Today's post is WAY overdue ... I always write WAY too much, which is usually my deterrent from starting a new story. So, let me use tonight's post as an exercise in brevity (hahaha! Oh, how I love to tell myself these tall tales). As y'all know, I like to use song titles, and this particular title is in homage to Nikka Costa, whose funky-fun groovin' sounds makes me think of a modern-day Janis Joplin. And true to the title, the slideshow I am posting below is from Rachelle and Brian's wedding (in Santa Barbara on Saturday, September 26th, 2009), who definitely have their own Somethin' that makes them So unique and So much fun. (alliteration alert!) I love that they took their Somethin and branded their wedding with their signature way of doing things!
First of all, they wanted a really good party. Instead of champagne, they had tequila toasts (yep, custom shot glasses and Patron at every table! I like 'em already!). They wanted to have their wedding outside, and so Godric Grove in Elings Park was the destination, with an amazing outdoor amphitheatre for the ceremony, and then just over the hill was a fabulous wooden deck at the top of the park, with round Japanese-style paper lanterns everywhere that lit up as dusk disappeared ... and dinner was a Mexican buffet... and who doesn't like Mexican food?! Seriously! The cake was hands-down: The. Best. Ever. It was red velvet cake with cream-cheese frosting. And yes... in embracing part of Rachelle's Jewish heritage, they also celebrated to Hava Nagila with the Hora, soon to be followed by Brian doing a knee-slide across the dance floor ... and better yet, he then entertained his guests with air guitar and ended up crowd-surfing across his adoring fans (aka, the guests!). Oh yeah, and there was an impromptu conga-line too. Great music really helped round out the vibe of the evening and kept virtually everyone up on their feet all night dancing! These are my kinds o' people!
See what I mean? Everybody's got their Somethin'... and I love the Somethin' they gots to give!
One last thing that I love about Rachelle and Brian is how they even have their own PERSONAL signature style... Rachelle is constantly hopping up on Brian's back and getting piggyback rides... and that's when they come alive in photos! It's so THEM. So, of course, I had to get some pictures of Rachelle in her wedding dress up on Brian's back, and they look so adorable & deliciously happy together -- all growed-up and fancy-like, yet they have a child-like enthusiasm that is wonderfully infectious too.
The slideshow below showcases the highlights that tell the Somethin' Story of their day. Rachelle and her bridesmaids got ready in a gorgeous suite at the Fess Parker Santa Barbara Hotel (love love love!), and then I met up with Brian and his groomsmen at Shoreline Park... they looked like rockstars admist a perfect blue sky with glittering water. After that, it was back to Fess Parker for the bridesmaids' portraits with the gorgeous Rachelle, and then we moseyed over to Elings. I simply couldn't have asked for cooler, more fun people who I am now also so honored to be able to call friends, too.
Pictures to follow soon... Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the show!
(and once again, music credit for the original instrumental to my friend Danny Hamilton. Thanks, Danny!)
Showing posts with label wedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wedding. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
It's Friday... I'm in Love...
Or Wednesday, as the case may be. But, this post's title has TWO meanings to it... besides being a song by the Cure (and a Friday that I post this entry), it's also representative of my friend and photographer, Kelly Reiter, who LOVES the Cure. And without her, I would not have been able to shoot this wedding!
Kelly is friends with a good friend of mine, and they both live in Arizona. I once tried to help Kelly out by getting tickets to a Cure concert for her (you had to be a resident of California to even be able to attempt to purchase the tickets), but even though it didn't work out, it gave us a chance to bond over our love of photography, especially anything to do with kids, weddings, events... anything with PEOPLE! When I was in AZ this past January for the Professional Photographers of America-sponsored Imaging USA Conference, I was even able to go by and see Kelly's booth at the Bridal Expo, which just happened to be in another building at the same conference center. Since then, we've become "Facebook Friends" as well. (And seriously... who doesn't love FB? What a GREAT way to connect, reconnect, and just keep up with all of those friends that when you don't necessarily have time to write long emails, you can at least see what's going on at a glance. Brilliant!).
So, Kelly's husband's father, David, has been with Elizabeth for 12 years now. They decided this year to make it official. As Elizabeth grew up in Laguna, once a year they come out to California and stay at the Arabella Cottages for a week (awesome, you must check them out! They're quaint and have a lovely old, warm feel to them). This year they decided a very small, private ceremony on the beach would be an ideal time to celebrate their love, and so Kelly asked me if I might be able to shoot it for them. So began a series of emails back and forth with David and Elizabeth, but I was so happy to be able to meet them when I was most recently in AZ in July, the 3 of us went to dinner, and they are so warm and fun, I felt immediately like I was part of their family too -- and so honored to be able to capture this special day for them!
