Their dating story began at a Padres game. That’s the story you saw a glimpse of through their engagement photos HERE. I like to take credit for these two getting together, but I guess they deserve a little credit too. 😉 Their love story as a married couple began in Maui. If you don’t know already, Melissa and Brandon are close friends of mine and I was more than honored to share in their wedding day. I gave you part of their story with that engagement session post, but to sum it all up so we can get to the photos, all I can say is that Melissa and Brandon were meant to be together and I’ve never seen them happier than I did on that lovely day in paradise a few months ago. And when I see my friends so full of joy, it makes ME happy!

Mel & Brandon – I know I’ve said it many times, but THANK YOU for allowing me to capture your wedding day!! It was truly an incredible weekend that I will never forget. Love you both!! XOXO

The Olowalu Plantation House was the perfect setting for their big day…

Mel got each bridesmaid a flask that fit their personality best.

Mel and friends put in SO much work into the details for this wedding. DIY weddings are difficult for destination weddings, but she pulled it off with the help of Cherise (and Dellables) and it looked amazing!!

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it when couples decide to do a first look! It makes them feel so much more at ease for portraits (and during the ceremony!) and I’ve never had anyone regret a first look. More time to enjoy portraits beforehand, have some private moments to calm nerves and enjoy some of the cocktail hour!

Brandon was pretty excited to see his bride.

I LOVED her flowers…so perfect!!!

Just a few fun details to personalize their big day…

Each table was assigned a Hawaiian island. Dellables did a fabulous job with each one…so colorful and perfect!

Ceremony/Reception Venue – Olowalu Plantation House, Maui, HI; Coordinator – Cherise Shulman, The Perfect Wedding Maui; Catering – Food For The Soul; Florist/Table/Bar Design – Dellables Floral Wedding Design; Hair – Julie Merritt; Makeup – Jessica Waite

As I was beginning the day with Katie, I complimented her on the blue shoes she chose to wear for the wedding. She said, “Thanks! I had to cut the bottom of my dress off to make sure everyone could see them!” And it was true! Her short dress was PERFECT for her and definitely showed off her fancy blue shoes!! 🙂 I’ve known Katie for about 8 years and couldn’t be more happy for her to find the love of her life, Dennis. They are one of the most laid back couples I’ve ever photographed and definitely don’t want to be in the spotlight all day, but they had an AMAZING wedding surrounded by family, dear friends…and DELICIOUS food! One of the best meals I’ve ever had at a wedding!!!

And you have to scroll all the way down to see some of the best dancing photos I’ve seen at any reception. There was definitely a lot of fun had at this wedding!!

A girl always needs a few options for shoes…

See! Short dress to show off her blue shoes! 🙂

One of my favorites…Katie and her big brother.

A very proud father walking his baby girl down the aisle…

They had a lot of family & friends to celebrate with!

Katie and her siblings…

The lovely bridal party 🙂

Love this one!

Dennis put together each and every one of these centerpieces!

Okay, let’s just stop right here and grab the tissues…father/daughter dances always get me choked up!!

And here they are…the BEST dancing pics ever…

Did I mention that Dennis is a jeweler and designed Katie’s ring!! Isn’t it gorgeous??! Oh…and I forgot to take the ring photo at the wedding, so I just hopped on a plane to where they were honeymooning and shot the rings in Maui. 😉 True story! Okay, I didn’t go JUST for that…you’ll see Katie & Dennis in Melissa & Brandon’s photos soon. Katie was a bridesmaid! I love my friends and feel so blessed to be a part of their wedding day!! Love you Katie & Dennis!!! XOXO!!

