Genevieve & Kasraa | October 2nd, 2011
Genevieve and Kasraa’s wedding was simply beautiful. Every detail of their special day was filled with so much love and meaning. Genevieve’s wedding was every little girl’s dream. She had, not one, but two Oscar de La Renta custom wedding gowns for her big day. A beautiful historic lodge overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge booked for her wedding night. A romantic ceremony at a park near her home where she shared many memories with her friends, family, and especially her prince charming. A classic 1960′s Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud acting as her shining white horse. & Of course, a warm and exciting evening reception with her most precious friends and family, celebrating the union of two wonderful people. It was a small wedding, but there was so much love and warmth in the air that made Genevieve’s wedding more special than any fairy tale wedding out there. I am so happy that I was able to be a part of Genevieve and Kasraa’s special day. I know these two lovebirds will totally live happily ever after!
Suzy & Daniel | October 1st, 2011
Wow, it is amazing to see how people grow and find happiness in their lives. I have known Daniel since freshman year of high school, and we used to hang out all the time. It was always lunch break with Daniel, Adam, and Carlos by the 400 hall, just hanging out and talking about random stuff like video games and music. Now, he’s married to Suzy and they have two lovely kids as well, a big happy family! I am so happy to see that Daniel has found a great person to share his life with. Suzy is a nice person, with a fun personality and she’s a great mother too. I love that even though they are busy with work and taking care of the family, they still make time for each other. They are so supportive of each other and they live such selfless lives; it’s a great trait for parents to have! Thank you so much Daniel and Suzy for sharing your wonderful day with me!
Olya & Nathan | September 24th, 2011
Olya and Nathan had an adorable small wedding in Lafayette at Postino with eighteen of their closest friends and family. I completely love small weddings. The atmosphere was very intimate and mellow, and I had a great time with all of the guests. The ceremony was very sweet, with their good friend officiating the wedding. The reception was filled with a lot of laughter and good food. Nathan and Olya both have excellent taste in food; Postino is a great place to dine at! Since Nathan and Olya did not want to take any precious time away from the guests, we decided to do the formal bride and groom session on another day in San Francisco at the Palace of Fine Arts.
On a side note, I just wanted to say that I used to have a fear for photographing small weddings. At the reception, I usually spend my time photographing the guests at each table with the bride and groom, then we would do the bouquet toss, the garter toss, the cake cutting, the first dance, and then photograph the rest of the night with the guests dancing and saying their goodbyes. But with small weddings, there’s usually the ceremony, a formal session, and then a small dinner reception. I am usually at a loss when there is less than thirty people to bug for photos, and candid shots eventually look the same when you are shooting the same people for two hours or so. With Olya and Nathan’s wedding, I spent my time mingling with the guests, getting to know them, conversing with everyone, and taking fun shots of everyone. It was actually a very nice transition from photographing 100+ guests. I learned that I can spend that extra time to come up with some creative and fun shots of the guests since small weddings are a lot more slow-paced than big weddings are. I have more time to think about each shot, rather than rushing to shoot this and that. It excites me when I learn more and more about photography with each experience I gain.
Well I hope you all enjoy the photos. Thank you Nathan and Olya for having me at your wedding!
You can view more photos from this wedding here.
Thank you for reading!
Michele & Roy | September 11th, 2011
Michele and Roy got married on a beautiful day at the Wedgewood Banquet Center in Brentwood. This was my first wedding where I had a full team with me, two videographers and one second photographer. It was a very unique experience, especially since Justin, my second photographer, was completely inexperienced prior to this wedding. He has accompanied me to several weddings as my assistant, but never as a second photographer and I am really surprised at the beautiful shots he managed to take on Michele and Roy’s wedding day. Actually, some of my favorite ceremony photographs from this wedding was taken by him! For the longest time, I wanted to have a photography dream team with husband and wife, so it pleases me to know that he is a fast learner, he can take great images, and he enjoys it too! [Even though we are simply dating, it still makes me very happy.] Well, enough about my second photographer, let’s talk about the actual wedding! You know, I have a lot of trouble writing these blog posts. I simply do not know what to write about! I enjoy every wedding that I shoot, I love all the couples I have worked with, and I always have fun. I feel like I say the same thing every time like how this wedding was so much fun and that couple is so adorable, but I really mean it! It’s funny how this is the dilemma I have with my job. With this wedding, what was most striking to me was the ceremony. It was simply a gorgeous ceremony. I loved the rose ceremony that they had at the end and the lighting was divine. I love that Michele and Roy wanted a lot of fun and creative shots, so I was able to use my Lensbaby for the first time at a wedding! [If you don't know what a Lensbaby is, check out http://www.lensbaby.com/ ] I really enjoyed photographing this wedding and it was a great experience for me to be able to work with a full team. I hope you all enjoy the photos!