I met with them again briefly this past Monday morning, so that I was able to see the specific area they were getting married... on the beach right next to the Montage Hotel in south Laguna. What a spectacular area. Not as if the rest of Laguna is anythin' to sneeze at, but this was just that much more secluded and picturesque.
Wednesday, I arrived at the cottage, where Elizabeth and David were with their closest friends and having a little wine and appetizers before heading down to the beach, but I started snapping a few pictures...
David is a Mickey Mouse fan... and so his cufflinks had Mickey on them (he also has a Mickey Mouse tattoo on his leg!).
And a picture of Elizabeth, looking lovely as she spoke with friends...
And I couldn't resist this light, or the old-style phone on the end-table, or the card that happened to be sitting right next to it, so perfect...
Then we snapped a couple of pictures in the garden. I love how David and Elizabeth look at each other! 12 years together and there's still so much love to share and to give. I find it inspirational and something to strive for in my own life... and not to settle for anything less than the best.
Then it was time to head down to the beach... look at Elizabeth's dress. Isn't it -- and doesn't she look -- gorgeous, in it? And... we had to sneak in a picture of David looking rather dapper in his jacket, sunglasses and wine glass in hand. Almost makes me think a little James Bond? But without the martini ... ;-)
And so the ceremony with Pastor Paul began. Look at the water and the sky! At sunset no less... you couldn't ask for a better day to get married.
There was a lot of laughter during the ceremony (in a good way!), and a lot of tears (in a good way)... it was very emotional too. Look at Elizabeth... cracking up and with a tear at the same time. Kind of symbolic of life, too, isn't it? That laughter and tears often go hand-in-hand.
I *love* this one... I could be super-cool and say that I totally saw Pastor Paul holding the ring in his hand before passing it to David to put on Elizabeth's finger, but really, I was concentrating on getting their faces and emotions and framing it just a certain way. Later, when I saw the ring there (and the rings on the outside of his booklet too!), let's just say I was very happy for a happy accident. Good pic anyway... but BETTER with the ring. I almost feel like you can hear what he is saying.
Then it was time for Elizabeth to reach under her dress and remove... a ROLEX! (this was David's ring) And look at his expression as she puts it on him! Love it!
Prayers...
...and then the kiss!
A close-up of the ring (Rolex in the background)... isn't it GORGEOUS? Elizabeth was so happy with what a good job David did in picking it out:
A couple of portraits of the happy couple...
On our way back up to the cars, we came across this little cutie. He was only 2 months old and just so tiny and sweet, we had to stop to say hi. How adorable is he (or she? not sure which)?!
And lastly... a quick view of Laguna Beach at sunset on a Wednesday night, August 13th:
As the song by the Cure goes (this is for Kelly!) ... "I don't care if Monday's blue. Tuesday's great and Wednesday too. Thursday I don't care about you. It's Friday, I'm in love." Well... I beg to differ. I think Wednesday is the day Elizabeth and David chose to proclaim their love, legally, spiritually and in front of the world. But in this case, I'd even go so far as to say, it's EVERY DAY they're in love. And again... thank you to Kelly, for giving me the opportunity of having such a great evening with some wonderful people. I wish them many more years of love and happiness.
And on the early morning hours of the last day of the week before the weekend, may I wish you a Happy Friday and a great weekend ahead.
Peace out! :-)
Kelly is friends with a good friend of mine, and they both live in Arizona. I once tried to help Kelly out by getting tickets to a Cure concert for her (you had to be a resident of California to even be able to attempt to purchase the tickets), but even though it didn't work out, it gave us a chance to bond over our love of photography, especially anything to do with kids, weddings, events... anything with PEOPLE! When I was in AZ this past January for the Professional Photographers of America-sponsored Imaging USA Conference, I was even able to go by and see Kelly's booth at the Bridal Expo, which just happened to be in another building at the same conference center. Since then, we've become "Facebook Friends" as well. (And seriously... who doesn't love FB? What a GREAT way to connect, reconnect, and just keep up with all of those friends that when you don't necessarily have time to write long emails, you can at least see what's going on at a glance. Brilliant!).
