Victoria and Daniel flew in from Colorado days before their beautiful wedding in Decanso Gardens. Though it was a whirl wind of activity leading up to their big day, the wedding turned out beautifully. They gathered with their family and friends to celebrate becoming man and wife, and I loved being able to photograph their love story! Victoria grew up 10 minutes from Decanso Gardens, and she chose to get ready in her childhood home. It was a sweet touch to the already beautiful day. I believe that my favorite part of the day was seeing Daniel's face when he first saw Victoria-it was a look full of love and excitement, and it was very sweet! I really enjoyed the time I spent with Victoria and Daniel, they are a wonderful couple, and their relationship is filled with warmth, understanding, and lots of love and laughter! I know they will have a wonderful life together. Enjoy this glimpse into their happily every after!
Caitlin and Sean-Napa Valley Wedding-Whitehall Lane Winery-Bay Area Photographer
I met Caitlin and Sean through Sean's sister Tiffany's wedding which was held in San Diego. Tiffany reached out to me when Sean and Caitlin were engaged and asked if I would be willing to travel to Napa Valley for her brother's wedding! I replied, "Yes! Of course!" and soon after Caitlin and I were in contact working out the details for her and Sean's engagement and wedding photos! We did their engagement photos early this year in January at Cornerstone Sonoma then we went to a field of gorgeous flowers in Napa Valley to finish off the day! When we completed their photos, I followed them to their wedding venue, Whitehall Lane Winery. Caitlin has worked here for the last several years, and it was a gorgeous venue to hold a wedding at! We toured around, and talked about the different areas that would be utilized for that September. The rest of the year flew by, and September 24th was here! I loved coming back to the venue to see how the vision had been transformed into reality! The setup, the flowers, the colors, and the details made it perfect! I loved photographing it all! And Caitlin and Sean were a match meant to be! Their love reflected in their eyes and vows as they stood at the altar together. And the beamed as they walked down the aisle to the cheers of their family and friends! The night was filled with food, wine, and dancing! The dance floor was packed all night, and I couldn't even believe when ten o' clock rolled around so soon! It was time to send off the newlyweds, and they ran through a tunnel of sparklers with their guests cheering them on their way! Caitlin and Sean's wedding was perfect through and through, and I loved photographing every part of it! Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Sanhamel!
Venue: Whitehall Lane Winery, Napa Valley
Wedding Coordination: Ruby and Rose, Rachael Silard
Floral Design: Amanda Vidmar Design
DJ: Boutique Djs, Mikey Mason
Hair and Makeup: Hen House Salon
Officiant: Jordan Drake
Cake: Sweetie Pies, Applejoy Somera
Cookies: Annie the Baker, Annie Baker
Food: Foodshed Napa, Sean Pramuk
Catering Staff: Acrobat Staffing
Photo Booth: Pixelfete, Brent Miller
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals, Carrie Taylor
Transportation: Beau Wine Tours
Jaqui and Brent-Calamigos Ranch Wedding-The Birchwood Room-Malibu, California-OC Wedding Photographer
Jaqui and Brent were amazing to work with! They live up in the Bay Area, and when we first became connected I was going to be up there in a few weeks so we decided to meet in person. They booked me that day, and we picked out a day to go to Lands End, San Francisco for their engagement session! The engagement session was a blast, and made me even more excited for their upcoming wedding which was going to be in Malibu at the beautiful Calamigos Ranch! The wedding came upon us quickly, and it was definitely a gorgeous day to get married! The bride and bridesmaids got ready at the Westlake Village Inn, while the groom and groomsmen were at the Calamigos Ranch Hotel. We coordinated a First Look with Jaqui and Brent and were able to have some great moments and photos with the bridal party afterwards, and of course just with Jaqui and Brent! The two of them are perfect together. Their officiant, Katie, who was also their friend remarked how everyone knew this day was coming for a long time! There were several remarks about how the way they looked at one another is the way every couple should. And that they had a love that was unique! While taking their photographs, I couldn't agree more! These two are definitely in love with one another and they show it through their words, their looks, and the way they respect each other and work together! Their actions tell of their love, and I am so grateful that I was able to document their love story on their wedding day! Enjoy looking through this beautiful love story at the wonderful Calamigos Ranch!