Venue – Thursday Club; Catering – San Diego Paella; DJ – Steve with Unique Mobile Sounds; Hair – Julie Merritt; 2nd photographer – Evan Yamada

Happy Labor Day everyone!! I know the long weekend is almost over (sad face), but I think these photos will turn that frown upside down…I know they did mine. I had such a fun evening with Meggan & Ryan! It was my first time hanging out with both of them so they were a little nervous as we began our session. But as you will see, it didn’t take long for them to get comfortable with the camera and each other. It’s almost like I wasn’t even there at the end! Talk about SEXY! yowza! So without further ado…here are Meggan & Ryan!! XOXO

A lot of laughter is a great way to start the day…

I loved their outfit choices! So much color to make the photos really stand out. Love!

Meggan = STUNNING!

When we got to the beach we started to have some fun…

Seriously?!? That’s hotness right there.

Just hanging out, taking pics…and then comes the COLD water… 🙂

One of my favorites.

If you missed the introduction to Izzy & Jeremy’s Levyland Estate wedding yesterday, click HERE for Part ONE. Are you ready for these amazing DIY details?? I’ll keep the words to a minimum today and let you get on to the good stuff!!

Thank you, again, to Izzy & Jeremy…you both were so great to work with and I’m so happy we were able to spend time together in Boston! I think I’ll need to make another trip out there again soon for Red Sox and Mike’s Pastry! 🙂 xoxo

Here we go!!!

Another shot of these beauties…I couldn’t resist!

One of the best escort card ideas I’ve seen. Izzy created these with a different state for each table…a state that they had visited together. That’s a lot of states!!

I loved the variety of flowers from Rae Florae. Fit perfectly with the entire wedding and were gorgeous!!

A closeup of just one of the runners that Izzy’s mom made. The fabric designer is Joel Dewberry and the Modern Meadow Collection!

Okay…this is unreal. When we did the walk through at Levyland last summer, Izzy mentioned that her friend was going to transform the “garage” of the estate (concrete walls all around) into the dance floor area. I had NO idea that it was going to look this good!! Truly amazing and I’m sure took so much hard work, but it was all worth it for this fabulous celebration…and dance party, which you will see below!!

Look at all that ribbon!!!

Table details…so many it was hard to stop shooting!!

The wedding cake topper has been passed down from Izzy’s parents AND grandparents!

And now for the party…loved this entrance by the bridal party!

Izzy’s dad during his toast. So sweet!

One of the best parts of the evening was a surprise performance by two of Izzy’s best friends. She had NO idea that this was going to happen and it was perfect. They sang a beautiful rendition of “The Way You Look Tonight”.

And then the party had officially begun!!

Call me…maybe?? 🙂

An unforgettable day for Izzy & Jeremy!! XOXO

Venue – Levyland Estates; Catering – Ranch Catering; Flowers – Rae Florae; DJ – PurDigital Entertainment; Makeup – Tina of Flawless Faces; Hair – Joey Rodriguez; Cupcakes – Julia Erratt (sister of the bride); 2nd shooter – Meghan Fien

Over a year and a half in the making, I can’t believe this wedding is over! I first chatted with Izzy over the phone in late 2010. I loved hearing the vision for her wedding and was thrilled that I was going to be able to document it. You first saw Izzy & Jeremy on the blog a few months back when I shot their engagement session in Boston! I love that I am able to become friends with my clients and blessed to be a part of their lives on one of their biggest days. But I really don’t want to share these photos because then it means that their wedding is over! [insert sad face here] Izzy & Jeremy – you both are such a great example of a sweet love and friendship that all of us should strive to have. THANK YOU for the privilege of being your wedding photographer!!

An INCREDIBLE amount of hard work and dedication went in to planning this amazing event at Levyland Estates. From the invitations & banners, flowers & ribbons, to the place cards & dance floor transformation…ALL of it done by Izzy, Jeremy, family & friends. And the fabric…did I mention FABRIC?? I got a peek of the fabric last year when I first met Izzy & her mom during a walk through at Levyland. But seeing it all come to life was phenomenal. Izzy and friends made the men’s ties, boutonnieres and flower girl dresses! Her mom made the pillows, table runners, tissue holders, bouquets/vase wraps and more…AH!…all with the same fabrics that were the focal point in creating the vision for this wedding day. I had to break up this post into two parts because of these amazing details. You’ll see a ton of details tomorrow, but here are a few to begin the day.