So, Kelly's husband's father, David, has been with Elizabeth for 12 years now. They decided this year to make it official. As Elizabeth grew up in Laguna, once a year they come out to California and stay at the Arabella Cottages for a week (awesome, you must check them out! They're quaint and have a lovely old, warm feel to them). This year they decided a very small, private ceremony on the beach would be an ideal time to celebrate their love, and so Kelly asked me if I might be able to shoot it for them. So began a series of emails back and forth with David and Elizabeth, but I was so happy to be able to meet them when I was most recently in AZ in July, the 3 of us went to dinner, and they are so warm and fun, I felt immediately like I was part of their family too -- and so honored to be able to capture this special day for them!
I met with them again briefly this past Monday morning, so that I was able to see the specific area they were getting married... on the beach right next to the Montage Hotel in south Laguna. What a spectacular area. Not as if the rest of Laguna is anythin' to sneeze at, but this was just that much more secluded and picturesque.
Wednesday, I arrived at the cottage, where Elizabeth and David were with their closest friends and having a little wine and appetizers before heading down to the beach, but I started snapping a few pictures...
David is a Mickey Mouse fan... and so his cufflinks had Mickey on them (he also has a Mickey Mouse tattoo on his leg!).
And a picture of Elizabeth, looking lovely as she spoke with friends...
And I couldn't resist this light, or the old-style phone on the end-table, or the card that happened to be sitting right next to it, so perfect...
Then we snapped a couple of pictures in the garden. I love how David and Elizabeth look at each other! 12 years together and there's still so much love to share and to give. I find it inspirational and something to strive for in my own life... and not to settle for anything less than the best.
Then it was time to head down to the beach... look at Elizabeth's dress. Isn't it -- and doesn't she look -- gorgeous, in it? And... we had to sneak in a picture of David looking rather dapper in his jacket, sunglasses and wine glass in hand. Almost makes me think a little James Bond? But without the martini ... ;-)
And so the ceremony with Pastor Paul began. Look at the water and the sky! At sunset no less... you couldn't ask for a better day to get married.
There was a lot of laughter during the ceremony (in a good way!), and a lot of tears (in a good way)... it was very emotional too. Look at Elizabeth... cracking up and with a tear at the same time. Kind of symbolic of life, too, isn't it? That laughter and tears often go hand-in-hand.
I *love* this one... I could be super-cool and say that I totally saw Pastor Paul holding the ring in his hand before passing it to David to put on Elizabeth's finger, but really, I was concentrating on getting their faces and emotions and framing it just a certain way. Later, when I saw the ring there (and the rings on the outside of his booklet too!), let's just say I was very happy for a happy accident. Good pic anyway... but BETTER with the ring. I almost feel like you can hear what he is saying.
Then it was time for Elizabeth to reach under her dress and remove... a ROLEX! (this was David's ring) And look at his expression as she puts it on him! Love it!
Prayers...
...and then the kiss!
A close-up of the ring (Rolex in the background)... isn't it GORGEOUS? Elizabeth was so happy with what a good job David did in picking it out:
A couple of portraits of the happy couple...
On our way back up to the cars, we came across this little cutie. He was only 2 months old and just so tiny and sweet, we had to stop to say hi. How adorable is he (or she? not sure which)?!
And lastly... a quick view of Laguna Beach at sunset on a Wednesday night, August 13th:
As the song by the Cure goes (this is for Kelly!) ... "I don't care if Monday's blue. Tuesday's great and Wednesday too. Thursday I don't care about you. It's Friday, I'm in love." Well... I beg to differ. I think Wednesday is the day Elizabeth and David chose to proclaim their love, legally, spiritually and in front of the world. But in this case, I'd even go so far as to say, it's EVERY DAY they're in love. And again... thank you to Kelly, for giving me the opportunity of having such a great evening with some wonderful people. I wish them many more years of love and happiness.
And on the early morning hours of the last day of the week before the weekend, may I wish you a Happy Friday and a great weekend ahead.
Peace out! :-)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Everybody's Working for the Weekend...
Ahhh, Loverboy. Who doesn't love them some early-80s-hair-glam-meets-bad-clothes-from-the-end-of-the-70s? But, they spin a pretty good tune, namely: "Workin for the Weekend".
And speaking of working for the weekend, that's exactly what I did. Well, some of it, anyways. The part where I wasn't working, I kind of wished I was!
