WOW!! I cannot believe that 2010 is almost over! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and is gearing up for a Happy New Year!!I also wanna say CONGRATS to anyone who got engaged this holiday season!!! Yippee! You're going to have so much fun wedding planning, at least I know I did when I was engaged! ;) And of course, what better thing to do then take engagement pictures when you are newly engaged?! Pictures are the perfect way to commemorate this magical milestone, and I absolutely LOVE photographing engagement sessions! In fact, I truly believe engagement pictures are a must do for all soon-to-be-weds-- check out this article to see why!So now that you've got engagement sessions on you're mind, I thought I'd share some snaps of some of my favorite 2010 engagement sessions!! I had SUCH an amazing time this past year getting to know all my fabulous couples, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the photos we created together! So without further ado, 2010's Engagement Highlights:We kicked off 2010 with Ryan + Kristina's Getty Center Engagement:
I LOVED Christina + Syl's colorful photoshoot at The Lab in Costa Mesa:
Then there was Elena + Memo in Culver City:
Zoe + Nima brought some fun balloons to their vibrant Santa Monica Pier engagement session:
Christine + Tyler's UCSB engagement was soooo meaningful, personal and BEAUTIFUL:
Andrea + Barbara commemorated their time together in Los Angeles with this fun Santa Monica engagement session:
Jeanette + Pete's Malibu engagement session was so playful and romantic! And that light augggggggggh!!!! See?:
Matt + Patricia's Shoreline Village Long Beach engagement session was so fun!!
Mandi + Dan's Santa Monica engagement shoot was everything I LOVE-- it was fabulous, fun, fierce and vibrant! LOVE:
We ended 2010 with Lizbeth + Robert's fun and fresh engagement session at the Griffith Observatory:
2010 was an amazing year for us! It was our first full wedding season, and I'm so thrilled to say we shot 18 weddings this past year! Eighteen FABULOUS weddings with eighteen VIBRANT couples!! I seriously could not be more giddy or proud! We traveled all over Southern California-- from San Diego to Santa Barbara. And we even shot a wedding in Washington DC! Serious accomplishments, and I could never have done it without all of you-- the amazing people who support my business! So thank you from the bottom of my heart!I wanted to do a blog post highlighting some of the awesome weddings we have shot this year! These are some of my favorite shots from most weddings-- I couldn't fit everything into this post because it was seriously way too long!! Not to worry! You can see images from ALL of the weddings I've photographed this year by watching this SLIDE SHOW!Without further ado, some highlights of 2010 weddings...We kicked off 2010 with Rachel + Mark's wedding at Bluewater Grill in Redondo Beach. Their fabulous wedding was also featured on Style Unveiled!
Jon + Katie's wedding in Camarillo:
Jenni + Jamie's wedding in Santa Barbara. This wedding was featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs!
Courtney + Tomoji's wedding in Pasadena:
Serene + Mike's wedding at Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara. This wedding was featured on Wedding Yentas!
Pam + Justin's wedding at Ceresville Mansion in Frederick, Maryland! Yep this wedding took us all the way to the East Coast!!
Ryan + Kristina's wedding at Castaway's Luau Gardens!