You can view more photos from this wedding here.
Thank you for reading!
Sarina & Sergio | September 3rd, 2011
Sarina and Sergio are so adorable together, and they are such romantics too! They had a civil wedding when they were younger, but then they decided that it was time for them to have the big wedding they’ve always dreamt about. Their wedding really felt like a dream come true! They had a beautiful ceremony at Brownstone Gardens in Oakley, then a fun formal bridal party photo session at Heather Farms in Walnut Creek, and a festive celebration of their marriage at the Hilton Hotel in Concord. Their closest friends sang a couple songs for them at the ceremony and reception, and their sister danced for them too. Oh, and my favorite part of the wedding was their wedding cake. Their wedding toppers was of Mickey and Minnie Mouse in bridal clothing. How adorable is that! So, the story with their fondness for Mickey and Minnie is that Sarina came home on Valentine’s Day one year, and found her whole room covered in Mickey Mouse stuff. It became their thing since then. Super cute and romantic! It was a really wonderful wedding and I wish the best for Sarina and Sergio! I hope you all enjoy the photos!
View more photos from this wedding on Flickr!
If you haven’t already, take a look at Sarina & Sergio’s engagement session here!
Thank you for reading!
Veronica & Gonzalo | August 6th, 2011
I have shot a good amount of weddings this past year, and I am always struck with surprises at each wedding that I photograph. With Veronica & Gonzalo’s wedding, I was most surprised about how local weddings can be so gorgeous and perfect. The ceremony was held at the Queen of All Saints Catholic Church off of Grant St. by Mt. Diablo High School in Concord. I have driven by this church so many times in the past ten years that I have lived in Contra Costa County and I have never stepped foot inside the church until their wedding day. It was such a beautiful church! The priest and the people within the church were really flexible with me as well. I was able to talk with them about where I can stand and shoot without disrupting the ceremony, and they were really helpful. I’ve had a couple of somewhat bad experiences in the past with church ceremonies, so it was great that I was able to shoot the ceremony the way I wanted to without any conflict. After the ceremony, the wedding was moved to Shadelands for the reception in Walnut Creek. My Junior Prom was at Shadelands and I have also photographed a wedding there, so I expected the reception to be inside the event building. But it turned out that the reception was held outdoors next to the event building, and ah! I totally loved it. The lighting was perfect, and we were able to take formal photos without needing to move to another location. The band was really lively, all the guests were dancing, the bridal party were a blast to hang out with, and I even got to drink a couple of celebratory drinks with the bride and groom! I love it when the bride and groom include me in their group of friends on their wedding day. I get to share memories with them on their special day, not just capture them and that makes me really happy. Congrats to Veronica and Gonzalo, and thank you so much for including me on your wedding day! Enjoy the photos everyone!
You can view more photos from Veronica & Gonzalo’s Wedding on Flickr!
If you haven’t already, you can also take a look at their engagement session here.
Thank you for reading!
Irma & Ruben | July 30th, 2011
I am very happy to introduce the lovely Mr. & Mrs. Castro! Talk about a fun and extremely cute couple! Irma and Ruben had a summer wedding in Davis at a quaint little church and reception hall. We went to the UC Davis campus for the formal photos of the bride and groom which was a lot more gorgeous than I imagined! The bridesmaids and groomsmen were also a lot of fun to hang out with throughout the day. I seriously had a blast with Irma and Ruben and I know they will have a wonderful life together. It will definitely never be dull, that’s for sure. ^_^
You can view more photos from Irma & Ruben’s wedding on Flickr.
Also, if you are interested in seeing their engagement photos, you can check them out here.
Thank you for reading!
Jackie & Jamaris | July 3rd, 2011
Introducing Jackie and Jamaris Richmond, such a fun and lively couple! I love summer weddings because we can party late without getting cold at night, and that’s exactly what happened at Jackie and Jamaris’ wedding. One of those lovely summer days that gives us a nostalgic feeling about summer love. It was an enjoyable evening with lots of dancing, laughter, and cupcakes! Bacon and maple cupcakes spelling out J <3 J. Simply adorable and unique. This was also my first wedding where I offered videography and it was quite an interesting experience for me. My second photographer, Justin Esposito, decided to videotape the entire wedding and it was quite hard for me to maneuver around without getting in his way but it turned out good. Well, I hope you enjoy the photos from Jackie and Jamaris’ summer wedding.
You can view more photos from Jackie and Jamaris’ Wedding on Flickr.
Also, if you are interested in seeing their engagement photos, you can check them out here.
Thank you for reading!