Also, a BIG thank you to Courtney Toney of Joyful Weddings and Events! I guess I should say “formerly of” since this was her very last wedding! She owned Joyful Weddings & Events, but made the decision to sell it to one of her business partners in order to spend time with her family. Courtney is a faithful business owner (check her out on Etsy!), mom, wife and friend. She referred me to Izzy back in 2010 and it was such a pleasure to work with her & her team. They organized a flawless wedding day and helped Izzy’s vision come to life. Thank you Courtney!!! XOXO

I had heard about these shoes for a long time…and boy, they did NOT disappoint!! Christian Louboutin FTW!!

Izzy…you’re GORGEOUS!! And SO happy! She couldn’t stop smiling all day!

Her family couldn’t quite keep it together when they first saw Izzy…so cute.

Opening her gift from Jeremy…

mrs!!

And Jeremy with his gift from Izzy…cufflinks made from original seats at Fenway Park! So cool.

They didn’t want to see each other before the ceremony, but wanted to at least be near each other. So this was our version of a first “look”. 🙂

I loved all the different bridesmaids dresses and bouquets!!

Boys will be boys…

A peak at the ties & boutonnieres that were made by Izzy’s mom!

Levyland is the perfect place to get married. They rented it out for the whole week before the wedding to enjoy the SoCal beaches, spend time with friends & family and get ready for the big day.

Not only does Izzy have a talented/crafty family, but also amazingly talented friends. These two shared a few songs throughout the evening and were INCREDIBLE.

MARRIED!!

Venue – Levyland Estates; Catering – Ranch Catering; Flowers – Rae Florae; DJ – PurDigital Entertainment; Makeup – Tina of Flawless Faces; Hair – Joey Rodriguez; Cupcakes – Julia Erratt (sister of the bride); 2nd shooter – Meghan Fien

Stay tuned for many more photos tomorrow!!

Ever since we spent time together at their Julian engagement session, I have been so excited for Heather & Jarek’s wedding. This DIY affair was completely amazing! To see all of the hard work and love that made this wedding come to life was so special. Heather & Jarek, thank you so much for the honor of capturing your wonderful day! You two are such a blessing to each other and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for your future. Love you both!!

I always love it when couples choose to do a “first look”…

Venue – Willow Creek Ranch, Valley Center, CA; Video – Luke McCain Videography; Desserts – homemade by relatives and friends; 2nd photographer – Meghan Fien

Happy Monday, friends!! I’m so excited to share this wedding with you! It was my first wedding of 2012 and boy, did it come through as one of the best ever! Joy and Tim were such a dream to work with…they were both so relaxed and trusted me with anything. I couldn’t have asked for a better couple to call clients and more importantly, friends. These two have been together for many years so it was finally time to make it “official” :). With a couple that has been together for so long, taking photos is easy, effortless and comfortable. Very few nerves and hopeful excitement created a beautiful day at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa! I love this venue! Yes, you have guests walking around here and there since it is a hotel, but overall it’s a very intimate setting that works with any palate for an amazing wedding day.

Also, a HUGE thank you to Rachel of Bliss Events and her team for coordinating a flawless day!

Enjoy the photos of Joy & Tim’s lovely day…

Joy’s parents were very emotional throughout the day…love this moment with Joy and her mother.

Amazing flowers by Rae Florae!

Gorgeous Kate Spade shoes…unfortunately one of the heels didn’t last the whole day. But luckily didn’t break until JUST after walking out of the ceremony. MOH shoes to the rescue!! 🙂

Joy is a STUNNING bride!

The first look…

These two are so cute together!

I mean, seriously…can this light get any better!! AH!

