I am so excited to share this wedding for so many reasons! This was my first wedding of 2015 and the first wedding I have shot since no longer being pregnant! Let me just tell you, even though it is a little challenging shooting while being a nursing mama, shooting while pregnant was way more physically taxing! I am also so excited because this wedding took place at Ranchos Dos Pueblos which is one of my top 3 favorite wedding venues in Santa Barbara (maybe in the world??)!!!Seriously, Dos Pueblos Ranch is a photographer's dream. I have shot there a couple times before and I don't think I could ever tire of it. From the private beach and ocean lawn to the dilapidated green houses to the rustic barn to the orchards to the lush natural landscape... there are SO MANY AWESOME PLACES TO SHOOT! My only wish is that I could have had even more time to just shoot and shoot and shoot! But even with the crazy tight timeline of a wedding day I think I was able to capture so much beauty! Seriously! Amazing!Then of course was my couple. Though I normally do engagement sessions with my couples, I did not have the opportunity to do one with Vanessa & Mark, so really their wedding was the first time we met! That's always a bit of a challenge for all parties too figure each other out on the spot, but luckily Vanessa & Mark are awesome and really rocked it in front of the camera! Vanessa + her bridesmaids are practically models! What a gorgeous and sweet group of gals! And Mark and his groomsmen were really stand up guys! I had a blast photographing them and just love the images that we got! I mean, just look at the length of this post!Special thanks to my ever amazing friend & talented second shooter Kelsey, who definitely helped extra when we got into a pinch with the timeline! This is why I work with strong second shooters, so we can tag team when the day throws curves balls! ;)So... now for a lengthy look at just a FRACTION of the gorgeous images captured at V + M's Ranchos Dos Pueblos wedding!! I hope you enjoy!
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Shannon is a very special bride to me! She has been following my work for at least 4 years, maybe longer, via Facebook & here on my blog (we had some mutual friends and became friends on "the book" ourselves)! So of course I was flattered and honored that as soon as she got engaged she chose to hire me! She even planned her date around my availability which was crazy sweet of her! Her big day was held in San Clemente-- and it was a destination wedding for both her & me! I made the trip down from Santa Barbara, and her and her fiance came all the way from Texas, as did many of the guests! San Clemente is just a beautiful area of California, and her historic, ocean-side wedding venue Casa Romantica was super lovely to photograph!Shannon & Kyle are just so cute and sweet together. It was easy to photograph them because you could tell how over the moon they are for each other and how happy they were to be getting married! There were a lot of special touches and cute details to this day-- which was perfectly executed by Sterling Engagements! The food by 24 Carrots was dee-lish as well! It was a perfect day with so many gorgeous elements you just have to check it out below!Also I have to give a huge thanks to my two assistant shooters Kelsey & Erin! This day was so grand & had so many details, it would have not been possible to get it all done without these superstar photogs on my team! So thanks gals!On to the gorgeous photos!
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There are some weddings that are just so bittersweet...because I just LOVE the couple so much. I spend a year or more counting down to their big day, and just adore working with them. Their day comes and it's pure magic. And that's where the bitter part of "bittersweet" comes in, because inevitably the wedding comes to an end and then I can't look forward to their wedding anymore. Sigh...Lauren + Gian's Palm Springs wedding was one of these bittersweet ones. I have adored them since our initial meeting, and have been anxiously awaiting there wedding for awhile now! These two are just the type of couple I LOVE to work with-- kind, sweet, madly in love with each other, trusting, stylish, easy going, and just plain fun to hang out with. Their wedding-- which was a Brazilian Carnival-themed Palm Desert fete-- did not disappoint! In fact, it was so great I am mostly sad it's over already!The day was beautifully planned by Natalie Sofer Events. It was held at the bride's parents' beautiful home in La Quinta. The bridal party was super fun. Lauren + Gian looked like a dream and were just beaming with joy all day. They were up for anything as far as photos went-- letting me take them out into the sandy desert for photos after their ceremony! They were just so happy and in love and over-joyed, it was a great energy to be around! The reception was like one giant cocktail party, with Carnival masks and Brazilian food and peacock feathered-decor! It was a perfect day and I was honored to be a part of it!Thanks to Erin for 2nd shooting yet again!