Roy + Kristine's wedding at the LDS Los Angeles Temple:
Zoe + Nima's wedding at Pickwick Gardens in Burbank:
Megan + Nick's Disneyland Hotel wedding:
Christine + Tyler's Temescal Gateway Park wedding in the Pacific Palisades:
Christina + Sylvester's country club wedding in San Diego:
Jeanette + Pete's wedding in Los Angeles:
Dani + Tony eloped! Their photos were featured on Perfect Bound:
Tara + Tim's Tierra Rejada Ranch wedding in Moorpark:
Matt + Patricia's wedding in Long Beach:
Brett + Brenna's Mission San Juan Capistrano wedding:
Another Tuesday, another Top 5! Let's get to it!1. Birthday love. Yesterday was my birthday. Yep it was. And I was BLOWN AWAY by how many people facebooked, called and texted to wish me a happy day! I was especially blown away that so many of brides sent me good wishes, many of them saying they were so glad to call me a friend! THAT MADE MY DAY! I love what I do. I love my clients. And I LOVE when they become friends! I am so thankful to be living this life and so excited for what the next year brings!2. American Pickers. New TV show obsession guys! American Pickers! Its about these guys who scour through estates, essentially digging for "treasure." They buy amazing pieces and then resell at their store. It's kinda an amazing show. Just to see the stuff some people have. And also to see the eye the Pickers have for finding awesome pieces amongst, for lack of a better word, crap! I really see this show as a wedding stylist's dream! All the vintage and shabby chic finds! Perfection! You should check it out!3. Pumpkin Pie. Do I really need to say more?? Pumpkin pie is da bomb!! It is without a doubt my favorite pie! So lucky me that my hubby made me one from scratch instead of a birthday cake! HOLLA!4. Holiday Music. 'Tis the season. When Christmas songs are stuck in my head at all hours. I literally break into song in public without realizing it. Maybe you've heard me humming to myself in the check out line at Target Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock. As embarrassing as the uncontrollable urge to sing Christmas tunes is. I can't help but love it!5. Maru The Cat. I know that with this last one I'm totally outing myself as a crazy cat lady...but I LOVEEEEEE Maru The Cat. I am obsessed with watching his youtube videos! I mean this cat? HE IS HILARIOUS! I just wanna cuddle him. All day long!So for now I will leave you with a video of Maru. It gets really good at the 1:11 mark. And seriously, if you don't find this funny then I don't know if we can be friends. ;)
I was inspired by J*'s post to also dig through all my photos from the year and try to show some pictures of me in action at weddings! You know just in case anyone is wondering what it's like behind the scenes when Ashleigh Taylor Photography shoots a wedding! I really wish I had thought more of this in advance-- like January 2010 in advance-- because unfortunately I don't have pics of me at every wedding I shot! Its kinda sad...like I wasn't even there...except I was! Oh I was! But I figured, let me show you the fun and funny photos I do have of me in action! So without further ado, here I am...in all my glory...shooting weddings!!! :::drumrolls::I'm a shorty so I always try to find chairs I can stand on...Yeah, I'll do anything to grab a shot!
Sometimes I'm a little touchy-feely to get just the right pose from my clients!!
I LOVE showing my clients photos from the back of the camera and seeing how excited they get! That always makes me happy!!
Um, I dunno what's going on here. I was clearly intensely focused on something! And thanks to the hubs for capturing me looking oh so sexy! ;)
I LOVE when I get to shoot alongside my hubby!! We make an awesome team!!
Awwwww me + Laurie at Pam + Justin's wedding! Laurie is my photog friend from DC, so when I shot Pam's DC wedding I HAD to have her along to 3rd shoot! Shooting with friends always yields fab pics!
I'm so adorable! Right???? Clearly I am.
Again, I LOVE showing my brides how dang gorgeous they look!! I think they love the instant feedback too! ;)
Always love getting a shot with my clients! Because by the time the wedding rolls around, my clients have become my good friends! Love you Ryan + Kristina! <3
Where's waldo?! I mean Ashleigh. Where's Ashleigh? I DARE you to find me in this photo. And hint, I'm standing on a chair again! ;)
Lastly, here is I am with Cindee at Roy + Kristine's wedding. I kinda told Cindee I wouldn't post this....but I can't resist!! SO please everyone leave comments telling her how very cute she is!!
