Samantha + James are another one of my AMAZING 2014 couples! They are actually from Canada but fell in love with Santa Barbara a few years ago on vacation and decided to get married here! Their wedding is going to be so spectacular I can hardly wait! But for now I have their engagement photos to share! I had such a fun time on the Mesa and at Hendry's Beach with these two! The weather felt like summer even though it is only February, which was a real treat for these two Canadians who have been experience -30 degrees at home!I loved seeing how sweet these two are together and photographing their love! These two were all giggles and smiles. They are so excited to be getting married and are approaching the whole process with enthusiasm and a sense of calm, which I just love! Their joy & passion really comes across in the photos! So without further ado.... Sam + James!

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Last week I blogged about Rita & Marilyn's Mother-Daughter Glamour Session.  That day was so special to my heart because it was so fun to help two amazing women feel beautiful, sexy, confident and empowered. It was also quite meaningful to document their bond and relationship and I know the photographs will be something they will cherish for the rest of their lives, especially as their family grows.And while the joint pictures were so beautiful and sentimental, I think the solo shots are really special and meaningful as well. Because seriously, how amazing is it to have a beautiful photo of yourself you can be proud of every time you see it?!A lot of the moms in my mother daughter shoots feel particularly self conscious. They worry they won't look young, beautiful, or skinny. They love watching their daughters shine and they secretly want to shine as well. But they are afraid. Afraid they just can't look good.But that's where they are wrong. I look at moms and see a beautiful woman, with a gorgeous inner light, and an elegant sophistication and sensuality only time and life experience can bring! I love helping to style and pose moms to bring all this out and make them shine so bright it.Marilyn was so fun to photograph because she has such style and sophistication and the most beautiful, warm, genuine soul. She's a mom, a business owner, a super creative person and a single gal looking for fun! We laughed, and just had such a blast during the shoot! And as the shoot went on I saw her nerves fade and her have so much fun-- maybe more fun than Rita was having if that's possible! I am pretty sure she could have shot two more hours, if getting hungry for lunch wasn't an issue for all of us! LOL! I just adore these photos of Marilyn. She has such a glow and beauty that can't be matched. Look below and you will see what I mean!

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A few days ago I blogged about Rita & Marilyn's Mother-Daughter Glamour Session. It was a gorgeous and fun filled day of bonding, love, and feminine energy! Today I am excited to share Rita's solo images for the shoot! I've photographed Rita several times before, but WOW, girl keeps getting more and more beautiful! It was funny because at the shoot she was tired and said I was giving her a pilates-esque work out with all the poses. But when she saw the pictures she was blown away and admitted all the contorting was totally worth it! hehehe!Rita had an amazing wardrobe and set of accessories to play with and each outfit was so fun to shoot too! Sequins, tulle, lace and more sequins... YES she is a girl after my own heart! Check out all her beauty below!

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I am soooo very excited that the lovely JunebugWeddings.com contacted me to share some boudoir tips for them and to feature some of my photos! I absolutely adore Junebug, as they only feature the best of the best photos, so it is a real honor to see my boudoir work featured there today! :)If you have ever wondered about doing boudoir, this is the article to read! Go check it out here:

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I seriously LOVE LOVE LOVE Mother/Daughter Glamour sessions. They are just too fun, too sweet and too beautiful.You may remember my bride, Rita. Rita saw some of my glamour work and decided she wanted to do a shoot so she could have some gorgeous photos of herself alone that weren't bridal. She also told me her mother-in-law, Marilyn, might be interested too. And I said, well YES then bring her to your shoot! That way the two of them could have some fun , girly bonding time and get some gorgeous photos together, and also cheer each other on during the individual photos. And that is exactly what happened.These two had so a blast dressing up, sharing jewelry and accessories, cheering each other on, blowing fan air in each others hair and just being carefree together.I made sure they felt pampered and each got equal individual time and some amazing photos together they can cherish forever, especially as their family grows!  In the end they each got a beautiful folio box full of magazine quality matted portraits and were so ecstatic. It was honestly a perfect shoot in every way, and I only wish all mothers-daughters would do a shoot like this!!Below check out Marilyn & Rita's joint images. Soon I will blog their individuals!

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Danielle & Jevin are one of my super fab 2014 wedding couples! Their wedding is swiftly approaching... it's just 6 weeks away! So I am super excited to share their gorgeous Santa Barbara engagement session! I had so much fun with them creating these images, and know their wedding at the Four Seasons Biltmore will be even more fun & spectacular! :)Check it out below:

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J & D had a beautiful and intimate wedding last week at the El Encanto Resort in Santa Barbara. El Encanto is a historic and breathtaking property nestled in the hills above the city. It is the perfect place for nature lovers to get married as you are surrounded by hills, trees and an amazing ocean view! So it was truly the perfect place for J & D to get married as they love California and our beautiful coastline.J & D traveled half way across the country so they could be married here in Santa Barbara and it was such an honor to document their beautiful day. These two have been together for quite a long time, and so it was truly moving to witness them being able to finally make their love and commitment to each other official. They were surrounded by their family and closest friends who cheered them on with so much love and joy. After their ceremony, they had a beautiful intimate dinner on the Ocean Terrace. Great conversation, yummy food, heartfelt toasts, and lots of laughs were had by all. It was such a happy night. I was grinning so big from ear to ear photographing it. Because weddings like this? Weddings where it's all about love, family, friends, and just celebrating the gifts of life? That is really what it is all about.Huge thanks to Percy Sales for his amazing job planning this wedding! Fun fact-- this wedding was planned in less than 25 days, which makes Percy a rock star! Also, shout out to Keith J Laverty for the beautiful floral design for this intimate celebration! And of course, thanks to Kelsey for 2nd shooting!

