renee Pawele Bride

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Renee-Pawele-Bride/164189221263http://www.reneepawelebride.com

Lighting

Pacific Event Lighting

http://www.pacificeventlighting.com/1-800-757-7216

Designer Specialty Linens - Dahlia Wexler

Linens and Chair rentals310-548-5183www.designerspecialtylinens.comhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Designer-Specialty-Linens/174874645152Makeup/Hair

ASquared Makeup Artistry - Amber Artiaga

562-883-0971

http://www.facebook.com/#!/amber.artiagahttp://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Squared-Makeup-Artistry/300485890023456

Make Up by Theresa Marie - Theresa Marie Aguilar

310-347-5997

Hair Stylist - Sharone Patterson

span2007@yahoo.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/sharone.patterson.5

Cakes, Catering and food displays - CCK, Cakes and Catering by Karie

310-710-1201

Invitation Suite - Special Letters - Diana Jo Giebler

www.specialletters.net

http://www.facebook.com/julia.d.whitley#!/pages/Special-Letters/110110839013608

http://www.facebook.com/julia.d.whitley#!/diana.j.giebler

Bouquets- Santa Ynez Valley Florist - Kathy Sechlerhttp://www.syvflorist.com

1-805-688-7656

Accomodations - Meadowlark Inn - Bed and Breakfast -

www.meadowlarkinnsolvang.com

800-344-9792

Hair Stylist: Sharone Pattersonhttp://healthyhairandme.com/

Cakes and Catering by Kariewww.cakesandcateringbykarie.com

And now for part one of my beautiful photos!

I loved working with the Sunstone Villa's architecture!

But of course the vineyards were fabulous too!

Love. Sunlight. Vino. Does it get better?

STUNNING! The hills!!

Can I get a wedding redo please?

Sexy love!

Oh my gosh! I LOVEEEE the architecture so much!

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Good morning! It may be June gloom here in Santa Barbara, but I am just beaming bright because I have a fantastic shoot featured on Style Me Pretty today! I am thoroughly obsessed with SMP and there's nothing that makes me giddier than seeing my photos on their perfectly curated blog! Yippee!Go check out the feature here:And stay tuned for my favorite photos from this incredible shoot!

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I am so thrilled to finally be able to share this amazing desert and hippie inspired love shoot with you, which was featured on Style Me Pretty last week!This whole thing came about when I met Jackie. I met her at a bridal show when she stopped at my booth and I instantly LOVED her. She had the cutest personality and sense of style. Apparently the feeling was mutual and soon we were meeting over coffee and talking weddings and photography. Jackie told me how she is getting married in her hometown of Chicago this fall and (bummer) had already hired a local photographer to shoot it. Though she is crazy excited for her Chicago wedding, she was an avid Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, and Once Wed reader and had just been dreaming and swooning over the idea of a California wedding. She even had some dream vendors lined up for it, like florals by Honey and Poppies. She knew two full blown weddings weren't in the budget...but perhaps a styled Mr. & Mrs love shoot could work!Jackie and her charming fiance Tony are uber hip and stylish. They look like modern hippies and ooze that relaxed cool vibe. I helped them translate that vibe into a lovely Hippie inspired shoot out in the desert...Joshua Tree to be exact! And since it was to be a mini, California dream wedding, we HAD to have Jackie's dream florist make the arrangements. As usual, Megan of Honey and Poppies knocked it out of the park and created some swoon worth florals!My love, Amber, of Pitbulls and Posies created some amazing stationery for the shoot! Hope Stanley chose the perfect look for Jackie to wear. And Jackie's headband was made by the always breath-taking Lo Boheme!! The talented Susie Chhuor Studio completed Jackie's look with amazing hair & make up (though the desert wind sure did seem determine to mess up Jackie's hair all day!). Lastly, I asked my friend Candice to come along and help me style the shoot! All in all it was a dream team, and Jackie's reaction to the final set up was one of pure joy! She told me it was all she wanted and more and that she was so happy to be getting her dream California wedding! Hooray!!!!I'm so excited to share these photos with y'all! They are some of my faves to date! Hugeeee thank you to all the amazing vendors who worked on this shoot!Floral Design: Honey and Poppies - http://honeyandpoppies.com/Stationery: Pitbulls & Posies - http://pitbullsandposies.com/Wardrobe Styling: Hope Stanley - http://hsbridalstylist.blogspot.com/Dress: Mary Me Bridal - http://marymebridal.com/Hair Adornments: Lo Boheme  - www.loboheme.com Hair + Make-up: Susie Chhuor Studio -  http://www.susiechhuor.com/Set Styling: Candice Benjamin - http://candicebenjamin.com/The sweetheart table was TO DIE FOR!!!!!

