There are many many parts of Carrie & Matt’s day that stole my heart.

There was the warm & homey Senshin Temple, where they had an intimate Japanese Buddhist ceremony set against a breathtakingly ornate altar.
There were the elegantly clean & modern chrysanthemum arrangements & bouquets.
Then there were the millions of white pom-poms, lovingly created by hand and strung above the courtyard for the reception. {I could have seriously spent all day just photographing those alone – it was such a simple concept, yet resulted in some of the most amazing reception decor I’ve seen!}
And then – then there was the In N Out truck they brought in, wafting delicious smells across the entire temple & resulting in happy tummies among all the guests. (And photographers.)

But the kicker, the big thing that made their day so special & pulled so earnestly at my heartstrings, was Carrie & Matt themselves and the amazing, genuine, uplifting love they share. I truly believe that somehow, someway, I have completely lucked out and get to work with some of the kindest & sweetest couples that walk this earth, and it brings me so much joy to see these coules on one of their happiest days, having found the one person that truly completes them. Carrie & Matt of course were no exception, and it was truly inspiring watching how happy they are together.

Do enjoy the photos of the poofs, and the burgers, and the flowers, but ultimately I hope these images reflect the love that filled every moment of this special day :)

Loved this moment post-ceremony – Carrie & Matt embraced right after their exit and held each other for a few minutes… even as guests were exiting and milling around the area. It was such a sweet intimate moment…

Love these mixed CDs Carrie & Matt made as fun & personalized favors!

The paper lanterns below all had unique designs created by Carrie’s friend!

As Jaenee and I drove to the lake by her home, where she would be meeting A for their very first look on their wedding day, she smiled and explained to me how she wasn’t feeling as nervous as she expected. She said, “the fact that I’m so calm makes me realize how excited I am for the marriage – that it’s the marriage, not the wedding, that is so important to me.”

I photograph amazing weddings of all shapes and sizes, and Jaenee & A’s wedding was a perfect reminder that you don’t need to spend lavishly to make a wedding wonderful – it is the moments that fill the day and the fact that you make it yours. Their backyard wedding was low-key and intimate, but was unbelievably rich with beautiful, warm, and emotion-filled moments (not to mention stunning personal details that Jaenee lovingly crafted by hand). From the first time I met with Jaenee, she explained the importance of family to her and A, and their wedding was indeed a collection of efforts from all of their family members. The happiness and love exuded by everyone that day was overwhelming and it was an incredible experience to be a part of such an event. I believe I was the only vendor there that day; everything else – the location, the flowers, the centerpieces, the food & drinks, the music – was a collaboration of Jaenee & A’s efforts and the work of their family members. At the end of the night, Jaenee and A walked us to the door and we exchanged hugs – my heart was brimming with joy as we left as I truly felt we had witnessed the wedding of not clients, but friends.

Jaenee & A – Thank you so much for welcoming us so warmly into your home and giving us the opportunity to be a part of your incredible wedding. We feel so blessed to have gotten to know you and share in your celebration and to witness your amazing and inspirational love. I know you will have a lifetime of happiness to come! :)

The lovely bouquets, all assembled by Jaenee herself…

Her veil was adorned with lace from her mother’s wedding dress:

Jaenee’s bridesmaids were her sister and her cousins, her best friends since childhood…

A first glance in the mirror and writing down the last of her vows…

Their first look was so touching. I often recommend first looks to couples and Jaenee & A really showed how special that time together can be…

Love these identical childhood photos of them!

The programs were again works of art by Jaenee:

After the ceremony, we walked right across the street for some more photos…

The centerpieces continued with the tissue flower motif and were beautiful! I can’t imagine how long it must have taken Jaenee to put together each one:

A lovely alternative to paper place cards…

The night ended with tons of dancing!

And a quick shot with the happy couple! Congrats Jaenee & A and thank you so much for the chance to share in your special day with you!