Archive for November, 2010

{ zena + dennis | downtown LA wedding }

One (out of the bajillion) reasons I so love what I do is that it’s reconnected me with so many old friends. Somehow {perhaps mainly through the magic that is facebook} people I haven’t spoken to in months, or years, have figured out that I make pictures, and so wonderfully passed my name along to the happy couples they know who are planning their weddings.

Zena lived in Japan during the same time I did, also teaching on the JET program, but for some reason our paths never crossed. We did however have a mutual friend in Joslyn, who caught wind of my photography and kindly referred me to Zena. Zena & I met over coffee on a sunny morning and immediately jumped into sharing stories of our time in Japan (seriously, I can talk for HOURS UPON HOURS with other people who have lived in Japan, even with total strangers I’ve met 8 seconds ago, it’s bizarre.) I was so excited when she & Dennis chose me as the photographer for their beautiful rooftop wedding at the Kyoto Grand in downtown LA! The day was absolutely gorgeous and I was so happy to be there to capture it.

A cute beta fish was swimming around in each centerpiece as a tribute to Dennis’s love for fish/coral tanks, and their aquarium-themed engagement session

During the reception, Zena and Dennis shared their gratitude towards their parents and relatives. I especially loved the moment Dennis thanked his grandmother for helping to raise him and being such a large part of his life…

{ meghan + jason | vail wedding }

The setting is a crisp autumn day in Vail, CO. The leaves have all changed colors – the hills, with their aspen trees, are blanketed entirely in a fiery spectacle of yellow and gold. The sweetest bride is getting ready in her hotel room, surrounded by a bustling collection of happy bridesmaids & family. She slips on her shimmery gold slippers and runs outside for her first look. There are tears and “I love yous”. There are laughs. The ceremony, officiated by a friend, is personal & heartwarming. The details are rustic, eclectic, and beautifully crafted. (There is heart-shaped confetti!!) The evening is filled with dancing, with words of congratulations & silly stories, with joy.

And a giddy photographer is asking someone to, pinch me, please??

Meghan & Jason’s wedding was utterly unbelievable in every way. Having met them at their engagement session, I knew they were THE sweetest and most laidback couple and shared a love that was so big & true, and their wedding was a perfect reflection of this in every way. I feel so blessed to have been able to fly out to Vail for their breathtaking day at the Sonnenalp Resort. I was also beyond excited to work with Andrea of AK Haydon Floral Designs. We randomly become twitter friends and when I saw she was based in Denver, I excitedly forwarded Meghan & Jason her name, they booked her, and below is the result of her vibrantly bringing their visions to life.

Enjoy!

** please contact us prior to reposting the images elsewhere on the web… thanks! **

Love this moment of Meghan with her dad & sister…

{ jill + jamar | cbs studios wedding }

Before I jump into this post, a quick announcement! Apologies to anyone who emailed me yesterday and had their email bounce back – I was having some email issues but they are all resolved now! If you haven’t received a reply from me for an email you’ve sent, please try sending your message again :) Thanks!

And now.. Jill & Jamar’s wedding! There are certain things that go into creating the recipe for a perfect wedding.. of course, hands down the number one ingredient is an excited & so in-love couple. And then there is the presence of family & friends, especially when they come together to help create the wedding as a labor of love. And it doesn’t hurt to have spectacular details, handcrafted & personally pieced together with help from those closest to you. And a dreamy location? The cherry on top!

Jill & Jamar’s wedding was filled with all of these special pieces and was indeed the perfect day. As you scroll through these photos you might be thinking “OMG they got married in the middle of the street in NYC!” but their wedding was in fact held in the backlot of CBS studios – the ambiance was SO perfect & it really felt like you were dining & dancing right in the midst of a sparkly NYC neighborhood. Just a few steps away and there was a quaint residential neighborhood lot waiting perfectly for us to make portraits in. The flowers, cake table, centerpieces.. EVERYTHING was designed & assembled by Jill’s mother and her friend, and the entire setup was an explosion of color & texture. It was such a joy to document their day!

Seriously, the cake display was the most amazing & decadent one I’ve ever seen.. party for your eyeballs AND your mouth? Why yes!

I adored Jill & Jamar’s first dance – they danced to “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars – it was an upbeat alternative to the usual first dance songs, and Jamar sang the whole song to her as they danced… heart = melting.

Sweet moment during the mother-son dance..


P.S. Check out the awesome SDE of their wedding by the fabulous videography team Weddings by SML, loved working with them!