The stationery Amber made had the CUTEST motifs! Feathers & cactus! LOVE!

I loved the brass containers Megan used to show off the different blooms and succulents! So lovely! Brides hoping to create a similar look should ask their florist if they can provide such containers and/or start going to flea markets and thrift stores throughout wedding planning to collect the goodies!

These details?? SWOON!!!! I LOVE that Tony wore a light colored suit! And I loved Jackie's look of layered necklaces and bangle bracelets! While traditional diamonds and pearls make lovely wedding day accessories, I think it's really fun to see colored stones (turquoise!!) and a funkier approach to jewelry!

Jackie, you are GORGEOUS!!!!!!!

There are literally a MILLION reasons why I love Megan's floral arrangements. Reason #18976? She wrapped this bouquet with crepe paper streamers!!

Ahhhh! Jackie & Tony you are too cute for words!!!!!!! I'm literally SPEECHLESS!

ADORE!

These two are so flirty cute together! LOVES it!

We DIY'd ribbon wands for this shoot! (Which takes like two seconds and basically involves tying ribbon to a stick just fyi). They really made for some FUN photos!

Puttin' that desert wind to good use!

In addition to a sweetheart table, we created this little lounge area so the two could just relax and enjoy each other. This is Jackie + Tony being themselves! Laughing and just living in the moment!

Adorable right?!!!

Check out all the photos from this shoot on Style Me Pretty!

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Yesterday one of my favorite wedding blogs, Green Wedding Shoes, featured this anniversary shoot I recently worked on! I am so thrilled at the reaction to this shoot because it is one of my FAVORITE sessions to date! So of course I am excited to share more images from the session and a little more of the back story. :)Brooklyn and Mark have been friends of mine for what now seems like for-ev-er! I met Mark before I even started my photography business, before I was even engaged to AJ. We took an acting class together and Mark was always the funniest person. He blew me away with his creativity. A short while later Brooklyn joined the class and I think it was fairly obvious to everyone that sparks were flying between them. It really was almost like fate...they were both actors, both from Colorado originally (in fact they lived 10 minutes away from each other without even knowing it), and they both had a major major love of Disney. Let me emphasize the Disney thing... these two go to the magic kingdom all the time to relax and they also love Disney animated movies with a passion...So when it came time to celebrate their anniversary, it seemed a no-brainer to have a Disney themed shoot. And seriously, what movie is cuter and sweeter than Lady and the Tramp! We all love the scene where Tramp takes Lady on a date to the alley behind the Italian restaurant and they are serenaded by the waiters. Bella Notte. It was perfect.We collaborated with an AMAZING dream team of wedding vendors make this idea a reality. The work everyone put in to making this wonderful dinner for Mark to surprise Brooklyn with was unbelievable! Here's the break down of the dream team who rocked this shoot:

Styling/Coordination - Intertwined http://intertwinedevents.com/Florals - Honey and Poppies http://www.honeyandpoppies.com/Cake - Erica O'Brien Cake Design http://www.ericaobrien.com/Stationary - Pitbulls & Posies http://www.pitbullsandposies.com/Make Up/ Hair Styling - 10.11 Make Up http://1011makeup.com/