Here at Ashleigh Taylor Photography, we are really gearing up for 2011 and trying to take things to a whole new level!! I am SO committed to giving my clients THE BEST. That means the best experience, the best customer service, the best photos, and of course the best products to showcase those photos. There is NO better way to preserve and showcase your wedding photos than with a wedding album. And I'm super excited about our new albums for 2011!!These days, it seems albums get overlooked. Brides want digital files, and often that's all that is considered. But it shouldn't be. Because if your house was burning down, I doubt the first think you'd think to grab would be a disc. You'd probably first think to grab your photo albums. Furthermore, flipping through images on a computer is not an ideal way to share images with family, friends and your future kids and grandkids. It's just not a warm, cozy environment and it doesn't have that same gratification you get when you hold a photo and gaze at it.One of my favorite memories as a kid was taking out my parents' wedding album and flipping through it with my mom. I sat in her lap and we looked long at each photo. I was filled with wonder! My mom looked like such a beautiful princess and my dad looked handsome! I saw my grandparents and aunts and uncles all looking so young and happy. Everyone looked amazing. I liked seeing the flowers, and the cake, and my mom and dad's first kiss. It didn't seem like their love story. In my mind, it was my story. Because in my little kid mind, it was that magical day, and my parent's love, that made me possible.Now looking at my parents' wedding album has a whole new set of emotions. So many beloved family members in it are no longer alive. And its so nice to hold onto their pictures through this album. It was a day where they looked their best and were so happy. And that is exactly how I want to remember my family that has passed-- particularly my grandparents who passed this year.Do not underestimate the power of a wedding album. It is an heirloom. It is your family history. And it will not just be a treasure to you, but one day it will be treasured by your kids, and grandkids, and even great grandkids. It will last the test of time and be handed down through generations. I just can't envision anyone handing down a disc with such love.And since, the importance of an album is so great, and since these albums must last the test of time, I have chosen to have all my weddings albums made exclusively by Leather Craftsmen. Leather Craftsmen has been around forever and there is a reason for it. They offer gorgeous, quality products and have amazing customer service. I am always searching for the BEST products to offer my brides, and Leather Craftsmen really is the BEST when it comes to albums.
The albums are delivered in a beautiful box! The box is sturdy and a great way to store and protect your album when you don't want to show it off! ...And I love that my logo is imprinted on the side of the box!!
Every album we design is unique! There are so many ways you can customize your cover. Each album comes standard with one cover photo and one line of imprinting on either the front, back or spine!! You can also choose between a leather or book cloth cover! Both are STUNNING!Below is a book cloth cover and we've added a stripe for a bit more pop! I LOVE the texture of the cloth-- and that it is vegan friendly!I love that the albums can really capture each couple's personality and style and yet still maintain a timeless elegant feel. It is the perfect accessory for your coffee table! I can guarantee that everyone who comes over will actually want to look it at! ;)
Here is another view of this STUNNING book! It's 12x12 which is quite an impressive size. It truly makes a statement!
For this album, we imprinted the bride and groom's name on the back of the back! It keeps the design clean, chic and a bit unexpected which I LOVE!
I LOVE the full page spreads!! Look at how stunning that is!
The pages are Leather Craftsmen's standard thick black pages! They are guaranteed for life and won't warp or bend! The albums are all SO well crafted and made with care. These albums are meant to last for a lifetime and then some...this is definitely something to pass down to your grandkids and even your GREAT grandkids. Truly an heirloom!
I also love the luxurious leather covers as you see for Rachel & Mark's album. This cover is in Mahogany and it's so rich and gorgeous!
For this 10x10 album, we had the couple's name imprinted on the spine! It's super classy looking!! This book could not be more clean, classic and timeless!