Venue: The Birchwood Room, Calamigos Ranch, Malibu
Wedding Planner/Stylist: Jaqui Herman, the Bride
Day of Coordinator: Nadia Placencia
Venue Coordinator: Samantha Douglas
Videographer: Megan Watertree, Water Tree Events
Hair Stylist: Anna Milhouse
Makeup Artist: Shoshanna Balian
Florist: Claudia Roevner, Dave's Flowers
Cake: Vanilla Bake Shop
Dj: Jonathan Rosales
April and Craig-Oceano Hotel and Spa Wedding-Half Moon Bay-Bay Area Photographer
I first met April and Craig when I photographed a wedding that April was a bridesmaid in. Six months later they were at the wedding of the sister of my first bride! Now it was their turn, and I was honored when they asked me to be their photographer as well! April and Craig were definitely made for each other. They are fun, dedicated, hardworking, adventurous, and very much in love with one another! Photographing them together was great because they are so natural with one another. When we went off for their bride and groom photos, we wanted to stay out there because we were just having so much fun! The scenery in Half Moon Bay was beautiful! The coordinator, Nancy, from Oceano Hotel and Spa, drove us to a spot that was surrounded by Cypress trees. There was also wooden stairs down to a small private beach! The overcast day brought a dreamy look to all of their photos, and it was well suited for the Half Moon Bay weather! When we finally pulled ourselves away from the beautiful beach, we went back to a wonderful reception at the Oceano Hotel full of laughter and dancing! The night was completed with a cigar bar and a donut dessert table for guests to enjoy! I love all of the unique touches that April and Craig had at their wedding, but what truly made their wedding unique was the love that they share! Congratulations to April and Craig Martin! I wish you a lifetime of happiness!
Photography: Larissa Bahr Photography
Venue: Oceano Hotel and Spa
Venue Coordinator: Nancy N
Floral: Malia Gondkoff
Donut Bar: Johnny Doughnuts
Brianna and Alex Wedding-Ranch Del Sur-San Diego Photographer-The Ranch House
It was a beautiful day in San Diego for Brianna and Alex's Wedding! We started at the Marriott Hotel in Rancho Bernardo for the getting ready location. All of the girls were adorable in matching robes! Brianna and Alex had a first look at the Crosby Club right down the street from their venue, the Ranch House in Del Sur. The first look was so sweet; Brianna walked up behind Alex, fighting tears. Alex also was fighting them and as he turned to see her, he began to cry. Bri's tears turned into laughter as they spent the moments together with the two of them. It was a great moment to witness and capture! We spent time taking family photos and wedding party photos before taking some time with just the two of them! They are such a great and adorable couple that the photographs were easy!
When we reached the wedding location site at the Ranch House, we took some time to let them relax before the ceremony! The ceremony was beautiful, also filled with lots of tears and laughter! We took more photos of the two of them afterwards, which I was thrilled about! They had their Grand Entrance and straight into a beautiful first dance. Their reception was filled with lots of dancing as all of their friends from Cal Baptist University, their work friends, and their family came out to celebrate! It was a gorgeous day all of the way through! I was thrilled to be a part of such a beautiful wedding! Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Abarca!
Venue: The Ranch House in Del Sur
Mat and Tawny-Mystical Destination Wedding-San Francisco City Hall-Lands End-Golden Gate Bridge-Elopement
I was thrilled when Mat and Tawny contacted me about their destination wedding in San Francisco! They had decided to get married on their anniversary July 28th, at the San Francisco City Hall. I have traveled to San Francisco several times now for shoots, but I had not made it to City Hall yet. About two months before their wedding I was in the Bay area for another photography session, and I decided to do some location scouting for the best places to go with Mat and Tawny. Lands End and Sutro Baths are some of my new favorite locations up there, and when I showed them photos they also fell in love! We also decided upon West Bluff to get the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge. After location scouting, I proposed to them to start their session between 7am and 8am in the morning before their ceremony. We would have better lighting then the middle of the day, and a lot less tourists! They agreed wholeheartedly, which I was so thankful for! The day of the wedding came and in true San Francisco fashion it was a foggy day. We went to Lands End/Sutro Baths area first, and the fog provided a beautiful airy and mystical look for our session. We continued onto the Golden Gate Bridge and were fortunate enough to have the fog lift up enough whenever we hit a landmark to take photos before it would settle in again. After that we went back to freshen up before the ceremony at City Hall. It is a gorgeous spot, and I was thrilled to be able to take photos there. At the end of the day, we ended with a San Francisco Giants verses the Washington Nationals. Mat and Tawny who are die-hard Angels fans were voting for the Nationals. They were in the minority, walking around the Giants stadium in their custom Nationals' jerseys. But everyone was congratulating them when we told them that it was their wedding day! And as if it was a wedding present to Mat and Tawny, the Nationals won that night! It was a great way for Mat and Tawny to end their big day! Congratulations Mat and Tawny! I hope your days are filled with many more wins through all areas of life together!