Tim’s reaction to Joy’s gift…a picture of it was on her phone. But that’s just a guess…it was for his eyes only! 😉

Gorgeous yellow and purple details…

When I asked Joy if the llamas in their logo had any significance, she said, “Not really…that’s just us!” Love it. 🙂

Ceremony/Reception/Catering – Estancia La Jolla; Coordinatory – Bliss Events; Flowers – Rae Florae; Cake – Briarmist; Groom’s Cake – Edelweiss Bakery; DJ – Michael Tiernan; Hair/Makeup – Miranda Jean Irvin; 2nd photographer – Meghan Fien

Happy Monday, friends!! I’m so excited to share this wedding with you! It was my first wedding of 2012 and boy, did it come through as one of the best ever! Joy and Tim were such a dream to work with…they were both so relaxed and trusted me with anything. I couldn’t have asked for a better couple to call clients and more importantly, friends. These two have been together for many years so it was finally time to make it “official” :). With a couple that has been together for so long, taking photos is easy, effortless and comfortable. Very few nerves and hopeful excitement created a beautiful day at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa! I love this venue! Yes, you have guests walking around here and there since it is a hotel, but overall it’s a very intimate setting that works with any palate for an amazing wedding day.

Also, a HUGE thank you to Rachel of Bliss Events and her team for coordinating a flawless day!

Enjoy the photos of Joy & Tim’s lovely day…

Joy’s parents were very emotional throughout the day…love this moment with Joy and her mother.

Amazing flowers by Rae Florae!

Gorgeous Kate Spade shoes…unfortunately one of the heels didn’t last the whole day. But luckily didn’t break until JUST after walking out of the ceremony. MOH shoes to the rescue!! 🙂

Joy is a STUNNING bride!

The first look…

These two are so cute together!

I mean, seriously…can this light get any better!! AH!

Tim’s reaction to Joy’s gift…a picture of it was on her phone. But that’s just a guess…it was for his eyes only! 😉

Gorgeous yellow and purple details…

When I asked Joy if the llamas in their logo had any significance, she said, “Not really…that’s just us!” Love it. 🙂

Ceremony/Reception/Catering – Estancia La Jolla; Coordinatory – Bliss Events; Flowers – Rae Florae; Cake – Briarmist; Groom’s Cake – Edelweiss Bakery; DJ – Michael Tiernan; Hair/Makeup – Miranda Jean Irvin; 2nd photographer – Meghan Fien

Just one from Joy & Tim’s beautiful wedding this past Friday in La Jolla…so much more gorgeousness coming soon!! 🙂

I love Maui. I love weddings. I love being a match maker. I love Melissa and Brandon. What do these things all have in common (besides that I love them all)? Brandon and Melissa will be getting married in Maui this summer and I just so happen to get to photograph it! AND this is the first time I actually get to say that I introduced a couple who eventually got married! You see, Melissa has been a close friend of mine for many years…pretty much ever since I moved to San Diego. She is one of the sweetest, kindest, spunkiest (yep, it’s a word), prettiest and lovely girls I know. So that tells you I won’t introduce her to just ANYONE. She deserves the best. A man who will be by her side through anything and will love her to the moon and back. Brandon is just that person. I met Brandon a few years ago while working at Upper Deck. As I got to know him better, I knew that he was one of the nicest guys I’d ever met and would be a good match for my friend, Mel. Just about four years ago, as the Padres season was just underway, Brandon invited me and another co-worker/friend, Gabriel, to a game. There was one extra ticket and I decided to invite Melissa. You see where this is going, right? Well I have to say they hit it off right away, he asked for her number and they never looked back. I’m so happy for my dear friends and very much looking forward to their big day in MAUI!!!!

Since this is where they first met, it was only fitting to shoot their engagement photos inside Petco Park! Luckily Brandon has some connections with the Padres (THANKS NICK!) and received full access to the empty ballpark. It’s not something that happens everyday, so we took full advantage and had a fabulous time!

Enjoy the photos and see you in MAUI!!!

Can you guess their wedding date?? 🙂

You guys are too cute.

Melissa, you are GORGEOUS!