So sorry the TT5 has been absent! Blame it on flu season! But now it is back again and I'm excited to share this week Top 5's with you!! So here goes:1. Thanksgiving. I haven't blogged since Thanksgiving...but my Thanksgiving was awesome! I cooked and ate so much yummy food and spent the evening with my family! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Perhaps because food plays a central role. But mostly because the focus isn't on presents, it's just about sitting down at eating a good meal with those you love. And appreciating the good in life. And this year? It has had a LOTS to be thankful for. Especially, wonderful friends & family, my husband, our two amazing kitties and my FABULOUS clients!! :)2. Throat Coat Tea. If you got a soar throat, I HIGHLY recommend this tea. Not only is it yummy (it has a licorice taste) but it is SOOO soothing and really does help make your throat feel better. This is my secret weapon during cold and flu season, and has been for years! LOVE it!3. Pitbulls and Parolees. When I was sick, I watched a whole lot of TV. Especially at times I don't normally watch TV...so I got exposed to some new shows. I found myself watching a whole lot of History Channel, Animal Planet and Nat Geo. One show I discovered that really touched my heart is Animal Planet's Pitbulls & Parolees. It's all about the Villalobos Rescue center, where they rescue and rehabilitate pitbulls, and also employ parolees to help care for the dogs. This is a show about second chances and redemption, which I found really touching and inspiring. I also got so moved by the different stories of the rescued pitbulls. These dogs have been through SO many hard times, from being forced to be fighting dogs, to being abused, abandoned, and left for dead, to surviving storms like Hurricane Katrina. The center has 200 doggies that need loving homes and it BREAKS my heart. What Tia and her team do for misunderstood dogs, and people, is amazing and really inspiring. So now I'm kinda in love with this show!4. Boardwalk Empire. Boardwalk Empire had been my newest favorite HBO show! I'm in love! The costumes, the sets, the actors, the writing! It's all fantastic! And it definitely makes me so curious about the 1920s! What an intriguing era in history! Last night was the season finale of Boardwalk Empire and I'm already sooooo anxious for season 2!! No clue where the story is gonna go, but I cannot wait to see more!!5. The Glee Wedding. I know I'm a bit behind here, but I haven't done a TT5 since this episode aired...so HOW MUCH DID WE LOVE THE GLEE WEDDING??!! Well, I definitely did. I gotta admit...I cried! It was a really cute episode and I found myself secretly wishing it was real and I was hired to be the wedding photographer. Yeah you can say it, I AM A NERD! But whatever, I am a sucker for misfit teens singing show-tunes. Maybe the Glee trend will catch on, and next year I will shoot a wedding where the bridal party not only dances down the aisle, but also sings! In perfect harmony. Asking too much??
photos left to right: 1) good stuff and hot tv 2) about knowledge 3) homorazzi
First, I'd like to say I'M ALIVE!!!!! I'm so sorry for not posting at all last week! Right after Thanksgiving I got really sick with a fevery-laryngitis-flu type thing. And it was AWFUL! I didn't do a lick of work last week...and I hated it. I'd much rather be taking photos, editing and blogging than being sick!! Because, seriously, I LOVE my job! So I'm super glad to be back! And can you believe it's already the 2nd week of December?? I sure as heck cannot!!!Sooo...I thought I'd start a new series on this blog about things I LOVE. Just to share with my fellow readers some really cool products that make life a bit sweeter! What better product to start with than SOLEMATES!
Solemates are the PERFECT invention for brides!! Perfect!!! Every bride getting married outdoors NEEDS these!! And brides while you're at it, get your bridesmaids a set as well! They make great gifts and will be super helpful on your big day!Basically, what Solemates are is this little rubber stopper you add to your high heels to make it so you don't sink into the grass! I can't tell you how many of my brides get married in grassy areas, and don't have these! And then, when it comes time to take pictures on the grass, or even walk down the aisle on grass, they sink and lose balance! And really there is nothing worse than being uncomfy and feeling unbalanced on your wedding day! Solemates are **the** solution to the problem! I promise you will love them!! And they will make your pictures turn out better too! Because you and your girls will be able to stand poised and pretty on your big day! ;)The holidays are just around the corner, and these little gems would make a great stocking stuffer too! You can totally thank me later!! ;)
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!!!