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I am so excited to finally share Carolyn + Prescott's AMAZING Strawberry Farms Golf Club Wedding! Carolyn chose a fabulous venue when she picked Strawberry Farms. They have a big beautiful red barn where the weddings are held... and actually because it was a rainy Autumn day both the ceremony AND reception were held inside it! The Big Red Barn and Carolyn's Southern heritage helped inspire so much of the rustic, Autumn decor for this wedding-- most of which Carolyn DIY'd herself or found on Etsy!Carolyn is the owner of Half Baked Co, a bake shoppe featuring tasty treats at half the fat, and so of course she had a ROCKIN' dessert bar at her wedding! She also had two pairs of adorable shoes, and one of the prettiest bouquets on Earth. But beyond the amazing eye candy this wedding had, it is the love that beamed off both Carolyn and her hubby Prescott that made the day so very special. From their very personal ceremony, to the gifts Prescott sent to Carolyn while she was getting ready, to the way they danced together all night... There was SO much love filling up and warming up that barn on that cold, gray November day!Special thanks to Ami for second shooting for me on this wedding!So without further ado... the wedding...
I knew I adored Carolyn from her first email to me. But the fact that she chose these two pairs of shoes to wear on her big day?? Well that makes me love her even more!!
SO much excitement in the air while Carolyn got ready! She is so lucky to have a great momma and fantastic girlfriends!
It wasn't exactly the plan to have the ceremony in the barn... but I think it looked LOVELY! I loved all the twinkly lights!
The newlyweds!!!
I just LOVE this shot!!!!
Carolyn + Prescott have some really fun and really good looking friends! Seriously!!!
Adorable!!!!
Let's just all do a collective AWWWWWWW for how cute the ring bearer and flower girl looked!
I told you their peeps are full of fun and LOLZ! I seriously heart the ENTIRE bridal party!!!
We snuck away for some gorgeous portraits after the ceremony...
How good looking are these two??!! Seriously! It's ridiculous how gorgeous these two are together!!
Fierce super stars!!!!
Oh my goodness!!!! Carolyn you are a beauty!!!!!!!!
Adore this fun shoe shot!
L-O-V-E!!!!
Carolyn's dessert bar was AMAZING!!!! But who could expect any less of her?! ;)
Nom nom!
And then they partied the night away...
To see more from this fabulously rustic wedding, watch the SLIDE SHOW:
On Sunday I had the absolute pleasure of photographing Frances + Jared's wedding at the Sherman Library and Gardens. I had never done a wedding at Sherman Library before, but let me just say it is a fantastic venue! There is so much charm there with it's Spanish architecture. And they have an absolutely amazing succulent garden! So cute! The venue fit Frances + Jared's style perfectly as well-- charming, stylish, but also casual and comfy!Their wedding day started off so fun and relaxed. Frances got ready at home with her sister/maid-of honor Whitney (who's wedding I will also be photographing in November) and their mother. The three gals laughed as they got all made up, and also found some time to watch the Sex and the City movie! Love it!!! As the Kate Middleton inspired veil was being pinned into Frances' hair, Whitney squealed and helped make everything look perfect. She said she was fulfilling her "Pippa duties!" Also love!The First Look was a sweet moment! Jared was just floored to see Frances, but how could he not be? She looked STUNNING in her beyond fabulous dress! Their ceremony was beautiful with some sweet words by the Rabbi. I especially loved the story he told about their first date... the story that totally explains why these two were meant to be. You see, on their first date Jared accidentally knocked over and spilled the wine on the table. But Frances quickly told him it was all okay because all night she had been fearing that she might knock over and spill the wine. These two have the same cute quirks and it's why these two just get each other. As the Rabbi said it was clearly B'shert (a Jewish term for "meant to be") and I have to agree!Thanks so much to Ami for shooting this with me! And now... onto the photos!
Can we talk about how FIERCE that dress is?! LOVE!!! But that smile on Frances below?? That's even FIERCER!!!