Saturday I assisted my friend Colleen Bell in shooting a Mormon wedding at the LA Temple in Santa Monica, then followed with a reception later in the afternoon in Fullerton. Fullerton's a great place, mainly a college town, known not only for its Cal State University campus, but also for Fullerton JC. But tucked away just off of some of the main streets are these amazing, older homes that make you wonder if you've been teleported out of Southern California. With the exception of still seeing all of the telltale flora that is the trademark of SoCal, you wouldn't know *where* you landed. We were lucky enough to shoot in one of *those* homes, large and beautiful and very rural, with a 2-level backyard (well, also with a 3rd level, where the horses and chickens resided). There were NO streetlights or sidewalks in this cul-de-sac. Tons of tall, dense trees. It was pitch black at night, no light pollution whatsoever! Literally, there were businesses maybe as little as 1 -2 miles away, but you would not guess it from this sleepy and charming street.
I've assisted Colleen on a Mormon wedding before. As most of you know, photographers aren't allowed inside during the private ceremonies. But what was especially nice about this particular event was that the bride and groom held a ring service at the ceremony for their guests that weren't present at the first ceremony at the Temple. Being that there were 2 levels to the backyard, I was able to second shoot from the upper level and get a wonderful bird's-eye view from above, while Colleen stayed down below and shot from among the guests. What was also great was how easy a day this was, as far as shooting a wedding goes... the bride and groom were relaxed and very down-to-earth, not demanding at all; they were more interested in documenting the day as a whole, and capturing the candids that make a social and special day what it is. And THAT is what I love about second shooting! I get a chance to see those unscripted moments and capture them. You know the kind I'm talking about: the kind that you suddenly see the bride cracking up at a joke in-between formal portraits; a child running a finger over the frosting of the cake... the "slice-of-life" moments that you keep going back to look at, over and over. The ones that make you laugh, the ones that capture your heart, the ones overflowing with emotion, the ones that you can't imagine *not* seeing.
I'd also like to add that shooting a wedding -- while it is physical labor and constant mental effort -- that I can't classify it as "work". Work is something you do because you have to do it. How does the saying go? "If it was fun, it wouldn't be work!" Well, while out of convenience I may call it work, I don't consider it work! (and it sounds awkward to say: "I have fun to do; I'm shooting a wedding today.") I love what I do and wouldn't want to trade ANY of those moments that I constantly go back and reflect on, and feel like they've enriched my life (hopefully just as much as my photography enriches the lives of my subjects too). And working with Colleen is a joy--she's supportive, complimentary and a positive person to work with. And she and her husband (and the kids) are such good (and fun!) people. There's a lot of people I definitely feel so lucky to have met, and she's one of them. There's so many cutthroat photographers out there that are protective, competitive and secretive about what they do... that when you find a truly good one -- one who is talented AND a good person as well -- it makes you want to pass it on. (I've talked about this pay it forward concept before in my first post; in case you missed it, you can read more about it here.)
Anyways... since I was so exhausted, I took Saturday night to stay in and rest up and NOT go out to see my fave 80s cover band, Flash Back Heart Attack. (Being that I see them play all the time, I knew it wasn't the end of the world to miss one night) Sunday, I attended a gorgeous, lavish and fun wedding for a dear friend at the Mission Inn -- love that place! It was weird to not have a camera in hand (well, not a pro version. I did bring my little pocket camera, I never go anywhere without it). I realized then I really WANTED to be wandering around, capturing the details, the unscripted moments, meeting people. But I have to say, the photographer they hired, Cean Orrett, did a FANTASTIC job. He put the pictures he and his assistant had already taken and put them on his laptop and created a slideshow (something I had already planned on doing at my next wedding), which they placed on the reception table during the dinner hour. Oh, and I got a chance to wear a really cute dress and killer dark red crocodile-textured heels! My feet are so sensitive that I can only wear comfy shoes when shooting a wedding. :-) Even then, my big toes tend to go numb at the end of a long day on my feet!
I'd like to add, a moment off-topic mind you (but you already know that I tend to be a stream-of-consciousness-type, but I always try to get back to my main point), while you may think that this is a poor idea, to mention and provide links to other photographers, that I'm a believer that there is something and someONE for everyone. Not just when it comes to marriage, but in choosing your photographer, which is why I will promote others as well as myself as long as I believe in them, not just in talent, but in personality. I figure if you like my photos, what I have to sell is MYSELF. You will hire me not because I'm marginally better than every other photographer you've seen or met, or because my prices are better or worse than anyone else, but because we connect and we are going to be in tandem on your big day. And what you're telling me -- or whomever you hire -- is that you believe in me for much more than just any job. You are showing that you TRUST and BELIEVE in me to capture -- forever -- one of the most important days of your life. And I take that very, very seriously. But I also believe in fun, and that everything in life can subscribe to a "work hard, play hard" attitude. And when you marry ('scuse the pun) those two aspects, well -- life is just a whole lot more enjoyable.