Bridgette and Paul Engagement Photography Session-Strands Beach-Dana Point Photographer- San Juan Capistrano
I had a wonderful time photographing Bridgette and Paul's engagement session! They are from California but currently live in Boston, so we didn't meet in person until the day of their engagement session. Right from the start they were full of smiles and laughter, which made my job even easier! They were so natural and easy together, and they took directions like a pro! They started their session at a family friend's backyard in San Juan Capistrano. It was a gorgeous spot with lots of greenery to play with. We moved from there to Strands Beach in Dana Point. The weather was perfect, and we had a blast going around the beach taking photos while trying to escape the waves that came rolling in! By the end of the day, I was already so excited about the images that I could not wait to get home to start my editing! It was a great engagement session, and it made me so excited for their upcoming wedding this next Spring! Congratulations Bridgette and Paul! Looking forward to our next adventure on the wedding day!
Taryn and Brian-Laguna Beach Wedding-Southern California Wedding-Destination Wedding Photographer
Taryn has been a dear friend of mine since I was eleven years old. We went to school together, were on the same basketball team, and shared a love for Disney and musicals! Throughout the years we have had many wonderful conversations regarding God, life, goals, future, and of course boys. When Taryn first told me about Brian, he was a fellow coworker who was cute and nice. As time went on, they became friends. This friendship blossomed into seeing each other more and more, taking trips together with other friends, having deep and meaningful conversations, and eventually going out together one on one. Early this year Taryn told me that they were official, soon after they were engaged, and now as of June 19th they are married! This whirlwind romance is based off a solid four years of working together, becoming best friends for the last two years, and now committing to be best friends and partners for the rest of their lives! I am thrilled that my friend, Taryn, found her happily ever after! I was unable to make the wedding as I had another wedding I was attending out in NYC at the same time, but Taryn and Brian delayed their flights home to Texas so that we could take these wedding portraits at the beach! It was my first time officially meeting Brian, but I could see that these two were perfect together! The smiles that lit their faces, and the fun they had together was a joy to capture! It is good to know that my dear friend will be loved and adored for the rest of her life! Congratulations, Taryn and Brian! May God continue to bless you in your journey of marriage!
Zion National Park-Wanderlust Adventures-The Narrows
"She believed she could so she did."
I have always loved adventure and travel, and the last few years I have been able to make that more of a reality! It is my way to refresh- to reconnect with God, myself, and my passion. I let my mind be free, and I create for no one else besides me. I aim to push my limits, but also to take the simple joy of adventuring with my camera. I want to capture my travels and adventures because I want to remember how that scene looked as I backpacked into the outbacks Zion, climbed a glacier in Iceland, or looked into the eyes of a lion in Kenya. I want to vivdly remember each day! My documentations of my travels inspire me to continue forward, to keep creating, and to relish in the beauty that God has made! I hope to also inspire others with my travels. We live in a gorgeous world, and there are so many places to see. We should be adventurers, we should experience it, we should praise God for this beautiful world He has made!
This trip was very spontaneous to say the least. My friend Candace asked if I was available Memorial Day Weekend to go on a camping trip. After some deliberation, we decided upon Zion and made it happen! We left late Thursday night to arrive by Friday morning. The campsites were full so we obtained a permit for back country camping instead. I have only gone backpacking once before, and this was Candace's first! Being two girls backpacking out in the remote part of Zion was a little daunting, and we both set off with some trepidation. But the worst we faced were the swarms of bugs that would come to taunt us every time we stopped. We reached our campsite which was on top of a ridge overlooking the Wash we had climbed up from. It was a stunning view, which we enjoyed more once the bugs disappeared after sunset. The sunset was worth it though, and I braved the bugs to get a few shots before retreating back to our tent. The next day we explored the backcountry area instead of fighting the crowds inside of the gates of Zion. It was a refreshing time were we only met a few people instead of the 1000s inside the National Park Gates!