And photos by me! Of course! So without further ado here is Brooklyn & Mark's Lady and the Tramp inspired dinner!Since the dinner scene in Lady and the Tramp is an Italian set up, we wanted Italy to inspire the shoot as well! Unfortunately, we couldn't make it all the way across the Atlantic so we decided to set our scene in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles instead!It drizzled a little at first and I was all OH NO! But luckily it stopped pretty quickly and didn't ruin a thing!After our little Venice Canals photo shoot we walked a few blocks to the alley way for their surprise! Of course, we needed a few shots w/ their pup as well!Then the big reveal of the dinner scene! Brooklyn was SO surprised and excited!Cheers!Megan of Honey and Poppies created the MOST GORGEOUS florals for this shoot! To say that I love them would be an understatement. I mean look... their are blackberries in that arrangement! Blackberries! And basil too! Basil in the arrangements for an Italian inspired shoot! SO thoughtful!The most famous shot from Lady and the Tramp recreated here...Yep... they slurped it till they kissed! Adorable!This shot just makes me laugh. hehe. Sorry Mark!In the movie Lady and Tramp get serenaded by their waiters playing the accordion and singing "Bella Notte." Mark brought along an accordion and did his best to serenade Brooklyn......which she found charming, endearing, and apparently HILARIOUS.The sun began to set but Mark had one last surprise up his sleeve...An anniversary cake designed by the fabulous Erica O'Brien! YUM!The fab paper goods for this dinner were all done by Amber of Pitbulls & Posies! I just LOVED the doily sign, wine label and menus she made just for them!At the very end of the shoot I played around with some night shots of our dinner scene. I loooove photographing in natural light and that's mainly what I do, but this was so fun to play with!I loved being able to capture the beautiful twinkly candle light!Love!!Romantica!One last night shot for fun....

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Last weekend I got the amazing opportunity to photograph a beautiful couple on a beautiful SoCal day in a beautiful setting. Pinch me! I LOVE my life!!!! Maria & Nick attended Zoe & Nima's wedding and that's how they found me! I love that!!!Maria is from Argentina and Nick is from Turkey, so when they married stateside so far from both their families, they chose to just have a low-key courthouse ceremony. And that meant they never got any wedding photos. So I was thrilled to hear that they fell in love with Zoe & Nima's wedding images and they wanted me to capture some anniversary images for them! It may be several years late, but now Maria & Nick have some GORGEOUS wedding photos they can proudly display and share! And that makes me so happy!!! :)Maria & Nick chose to do their session at El Matador Beach in Malibu! The location fit them perfectly-- relaxed, natural, warm, beautiful. I am just in love with the photos!! And I'm also in love with Maria & Nick! They were so sweet, so interesting, and so much fun to hang out with!!! I'm telling you this session was everything I love about my job and more!! And now... the pictures...We started the session on the bluffs above the beach...

These two worked it out like super models and did it SO effortlessly! I'm gonna say it has to do with their innate international flair!

That light! Swoon!!!!

I love this photo! It really shows how much FUN these two have together!

Laughter and Love are my favorite.

Love the warm sunset light!!!!

Maria, you are adorable!!!!

GORGEOUS!

Awwww....I just loooove this one! All the pretty colors!

The sunset looks good on Maria & Nick!!

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I'm so excited that Susannah & Justin's Mr. & Mrs. session was featured on Hot Pink Brides last week! Hot Pink Brides is a guide for modern & glamorous brides and I absolutely love it! They have so much eye candy and great inspiration! It's definitely worth adding to your google reader if you love fabulous & funky wedding ideas! Which, by the way, I totally DO!!It means so much to be featured on this awesome blog! This shoot was definitely an amazing one, and it's so awesome to see it be recognized!! Thank you Tabitha at Hot Pink Brides for the feature!Check out Susannah + Justin on Hot Pink Brides:

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Here is part two of Vanessa and Pat's Hawaii Trash The Dress session! I think this is the part everyone has been waiting for...when Vanessa jumps in the ocean in her wedding dress! LOVE! You might think it's kinda scary or sad to trash your dress but I gotta say, Vanessa and Pat had a ton of fun with it! Vanessa was smiling and laughing and loving being in the warm waters of Lani Kai Beach! She was having so much fun, in fact, that I was totally jealous. If I'd had my wedding dress, I definitely would have jumped in right beside her!!! Really, I would have!! It looked THAT fun and liberating! Just see for yourself!We trashed the dress little by little. First, they walked on the shoreline as the water lapped up on their feet.

A little bit of fun dancing...

And then BAM! Water! In wedding clothes!! Fabulous!!! See what I mean about fun and liberating?!

My favorite thing about Lani Kai beach is the two little islands, known as the Mokuluas, that are off in the distance. The islands are so beautiful and make you feel like you are in a completely different world!! Put a gorgeous couple in front of the Mokuluas and I am in photographer heaven! See?!

Vanessa worked it in the water like nobody's business! Fierce, I tell you! FIERCE!

