Dec
23
Just thought we should kick off this rainy holiday weekend with a refreshing celebration from this past summer. Part deux of Soo Jin and Roger’s perfect Sonoma wedding at Viansa Winery.
Our last post was all about the beauty leading up to and through their wine cave ceremony. And now we share sunset portraits and one fabulously good party.
First up the bridal party, with signature white parasols, courtesy of Viansa.
And then some alone time enjoying the magnificent valley scenery as the sun was beginning to set. Warm light made their skin glow. Well, that, and the happy day.
So many beautiful spots to shoot. We honestly could have photographed here all day.
But we had a party to attend. And the guests were waiting.
Grand entrance through the bridesmaid and groomsmen gauntlet. Love that the girls took the guys sunglasses and handed off their bouqets to the gents.
Yup.
First dance.
Finished off with a dip.
Kiss, please!
Fooling around in the photo booth.
Check out this super fun ring shot. They had the letters on their dessert bar table. Picked up the little chairs which were holding the escort cards, and then placed the rings on each chair. Love the connection to their day.
All around good times and simply stunning wedding. Congrats to Soo Jin and Roger and thanks to all those who made it a spectucular wedding!
Nov
23
Soo Jin and Roger have style to last til the end of time, and planned an elegant wedding in Sonoma. I can’t imagine a more perfect backdrop than these vineyards and wineries with all of their romance. The skies were clear. The air was warm. And Soo Jin and Roger were so excited to tie the knot.
They both got ready at a private home with Roger and the boys taking over the main house, and Soo Jin and the ladies enjoying the guest house by the pool. Not a bad way to enjoy a destination wedding really.
Her dress and the view from her pad.
Roger primping and prepping.
The boys downed a shot of something- not sure what- but here’s how it went down. Hmmm….
Meanwhile, Soo Jin was getting gussied up. Finishing touches on her dress.
They decided to do a first look before their ceremony so that they could take portraits without time constraints at Viansa. Roger was peeking before he was supposed to. Who can blame him?
He made up for it with kisses.
And then the ceremony began. It took place in the wine caves, lit by candles. Beautiful and romantic!
Clearly a happy couple! And more to come from sunset portraits and the reception fun.
Oct
21
Giddy, joyful, explosive enthusiasm, positivity, blissful, abundant smiles, cheerful, delighted, ecstatic, gleeful…. how many words can I come up with to describe all the ways in which Ellen and Edwin were two of the happiest people I have ever seen on their wedding day?! Before the wedding, Ellen was literally jumping up and down with excitement and happily sang a little song of joy with her niece about this being her wedding day. So much merriment is bound to be intoxicating; it’s no surprise that everyone, including Dave and I, wore smiles all day long.
Ellen arrived at Hans Fahden ready to go. Her sisters, mom, best friend, and neice got ready alongside her. She put some finishing touches on her make-up, and then put on her dress.
When Ellen and Edwin met each other at the end of the aisle, all of the built up emotions found an outlet- in laughter and in tears of joy.
Edwin’s parents watched on.
Ellen and Edwin sealed their commitment to each other with a kiss.
After the ceremony, we gathered the families together for portraits. Ellen’s sisters and best friend are hilarious. They teased Edwin with a long list of mandate’s regarding how to take care of Ellen. He was a very good sport.
Portraits of Ellen and Edwin in the gardens.
I love the way the gaze at each other.
Dinner in the wine cave soon followed. It’s so romantic in there- candles and flowers warm up the space.
As it turns out, Edwin’s friends are also hysterical. His best man gave a truly fabulous speech, which included actual emails Edwin had written during his courtship of Ellen. My favorite quote, "Game on!"
After dinner, Ellen and Edwin cut their cake. I am completely enamored with this colorful cake- actually a perfect representation of the feel of their day- bright, sunny, sweet.
Their first dance, as seen through the eyes of Ellen’s neice.
The father daughter dance. I can totally see where Ellen gets her joie de vivre.
Edwin getting down on the dance floor.