Sunset that night was beautiful from our campsite! I loved our location and view! The next morning we set off to explore more of the back country of Zion!
We reached the plateau a little before sunset, and spent about an hour photographing the sunset and one another! It was a great time to relax, and just have fun!
After the sunset, we decided to sleep in the car so that we could be ready for an early next morning to hike the Narrows! We reached the bus stop at 6:15am and rode it to the trail for the Narrows. It was cold when we started the hike, and we were very grateful for the wetsuits, booties, and shoes that we rented the day before! With both of us being photographers, we hiked in with our cameras and I had a tripod attached to my backpack! We made a lot of new acquaintances as a lot of people took notice of us found us to be "Very brave" for bringing our cameras while hiking through a river that was between knee and chest deep most of the time. The photos were worth it though as the golden light lit up the sides of the canyon causing them to glisten in the sun. There were several times I squatted down in the rushing river to stabilize my tripod to get the "perfect shot". We did about 8 miles roundtrip and though we were much slower going then most (always stopping to take photos), the hike was amazing and well worth it! The water reached our chest before we decided that we could no longer risk our equipment and we turned around! I would love to do the whole hike one day, and would even be willing to leave my camera so that I could swim during the parts that required that! It was an adventure and experience that was definitely unique, and one I will continually cherish!
Jaqui and Brent-Lands End Engagement Session-Sutro Baths-San Francisco Photographer
Jaqui and Brent's engagement session at Lands End in San Francisco was a dream! We had the gorgeous sunset light filter through the trees to create a magical glow for their photos. It really looked like a fairytale with the landscape filled with Cypress trees towering above us! It was very windy that day, but that did not deter us from taking these photos. It just made for more cuddling time for them both! After taking photos around Lands End, we went down the hillside to Sutro Baths for the last part of sunset. We tiptoed across the ruins, and paused several places to take some gorgeous photos! Jaqui and Brent were great sports as we braved the cold and wind down at Sutro Baths! The sunset was gorgeous, and it was worth the trek! Enjoy these photos from good ol' San Francisco!
Brianna and Alex's Engagement Session-Los Penasquitos Canyon Trail-Sunset Cliffs-San Diego Wedding Photographer
Brianna and Alex were a dream to work with! Their love together combined with their fun and playful natures were so fun to photograph. We only had a Skype meeting prior to their engagement session, so we officially met for the first time on that day. But by the end of our session, I felt that we had known each other forever! We started at Los Penasquitos Canyon, and worked our way to Sunset Cliffs in San Diego. We played, we laughed, we created memories, and we have some amazing photographs to prove it! Enjoy this glimpse into their love together.
Mariliese and Frank-Manhattan Beach Wedding-LA Photographer-American Martyrs Church-Palos Verde Golf Club
Mariliese and Frank had a beautiful wedding day! Their Chapel, the American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach, was still decorated from Easter, and it was beautiful. The ceremony was full of love and life, and it was a joy to be a part of it! We went from there to Palos Verdes Country Club, and they had a reception full of good food, laughter, and dancing. Mariliese and Frank did a wonderfully choreographed first dance which was so fun to photograph! There was a moment near the end of the reception when the flower girl, ring bearer, and another young girl at the reception began throwing petals on the bride and groom as they danced! It was adorable. To top it all off, we ended the day at a cliff overlook in Manhattan Beach! It was a gorgeous clear day, and we were able to create stunning imagery on the cliffside. Be sure to follow this post down to the end to see the beautiful cliffside photos we captured! Congratulations again to the new Mr. and Mrs. Lamana!
Joe and Meredith-Poway Midland Railroad Park Maternity Session-San Diego
I met Joe and Meredith at Joe's brother's wedding. They were both a part of the wedding party, and Meredith and I were able to talk briefly about doing a maternity shoot. After the wedding we were able to set up a date for a few weeks later down in Poway. And it was definitely well worth the drive! Their session was so fun and beautiful with the greenery and spring flowers in bloom! We did the session at the Poway Midland Railroad Park, which is a San Diego gem for sure. These two were just adorable, and I loved being able to photograph this wonderful event for them!