This week's Inspired Ideas is all about COLOR!! I absolutely love bold, vibrant, colors! It's something people notice right away about my work! And nothing makes me happier than when my couples appreciates color too!These days I think in certain circles the idea of having "wedding colors" makes people groan. But as both a former bride and a wedding photographer, I can really say that picking some wedding colors is one of the best things you can do! First of all, strong color choices always look good in photos! Colorful details give photos extra pop! And as a bride, having a set of clearly defined wedding colors is awesome because it really helps to focus your decor ideas and plan thoughtful details for the day! For example, my wedding colors were tangerine, raspberry and lime green accents. I used these colors not only in my florals, linens, stationary and lighting scheme, but also was able to find small details to add to the wedding in my color scheme. My shoes were tangerine. The bridesmaids (though their dresses were black) wore raspberry colored shoes and lime green orchids in their hair! The guys wore some funky socks with pink & green in them. Little touches that helped tie everything together! So that is why I think its super smart to choose some colors for your wedding!I think the backlash against colors may be a backlash against "traditional" colors. Combos that is just a color + white/ivory or champagne or silver. I think wedding colors drum up a "un-hip" image in a lot of people's minds!And that is where this post comes in. To offer up some super modern, fresh, chic color palettes for your wedding! One of the hottest things in weddings right now is color schemes that feature gray as a neutral! I totally love this and think gray is such a classy color! So here goes, my ideas for hip wedding colors!Yellow + GrayYellow and gray is a super hip color scheme! This is a slightly different take as it brings in some orange too! I LOVE these colors together and think it could work in all seasons! Imagine having yellow tulips and daffodils or even yellow and cream roses and dahlias! Fab!!!!
Navy + Mustard YellowI love these colors together because of the sharp contrast! It feels unexpected, especially for a wedding! I'm sure guests would love to see such unique colors for a wedding and would make your wedding extra memorable! Navy is pretty chic right now and I bet you could find some super cute navy bridesmaids dresses. Or the guys could wear navy suits and yellow ties which is oh-so preppy!! This color scheme could work for a beach or nautical theme wedding but equally well as a preppy wedding! I also LOVE the idea of the bride navy shoes! That would be FAB!!!
Pink, yellow, gray, turquoise, purple!!This color theme is FESTIVE and FUN! It has a lightness and frivolity to it which I LOVE. I could see myself getting re-married with these colors! There are so many different themes these colors conjure in my mind-- like modern-vintage flea market chic, or a modern take on a fiesta, or even La Baroque/Marie Antoinette! Whichever way you choose to go with these colors keep it whimsical! I could see all the bridesmaids choosing their own vintage dresses, or hunting flea markets to find eclectic details for this wedding! It would be so very fun & chic!
All of the palettes in these posts were made via colourlovers which is a great online resource for finding and creating color palettes!! Brides who don't have colors picked yet should def check it out!I hope this post has inspired my couples to think outside of the box when it comes to wedding colors and has brought a bit of coolness back to the idea of choosing colors for your wedding!! Happy Friday everyone! Hope y'all have fabulous weekend!!
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!!
Sorry this TT5 is coming out late in the day. It's been a busy busy week y'all! Which is funny, because I really thought I was in the slow season. But I'm not! And that right there? Is AWESOME! So here is a evening installment of TT5! Enjoy!1. The Photography Community. Lately the photography community has just blown me away. A year ago I was just starting to really get involved. But secretly I was afraid. Afraid of being judged. Afraid of being laughed at. Who did I think I was trying to be a photographer? I was just a little, scrawny blonde girl. But this year I have met so many amazing people. Made some fantastic friends. And have been invited to so many events and been asked to shoot with people I would have never ever dreamed of meeting, let alone shoot with. It's surreal. And yet it's real. I definitely feel a part of something. And respected. And that I'm no longer seen as a newbie or wannabe, but a respected SoCal photographer. And that right there? Means everything! I love this community and love doing what I do!2. Pumpkin Cupcakes. I love pumpkin everything. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin bread. Pumpkin froyo. Pumpkin spice lattes. And so it is no wonder I love Pumpkin cupcakes!!! This week I had one from Magnolia Bakery on 3rd Street and it was deeeeeeeeeelicious. It had maple frosting and walnuts in the batter. Yum and yum! I <3 this time of year!3. Cinnamon Rolls made from SCRATCH. My husband is sexy. He knows his way around...a Kitchen Aid stand mixer! Awwww yeeeeah! Yep my husband likes to keep the spice of marriage alive by baking me all sorts of delectable goodies FROM SCRATCH! Did I score, or did I score? This week he baked me cinnamon rolls. He made the dough and frosting himself. The dough took 24 hours. And I had to be the most patient girl in the world. But it was worth waiting. They were DIVINE! And my hubs? Well he scored extra points for that one!4. Going Outside My Comfort Zone. Apparently Jennifer Aniston once said "Everything you could possibly want is just outside your comfort zone. Everything.you.could.possibly.want!" When I read that years ago I was like "Dang. Guess I won't be getting what I want then..." YEAH. Cause going outside my comfort zone? I HATE IT! But lately something changed. In the past month I have done so many things that terrified me. I've done things that had my instinct saying "no, you can't do that" or "are you nuts? that's too hard and scary for you." I squashed the little voice in my head, put my big girl pants on, and as Nike would say JUST DID IT. And it's been good. The results have been phenomenal, and I couldn't be happier to be stepping outside my comfort zone. So maybe I will get everything I could possibly want!!5. Facebook. Okay so that sounds totalllllly lame and nerdy! Really, Ashleigh?! FACEBOOK?! In your TOP 5?! Okay well hear me out, yo! Facebook has opened SO many opportunities for me and my business. Especially recently. I've connected with so many awesome people, that otherwise I may not have been able to. I've made a lot of my wedding industry friends by realizing all our commonalities on Facebook. I've met clients over facebook. Yes, I've met clients because of Facebook. If that isn't amazing, well then I do not know what is! FAB! Definitely fab enough to be in the top 5!
Left to right: Facebook logo from official site, Nike logo from official site, Alton Brown's Overnight cinnamon rolls from Beantown Baker, Magnolia Bakery Pumpkin Spice cupcake from flickr user Liz Clutterbuck.
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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:
'Tis the season! It is nearly the holidays and it's time to think about holiday cards and family gifts! Holiday mini-sessions are perfect for this! These short sessions are easy on the wallet and give you the beautiful pictures you need for your holiday cards, to give as gifts to family and friends, and of course to document your love and celebrate the season!Check out our flyer!!
If you have any questions about this deal, or are interested in booking a session please email me!
So lately I have just hopped on the food truck band wagon, and I'm not getting off any time soon! I am kinda OBSESSED with food trucks. I might think about eating at one once every 2.5 seconds. Yes, it's almost an addiction! A delicious, delicious addiction!So I thought, why not write about some of my fav food trucks I have tried thus far for this week's Tuesday Top 5! Warning: this post may make you hungry!1. Grilled Cheese Truck. I don't even know if it needs explanation. It's called the GRILLED CHEESE truck. That should be enough right there. But I will go on! These guys are so awesome (and crazy) that they put MAC-N-CHEESE between bread and grilled it! Oh heeeeeeels yeah! If that is wrong my friends, then I do not want to be right! Their brie grilled cheese is also quite decadent and delish! I love the combo of the creamy brie with sweet pears, and honey and the crunch of the cranberry-walnut bread. YUM! Please do not miss their tomato soup while you are there!! The soup has the perfect amount of acid to cut through the richness of your grilled cheese! It is truly the perfect compliment to any one of their savory sammiches! But don't forget to get dessert here too! Yes DESSERT! Three words- banana, nutella, marshmallow! Heaven! Give me a warm, gooey banana, marshmallow, nutella pressed sandwich, and I just may kiss you! But don't tell AJ!2. Border Grill Truck. The Border Grill truck is a pretty high end taco truck! I mean, how many taco trucks can you get LEGIT ceviche from? I absolutely love the ceviche, which they serve in a cone, from the Border Grill Truck! It's citrusy, sour, and the flavors are so very bright! The fish has the perfect firm texture. And the portion is actually quite large and satisfying!! I also really loved the rajas-potato taco I got at Border Grill! The flavors in this taco are so much more complex than I expected! There's the silky, creaminess of the potatos... the smokey peppery taste of the chiles (aka rajas)... and the sweet-tangy-crunch of pickled red onions to top it all off! Can you say YUM-O?! AJ had the pork taco and fish taco and said they were