There are few young couples who know the depth of love Brian and Megan do. Something happens in a love story when hardships put mountains in the way… it refines things down to what really matters and forces you to find courage from beyond yourself to make the climb. If you didn’t get a chance to read their story, you can find it here… it’s pretty amazing. So on their wedding day, they celebrated a new chapter in their love story, but they also celebrated reaching the pinnacle of a mountain.  Their wedding day was a joyful triumph and such a stark reminder that love wins… always.

Just as Megan planned it, the details of the wedding day came together flawlessly to create wedding day perfection. I have to say how thoroughly impressed I was at her attention to detail and her overall vision. Cori from Events by Cori was the mastermind throughout the day, making sure that everything flowed peacefully and beautifully as Megan’s pieces came together. Here are my favorites from the day….

Brian was STOKED on his wedding day…. it was hard to keep this groom from smiling! And he was so sweet throughout the day as little moments here and there impressed their “realness” on his heart. He married the absolute woman of his dreams and he knew it! Look at that grin!

Casa Romantica was such a great place to have a wedding! Not only was it GORGEOUS, but it’s cool knowing it’s such a historic location in Southern Orange County. And the balcony where the ceremonies take place overlooked the San Clemente Pier… such a great view! I highly recommend this place…

This was such a beautiful, meaningful, and FUN wedding to be a part of… and I couldn’t have done it without my dream team, Christopher and Amanda! Thank you, with all my heart, for all your help and patience with me…. I couldn’t dream for a better team!

Also, many thanks go to all the wonderful vendors who came together to make Brian and Megan’s day a dream! Wedding Planning: Events by Cori, Venue: Casa Romantica, Catering: Iva Lee’s Catering, Hair: Salon Incognito, Makeup: Makeup by Berit, DJ: Essential Mobile Music, Florist: Flower Company of San Clemente, Custom Invitations: Li’K Designs, Cake: It’s All About the Cake

I don’t know about you, but winter is one of my favorite times of year…. there’s just something so romantic about it!  Winter’s a time when life slows down a little, cuddles by the fire are enjoyed, and the world looks a little different. Plus, all the cute jackets and accessories can be worn… like scarves, peacoats, and cute hats! Well, Brittany and Allie over at Rooted in Love Weddings are also big fans of winter…. so much so that we decided to put together a winter styled shoot up in Arrowhead area. The inspiration for the styling was the color combination of wood and wine, combining classic wedding details with woodsy elements and DIY charm. Those girls put a lot of time into creating some super cute DIY decor, and they did a great job on the design. Kathleen Bantad of The Paper Mint Press also joined our team to create some adorable letter press invitations and recipe cards. And to top it off, we had a ridiculously cute couple model for us! Scott and Claire are celebrating over 5 years of marriage this year and they are more in love than they were on their wedding day! Jaya Loo and Danyell Weinberg did Claire’s hair and makeup. Here are the highlights from the afternoon…

Event Design: Rooted in Love Weddings, Hair: Jaya Loo, Makeup: Danyell Weinberg, Invitations: The Paper Mint Press, Silverware: BHLDN, Lanterns: World Market Cost Plus, Venue: Private Estate

The whole town of Solvang was buzzing the morning of the wedding. People in traditional Danish garb lined the streets and parade music filled the crisp morning air. As I loaded my gear into the car, I saw my family leaving their hotel to partake in the Danish excitement before the wedding began later that afternoon. The excitement was, in part, due to the annual Danish festival the town was throwing that weekend, but for myself, I think the excitement was more for the wedding day that was about to start. Scott, more affectionately called “Scotty” by his family, was about to tie the knot with his gorgeous fiance Kate. (Fun Fact: Kate’s new married name is now, my old single name… Kate Akamine. I’ve passed the baton and become a Kernutt, but I leave my beloved name in good hands.)

We arrived at Hotel Corque, seriously the nicest hotel in Solvang, and spent a good part of the morning with the ladies as they got ready for the day. The suite was full of activity and smiling faces, bridesmaids arriving and finishing makeup and hair, flower girls coloring and running around, and the two mothers happily chattering away about final details that needed attention. Kate’s details were breathtaking…. truly the epitome of gorgeous! From her amazing dress, to her glittering Kate Spade peep toe pumps, I was in HEAVEN photographing everything! The ladies of Team Hair & Makeup did an amazing job that morning with Kate and the girls as well! Here is a taste of the morning…..

The girls finished up and headed to Gainey Vineyard to await the boys’ arrival, and my very talented 2nd shooter Hanssie accompanied them to get some extra shots in. Christopher, my trusty and very official 3rd shooter, and I spent some time with Scott and the boys as they got ready to go.

A quick word about Scott…. he’s my older cousin. But more than that, he’s one of my biggest supporters and encouragers. So, to have the privilege of photographing his wedding was the greatest honor and joy I could ever wish for. With that, here are a few photos with Scotty and the boys….