Caitlin and Sean Engagement-Cornerstone Sonoma-Napa Valley-Mustard Field-Wedding Photographer
Caitlin and Sean's engagement session was a dream! We started out in the morning at Cornerstone Sonoma, an art museum in Sonoma. Caitlin and Sean have visited here several times, and it was very special to them. Plus it was such a great place to photograph at! We had a lot of fun and laughter as we jumped from one exhibit to the next, ending shortly before lunch time! We had a few hour break before meeting back up again at a mustard field in Napa Valley! During the down time, I was able to explore Napa and visit one of the wineries in the area, and Caitlin and Sean were able to change, freshen up, and get their adorable dogs for the next round of photos! The mustard field was a brilliant field of yellow, and we took photos to our hearts content! We ended as the sun set behind the mountains, backlighting the gorgeous flowers in one final glow! I am so thrilled with how this day and session turned out! It really was an amazing time with a wonderful couple! I love destination engagement sessions, and this one is definitely one of my new favorites!
Marissa and Jared-Blessing Ceremony-New England-Avery Point Lighthouse
I had the privilege of witnessing and photographing Jared and Marissa's engagement in New York City in July of last year! And when I traveled out to Connecticut over the holidays, they let us in on a little surprise...they were planning to do a blessing ceremony while we were there! Marissa's Grandparents may not be able to make the trip to their wedding in New York in June, therefore, Marissa and Jared wanted to bring the experience to them. The plan was to go to her Grandmother's nursing home, and have a blessing ceremony where they would read letters they had written to her Grandparents, read some scripture, and have some worship. As the planning began, we couldn’t help but step it up a few notches! Marissa’s cousin, Jenn, volunteered to do the hair and make-up, I was going to photograph and do flowers, we ordered a mini surprise cake, we all scouted out locations to take photographs at beforehand, we went shopping for dresses for the girls and bowties for the men, and we had a blast through it all! The days went by with a flurry of activity until the day finally arrived! Marissa and Jared did a first look at a gazebo outside the house, and it was adorable! Marissa had bought a vintage dress for the occasion, and Jared used one of his favorite suits. We then took photos around the lake with posed ones as well as several of Jared chasing Marissa around the grassy area! Going from there we caravanned to Avery Point Lighthouse, and photographed along the coast. It was freezing, but well worth the photos!
After taking all of these photos, we all went to Avalon Health Center to let the blessing ceremony begin! Grandmother Gorman was all smiles as she saw Marissa walking down the aisle with Marissa’s mother, Jeanne Maren, and brother, Daniel Maren, on each arm. The ceremony began with Daniel explaining how much the Grandparents meant to them all, and how they wanted them to be a part of it all which was why we were doing the blessing ceremony with them that day. It proceeded with Marissa and Jared reading letters to the Grandparents as well as the Grandparents giving speeches back to them. The pastor led in some readings of the scripture and some worship, and Jenn also did a reading. The blessing ceremony was beautiful, and was indeed very blessed. Afterwards Jenn and I were able to surprise them with the cake we had ordered which read “Just Blessed”, then we all moved upstairs to Grandmother Gorman’s room to cut the cake, and do some dancing. Marissa and Jared shared a first dance together, followed by her Grandfather, her Uncle Ray, and Daniel. The delight in the Grandparents eyes was beautiful, and it was a special event to witness!
After the dancing completed, we spent some time all together then left Avalon to go to dinner, and let the Grandparents rest. It was a great time of reminiscing about the day, and sharing time and conversation all together! We came home, exhausted, but very happy! And all in all the day was very blessed! I hope you enjoyed the photos of this wonderful day, and congratulations to the newly blessed couple as they go forth to their actual wedding in the summertime!
April and Craig San Francisco Engagement Session-Sutro Baths, Palace of Fine Arts, Downtown SF
We planned April and Craig's engagement session with horses at a winery in Pleasanton, Ca. But the forecast was 100% rain for the day we set out, so the day before we switched locations to go to Land's End/Sutro Baths and brave the weather and rain! As we arrived it poured and hailed, but as it started letting up, we went and got a few photos out in the trees! It became extremely windy and rainy again, so we decided to go inland to the Palace of Fine Arts in SF. The weather finally held for us, and we even finished our shoot with a bit of sunlight breaking through! Because of the rain, there were not as many people around, and we were able to get some amazing photos! We took our final shots in the streets of the city and by the harbor. We all agreed that the shoot turned out as it should have, and it was all meant to be! Enjoy these fun photos around San Francisco!