This is Whitney fulfilling her "Pippa duties!" I LOVE it!!!! And doesn't Frances totally remind you of Kate?! Classic elegance indeed!
Frances, you are GORGEOUS!
The First Look was as romantic as ever! Loved that we were able to stage it in a greenhouse!
LOOOOOOVE this!
Frances + Jared, are you sure you aren't super models?! I mean, REALLY!
I just love this candid moment from the Ketubah signing! Their whole families gathered to watch them sign this marriage contract! And the looks on Frances + Jared's faces are priceless!
The ceremony was just lovely!
Officially MR + MRS! Mazel tov!!! These two were on cloud 9!
Seriously, I can't get over how gorgeous you two look together!!!
ADORE!
You two are too cute for words!!!
This is maybe my fave shot of the day! Just fabulous!!!
And a quick shot from the first dance! Soooo lovely!
It never ceases to amaze me how some of my best clients find me by way of my hubby AJ. Actually, when I think of how many rad couples have come my way because of him, it almost seems like I should give him a bonus, or a foot rub, or both. ;) Anyways, Jen is one such client! You see my hubby is a big Dodgers fan and spends a good deal of his leisure time chatting and commenting on True Blue LA. Jen happened to comment there one day, and, while introducing herself to the other members, mentioned she was engaged. AJ got all excited and proceeded to rave about how I am "the best wedding photographer on Earth", his words not mine! So Jen checked out my site, sent me an email, set up a time to meet me and BAM booked on the spot! Which was awesome!!!And just like many of the fab clients AJ sent my way before her, Jen is totally rad. She has an amazing sense of style, is very funny and smart and has oh so much in common with me! It was as if it was meant to be! Ever since we met, I have been SOOOO excited for our e-sesh, and last Sunday it finally happened! And it was as amazing as I had been imagining!At the engagement session, I also got to meet Eric for the first time. And I finally got to see how Jen and him interact! Jen and Eric are pure adorableness together! Eric could't take his eyes off Jen, and gushed over how cute she is and how smokin' she looked in all her outfits. All of which is truth! And Jen loved to just hold onto Eric, hug him, and snuggle in close. But she also likes being silly for him and make him laugh. So adorable indeed! But honestly, these two are more then just adorable. They have great chemistry and we definitely took advantage of that and got some kinda steamy pics towards the end of the sesh! Love!We started off the session in the bluffs of Malibu...
Jen + Eric, you two are FIERCE! Love it!!
Are you sure you two aren't super models?!!! HOT!
Then we moved down to El Matador Beach....
The light! The water! Jen + Eric! I love everything about this!
One of my faves of the day... these two are workin' it!!!
Jen, and you said you weren't photogenic??? You are GORGEOUS!!!!
And this is when things got a little steamy in the sand... Jen you look damn SEXY in this photo!
...this one I focused on Eric's gorgeous blue eyes which Jen just LOVES!
To see more from this fabulous Malibu engagement watch the SLIDE SHOW below:
On Sunday I photographed Becky + Bernadette's fabulous wedding at the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens. The day was so beautiful and it was brilliantly planned and coordinated by my lovely Paola of Just Chic Events! I absolutely adored the beautiful late-summer color palette of orange, purple, brown and golds. I loved that Becky and Bernadette chose to have long communal tables, and the long tables were dotted with beautiful stems of flowers arranged by the fabulous Little Branch. It was so nice to see all the guests-- family and friends-- come together as a big community to support these two in marriage. Everyone was so warm, inviting and just happy to be celebrating this big moment that had been a long time coming!There were so many touching moments about this wedding-- The First Look, the smile on Bernadette's face watching Becky walk down the aisle, the way the two laughed and smiled all the way through their first dance, and the amazing toasts by friends and family. There were many many moments that I nearly choked up with happy tears. But to me the most touching thing was seeing all the ways that Becky + Bernadette were already a family. How they were totally there for each other all day. How they can anticipate just what the other needs at any given moment. And how they just feel comfy with each other. I saw this at the engagement session, but I saw it even more on the big day. I saw it in their families too-- their two families already seemed like one big happy unit. It is always such a gift to witness love and commitment like this. I could not be more honored to document it.Also, big thanks to Candice for shooting with me and helping capture all the lovely moments of the day!Without further ado... pictures!!
