So many factors go into building the perfect wedding, though I believe that it really all boils down to one thing - the people. Of course, at the very center the bride and groom, but also the loved ones with their toasts, the laughter across tables, the dozens of happy bodies filling up the dance floor… this is what breathes the life into the day and makes it perfect.

Although a picture-perfect venue, serving as the backdrop for all your memories with all those wonderful people, cannot hurt either, and a picture-perfect venue is precisely what the Mission Inn is. Part historic landmark, part hotel, part crazy crazy maze, it is an amalgamation of architectural styles, unique buildings, and ultimate portrait backdrops. Kay & Brenn’s reception was held in the stunning Spanish Art Gallery and after dark, we got to take a few more night portraits around the grounds. Even then, after hours and hours of talking/dancing/laughing/mingling/getting-married, they were as sweet and enthusiastic and in love as ever. It was a beautiful day!

You all know of my weakness for bougainvillea…

(a) they live in Portland, one of my favorite hip/lovely/artsy cities,
(b) they were getting married at the historic Greystone Mansion, &
(c) we were hooked up by planner extraordinaire Uyen of Sassy Girl Weddings.

When we finally did meet over coffee on one of their visits to LA, I was so excited to see my theory proven wildly true - they were all kinds of warm, laidback & fun and their wedding plans, which they shared with me excitedly, sounded phenomenal.

And how perfect it all was! The day was intimate and filled to the brim with love - shared between Jasmin & Huy, and between all the guests there celebrating… an intermingling, blending of families, hugs-all-around type of love. The wedding had a simple vintage French theme that fit in perfectly with the venue, with bright summery accents of color. Love that the bridesmaids all wore different dresses & shoes.. added so much brightness to every photo! And while we’re on the topic of dresses, is Jasmin’s not the most wonderful whimsical beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped completely to the floor when I waltzed in that morning and saw it hanging all flowy & ethereal-like by the window.

But on with the photos - enjoy this peek into their day!

I generally take an inordinate number of shoe shots, but I may have gone especially overboard in this case… so dreamy!

I always love first looks, and this one was one of the most sweet & tender ones I’ve witnessed…

I love this moment.. before Jasmin had been handed her bouquet we snapped just a few and on cue, they all held hands. So sweet!

After wedding party portraits, Jasmin waited in the shade for the ceremony to begin & I couldn’t resist snapping a few (bajillion) shots… love the pastel tones in these!

A quick hairstyle change {complete with the perfect pink rose} before the reception…

And the details! Lush & elegant arrangements, gold vases, a dainty cake topper…

Jasmin & Huy’s perfectly choreographed first dance was amazing! They spun & trotted all the way around the fountain…

And if that wasn’t enough, Huy’s nephew followed it up with a fantastic rendition of Train’s “Hey Soul Sister”. He knew ALL THE WORDS!

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A sweet session at one of my most favorite neighborhood spots! Colleen and Keean were immediately at ease in front of the camera, perhaps partially due to the fact that they are so perfectly at ease with each other - they delved right into what I hope couples will do at these sessions… interact, soak in each other’s presence, and almost almost forget the camera’s there. They trusted each other for laughs & smiles, and they trusted me to capture them in my most favorite way. I loved how relaxed and casual this session felt {and Colleen’s pop-of-color marigold cardigan - I loved that too!}

Stay tuned for their crisp summertime wedding coming soon!

For his birthday, I got him tickets to the Azure Ray concert & a hat from My Baby Jo {an awesome vintage-inspired clothing store}, and I asked him what he wanted to do that day. He decided upon biking around town, so we biked down to Tokyo 7-7 for brunch, and then down the sunny stream that runs through Culver City. One of Scott’s favorite things to do is to build stuff (hence the guitar amp building business) and for the past few weeks, he’s been putting together a new bike from a frame he found randomly one day. He brings the beautiful cream-colored ride home yesterday and proclaims that the new bike is for me. So on a side note, on his birthday I ended up with a new bike. What?

Happy birthday to my very best friend and my most favorite person, the one who deserves so so much happiness today, and every day. I love you!

{ photos all taken with my iPhone, processed using the CrossProcess app }

Mai & John were married last month in beautiful Dana Point. For most weddings, we do portraits at the venue, but we were lucky enough to squeeze some time into the schedule to visit one of my favorite rustic backdrops in the OC! Mai & John (and their super fun bridal party) were so laidback and wonderful and we loved photographing their intimate wedding!

It was an extra fun weekend, since we were working two back-to-back weddings with the superwoman Uyen of Sassy Girl Weddings. We all soaked in Mai & John’s amazing day and then woke up the next morning to hang out all over again! :)

I love the moment right after the bride & groom recess and exit, when the wedding party & the guests are all still inside… such a sweet intimate moment:

Love the whimsical details & the subtle bird theme…

In this {quite fantastic} line of work, I get to witness lots and lots of love. Couples who can’t stop looking into each others eyes, who make sacrifices so their relationship can grow, who experience life’s trials and happiest moments side by side. So as hard as it is to say *this* love is special, or *that* love is special {because they’re all special}, I do want to say that Deb & David’s love is truly something special :) I’m pretty sure that part of it has to do with the fact that they are amazing as individuals - there are very few kinder, warmer and more genuine people in this world. And when two people like that come together, you sort of get this urge to exclaim, YAY! YOU FOUND EACH OTHER!! because that’s how witnessing this kind of love makes you feel :)

They were married last month in San Francisco, in a quaint chapel at the Presidio, and Scott & I were so honored to photograph their day. After the ceremony, they rented a bus to take bride + groom + wedding party + photographers all over the city for photos. So much fun!