So I guess I've rambled enough for tonight. I'm going to be posting some pix tomorrow -- you know, the whole reason you've come to my site in the first place! To LOOK AT PICTURES! Today has been about recovering from all the wedding fun, but I'm ready to get back to work and get my site up to speed so I can launch it. If I'm on top of things, I hope to do that this week.
Until next time, peace out!
And speaking of working for the weekend, that's exactly what I did. Well, some of it, anyways. The part where I wasn't working, I kind of wished I was!
Saturday I assisted my friend Colleen Bell in shooting a Mormon wedding at the LA Temple in Santa Monica, then followed with a reception later in the afternoon in Fullerton. Fullerton's a great place, mainly a college town, known not only for its Cal State University campus, but also for Fullerton JC. But tucked away just off of some of the main streets are these amazing, older homes that make you wonder if you've been teleported out of Southern California. With the exception of still seeing all of the telltale flora that is the trademark of SoCal, you wouldn't know *where* you landed. We were lucky enough to shoot in one of *those* homes, large and beautiful and very rural, with a 2-level backyard (well, also with a 3rd level, where the horses and chickens resided). There were NO streetlights or sidewalks in this cul-de-sac. Tons of tall, dense trees. It was pitch black at night, no light pollution whatsoever! Literally, there were businesses maybe as little as 1 -2 miles away, but you would not guess it from this sleepy and charming street.
I've assisted Colleen on a Mormon wedding before. As most of you know, photographers aren't allowed inside during the private ceremonies. But what was especially nice about this particular event was that the bride and groom held a ring service at the ceremony for their guests that weren't present at the first ceremony at the Temple. Being that there were 2 levels to the backyard, I was able to second shoot from the upper level and get a wonderful bird's-eye view from above, while Colleen stayed down below and shot from among the guests. What was also great was how easy a day this was, as far as shooting a wedding goes... the bride and groom were relaxed and very down-to-earth, not demanding at all; they were more interested in documenting the day as a whole, and capturing the candids that make a social and special day what it is. And THAT is what I love about second shooting! I get a chance to see those unscripted moments and capture them. You know the kind I'm talking about: the kind that you suddenly see the bride cracking up at a joke in-between formal portraits; a child running a finger over the frosting of the cake... the "slice-of-life" moments that you keep going back to look at, over and over. The ones that make you laugh, the ones that capture your heart, the ones overflowing with emotion, the ones that you can't imagine *not* seeing.
I'd also like to add that shooting a wedding -- while it is physical labor and constant mental effort -- that I can't classify it as "work". Work is something you do because you have to do it. How does the saying go? "If it was fun, it wouldn't be work!" Well, while out of convenience I may call it work, I don't consider it work! (and it sounds awkward to say: "I have fun to do; I'm shooting a wedding today.") I love what I do and wouldn't want to trade ANY of those moments that I constantly go back and reflect on, and feel like they've enriched my life (hopefully just as much as my photography enriches the lives of my subjects too). And working with Colleen is a joy--she's supportive, complimentary and a positive person to work with. And she and her husband (and the kids) are such good (and fun!) people. There's a lot of people I definitely feel so lucky to have met, and she's one of them. There's so many cutthroat photographers out there that are protective, competitive and secretive about what they do... that when you find a truly good one -- one who is talented AND a good person as well -- it makes you want to pass it on. (I've talked about this pay it forward concept before in my first post; in case you missed it, you can read more about it here.)
Anyways... since I was so exhausted, I took Saturday night to stay in and rest up and NOT go out to see my fave 80s cover band, Flash Back Heart Attack. (Being that I see them play all the time, I knew it wasn't the end of the world to miss one night) Sunday, I attended a gorgeous, lavish and fun wedding for a dear friend at the Mission Inn -- love that place! It was weird to not have a camera in hand (well, not a pro version. I did bring my little pocket camera, I never go anywhere without it). I realized then I really WANTED to be wandering around, capturing the details, the unscripted moments, meeting people. But I have to say, the photographer they hired, Cean Orrett, did a FANTASTIC job. He put the pictures he and his assistant had already taken and put them on his laptop and created a slideshow (something I had already planned on doing at my next wedding), which they placed on the reception table during the dinner hour. Oh, and I got a chance to wear a really cute dress and killer dark red crocodile-textured heels! My feet are so sensitive that I can only wear comfy shoes when shooting a wedding. :-) Even then, my big toes tend to go numb at the end of a long day on my feet!