It was so much fun capturing Becky + Bernadette getting ready! I always love the transformation of watching a woman go from "everyday girl" to BRIDE. Always fun to document that moment!
The first look! These two were so so happy to see each other!
Work it you two!!!!
The picture on my left is my FAVE PIC OF THE DAY! Becky + Berna look FIERCETACULAR (yes I said it again!)!! And Bernadette, you look smokin' in this picture on the right my dear!
La-la-love! Becky you are gorgeous!!!
Bernadette beamed as her brother walked her down the aisle!
Becky looked pretty happy walking down the aisle too!!
The ceremony was beautiful! It was officiated by a friend, and also close friends gave readings. There was not a dry eye in the courtyard!
Pretty reception details!!!
LOVE the long tables and use of chalkboard signage!!
The newlyweds toast each other!!!! I adore this photo sooooo much!!!
To see more from this lovely wedding please watch the SLIDE SHOW:
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of traveling to the heart of San Diego to photograph the beautiful wedding of Skylar + AJ (remember their fab engagement session?!). The wedding was held in AJ's parent's amazing, amazing, amazing home in the Banker's Hill area. And the day was coordinated to perfection by Rachel of Plan It San Diego. Skylar had shared a *fabulous* power point presentation of wedding inspiration that she had showed me when she first booked me, and I have to say it all came together just as she had envisioned! There were so many thoughtful and stunning details to the day-- from the bride's little white Amsale dress to her Kate Spade shoes, from the lavish dessert spread to the make-your-own-smores station for a midnight snack, from the hanging pom-poms to the clustered garden style floral arrangements. It was stunning and everything I LOVE to photograph. A dream wedding indeed.But truthfully this day was a dream come true because two people came together and committed their lives to each other in front of all their friends and family. AJ's mom had said she had wanted Skylar to be apart of her family from the moment the two met, and she was delighted the day was finally here. AJ shed tears during his sweet and genuine vows. And Skylar was so overjoyed that all these years after spotting the man of her dreams she was finally getting to marry him.You see, AJ + Skylar met in high school. They were both part of the young Democrats club. Skylar noticed AJ immediately and AJ noticed her back. But he was a little shy. They became friends and when the school year ended, and it was time for Skylar to graduate, she made sure to leave her number in AJ's yearbook. He didn't call. He was shy! Later, these two reconnected when they were both living in New York. Again, Skylar made sure to give AJ her number. Eventually, AJ braved up enough to call Skylar and ask her on a date... and the rest is history!Skylar + AJ's wedding was so full of love, family, and warmth that it was infectious. I cannot express how much I appreciate their generosity and the generosity of their families! They treated myself and my AJ (who second shot this with me) like we were their guests, no, their family, and invited us into their inner circle. I truly felt surrounded by love the entire day and it makes the pictures even more special to me! I hope you enjoy...
So, how gorgeous is Skylar's bouquet and how amazing is her ring?!! And then, don't even get me started on her FABULOUS Kate Spade shoes!!! AHHHH!
A moment from their First Look... brings tears to my eyes just reliving this moment through the photo!
We then headed over to Spruce Bridge for some FIERCE-TACULAR portraits. Yes, I did just make up the word fiercetacular. Snap!
Are these two SUPER STARS or what?! Shine on SkyJ, shine on!
Skylar, my love, you are STUNNING!!!! I can't even handle it!
Okay Skylar you are the QUEEN! Seriously gorgeous, darling!
My husband AJ took this next photo! It's a beauty!! I am a proud + lucky wifey!
La-la-la-LOVE! The purple socks were a suave touch AJ!!!
Swoony swoons!!!!
One more... because these two just rocked my camera so xcore!!!
The ceremony! Ah! It! Was! Lovely!!!! I loved that Skylar + AJ wrote it themselves, mixing in Jewish traditions (which is AJ's heritage). They were married under AJ's family chuppah. Key family members held it up, and both the parent's of the bride + groom sat underneath it. It was heartwarming!!