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Meet Lisa. Lisa is a mother, a business owner and a true love guru! She is the owner/matchmaker at Santa Barbara MatchMaking and has helped so many people find love, happiness and meaningful relationships! What an amazing job and contribution to the world! Lisa was so fun to photograph because she radiated joy and positive energy. Just look at her big smile. You can't help but smile back when you see it! I so loved photographing her! Now it's your turn to enjoy the images... :) 

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Meet Farideh! Farideh is an amazingly fun, sweet and crazy stylish woman!  She is a wife, mother and believe it or not a NEW GRANDMOTHER too! Can you believe it? She's the most beautiful grandma I've ever seen! She looks just like Sandra Bullock, doesn't she? Farideh had so much fun at the glam shoot because she really does love to dress up and be girly. And while the shoot was not out of her comfort zone, like it is for most of my clients, I could tell it was till an empowering and fun experience for her. You can see it in the photos-- she's having the time of her life! I know one day her little grandbaby will look at these photos and cherish them! How cool to have such beautiful portraits of your grandma! Portraits like this are such a multi-layered gift because they are for you of course, but also for all the people who love you and want to remember you. Such a special treasure! And I of course had so much fun taking these pictures too! Check them out!

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China + Dylan are one of my super adorable 2014 couples! I am so excited for their Great Gatsby themed wedding later this year, especially considering how fun their engagement shoot was! China & Dylan are one of my few couples that are local to Santa Barbara, so our engagement shoot was sort of a tour of their love story. We started at the place where they met, and ended at their neighborhood beach (yes, only in SB can you have a neighborhood beach! hehe). These photos are so vibrant & fun! Check them out below!!

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Anne + Eric were married last weekend here in sunny Santa Barbara! Their ceremony was at the historic old Mission, but the rest of their festivities were held at the beautiful Bacara Resort. Anne + Eric's wedding was pure elegance. From the tulle & lace bridal gown, to the six pairs of designer shoes the bride chose from to wear that day, from the blush sequin bridesmaids dresses, to the men looking handsome in tuxes, to the crystal candelabras which adorned the reception to the huge live band... every detail was elegant & classic. You definitely will want to check it out below!Major thanks to LunaBella for a beautiful job on hair & make up that day, as well as to Katie the coordinator for organizing the day, and of course the amazing Bacara staff! Also thanks to Kelsey for 2nd shooting!Check out the images below...

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Meet Mara. Mara is a wife, a yogi, a Zumba instructor and an Austinite (someone from Austin TX). She used to live in Santa Barbara, and that's how I was lucky enough to meet and photograph her. I had so much fun getting to know Mara at our shoot and photograph her. She really loved getting all dolled up and the whole prep part of the shoot! Which just goes to show that having hair & make up done not only helps because it looks nice in photos, but it actually is a fun experience in itself and helps you relax into the shoot. She also had fun posing for me and letting her personality shine. I am so excited to share these gorgeous images of her! Enjoy!

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We first opened our special Valentine's Day all inclusive mini-sessions up to our facebook fans and the response has been crazy! Now there are only 2 spots left on Saturday 2/1/14. Rarely do we do mini-sessions like these, but for Valentine's Day? Well it just makes sense! Who wouldn't want to give their love the gift of sexy? Or heck, maybe you're single. Valentine's Day can be rough on single gals (trust me I've BEEN THERE) so what better time to remember what a sexy fox you are and celebrate your fabulousness?! Am I right ladies!!Check out the flyer below for some info...Our full boudoir folio can be seen here!Interested in snagging one of the last TWO spots? Email info@ashleightaylorphotography.com for more details! 

Randa + Joe are another one of my absolutely adorable 2014 couples! And they were my first engagement session of 2014-- what a way to kick off the year! :) These two are super sweet, giggly, fun and just all around cool people. I could not be more excited for their wedding this summer! Check out their Santa Barbara engagement session below and stay tuned for their wedding post later this year! Judging by their engagement sesh, their wedding photos will be out of this world!!

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Nanette, beautiful Nanette. She is an amazing officiant of weddings here in Santa Barbara and an all around wonderful spirit to be around. Nanette isn't that into getting glam every day. She told me before her shoot she had no idea what to wear or what kind of hair & make up she would like. It was a whole new world for-- to do this who girly glam thing. Which actually really excited me! I knew I could take her through a transformation and help her feel beautiful in a whole new way. The whole shoot we giggled. She kept saying "Oh my god" every time she looked in the mirror! She could hardly believe that very glamorous reflection. But she was having fun and she was willing to try anything. And her eyes. Her eyes just radiated. You can see so much of her beautiful soul in these pictures. Because she just went with it, let her guard down and let me see her beauty. And I happily captured.These images were taken 6 months ago, and yet they are still some of my favorite all time favorite images. When I look at these pictures I see a beautiful woman, embracing her femininity, and baring her soul. Pictures this beautiful are something to be cherished forever.

