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

This past week, I had the opportunity to photograph the Orange County Chapter of Association of Bridal Consultant’s January meet-up where a handful of wedding industry professionals came together to showcase their talents and services. While the first portion of the evening was a meet and greet with delectable appetizers and beverages, the rest of the evening included a lovely dinner catered by the beautiful venue, Aliso Viejo Conference Center, and then a few rounds of “speed networking.” While all of this was going on, I had the lovely privilege of sitting back and photographing the event and all the BEAUTIFUL details…. thanks to the ever-so-talented Cori Sponagle of Events by Cori. What was cool about this event was that it was designed to create community within the wedding industry and to provide opportunities to make connections with other vendors who share your similar vision. I got to meet many talented videographers, coordinators, DJ’s, caterers, florists, designers, and many others…. and I have to say, I had a good time!

Here’s a taste of the evening….

I have to add this quick note… look how AMAZING the room looks with professional lighting!! If you’re ever curious about how to transform an ordinary room into a much fancier area…. I’d HIGHLY consider hiring a pro lighting company.

Special thanks & shout-outs go to the many vendors who came together to put this event on:

Venue: Aliso Viejo Conference Center

Entertainment & Lighting: DJ Tasos of LSM Entertainment

Florist: Pixies Petals

Specialty Linens & Seating: Signature Party Rentals

Sweets: Donna B’s Gourmet Cookies & Cakes

Printing & Design: Kamka Designs

After almost 10 months of going at 200%, I took a little mini adventure vacation for 3 days in October. My bestie Betsy Lackey invited me to meet her in Dallas for the Needtobreath & Taylor Swift concert…. on a whim. Usually, I don’t jump on whims that require lots of traveling and uncertainty, but this time, I did, and a few weeks later I found myself on plane to Dallas without knowing the “where’s”, the “how’s”, or the “when’s” that one might want to know BEFORE traveling. Sometimes in life, to prevent spontaneous combustion, a little unplanned meandering is required. Here is my photographic journal of sorts, documenting this unplanned and simply refreshing trip to Dallas….

“The years go by like stones under rushing water. We only know, we only know when it’s gone.” -Needtobreathe