This photo from the grand entrance kills me!! Seriously, LOVE! Oh and my AJ took it. He's a keeper, that man I married.
The reception details were killer!!! Loved the floral clusters which sat on lounge furniture around the yard!
DESSERT BAR HEAVEN. You may wanna go grab a snack before feasting your eyes on these next few photos.
Heartfelt toasts were a highlight of the evening.
Care for a midnight snack? How about SMORES??? Seriously, Skylar thought of everything!!!
And then everyone partied hard! Loves it!!!
To see more images from this FABULOUS wedding be sure to watch the SLIDESHOW:
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!
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!!
Today there won't be a Tuesday Top 5 post. Instead, I have a wedding to share. A very special wedding that totally made my week, nay my MONTH. So I think it makes sense to post it on the day I usually reserve for talking about the highlights of my week, right?! Brett and Brenna's San Juan Capistrano wedding last Saturday was so much more than just a wedding for me...it was an INCREDIBLE learning opportunity.Last December, when I was ready to take my career to the next level, I joined the [b]school. The [b]school is a private online community of photographers, started by [b]ecker who is one of the biggest wedding photographers in the country, perhaps in the whole world. The [b]school is all about photographers learning from other photographers and everyone helping each other be better, which of course makes the industry better as a whole. Beyond just creating this amazing community, [b]ecker really goes above and beyond by personally sharing his knowledge with [b]schoolers. He often will choose [b]schoolers to shoot alongside him at his weddings. Which is truly the ULTIMATE learning experience. The thing is, the opportunities are coveted. I never thought I'd ever get select by [b] to shoot with him. But I wrote it down as a goal last January and set it aside. All year, every time [b]ecker had a wedding, it seemed I was already shooting a wedding of my own. Oh well, I thought, I'd probably be way too scared to ever shoot with [b]ecker anyways. Then finally this November, he posted he needed two shooters for a wedding. I was available! But what were the odds he's even choose me?? Needless to say I almost fell off the couch when I saw his email asking if I'd like to tag along. YES, I would! And that is where Brenna & Brett come in...Saturday wasn't just my day to learn from one of the best wedding photographer, it was Brett & Brenna's wedding day! And I got to help capture their love story, which is what I love. Brenna is so my type of girl-- vibrant, stylish, a ham for the camera, and in starry-eyed love. Brett can be quiet and calm, but when he gets comfy he totally lets loose and becomes a big goofball. Brett and Brenna fit together. Their love is BIG, just like their personalities! And I couldn't have been more thrilled to document that crazy big love they share.Thank you Brenna & Brett for being awesome. Thank you Lexi, my fellow [b]schooler who shot the wedding too for being a great carpool buddy, shooting buddy, and an all around wicked fun girl! And thank you SOOOOOOOOOOO much to [b]ecker for being so generous with your time, giving me the opportunity to shoot with you and see first hand how you work your photographer magic, and for being so open and honest! I will always remember this awesome wedding, and I can't think of a better way to wrap up the 2010 wedding season!!!!!!! And now...pictures!Brenna's late grandmother's rosary was wrapped around her bouquet. A truly sweet detail.
Brenna's wedding colors were taupe and red, so when I saw this red chair in her mom's house, I knew I HAD to photograph her shoes on it! And Taylor, the flower girl, is just so sassy! Love!
Gahhhh, Brenna! You are stunning!!!
Their ceremony was held at the Cathedral at Mission San Juan Capistrano! The Cathedral is GORGEOUS!!! Such a breathtaking place for a ceremony.
Loved the bows on the bridesmaids dresses and the red shoes they wore! Such chic details!!
Even the priest was practically in tears over their first kiss! SO special!!
I quickly grabbed this shot as the bridal party was walking to the old Mission for portraits. This shot turned out to be one of my favs of the day!!
A good second shooter catches little moments, when the main photographer is taking care of the big picture. While [b]ecker was grabbing portraits of the bridesmaids, I snapped this shoe shot! LOVE those sexy shoes ladies!!