quite delish as well!!3. Kogi BBQ. Kogi is really the truck that started them all...and I know why. Because Kogi makes DELICIOUS food! Seriously chef Roy Choi should get an award for combining Mexican and Korean flavors in such a genius way! For me Kogi lives up to the hype! There's not much on the menu I can eat since I'm not a meat eater, but the tofu tacos are SO satisfying I don't even care. I could have 8. In one sitting. Yes, they are that good! AJ loves the pork there, in burrito OR taco form! They really do have something for everyone!4. Komodo Truck. Komodo serves up delicious, delicious tacos!! They are all very unique flavors! And I love that you can get 4 tacos for only $10! The spicy shrimp taco is my favorite. But, dang, it is spiiiiiicy!!!! They also have a really tasty fish taco that is pretty unique! It's fried fish, with mayo and grapes!! So it's very mild, creamy, and sweet!! AJ's favorite taco at Komodo is the skirt steak with the corn salsa! He says it rocks his tummy xcore!5. Ragin' Cajun. I saw this truck on The Great Food Truck Race on Food Network. So when I saw it in person? I kinda acted like it was a celeb sighting. If you had looked at me you would've thought I had just laid eyes on Brad Pitt or something. So you can tell, I am a HUGE food nerd! Of course I had to try their grub! The only thing for a non-meat-eater like me was the Shrimp Po' Boy but I ain't complaining because I loveeeee shrimp! The shrimp Ragin' Cajun puts on their Po Boy are fairly large and have really good flavor. They lightly bread and fry them which gives them the perfect crunch! I also LOVE pouring their special garlic sauce on my sandwich! That made everything taste extra heavenly!So there you have it... My Top 5 LA Food Trucks that I have tried...THUS FAR!! Give me a week or two and I'm sure there will be a part 2!!! ;)
Top row, left to right: Border Grill Truck's ceviche from R.E., Shrimp Po'boy from Ragin' Cajun website, Spicy Shrimp Taco from Komodo Truck website.Bottom row, left to right: Nutella, banana, marshmellow desert melt from Grilled Cheese Truck website, tofu taco from Kogi BBQ website, Next Food Truck Race truck logo from Food Network website.
Booking season is upon us! Newly engaged couples everywhere are looking for fab wedding vendors, planning out wedding day logistics, and trying to communicate those plans with friends & family! A wedding website is an easy way to share information with guests, as well as let them to know who you are as a couple and share your photos! That is why wedding websites have become all the rage among modern brides!So I am super thrilled to announce a new perk to being an Ashleigh Taylor bride in 2011. We now offer a FREE wedding website to all new clients who book a wedding collection!The website will showcase your engagement photos, and your wedding photos too once the big day comes! It will also have a place to share important wedding info like your love story, the wedding day info, and even links to your registry! There is also a cool facebook integrated Guest Book where your friends & family can leave their well wishes & congrats! Should you wish to add a link to your wedding blog or info regarding your rehearsal dinner or shower, we can hook you up with that too! ;) After you book, you will receive a questionnaire of what info you want (or don't want) on the site and we will take it from there! No hard work for you! Just an easy-peasy fabulous wedding website!!So are you stoked??Check out a Christina & Syl's Wedding Website to get an idea of how yours will look!
This week I bring you another inspired DIY project from the ever fabulous Wedding Chicks! Its DIY ideas for how to use old-fashioned silhouette portraits as part of your wedding decor, as well as some downloadable templates!!! I am obsessed with this idea and this silhouettes are oh-so-cute and chic!There really is NO END to what you can do with the silhouette motif! You can put it on your save-the-dates, invitations, programs, menus and escort cards! You can print them and frame them in cute mix-n-match frames and hang them around your reception! You can have your cake designer incorporate them into your cake! You could even make little cookies with the motif frosted on for favors! I'm telling you the possibilities are ENDLESS. And since you can DIY most of the aforementioned ideas, it is very cost effective!The color combos that would work with this silhouette motif are also a-plenty! Anything that will look good with black and white would pretty much work. But let me suggest some chic color combos! For example gray and yellow would look fab with silhouettes! Or even black-white-yellow (see the Viceroy Palm Springs for black-white-yellow colors done CHIC). As pictured below, robin's egg blue and black look fab! But I will even go out on a limb and suggest that a deep purple with gold accents could look fab as well!Sound Inspiring? GO check out this post on the Wedding Chicks to download the templates and get even more ideas!!