This is definitely my favorite groomsmen shot of the day…

Fun Socks!

When we got to the wedding site, I got a few quick shots of the beautiful bride on her way to see her groom for the first time! Kate, you were STUNNING!

And the beautiful wedding party….

Another quick note: Everytime I’ve gone through these ceremony photos, I’ve gotten a little teary-eyed. It might be because I’m just so darn happy for my cousin and his bride, but it was also a very intimate and personal ceremony. Even though there were quite a few people there, it was a very close knit group.

As the ceremony ended, I snuck away with the bride and groom while the cocktail hour ensued.

We wandered through the beautiful vineyards, and took some romantic shots of the newest Mr. and Mrs. Akamine.

This is probably my favorite of these two….

The reception, and pretty much the entire day, was made beautiful by Ashley of Agape Planning, and the pretty flowers were all created by Amanda Crawford Designs. Everything ran so smooth and the reception was so beautiful!

Check out this intense cake made by Kate’s sister Jill! How stinkin’ amazing is she?!!!!

They had a fabulous live band called All Star Trio. They ROCKED!

Overall, this was the happening place that weekend in Santa Ynez and I felt SO blessed to be able to document it all. Scotty and Kate, I love you two to pieces and I’m still so excited you picked me to be your wedding photographer. I had so much fun with you two and your wedding was a perfect reflection of the fun and love you share. Thank you for letting me be a part of your day!

Venue: Gainey Vineyard

Event Planning and Coordination: Agape Planning

Catering: 24 Carrots

Band: All Star Trio

Florist:  Amanda Crawford Designs

Lighting: Ambient Event Design

Officiant – Brian Marsh

Harpist – Laurie Rasmussen

Hair/Makeup – Team Hair & Makeup

Hotel – Hotel Corque

Cake – Jill Fox

We awoke to the sound of excited whispers and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. The pristine white walls of the cozy San Francisco home reflected the early morning sunlight…. inciting anticipation of the new day. It was Andrew and Liza’s wedding day… the day Liza had dreamed of her whole life was finally  here. As Erin and I finished our breakfast, Liza, with curlers in her hair and coffee in hand, proudly showed us all her carefully selected details. From her shoes to her perfume, she was so proud of everything and she told us how excited she was that we were there to photograph her day.

Their wedding was different than any other wedding I’ve photographed…. in a very good way. This wedding was a Russian Orthodox Wedding, and everything felt rich with culture and history. I loved that the normal wedding day chatter was in Russian, I loved the ethnic family dynamics, I loved that the ceremony was so different, I loved that everyone had true Russian names (I’m pretty sure I met at least 2 Constantin’s, 4 Alexei’s, an Anastasia, and 2 Dimitri’s.), and I LOOOOVED the traditions. I’m seriously STOKED to be sharing this wedding with you all! Here are my absolute favorites from the day, but before we continue, I’d just like to take a moment to thank my 2nd shooter and good friend Erin for everything she did that day. It’s a rare thing to have your dream job, and it’s a whole different level of rare to be able to do your dream job with your dream team… and I’m so lucky to be able to say that I have, with Erin. And now, back to the images…. enjoy!

Take a look at these BEAUTIFUL bouquets done by Carol of An Added Touch Florist in San Francisco. Didn’t she do an amazing job?!

This is the special bread and salt that both sets of parents present to the bride and groom at the beginning of their wedding reception to symbolize wealth and zest in life. Here’s a great shot of Liza’s mom, Nina, preparing the bread…. Look how intricate the designs are!

This is a shot of the icon Liza’s parents presented to her before they went to the church. As in most Catholic and Orthodox religions, icons are a very important part of their worship in the church. This icon was so fancy!

These are two of my favorite shots from the whole day!

Here’s some shots of the CRAAAAZY art and decor inside the Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. It was a huge cathedral and when I stepped inside, I couldn’t help but stare open-mouthed at the INTRICATE art that covered every inch of the place. I can see why Liza and Andrew wished to be married there!

The ceremony was definitely my favorite part of the wedding day. While it was challenging photographing a ceremony spoken in Slavonic and Russian, it was beautiful to observe…. very intimate.

Yay! They’re married!!!

From the cathedral, we went a few blocks down to the Green Room in the War Memorial where the reception was to be held, and took some pictures with the wedding party.

And, of course, we had to get a shot in front of San Francisco City Hall!

The reception was GORGEOUS!

Andrew and Liza, along with your families…..

Thank you for allowing Erin and I to be a part of your special day. It was a privilege to document your love and your families, and I wish you all the best in your marriage.

And special thanks to all the amazing vendors!

Ceremony Venue: Holy Virgin Cathedral

Reception Venue: The Green Room

Florist: An Added Touch Florist

Hair and Makeup: Karina Leontiev

Caterer: James Standfield Catering

Bakery: Burlingam Cakery