Then [b]ecker went to photograph Brett and the groomsmen, so Lexi and I had some playtime with Brenna & the girls!! Love this fun candid shot!
Brenna!!! It's not even fair how STUNNING you are!!!
It rained on Saturday. A LOT. But luckily their was a break in the rain for our portraits! And the good news? That gorgeous overcast light! Look how amazing Brett & Brenna look!!
These two have winning smiles!!! Their kids are gonna be super smiley and cute, I can guarantee it!
I love these shots because they really show the day. A little wet and rainy. But super warm and cozy in the love department!
This might be my FAVORITE shot of the day! I know, no faces! But there's something about it!
At the end of the portraits, the sun peaked through the clouds and created the MOST dramatic light, which resulted in the photo on the left!!! KILLER, right?? Then when the sun went away we all headed to the car. And I snagged this shot of Bret & Brenna walking. Again, it totally sums up the day!!!
The wedding had some stunning decor!! Look at those big beautiful roses on the cake! And then another detail I LOVED was their heritage table, filled with old family wedding and engagement photos! So much history! And it shows how valuable wedding photography truly is-- not just for the bride and groom, but for their kids, grand kids, and great grand kids too!
Loved the submerged floral centerpieces and orange uplights! Seriously brides, if you are considering lighting for your reception, I say DO IT!! It adds so much to the look and feel of your reception!!
The toasts were full of laughter & tears!
And the first dance? Well it was SWOON WORTHY! Brett and Brenna are fabulous dancers!!!
This shot? It just makes me LOL!!! I realized I don't post enough funny reception shots, so I thought this would be a good place to start!
Another LOL! Brenna was calling out to her single lady friends to get up for the bouquet toss! The bouquet toss is very serious business. Don't mess with it.
See what I mean about serious business? These ladies are FIGHTING for that bouquet!
The night ended with a sparkler send off! I have never actually seen or done one of these so I was SUPER stoked! [b]ecker asked me to shoot from behind the couple and follow them through the arch because I am so tiny. It was a great way to give the couple another perspective. So here's the shot I captured. It's got motion blur because I was actually running while shooting it. Not really how I shoot, but this was a learning experience and so it was super cool to try something new! So I wanted to share the results!
The last shot of the night. Perfect way to end an perfect day!!!
I absolutely adore outdoor weddings! And luckily, we get a lot of outdoor weddings in SoCal! There is something so beautiful about a couple committing to spend the rest of their lives together under a big blue sky-- perhaps by the ocean or under a big shady a tree. LOVE!Tara + Tim had a gorgeous outdoor wedding...on a working farm no less!! Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch in Moorpark is one of my new favorite venues and it suited Tara + Tim SO well! Tara & Tim said "I do" on a crisp, early fall day, and the venue could not have been more perfect for them. The property is lined with trees, has a rustic feel, and Tara found details and decor that perfectly matched the mood of the day! Tara + Tim glowed all day and could not keep their eyes off each other. It was so beautiful. Their love. The setting. The SoCal Autumn weather. AMAZING! This is exactly why I love love love my job!Thank you sooooo much to Sarina Love for asking me to second shoot this wedding with you! It was a total blast!! And now, onto pics!!Tara looked so happy as she was getting ready!!
I love all things Disney! Ever since I was a little girl, Disney has had a place in my heart! I LOVE LOVE LOVE animated Disney movies (especially the old school ones) and I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Disneyland!! AJ + I even are Disneyland annual pass holders-- so yeah we dig it quite a lot! All this is back-story. So you understand how GIDDY I was when my friend Sarina of Sarina Love Photography asked me to second shoot a Disneyland Hotel wedding with her back in August! It was pretty exciting and turned out to be such an extra fun wedding to photograph!!!Megan + Nicholas had a beautiful wedding on a bright August day at the Disneyland Hotel. They are from San Fransisco, so this was also actually a destination wedding for them! Disney Weddings handled so many of their details to make sure everything was truly a fairy-tale! From the fluttery pink bouquets, to the mickey shaped fan programs, to the gorgeous Cinderella castle cake-- it was everything a Disney fan could want!Megan was so giddy all day! She radiated beauty, joy and sweetness-- just like any Disney princess! And Nick was so charismatic, funny and so very kind. He definitely fits the bill for Prince Charming! Together these two are unstoppable and are simply fabulous! I have no doubt they will be living happily ever after!!And now onto the pictures!