Zoe & Enrique | July 9th, 2011
Zoe and Enrique are one of the most laid back couples I have ever met. A few weeks before the wedding day, Kristin, Zoe’s sister-in-law, asked me to photograph Zoe & Enrique’s wedding at a beautiful home in Sonoma, California. I gladly accepted and met with the couple and Kristin at their rehearsal the day before the wedding. Although Sonoma is fairly close to Pittsburg, I felt like this was a destination wedding, primarily because it was a destination wedding for the couple and the majority of the guests. Zoe and Enrique actually traveled from Colorado with their two dogs in their jeep. Road tripping to your wedding destination and partying for a week at the venue just sounds like such a fun idea! I cannot even express in words how much fun I had at Zoe and Enrique’s wedding. All of the guests were very enjoyable to be around, the Mariachi were even fun to joke around with, the officiant had a few beers with me, and we ended the night with a round of tequila shots with all of the guests, Zoe and Enrique, and myself included. Although I only spent one day with Zoe, Enrique, and their family and friends, I felt like I was part of their circle. I want to give my thanks to Zoe and Enrique for having me be a part of their special day, and to Kristin who gave me the opportunity to photograph Zoe and Enrique’s wedding day. I am sure you will all enjoy this wedding as much as I do! Did I also mention that it was a DIY themed wedding? Day of the Dead theme, to be exact! The altar, the boutonnieres, the bouquet, the table centerpieces, the party favors, even the wedding dress [!] were all handmade. Everyone who helped out with the wedding were all so crafty and artsy, I totally loved it! Ah, I totally cannot contain my excitement! Well, enjoy folks!
Tara & TJ | June 18th, 2011
Tara and TJ’s wedding is probably one of my most memorable weddings thus far. I have known Tara since the old high school marching band days, and it was really exciting to see her and a few of my old band mates. I am really happy for Tara. TJ seems like a great guy; he is a really nice guy, with a good sense of humor. They both share a love for traveling, and they practically chased each other across the world! I wish I remembered more of their love story because it was really cute and quite touching too. They are such romantics! I simply adore it.
Before I show you photos of Tara and TJ’s beautiful wedding day, I have to give my thanks to Missy Eyre. She was the main photographer of this wedding, and she came all the way from Utah! Missy and I spent practically the whole day together, talking about photography and weddings, and I learned so much from her. My weakest point as a photographer, in my opinion, is how to pose people, especially couples. I usually tell people to stand together and naturally get intimate with one another, but instructions like that does not work with most people. What does natural mean? Do you want me to look at you, or to look at my significant other? Should we kiss? People often ask me questions like these, and I usually tell them, oh, just stand how you normally do with each other. Again, not very specific. Personally, I do not like my photos to look too pose-y or stiff. I want the subjects in my photos to look natural and happy, but some times people naturally do not photograph well. They become confused with how to stand, where to put their hands, what expression to use, and most of the people I work with like to have some direction or instruction. It was a great experience to watch Missy in action. She has the assertive personality that photographers need to have, giving people instructions and placing them how she wants them, and she is able to produce beautiful yet natural images. I really am so thankful for Missy for allowing me to shadow her as a second photographer. Even though I edited these wedding photos the same way I edit other wedding photos, I feel that they came out ten times better because of the posing and flow. It really showed me that it is important to instruct people and communicate with them so that you can produce wonderful images together. I felt like a novice while shooting this wedding, but I feel that I am a step closer to being a professional wedding photographer. Please check out Missy’s blog and website! http://www.picturesbymissy.com/ && http://missyeyrephotography.com/
Thank you so much Tara and TJ for allowing me to capture your special wedding day. Enjoy the photos!
Look at their matching vintage-style shoes! I love it!
I love the typewriter!
This is our friend Alex, who was also a part of the marching band. I thought it was very fitting of him to DJ the wedding with jazz records.
It totally reminds me of high school. Good times.
TJ built the T’s Ice Cream & Soda Shoppe from scratch. Isn’t this just an adorable idea?
Their friends helped serve the ice cream and a couple of the girls even dressed up in pin-up clothing. Very retro!
Check out my Flickr if you want to view more photos from Tara & TJ’s wedding day!
I thought it would be fun to post a couple of pictures of Tara and I.
One of us with her husband on her wedding day, and one of us sitting at the awards ceremony for a band review.
Look at how young we are! I don’t know why, but it puts a smile on my face to look at old pictures. ^_^
Thank you for reading!
Deena & Mark | May 27th, 2011
Let me tell you a story about this adorable couple from Florida and the adventure of their wedding day. On May 26th, while browsing the internet for some photography gigs, I came across a casting call for a wedding photographer in Napa. I had just finished school the day before and my schedule was suddenly very open, so I responded to the casting call with high hopes. A couple hours later, I received an email from Stacey Smarker, a make-up artist. She was hired by the Napa Valley Wine Train to do make-up for various events. As it turns out, she needed a photographer for a wedding event and my style of photography was just the type that Stacey was looking for. She sent me the details to the wedding, and in the blink of an eye, I booked my first wedding event of the year.