At the very end of our evening, Ellen and Edwin took their turn in the photo booth for a few shots. They have such a great sense of humor- the costumes were perfect and they totally played up the part. This is the very lost shot, as they tell the paparazzi, aka Dave, no more.
Special thanks to all of the professionals who made the day so special:
Andi and the team at Hans Fahden Winery
Sharon Van Geisen from Park Avenue Catering
Mary Ann Parker from Fleur de Lisa for their exquisite cake
Peggy Blatchford for the floral design
DJ Alexander Hansen from AMS Entertainment
Alisa from The Powder Room for her styling of Ellen’s hair
Groom and groomsmen’s attire by Hugo Boss
Margot Piper, Maid of Honor, and talented graphic designer for the printed materials
And to Ellen and Edwin, you are two amazingly adventurous kindred spirits- birds of a feather. It has been such a pleasure getting to know you. We are delighted that we could be a part of your celebration, and we can’t wait to see those photos from Guyana.
Want to see more? Check out their sneak peek on Facebook and their wedding movie.
Jul
31
When last I wrote about Marla and Shawn’s destination wedding, I left off with the portraits. We actually had 3 different opportunities to capture images of our couple and their crew- before the wedding, immediately following the ceremony, and then during the reception when this fabulous vintage vehicle arrived on the scene.
I will get to a few more with the car later, but first it’s time for dinner. Hans Fahden has it all- those gorgeous gardens for the outdoor ceremony, the airy tea house for cocktails, and the wine cave for an elegant dinner. Marla chose to deck out the space with tall candelabras, tea lights in red glassware, and varied stemware. It looked amazingly elegant.
Before dinner, Marla’s father led a prayer.
Speeches followed soon after. Marla’s maid of honor/sister/the-person-who-introduced-Marla-to-Shawn was quite a hit. She had a list literally a mile long of advice for Shawn. Too funny!
Dinner was thoroughly enjoyed with great food and laughter.
But when the car arrived, we had to take a few photos. Here’s the whole gang…
Shawn’s girls were so cute. They played driver and drivee. They hopped in and out of the front seat and back seat, not once using the doors. It was clearly the best playground ever. Having so much fun, they were plenty happy to pose for a few peaking out the window.
We took Marla and Shawn down to the vineyard for a few portraits alone. On the way down, Dave got to ride with them. On the way back, I got to ride with them. And Dave captured this quintessential image.
We returned to the party for some serious dancing, kicked off by the happy couple’s first dance. What a beautiful embrace!
I just had to share one last image. In the sneak preview, I included the full color version of this moment from the ceremony. But Dave had worked it up with an alternate look as well. We use this technique, which is generally referred to as selective color, only occasionally, but sometimes it makes a real impact in a beautiful way. I love the choice for this image because the moment- a moment of prayer during the ceremony- is larger than life. For me, the variation in tonality gives a Greater Being a truer presence. You feel a difference.
If you want to see more, check out their Sneak Preview and their slideshow. And check back because Marla and Shawn’s Rock the Dress session is on its way.
Jul
07
Really exciting news- Allison and Adam’s wedding was just published in Destination Weddings and Honeymoons magazine. The mag recently hit the stands, and it looks awesome.
You can actually catch a sneak peak here.
Read More»
Sep
26
When last I wrote about Allison and Adam’s wedding, I promised to share a little bit more about their connection to Alaska. They spent a year together in an Alaskan cabin; that time seems to have had an amazing impact on them. They feel very connected to the woods. I wanted start this off with a nightshot in the forest. I think it speaks to their connection to each other and to the beauty of nature.
Read More»
Sep
25
We had such a blast hanging with Deana and Nick for their engagement session, we couldn’t wait for the wedding. And the wedding was even more awesome and fun than I had expected. Their friends and family were outstanding- welcoming and relaxed. Their site was one of our favorites, Hans Fahden in the California wine country. The skies were deep, deep blue. And I got to learn so much more about Deana and Nick. Deana’s dad’s speech rocked- both witty and sentimental. I could see through his eyes how these two amazing, intelligent, fun, wonderful people were absolutely destined to be together.
Read More»