I LOVED Megan's shoes and dress!! Truly what a modern princess would wear!!
On the left is Megan getting ready! Her hair and make up was done by the amazing Susie Chhuor team! On the right is Megan all done up and looking GORGE!!
Megan, you are sooooo beautiful!!! Don't you just love her big laugh and smile?! I know I do!!
Megan's bridesmaids were super cute and giddy all day too!
And the boys? They were just plain cool!
LOVE the little Disney details throughout the day!
Mr. + Mrs.!!!
Can you tell I'm just a tad obsessed with her bling-tastic shoes?!
Oh yeah. Fierce & fabulous! You two are STUNNING!!
I love how much fun Megan and Nicholas have together!!
Fabulous! Just fabulous!!!
LOVE the cake! And the bright pink reception details!!
The first dance was so romantic!!
I also loved the father-daughter dance! It was so touching! Megan and her dad had so much fun together!!
Okay, I may or I may not have squealed when the Mickey theme music came on and they made their grand entrance!
Love this cute picture of Mickey kissing Megan on the cheek!! Perfect ending to a true fairy-tale wedding!!
Matt and Patricia are such a sweet and caring couple. I knew that when I initially met them, and saw it even more during their engagement session. So their wedding? It was no different! During their Catholic mass they kept giving each other stolen glances and smiles! When they were announced husband and wife, they beamed. And when they danced their first dance, to which I might add was impeccably choreographed, they melted into each other. These two could not have been happier to have just committed their lives to each other, and that made me super giddy to watch!!! :)Matt and Patricia's wedding was also filled with so much laughter! And really, I believe laughter is as essential to a wedding as happy tears. Though the priest had many wise words for the couple, he also threw a lot of jokes in. There were many chuckles infused in the ceremony. And at the reception, the toast from Matt's best man (his brother Chris) was HILARIOUS. It was almost a roast and not a toast. Everybody was laughing together, laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes. It was definitely a wedding full of love and emotion. Tres beautiful indeed!So now onto the pictures! Sarina and I started the day with Matt and his groomsmen. They arrived at the church excited for the wedding!! :)
To see more from Matt and Patricia's Long Beach wedding watch the SLIDE SHOW below!
Happy Friday everyone! Today is an extra happy Friday because Dani + Tony's fabulous Mr. and Mrs. session has been featured on Perfect Bound!Perfect Bound is one of my favorite wedding blogs right now because they focus so much on fashion, and glamorous and vintage details! If you are a bride you simply must check it out! You will totally be inspired!!Why not start getting hooked today?! And check out Dani + Tony on Perfect Bound!!
Christina and Syl finally tied the knot last Saturday at the beautiful Vista Valley Country Club in San Diego. I say "finally" because Syl said in his toast that he had been waiting for this day for 22 years. Yes, 22 years people! Syl saw Christina for the first time in the third grade. He thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. So, one day he summoned up the courage to ask Christina if he could walk her home from school. Apparently she shot him down. But Syl didn't give up. He knew she was the perfect girl for him.Later in life, Syl became best friends with Christina's brother. But still she didn't give poor Syl the time of day. But one day everything changed. She was finally ready to let Syl in to her life and realized everything she ever needed had been in front of her all along! I absolutely LOVE that! It may have taken over twenty years, but Syl just proves that good things come to those who wait! And, I loved witnessing these two commit to each other forever & ever! It was truly a happy happy day!!Thanks so much Tina & Syl for trusting me with your big day! I LOVED meeting your sweet friends and family and documenting your joy! Also thanks to Sarina Love so much for second shooting with me!And now....onto pictures and a slide show!LOVE this dress shot! Thanks to groomsman Danny for helping us get the dress to hang from the chandelier! :D