The venue was a quaint bed and breakfast inn by downtown Napa, called the White House Inn. It was simply adorable. When I arrived at the venue around noon, Stacey was applying make-up on two of the guests for the wedding and Deena was relaxing herself with a glass of wine and snacks. We introduced ourselves, then Deena explained to me that she and her husband-to-be were from Florida. They absolutely love wine and Napa Valley was the perfect place for them to express their love for each other, as well as their love for wine. The problem was that it was hard to plan a wedding when it is located on the other side of the country. Luckily, Deena and Mark found this venue which provided everything a couple needed for a wedding. However, the venue hired their own photographer for the wedding, which Deena and Mark had no say in. The couple was worried that the venue picked a more traditional photographer, and they craved a photographer whose creativity would reflect their personalities. Deena felt so relieved that Stacey was able to find a photographer on such short notice, and I was thrilled to be the one to photograph her wedding! After the introductions, Stacey was ready to apply make-up onto Deena, and thus my photographic adventure began.
The ceremony was held at a white gazebo to the left of the inn, surrounded by trees and tall green bushes. It was a bright sunny day with a cool climate, the perfect weather for a spring wedding. Mark stood at the gazebo with the marriage officiant, waiting for his bride to appear before his eyes. The music filled the air, queuing the guests to stand and greet the bride as she walk down the cemented pathway, arms linked with her father, toward her endearing groom. She smiled at him, he smiled back at her. They lock one hand together, gazing at one another as the officiant began to speak. Witnessed by their closest friends and family, the couple vowed their love for each other. They exchange rings, a circle made of precious metal and stone to symbolize a never-ending love. To celebrate this love, they stepped into the gazebo to drink their favorite wine together. Pronounced as husband and wife, Mark circled his arms around his gorgeous bride and showered her with kisses. Thus, ending Mark and Deena’s beautiful wedding ceremony.
After the ceremony, the couple greeted their friends and family for the first time as husband and wife and they all celebrated over champagne and wine. While Deena and Mark spent their time taking photographs in front of the inn, the guests spent their time dancing with one another. Alas, it was time to cut the wedding cake! This was an amusing part of the wedding, to watch the bride and groom awkwardly feed each other and have a good laugh about it.
For the formal bride and groom session, Margretha, the main photographer, took us to a nearby vineyard. It was a beautiful location, with rows upon rows of grapevines. Absolutely perfect for a couple who loves wine almost as much as they love each other. Unfortunately, since I was not the main photographer, I was not able to place the couple or pose them to however I liked. Most of these photos were taken from a different angle while Margretha was photographing Deena and Mark. Nevertheless, Deena and Mark were simply too cute to photograph.
We left the vineyards and returned to the White House Inn, where Deena and Mark were greeted with a small surprise. Their car was decorated with balloons and comedic scribbles, but that was not their only surprise! Out comes Papa and Mama in their ‘hillbilly’ attire! Ah, family jokes are the best.
Since the couple did not have a formal reception, I decided to have them dance in front of the White House. Mark was so cute, he really enjoyed dancing with Deena and occasionally, he would pose for the camera while dancing. They are really just too adorable.
Finally, we conclude my adventure with Deena and Mark on their special day at the Napa Valley Wine Train, where their reception took place at. I hope Deena and Mark have a wonderful lifetime together. I know they will definitely live happily ever after.
Thank you for taking the time to read about Deena and Mark’s special day. You can view their wedding photos on Flickr.
Marissa & Mark | May 25th, 2011
I must admit, I feel really depressed about the photos that I took for this event. I don’t think it is the best work that I could have done, but this was my first experience with a one-hour civil wedding event. I am really thankful to Marissa and Mark for having me as their photographer and I have learned a lot of lighting techniques for next time. This event was at the San Francisco City Hall. Marissa and Mark decided to have a civil wedding there. I must say, San Francisco City Hall is absolutely gorgeous inside! I really want to do more photo shoots there! The only major problem that I had with this event was the lighting. With the high ceiling, it was hard for me to do a soft ceiling bounce. Also, we had a time crunch, we finished the ceremony, the formal family portraits, and the intimate bride and groom session all in one hour. My friend, Chris Argento, kept me company that day and I had him running around switching lenses for me. I am really thankful for his assistance, which helped the session go by with more ease. As for editing, I spent a lot of time adding textures to the images and editing them with a purple or blue tint to compensate for the noise and bad lighting. Let me know what you think about this session, and if you have any advice about lighting, please give me some! Thank you very much.
You can view more photos from this session here.
