carlie statsky photography » modern wedding and portrait photographer

I could seriously write a short novel full of positive adjectives to describe this beach wedding…but if I was forced to narrow it down, I would have to say that this wedding was pure joy. The look and feel of the day was definitely inspired by the organic beauty of the coast, and by their personalities with all of the exuberance in Andi and all of the the calmness in Nick. They both did such an amazing job coming up with so many creative ideas for their wedding from the handmade structure for the ceremony decorated with hanging balls of glass, shells and flowers, to the stunning centerpieces for the reception that were the most imaginative and beautiful I think I’ve ever seen. Some of the highlights of the day included me taking my shoes off together with all the rest of their wedding guests to photograph their beach ceremony barefoot, watching them wipe each other’s tears and then walk down to the waterfront in the middle of the ceremony to throw their message in a bottle into the ocean, the father and daughter dance that busted into a full on hip-hop performance, and the speeches that only confirmed my suspicion that these two are both incredibly kind and loving people who could not be a more perfect fit together. I’m happy to say that these two live in my hometown and I know what beach they live near, so I’m hoping to crash a few of their beach bonfires in the future and reminisce about this awesome day.

florals: Sarah and team at Fionna floral

paper products: Kimlyn design by Kimberly Bernardi

dj: Sonja Brunner aka:”dj sparkle ‘

guitarist: Eric Jarmie

hair: Eric Gomez

makeup: Jacquetta Sorensen

wedding co-ordinator: Aunt “D”

design & signage: the bride!

I had no idea this was going to happen, so when I first saw this beautiful Style Me Pretty Magazine and discovered that Jessica and Tim’s wedding was included as one of Style Me Pretty’s top weddings of 2011 my first response was that I did’t feel worthy of being among this calibre of photographers. Then I realized that it wasn’t about my photographs, it was about the inspiring aesthetic of this bride and groom, and it was especially about the experience and talent of all of the vendors including Bliss Event Productions, Mimi & Taylor Salon, Brown Sugar Designs and Flowerwild (among so many others) without whom there would be no pretty pictures. Then I felt overwhelming gratitude for getting to work with such amazing people and for getting to document love and days like this that are so full of joy and beauty…my heart could not be any fuller.

I could not be more excited about Robyn and Tobin’s amazing Holman Ranch wedding feature in the newest issue of The Knot magazine. We had a dream team of vendors who all helped to bring this day to life, including event design and planning by Coastside Couture, flowers by Laughin’ Gal Floral, cakes by Edith Meyer, catering by Grapes of Wrath and videography by Bigtime Video Services. The Knot magazines are always full of beautiful ideas and inspiration, so if you’re newly engaged, check them out for sure.

I’ve always loved 7 x 7 magazine, so I was beyond excited to hear that they wanted to feature Jessica & Tim’s Cornerstone wedding in their annual weddings issue. You can see Jessica and Tim’s full wedding here.

Nancy and David chose the Swendenborgian Church for their wedding, and the history and warmth of the space set the perfect tone for an event as intimate and heartfelt as theirs was. I loved that there was a big old fireplace lit inside the church, candles glowing on every wall, and big approving smiles on the faces of David’s two daughters throughout the day. Every moment of that day was filled with emotion, from the ceremony to the speeches, and you could really sense the love between these two. I’m so honored to have been a part of such a sweet and playful day, and I wish these two a lifetime of happiness together!

I had to post a little preview of this amazing wedding at Thomas Fogarty Winery, there was beauty in every direction and in every detail that day. A big thanks to all of the vendors who helped bring Shannon and Richard’s vision to life including Janece and her team at Every Elegant Detail, Amy Burke Designs, J’Beautique, Thomas John Events, Studio MSV and Studio Cakes. Much more to come from this lovely day…

I loved everything about this organic and bohemian styled shoot that we did at Dig Gardens here in Santa Cruz, and I’m beyond excited that Style Me Pretty featured it today. See the full post here.

Here’s a little preview of at what’s to come from Meslissa & Casey’s Clos La Chance wedding. This was so much more than just a beautiful, well-designed wedding, it was an awesome party full of heart, with laughter and tears all around.

This was the wedding that made me want to turn full country, buy a horse and live happily ever after the at a place like the Reid Ranch. All I can say is that I absolutely adore this couple and I loved every second of their gold country wedding at the River Highlands Ranch. A big thanks to Kendra from Pfieffer Event Planning for making this day a photographer’s dream. Much more to come…

I felt like I had stepped into a fairy tale when I arrived at this property that’s tucked into the redwoods in Scott’s Valley. The homeowner was gardening in the sun when I first arrived and I watched in awe as tiny birds literally flew into the palm of her hand. Unfortunately this will be the very last wedding held at the Mackenzie Creek, so I felt lucky to get to experience the charm and beauty of the space with this wonderful farewell wedding. Keeley used to work in the wedding industry, so the girl definitely knows how to throw a party! She thought of every last detail and the day was a relaxed and fun one thanks to all of her preparations and the help of co-ordinator Denise Addesso and her team from The Wedding Connection. Highlights of the day included seeing Keeley’s mom reaction to the locket sewn onto her bouquet with a picture of her grandmother in it, their first look, and moments later watching their dog lay down in between them and then look up at them in approval. I also loved the bunting-covered pizza station serving gourmet pizzas fresh out of the outdoor oven, the giant pink and green balloons over the dance floor and all of the moves that happened on that dance floor, (especially the moment when the record scratched in the middle of a sentimental father/daughter dance, and the two started rocking out together and inviting everyone to join them.) We couldn’t be happier for these two, and we know that they’ve taken some of the magic of Mackenzie Creek with them.

shoes: Jimmy Choo

cake: The Buttery

dj: Nick Handley