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!!
Hello interwebs! forgot to say earlier that I hope everyone had a great Halloween weekend! I can't believe it's already November. Crazy!! So yes, it's Tuesday and here's this week's Top 5 for y'all!1. Halloween. What can I say? I LOVE Halloween! Always have and always will! I love dressing up in costume and seeing the clever costumes others come up with! I love all the spooky decorations. I love a good strobe light and fog machine! I love the jack-o-lanterns! And I LOVE trick-or-treating. I do. Nothing more fun than walking around the neighborhood and seeing all the decorated houses and the people in costume and of course all the candy! Yep, Halloween, you are so very good! I will love you forever! And ps-- I was a bat this year in case anyone is wondering!2. My Nephew. My nephew is the funniest and quirkiest seven year old on this planet!!!! I guarantee you!!!! There are many reasons for this, but let me just share one. For Halloween he was Colonel Sanders. Yes, of KFC fame. LOLZ FOREVER. He trick or treated with a cane. He walked with a cane and hunched himself over like an old man. He told everyone he saw he was 90 years old. The entire neighborhood was cracking up! Yeah, that's my nephew. And I couldn't be prouder! This kid is going places! Watch out Will Ferrell!!3. Free Haunted Houses. So I love Halloween. I also LOVE haunted houses. I even more love homemade, FREE, haunted houses. I knew 2 different friends who were putting on haunted houses at their homes this year! Both were in the South Bay so it made for a perfect way to spend my Saturday night! Both haunted houses were SO elaborate for something just made at home! I totally would've paid to go in them, but heck I won't say no to anything FREE!! It was really fun to see how creative people can get and it was even more fun to scream and get all scurrred!! LOVE IT!4. Sherlock Holmes on PBS. Hey guys, did you know PBS is showing a new show on Sherlock Holmes? It's a modern take to the story! It's SUPER GOOD and entertaining!!! Tonight we are gonna watch the second installment! I'm so pumped!!5. Carcassone. Sooooo AJ and I got a new board game! AND I AM IN LOVE WITH IT! It was recommended to us by the owner of a game shop in Santa Barbara. He recommended it to us because it's like my beloved game Ticket To Ride, only much less expensive and actually better for 2 players. I had sooooo much fun playing this game with AJ! I want to share it with the world! Everyone should play! It's just the funnest!! It's like really easy yet really hard at the same time. Not hard, but you know, it's all how you plan and strategize! Love it! I recommend y'all put it on your holiday wish lists!!Since posts are always better with a photo...Here is a picture of me as a "bat" with my nephew as Colonel Sanders taken by AJ with our point-n-shoot!! Yes, I look like a 12 year old! :)
Oh and one last note, don't forget to get out and rock the vote today! No matter what side you are on, it's so important we citizens get to the polls and exercise our rights! Do some research on the propositions as we in California have some important measures on the ballot!Lastly, it is my daddy's birthday today! Happy birthday Dad!! I love you sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!
...that can really make life grand. That can make a regular day a pretty exciting one. A little thing like waking up to find that a photo you have taken is being featured on brides.com!! :)I have to give a huge thank you to the fabulous Erica O'Brien for being an AMAZING cake designer and for trusting me to take photos of her work. I am so thrilled I did a good job for her and that her gorgeous work is being showcased by Brides!Seriously if you need a cake designer, Erica is your gal! Her work is STUNNING and extremely tasty too! She has been featured all over the place this year, so get her for your wedding before she is all booked up! :)Check out Erica O'Brien's White Winter Cake on brides.com:
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!