I loved this moment! Deb planned to pin David’s boutonniere on before the ceremony, but since they weren’t doing a first look, on went the blindfold…

This shot below is mine, but Scott totally set it up. He often photographs the guys’ portraits… and sometimes, I dig the setup so much that I just run in and steal a shot :)

Something about this shot totally reminds me of the movie Catch Me if You Can… something about airports (even though this is not an airport) & a 1960s feel (even though this wasn’t the 1960s). Anyone??

The wedding had a creative “Flight 717″ travel theme that spoke closely to the many plane trips they made to see each other during their relationship (a theme they incorporated into their engagement session as well!)

They were married last month at the stunning La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes. I love shooting in PV - the views are spectacular and it always feels a bit like home (probably due to all the Saturday mornings we’d drive up there from Torrance for ice skating lessons.. 7 years baby!) The La Venta Inn is probably one of the most beautiful on the hill with amazing architecture, gorgeous grounds, and the loveliest bride’s room - I most definitely have a soft spot for pale pink walls! They matched perfectly with the blush color palette that was expressed in all the elegant details of the wedding, including what were some of prettiest & most stylish bridesmaid dresses I’ve seen {from J.crew!}.

A big thank you to Tim at La Venta, one of the best on-site coordinators we’ve ever worked with! And of course to Liz & Adam… thank you for choosing us to document your beautiful July wedding & for just being you - I’m still in a bit of a tizzy that we get to work with such kind & amazing people!

The photo below was taken in Liz & Adam’s home - I was slightly obsessed with their pastel vintage piano which turned out to be a Valentine’s gift from Adam. Can we say best V-day gift ever?

On the way to meet Adam for their first look…

Partybooths provided lots of photobooth fun and was a hit among the guests!

With no detail left unturned, Linda & Chris could really kick back and enjoy the day, which flowed beautifully, especially with Shana of East West Event Productions on hand to coordinate. We’re so excited we could be there to document their perfect summer wedding!

The lush florals were all designed by the super sweet Cindy of Floral Elements. I’m so in love with that vibrant pink shade of peony in Linda’s bouquet…

How cute are the flowergirls in their sherbet-colored outfits?

After the ceremony we headed to UCI for portraits. I always love shooting against natural & green backdrops and adored this grove of trees!

10 girl photographers in the desert!

A quick break in the midst of wedding season, a chance to interact, to share stories poolside, to laugh over midday snacks of hummus & carrots, to have the sense of “coworkers”, when so much of our days are spent alone in front of a glowy computer screen. From the moment I entered the wedding industry, I was so amazed by the lack of “competition” and by the overabundance of sharing & love, and these girls embody that love in every ounce of their being {in addition to being smart, sweet & hilarious!} I feel blessed to call them friends!

We stayed at the uber hip & lovely Ace Hotel, pretty much splitting our time equally between the pool & the room since it was literally 427 degrees out. The Ace was the perfect place for both relaxation & for photos - seriously, gorgeous photo ops EVERYWHERE! YOU! LOOK! I’m including some of my favorite snaps from the trip here, as well as a fantastic stop-motion video the talented Mary created & put together!

All in all, an amazing trip that left me feeling inspired and refreshed! Can’t wait for Catalina 2011!

STOPtheMOTION Friday! Take:16 from Floataway Studios on Vimeo.

The light at the Ace Hotel was absolutely breathtaking - so soft & pretty!

Amanda made us all these FANTASTIC goodie bags filled with the most amazing goodies - a smores pack, a cupcake in a jar, a pop-of-color water bottle… it was such a treat to arrive in PS to find these!

The food at the Ace was just divine! On the left is the ALT (which I’m pretty sure stands for “ADRIENNE LOVES THIS”, and which I supplemented with lots & lots of bacon):

Thanks to Jordana for the 2nd pic!

Thank you Ashley, Heather, Heidi, Jackie, Jordana, Ala, Mary, Megan & Amanda for a wonderful trip! { image courtesy of Heather :) }

Meenah & Shaobo live in Norcal and booked me after a meeting on Skype, so I was super excited to meet them in person for the first time at their engagement session! For their session, they suggested a sweet seaside beach picnic, complete with lots of pops of color and fun beachy activities. I’ve seen picnic engagement sessions before but never on a beach - I love the summery casual feel the sand & the sea lent to this session!

They drove down to LA with a car full of colorful candies (confetti-inspired shots galore!), bubbles, sodas, and two of the loveliest fabric kites I had ever seen, handcrafted beautifully by Meenah. They didn’t quite fly, but with the general selection of Batman/pirate/the Hulk-themed kites out there, this was an excellent decision of form over function :)

I loved this fun summertime session & am SO excited for their beautiful vineyard wedding this fall!