We loved spending the afternoon with Tina & Sam! Tina is full of energy – vivacious, lively and all smiles. Sam is her warm and easygoing counterpart. And together they fit just perfectly – like puzzle pieces, like peanut butter and jelly, like frosties and fries – and it was a joy watching them interact in their element and getting to know them better before their wedding day. I love when couples trust us to do our thang and run with our style during sessions, but I also love when they throw in some fun ideas of their own. Tina was full of great ideas that really personified their session – and there was one particular one at the end that was definitely a first for us! :)

We started off in downtown LA and then headed west to Santa Monica to finish up the session at the pier. Tina & Sam – we had so much fun and can’t wait for your wedding next month!

Loved her flowy, ethereal dress – it was perfect for the session!

And a surprise at the end… just as we were finishing up the shoot, Tina pulled a switcheroo and asked if she could snap a few of us! It marked the first time Scott and I have had a client take our photo and as you can see, we definitely have some practicing to do and awkwardness to dissipate before we can work it like all our couples do on the other side of the lens! *sheepish grin*

My initial meeting with Gloria & Ed was extra exciting in a unique way – when Ed contacted me, he explained that he was looking for a wedding photographer, but he was also interested in chatting with Scott about guitar amps. He had read about Scott’s business on my blog and asked if I could bring him along. Of course Scott excitedly obliged, and so the four of us met in a sunny cafe on a weekend afternoon.

We chatted about weddings for half an hour, and then guitar amps for the other half. (Or more specifically, Scott & Ed chatted about guitar amps and Gloria and I eventually started our own conversations about more girly things :) It’s tons of fun to bond with clients about their wedding, but always exciting when you find other connections to grow mutually excited about. And although I got hopelessly lost somewhere in between “tolex” and “baffle”, I was still brimming with excitement to be finding connections by association :)

Gloria & Ed ‘s wedding was held last month at the beautiful Summit House. Gloria is a talented designer & artist and she put together programs, favors, and other details that took a fresh perspective on the often traditional pink, and were just stunning. They held photography with high importance and allotted an hour before the ceremony for their portraits, and then TWO more hours after the reception for more photos. It was a morning wedding, so after a fun goodbye from the guests, we headed to Cal State Fullerton for photo time galore!

Gloria & Ed – thank you so much for the opportunity to be a part of your day. It was such a beautiful wedding and we are so glad we were able to spend the time with you afterwards – we not only got to take some awesome photos, but we felt we really got to know you both better and had such a fun time running around the campus with you!

I love the old-timey 1950s cinema feel this one has :)

I loved how the handcrafted details were whimsical and not too matchy, but all tied together perfectly. The sign-in table was a wonderful mix of colors and textures!

This little guy was awesome! He walked right up during one of the toasts and quietly waltzed around before returning to his seat:

But the fun isn’t over yet! Stay tuned for photos from our shoot at Cal State Fullerton (and more of that adorable dress!)

A couple weekends ago Scott and I drove down to San Diego for a fun double-wedding weekend. We spent Friday at an intimate backyard wedding in Chula Vista and Sunday at a beautiful wedding at The Prado (stay tuned for epic posts on both!) and were left with Saturday & Monday to run amok around the city.

And although there are tons of places to explore, we managed to visit one place twice. That place was Extraordinary Desserts. After rave reviews from pretty much every person I have ever met, you would have had to drag me kicking and screaming from San Diego without first trying this dessert phenomenon. We had tea and cake there on Saturday and then went back Monday morning for brunch (and, more cake, of course). Aside from the tantalizing eats, I also fell in love with the mod decor, the little shopping nook, and the general eye-candyness of the whole place.

Kokeshi dolls! <3

There were flowers in my salad. And they were DELICIOUS. Scott even thought the water was delicious:

And of course, the cake! A berry-loaded, white chocolate masterpiece:

At first glance the cake seems slightly pricey, but both times Scott and I shared a piece and still had a little bit to take home. (And we’re sort of heifers when it comes to eating.) Can’t wait to load up on more sugary goodness the next time we’re in SD!

On that note, stay tuned for more engagement and wedding posts on the way!