I'd like to add, a moment off-topic mind you (but you already know that I tend to be a stream-of-consciousness-type, but I always try to get back to my main point), while you may think that this is a poor idea, to mention and provide links to other photographers, that I'm a believer that there is something and someONE for everyone. Not just when it comes to marriage, but in choosing your photographer, which is why I will promote others as well as myself as long as I believe in them, not just in talent, but in personality. I figure if you like my photos, what I have to sell is MYSELF. You will hire me not because I'm marginally better than every other photographer you've seen or met, or because my prices are better or worse than anyone else, but because we connect and we are going to be in tandem on your big day. And what you're telling me -- or whomever you hire -- is that you believe in me for much more than just any job. You are showing that you TRUST and BELIEVE in me to capture -- forever -- one of the most important days of your life. And I take that very, very seriously. But I also believe in fun, and that everything in life can subscribe to a "work hard, play hard" attitude. And when you marry ('scuse the pun) those two aspects, well -- life is just a whole lot more enjoyable.
So I guess I've rambled enough for tonight. I'm going to be posting some pix tomorrow -- you know, the whole reason you've come to my site in the first place! To LOOK AT PICTURES! Today has been about recovering from all the wedding fun, but I'm ready to get back to work and get my site up to speed so I can launch it. If I'm on top of things, I hope to do that this week.
Until next time, peace out!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Justin & Jessica's Wedding
I’m so happy to be able to post this. I’m getting ready to post proofs to Justin & Jessica’s wedding on my zenfolio site, but before I do, I have to post this slideshow (made with David Jay’s ShowItWeb) of the highlights of their wedding. I’m also VERY proud to feature music with it composed and performed by my friend Danny Hamilton, who is simply amazing and so entertaining to see perform live. Check him out, you won’t be sorry.
I was lucky enough to meet Justin & Jessica through a contact of my mom. Turns out I even went to the same high school as the groom (although I may have graduated just a **wee** bit ahead of him, but we’ll not get into that now). They are the most laid-back, easygoing couple, so easy to be around, and I knew we’d all be a good fit because we all laughed a lot, and they didn’t mind being silly. I was especially touched by the strength of not only their family ties, but the great group of friends at the wedding… very open, very friendly and lots of fun to be with!
The wedding was close to our old high school in Tustin, CA, at St Cecilia’s Catholic Church. I was especially lucky because the Reverend (Father? Pastor? I’m ashamed to admit I don’t know all of the proper terminology) approved my use of flash in the church during the ceremony. I was in the back room before the ceremony with the groom and his best man, and I happened to be talking to the “church lady” (aka church events coordinator), and I stated I knew that I couldn’t use flash, but how high would the lights be turned up? The Reverend (we’ll stick with that for now) overheard this conversation and said, “Of COURSE you can use flash!” I looked nervously at the church lady (let’s just say I’d been warned she was a little stern), and said “Really? You don’t mind?” And he replied with a hearty, “Not at all! I’m the boss! I make the rules.” I think I might have said that I loved him, then I quickly backtracked, realizing that MAY have come out just a BIT too effusive. I did thank him heartily (as the church lady put forth a few more stipulations about WHEN I couldn’t use the flash), but I was giddy that I would be able to capture some otherwise difficult-to-get shots.
I had pre-scouted the area around Laguna Hills for a good place to get formal portraits, and had been referred to the Community Center in Laguna Hills. Huge soccer fields, a beautiful little water fountain area, and a playground next to which I found… a charming covered (but open) gazebo-like area with glowing foliage and the cover overhead gave the most gorgeous illumination to everyone’s faces. Jessica just glowed! I know it could have been the stellar lighting conditions, but I’m betting that the events of the day contributed to her beauty that day as well.
The rest of the night was about the celebration. I was especially touched by the grace and humor of the “Man of Honor’s” speech. (Jessica had her brother in place of a Maid of Honor) He told about their “sci-fi Sundays” and was worried when Jess got married that they wouldn’t be able to continue the tradition. To which he continued that Jessica told Jeremy (the Man of Honor) that Justin watches football on Sundays, so not to worry! Sci-Fi Sundays would remain untouched and intact. (Sci-fi? My kinda people!)
So without further ado, watch as Justin & Jessica celebrate their big day. Beautiful people, inside and out, made this just a wonderful and fun day to shoot. Thanks Justin & Jess, for your trust and faith in me to help capture your special day!
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