Nestldown has to be one of the most magical venues ever, but it becomes even more memorable when it’s coupled with the design ideas of Every Elegant Detail, the whimsical floral creations of Amy Burke Designs, and a wonderful couple together with all of their huge-hearted friends and family. It really was a perfect day and I’m so happy to see it published on The Wedding Chicks today! Check out the full feature and the full list of vendors here.
Kendra and Nick flew all the way from Germany for their Rancho Soquel wedding right here in Santa Cruz, since this is the town where they first met. I have to say that their day could not have been any more beautiful, nor more fun! There were too many amazing details and dancefloor highlights to count, some of which may have involved a flash mob dance and some German dance music that half of the crowd knew the lyrics to…full photographic evidence coming soon but in the meantime, here’s a tiny little sneak peek of the golden hour with Kendra and Nick. They’re just the sweetest couple, and Gabe and I loved documenting their day.
Just realized that I never posted this one…still one of my favorite engagement sessions ever!
I know that this is a ridiculously long post for an engagement session, but these two looked so good in every single frame, so I had to share them all. Emily and Zac flew from Boston for this session so I knew that there wouldn’t be any re-scheduling if the weather didn’t co-operate, but thankfully it turned out to be one of those amazing fall days in California full of lovely light. The second I saw these two, with all of their chemistry together and their awesome outfits, I knew that it was going to be an amazing afternoon. Indiana at The Makeup Dolls did a beautiful job with Emily’s hair and makeup and I loved that they brought a vintage Corvette too add some Mad Men inspired sexy to the shoot. We had so much fun at each of the locations, but I think my favorite was our last stop when we got to witness the most beautiful sunset on a beach that we had all to ourselves. I’m beyond excited to document their wedding day at Hans Fahden Winery in Calistoga next year, and I’m preparing myself now for the painful process of choosing favorites when a couple is as photogenic as these two are.
Jackie and Matt live in Memphis, but are getting married at the Hollins House at the Pasatiempo Golf Club next year so they wanted their engagement photos to show the coastal beauty of the area. I’m happy to report that California co-operated perfectly that day with its warm weather and amazing golden light. All we needed was one camera, two people in love and 3 locations with three outfit changes (minus two pairs of shoes that were accidentally forgotten, but thankfully bare feet look best at the beach and my shoes looked great with Jackie’s last look.) This was one of those days that made me feel so thankful to live in such a beautiful town, and thankful that I chose a job that often doesn’t feel like work. Jackie and Matt, I had a blast with you both and I can’t wait to document your big day next year!
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
Some things are just meant to be. When I first met with stylist Laura Cook and we both had on the same wooden cuff bracelet and the same handbag I took that as a sign that we were destined for some quality collaboration, and this shoot was the first of what I hope will be many projects together. From the very start we knew that we wanted DIG gardens in Santa Cruz to be our location. DIG is not only a beautiful space for events, but it’s also a garden store and nursery, so it seemed fitting to unify the shoot with the theme ‘love grows.’ This shoot was inspired by all things organic, bohemian and local, and I loved how Laura blended vintage and modern elements to make this wedding so full of character. Laura also did an amazing job sourcing all of clothing and accessories, helping to design all of the printed goods and then styling everything from the alter, to the table, to the models. We had a stellar team of vendors, each of whom helped to bring our vision to life, (please look below for the full list) and I was in heaven photographing this gorgeous couple as well as all of the unique details including invitations and menus that were printed onto thin slices of wood, signature rye-jito cocktails, a turquoise fisheye toy camera, and the whole wedding party holding up a ‘love grows’ sign in front of a vintage cadillac. A huge and hearty thanks to everyone who helped make this day happen, it inspired me as a photographer and I hope it offers some ideas those in the process of planning their own big day.
venue and flowers: DIG gardens
concept, co-ordination and styling: Laura Cook
makeup & hair: Sarah Viraphanth of Mimi & Taylor Salon
jewelry: Cameron Marks Boutique
feather earring and feather and suede place settings: Fly Love Jewelry
printed materials: (menus, escort cards, wine labels, love grows signage & invitations) Heidi Allen at Probos Creative
cadillac: George Purnell of Rides 4 Brides
bride’s dress: vintage …and additional accessories sourced from Urban Outfitters, Piperlime and Stripe
I think this has to be my new favorite engagement session…and that would explain why I’ve included just about every single photo from that session into this post. This was one of those fortuitous and inspiring days and I loved the company I was able to spend it with. Things didn’t seem so promising at the start though, as I had arrived early to find a huge fog bank moving towards our location. I was sure that within minutes the blue skies would turn grey and poor Lara would freeze in her summer dress, but thankfully we were able to start sooner than planned and the fog stayed at the perfect distance and diffused the light in the most amazing way and only started to sweep in just as we were packing up.
I’m convinced that there is no better way to start an engagement session than with a tandem bike. I loved all of the props that Lara and Anthony brought to the day, like their vintage blanket and custom banner, but my favorite one was the old frame that Lara randomly found on the ground when we were shooting near some hay bails. It was such a perfect fit for their vintage-inspired style that they’re planning on using it at their wedding too. Double score. Props can’t make a picture though, but personalities can, and Lara’s and Anthony’s definitely did. They both showed their sweetness, their humor and their love…and they could go from sultry to goofy in two seconds flat. I blame those two personalities and their photogenic ways for making it so hard to choose favorites and to keep my blog post brief.
Here’s a little preview of the very last wedding to be held at this Mackenzie Creek venue. I love that they brought their sweet dog to be a part of the day. A big thanks to Denise Addesso of the Wedding Connection for co-ordinating this beautiful day. More to come…
I have to say that the hardest part of my job is editing photos down to the best of the best…there are just so many memorable moments on a wedding day, especially when a couple is as in love, as artistic, and much fun as this couple were. I loved Lisa and Max’s style, their awesome group of friends and all of their do-it-yourself details, and because of all that love I have one crazy long post for you. The wedding was held at Max’s parents’ house in the Soquel hills, where every corner of the place was filled with character and color from all of the art and sculpture, the sprawling garden paths and a central pond filled with lilies. The whole property set the perfect tone for such an intimate, bright and joyful event, but it was all of the personal contributions that really made the day so memorable. Lisa and Max planted all of the escort card succulents themselves, Lisa designed the invitations, Max made his own suit, and the ladies cut bouganvilla from the garden and crafted them into a bridal bouquet just a few moments before the ceremony was about to begin. Not even a last minute bouquet could fluster Lisa, who I’m convinced was the most down-to-earth and radiant bride ever, (and after seeing Max’s expressions during the ceremony, I know he’d agree.) They were married in the garden by a close friend, and the ceremony was filled with a beautiful song and readings from friends and many tearful moments before they were showered with bird seed after they were announced husband and wife. A 100% vegetarian meal was then served, and afterwards Lisa and Max served dessert themselves, as they cut each and every guest (and photographer) their favorite slice of cake. The party continued with some impressive air guitar and group hugs on the dance floor, and all I can say is that when Gabe and I do our 10 year vow renewal, I’ll be stealing some of Lisa and Max’s ideas…and dance moves.
invitations: designed by the bride
catering: www.barbara-company.com
cakes: www.gaylesbakery.com
dj: www.mkmobilesound.com