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Haley + Peter are getting married this spring in beautiful Santa Barbara! I just adore these two and it was so fun photographing there in engagement session around town! We got really lucky too with the MOST INCREDIBLE SUNSET EVER! The sky was so pink! It was just so unique and special for them! Check out their gorgeous engagement photos below and stay tuned for the wedding!

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I am so excited to share Tina's inspiring boudoir story. Tina was given a gift certificate for a boudoir sitting by her friend Stacey, who is also a past boudoir client of mine, for her 40th birthday. Tina had been going through a few ups and downs the year before in her personal life, and she told me she really just needed a day to herself-- to rejuvenate, feel beautiful, pampered, relaxed and sexy again. Because she wanted to start 40 off right. I was so excited!! Because this is why I do what I do. My passion is helping women reconnect to their inner (and also outer) beauty and femininity. And I wanted to give Tina the time of her life.The day of the shoot, we did just that. I photographed Tina prior to having my studio, so we shot at her home. There were some logistical challenges-- like when her kids came home from school early or when her sweet kitty thought my seamless paper backdrop was the greatest toy ever-- but we powered through those things and had some serious LOLs. Tina drank champagne, got her hair & make up done by Page, and giggled with us Stacey who was there to cheer her on. We sorted through her wardrobe and picked the sexiest options that really fit her style and the way she dreamed of looking. I guided her into poses. WE MADE HER LOOK & FEEL HOT. It was so nice to just celebrate her all day and help her feel 40 and Fabulous! By the end of the shoot she has a certain confidence and was letting her inner light shine through. It was beautiful. And I was honored to help facilitate bringing that out of her!A few weeks later she came to her viewing session, and I revealed her pics and she was so thrilled! She ended up choosing all of them and told me she would cherish them forever. And that is what I want, to give my clients beautiful images, reflections of themselves, that they can cherish forever!Thank you Tina for allowing me to share your beautiful story and a few of her pictures. You are 40 & Fabulous, and you will always be fabulous! It was an honor to photograph you during this milestone moment in your life and help you feel beautiful!

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Check out these super sexy boudoir photos I took last year on location in Santa Barbara, before I had my studio! I just adore the glamour of this shoot! It is always so fun for me to help style my clients based on the look they dream of achieving and guide them into fun, flattering and sensual poses. But it's even more fun to see a client come out of her nervous shell and into embracing her beauty and confidence. This shoot is all that, and more! I am so excited to finally share it! Enjoy!

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You may remember the lovely Carolyn & Prescott's wedding that I photographed two years ago. It was an amazing celebration and I was so overjoyed to photograph the wedding of two such adorable and loving people. Carolyn has been so awesome to keep in touch and support my work over the last couple years. And I was BEYOND honored & excited when she told me her & Prescott are expecting a baby boy and that she wanted me to take some gorgeous maternity photos for them! I think there is nothing more special than following my clients through their major life milestones and documenting it all for them. Amazing!We started their session in my downtown Santa Barbara studio to give Carolyn some signature Ashleigh Taylor glamour style portraits. Then we headed about ten minutes to the Mesa so they could have a few outdoors in nature photos! I can't get over how gorgeous the whole thing was and how glowing and beautiful Carolyn is!I can't wait to meet the little Mr. Lawson soon! Congrats Carolyn & Prescott! I know all three of you will cherish these photos forever!

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Last year, I photographed a beautiful wedding inspiration shoot at the Union 1880 Hotel in Los Alamos, CA. The Union 1880 is a fantastic wedding venue filled with so much rustic, Old West charm and character. It is the perfect spot for the bride who wants a rustic, vintage inspired wedding but wants a little more of a twist on the whole theme! The shoot we dreamed up in Mae West Meets Her Man. It's all about the sexy glamour and charming details of the old west. We had two dessert bars-- one that was milk-n-cookies and one for the wedding cake. The ceremony set up looks American Pickers chic. And the portraits are all about the love and va-va-voom. I just adore how this shoot turned out and am excited to share the pictures... finally!Thanks to the following vendors who helped make this so spectacular!

 Location : The 1880 Union Hotel 362 Bell Street Los Alamos Ca 93440 http://www.unionhotelvictmansion.com/

Stylist: Events by Milk and Honey Farm  http://www.eventsbymilkhoneyfarm.com

Florals: To You From Me    http://toyou-fromme.com

Photography: Ashleigh Taylor Photography  http://www.ashleightaylorphotography.com/

Bridal gown : Veronique Coleccion  http://www.veroniquecoleccion.com/

Hair and Makeup:Absolutely Fabulous...Glamour on the Go!  http://www.abfab.vpweb.com/

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