Trashing the dress doesn't have to only mean being in the water you know! Not at all! For example, you can get sexy in the sand!

REAL sexy!!!

Oh. Em. Gee. I am in total love with the fabulousness here. The sky! The light! The water! The most gorgeous and ferosh couple ever! Love. Love. LOVE!

And back in the water! 'Cause, really, being in the water is SO FUN!

Work it out you two! Work it oooooouuutttttt!

I love this!!

This shot was the PERFECT way to end the session! I just LOVE it!

If you want to see more Vanessa and Pat check out this SLIDE SHOW below!!!

Vanessa and Pat -- thank you so much for allowing me to capture your love and for having fun with me in Hawaii! I had a blast with you two! You guys are so fun to be around! And Vanessa, thanks for being willing to jump in the ocean in your wedding dress. You totally inspired me and I hope you love the images we created!!! xoxo - Ashleigh

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When I found out I was going to be in Hawaii this summer, I just KNEW I had to set up a photo shoot there. Specifically on Lani Kai Beach in Kailua, because seriously? It is one of my most favoritest beaches ever. In the whole entire world. Lani Kai is just one of those magic places to me. The kind of place that defines paradise!My fab photog friend Pinky agreed to shoot with me, and being a Oahu local, made all the arrangements! She got her good friends Vanessa and Pat to model for us! Vanessa and Pat have been married for eight years! So this kind of worked out to be an anniversary session for them!! :)What struck me the most about Vanessa and Pat was that they acted like newlyweds all day. They were in young, puppy-love!! I love that they were having so much fun together, and how Pat can make Vanessa laugh so easily! And I loved that these two were in their own little world and pranced on the beach like it was just the two of them! I really couldn't have asked for a more perfect couple to photograph on the most perfect beach. It was truly an incredible experience and I am just in love with how the photos turned out!So in love that I will be posting more from their session later this week! So stay tuned for that! But for now, please check out round one of Vanessa and Pat's Mr. and Mrs. session on Lani Kai!We started the session off on the sand. We wanted to work our way up to getting them in the water! So first they rocked it out on the dry parts of the beach! hehe

Vanessa has the best laugh!! Her face totally lights up and it's totally contagious! When she starts laughing, everything gets brighter! Love it!

Aughhhh! Vanessa! You are GORGEOUS!

I love how these two can just  let loose and be themselves in front of the camera!

Vibrant. Fabulous and Fierce. Totally my style. Totally in LOVE!

Pat you are pretty handsome yourself!!

Vanessa! Work it out mama!!! You are so stunning!!! Pat is a lucky man!!

There's that laugh again! This photo is so fun and joyful! I just love it!!

Ahhh! That light!!! Swoon!!!!

Aren't these two just gorgeous?! Stay tuned later this week for Part 2 of this session! You will see how Vanessa TOTALLY trashed her dress! It was pretty amazing!!! You don't wanna miss it!! :)

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Last weekend I had the pleasure of meeting Dani and Tony and photographing their Mr. and Mrs. session at The Griffith Observatory! Dani and Tony recently had a very small wedding in Las Vegas, baby! But there wasn't much time for pictures, so when Dani got back home she realized she wanted a few more pics to celebrate her marriage! And really, I can't blame her. When you look THAT cute in your wedding outfit you pretty much need all the pics you can get!! ;)Dani and Tony have a dynamic to their relationship which reminds me of me and AJ. Dani is such a fun girl! She has an amazing sense of style and knows how to rock the camera. I love how confident and outgoing she is. Tony is more the quiet, shy type. But he is so caring and strong and always watching out for Dani. He gives his hand when she needs it, he has a strong shoulder for her to lean on, and gives her tender kisses on the cheek just to show his love. It is so very sweet and I was so giddy to get to document this exciting phase in their relationship! I am so happy I got to meet such a stylish, sweet and fun couple and I cannot wait to see where the future takes them! I know there is a lot of excitement ahead!!! ;)And now, photos!!!Dani brought cute little props which I LOVE LOVE LOVE! It's the little things that can really add some extra fun flavor to a session!

You two are STUNNING!!!

Dani, you are GORGEOUS girl!!!

Mmmmhmmm. These two are steamy! Yep it's true!

Tony you are not so bad on the eyes yourself! ;)

To view more of this fun Griffith Observatory Mr. and Mrs. session, check out the slide show below!!

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