Last Saturday, in Santa Barbara, I photographed the most amazing wedding ever-- the bride and groom, their friends and family, the scenery, the details, the food, EVERYTHING was amazing beyond words. I had to keep pinching myself to make sure it wasn't a dream! And I have to thank Michelle Black of Lehr and Black, who happens to be one of the most fabulous people on planet Earth, for booking me for this wedding. Michelle and I had met at Priscilla & Chris's wedding last August, and ever since I have been itching of working with her again, because as I said she is *fabulous*. So imagine my glee when she wanted li'l ole me to shoot her best friend's wedding! I nearly died of joy when she asked! And then I heard it was going to be in Santa Barbara, and I was double sold! Sweet!But I hadn't met the bride and groom, Jenni and Jamie, and that is always strange for me to show up on the wedding day not knowing the couple. As I have said before, I always try to develop relationships with my couples prior to the big day. So on the drive up to Santa Barbara I was a little nervous of how the wedding day would go. No surprise though, Jenni & Jamie are as equally fabulous as their BFF Michelle and we hit it off right away! Remember how I was talking about Soul-Clients on Tuesday? I think they are yet another example of this! I see a lot of myself in Jenni. She is fun, has an amazing laugh and smile, is refreshingly open and candid, says hilarious things, and knows how to get down low on the dance floor. My kind of woman! Jamie is one cool dude as well. Very funny and very kind. You can see how much he loves Jenni just by the way he looks at her. These two can joke together at ease, make each other laugh, calm each others nerves, and party with each other like teenagers. And its awesome! I could hang out with them all day, just laughing and chillin'. They are that cool! And I am so happy to have witnessed their union. It was a beautiful and personal ceremony-- a bit of laughter, a bit of tears, just the way I like it! I have no doubt these two will be loving and laughing together for the rest of their lives! They are an amazing pair! I feel blessed to have met them and documented their big day! Really, really blessed!Love and laughter is all it takes to make a wedding fabulous. Everything else is icing on the cake. Well, this wedding had a LOT of icing! Because the eye candy was overflowing! Michelle, her mother Ellen and the rest of team at Lehr and Black did an amazing job coordinating and designing every detail of the day. From the gorgeous flowers by Lehr & Black's own Jane & Rudy, to the couture invitations that Lehr and Black are famous for, to the candy buffet, to the stunning tablescapes, to the views from The Santa Barbara Villa they had rented for the affair! Gorgeous! As a surprise to the bride and groom, Ellen hired Santa Barbara based Enjoy Cupcakes to set up the most fabulous dessert bar set up ever. No wait, you do not understand. Enjoy Cupcakes has this vintage trailer and they brought it to the wedding and set up the CUTEST little area for the desserts. Absolutely charming! And then the cupcakes themselves were DELICIOUS. I could have ate them all but that would have been rude. So I didn't! But, really, I think Kevin at Amber of Enjoy Cupcakes are amazing and all brides should be booking them for their weddings, like, RIGHT NOW!All right, I am chatting your ear off and all you want to see are pictures. And there are a ton I tell you! A TON! Thanks to Jenn King for coming along to second shoot for me last Saturday! :) Now for the eye candy!
I recently had the pleasure of attending one of the San Diego Photog Shootout's events! This shoot was a 1950's rockabilly/pin-up theme and it was FABULOUS!!!! I really LOVE themed shoots and wish my clients would want to do more of them! There is just something so much fun about starting with an idea and then finding all the right details and making it come together! Just fabulous! Come on 2010 clients, just give it some thought. Themed engagement shoots are really fun! Just look at the images below!Now of course we did have a lot of amazing vendors that came together to make this shoot so extra fabulous! Thank you to Pamela of Pamela’s Parasols who donated the amazing parasols for the event, Sabrina Sloan who was the fashion consultant/stylist and also provided custom made wardrobe, and Lance Durant of Hire Old Cars who provided five absolutely gorgeous classic cars! The make up was beautifully done by Robyn Mason, and Rebecca McLaughlin from Beaucage Salon handled the hair styling! Lastly, the amazing location we shot was the San Dieguito Heritage Museum! Also special thanks to ShootDotEdit for hosting the after party and to Tofurious for being the guest speaker and teaching me a ton!!!
