Posts Tagged ‘beach wedding’
Scripps Seaside Forum Wedding, La Jolla
The Scripps Seaside Forum in La Jolla is such a beautiful place to get married, especially if you want to have your wedding right on the beach! Its modern architecture, incredible textures, and unobstructed ocean views make it the perfect spot for a San Diego Destination Wedding. This was definitely the case for Lindsay & Luke, who actually live in the bay area, but wanted to have their wedding in San Diego where Lindsay grew up! We really loved the bright colors of the bouquets paired with perfect pink bridesmaids dresses. Luke’s khaki suit really made him stand out among his groomsmen.
We started out with getting ready shots at the Empress Hotel in La Jolla Cove before heading over to the Scripps Seaside Forum. This is the kind of inspiring location that we could photograph a hundred times and still have new options for portraits! The grassy ceremony area overlooks the ocean and is backed by a row of giant palm trees, all of which gave it a perfect relaxed San Diego feel.
After the ceremony, we had the opportunity to take them down the beach to the Scripps Pier, which is famous among landscape photographers for it’s clean, symmetrical concrete columns that seem to disappear into an infinity of white over the ocean. We love shooting romantic portraits with couples like Lindsay & Luke… it was so easy to tell that the rest of the world just drops away when they look into each other’s eyes!
One of our favorite wedding trends is when couples incorporate elements from their culture into the details of the day. To celebrate Lindsay’s Japanese heritage, they had 1000 colorful origami cranes (for good luck) hanging on a tree, a Banzai to represent her brother who was there in spirit, and an awesome authentic japanese steel drum performance.
Location: Scripps Seaside Forum
Coordinator: Bliss Events
Catering: Crown Point Catering
Officiant: Bethel Nathan
Ceremony Musician/Reception DJ: Michael Tiernan
Hair & Makeup: Flora Wade
Limo: LJ Transportation
Catamaran Resort Wedding, Bahia Belle Reception
We love being able to give the gift of gorgeous images to our clients, especially when our clients also happen to be friends! Kevin and I have known each other since the very first day we moved into “Camp Snoopy” as freshman at UCSD. We were instant friends and he quickly became someone that I could rely on to help me study, make me laugh, and be there as a shoulder to cry on. When he called me up to say that he had met the woman of his dreams, I was so happy! Ashley is absolutely beautiful, incredibly sweet, and they compliment each other perfectly.
Kevin & Ashley put a lot of hard work wedding, planning the whole thing together and finding ways to compromise along the way. They wanted to stay true to their personalities– classic, and elegant with a casual feel. at the Catamaran couldn’t have been more picture perfect. The morning clouds broke to reveal stunning turquoise skies and azul water, making Ashley’s colorful bouquet even more vibrant. Every detail radiated a sense of carefree elegance – Ashley looked lovely as she tiptoed barefoot down the steps to the ceremony, her lace train trailing behind. After the ceremony and taking photos around the Catamaran, we all boarded the Bahia Belle for a romantic reception on the water!
For these guys, the past year was not what you would expect a typical first year for newlyweds to be like. Kevin was deployed to Iraq while Ashley has been pregnant! They have had to rely on email, skype, and phone calls to be together. We want to thank them and all of our service men/women who sacrifice so much everyday so that we can enjoy our liberties and freedom! We hope to see Kevin come home safely, and can’t wait to meet their baby when the little one arrives!
Dress – Alfred Angelo
Bridesmaid dresses – J crew
Ceremony flowers – Jennifer Bennett My Fair Lady’s Flowers
Cake – Sweet Cheeks
Reception – Bahia Belle
Ceremony – Catamaran Resort
Hair & Make-up – Flora Wade
Torrey Pines Gliderport Engagement Session
We love shooting engagement sessions in new or different places, so we decided to go to a somewhat hidden spot called Torrey Pines Gliderport in La Jolla. It’s an excellent alternative to shooting at the much more popular (read: crowded) Torrey Pines State Reserve, especially on weekends. There is a really cute grassy hill behind the glider launch that overlooks the cliffs and is perfect for photos with lots of blue skies and simple green grass… it reminds me of warm summer days, flying a kite, or running through the sprinklers as a child. After shooting some playful photos on the hill, we made our way down the path to the beach for more romantic images as the sun set.
Rachel is a fantastic wedding coordinator with AR Affairs, and we’ve had the pleasure of working with her on quite a few weddings. She is always hard-working, very professional, and extremely organized. We quickly realized that she was head over heels in love with Tyler, as he definitely brings out a whole new side of her! She was constantly giggling, smiling ear to ear, and couldn’t take her hands of that tall, dark, and handsome man of hers! Although being a male model wasn’t exactly on Tyler’s list of hobbies, he totally worked it for the camera!!!
Keep an eye out for the upcoming blog post about their beautiful wedding at the Catamaran Resort in Mission Bay!
Tulum, Mexico Destination Wedding – Traditional Mayan Ceremony
We first met Ashley and Travis while shooting their engagement session here in San Diego. They hadn’t decided on a location for their destination wedding yet, but really loved their engagement photos and wanted us to photograph it wherever they decided to go. Fortunately for us, they chose Tulum, Mexico!
Tulum is a short 2 hr drive south of Cancun, but worlds away from the crazy Spring Break vibe found there. Beyond the tropical foliage that lines the coast are stunning warm turquoise waters, white sand beaches dappled with occasional sunbathers, surfers, yoga retreats and the breathtakingly beautiful Tulum ruins. The whole area evokes a calming peacefulness and spiritual draw that makes it stand out as one of our favorite places in the world.
Ashley and Travis scored a gorgeous private villa large enough to house all of their closest friends and family in one location! They embraced the local culture and traditions of the Mayan Riviera by having an actual Shaman marry them in a traditional Mayan ceremony, emphasizing harmonious interaction with mother nature. Our favorite part of the ceremony was when everyone raised their hands over the couple to signify their support and blessings as the Shaman blew a conch shell invoking the gods to bear witness to the couple’s eternal union. The ceremony built to a crescendo as strong winds mysteriously rose around us. Our senses were overwhelmed by the touch of sand, wind, and waves crashing as we watched the couple seal their union with a kiss punctuated by the resounding call of the conch shell. SUPER-ROMANTIC, right?!?
Following the ceremony was an awesome outdoor reception that featured some of the most incredible entertainment we have ever seen at a wedding! A local world-beat fusion band played an eclectic mix of exotic instruments and songs so energetic that everyone (including grandma) couldn’t resist dancing their butts off! As they played, various band members jumped out on the dance floor to perform… at one point the lead singer (a dutch expatriate) rocked a traditional African dance to perfection. It was WILD! The crowd parted as fire dancers, stilt walkers, and capoeira dancers emerged to perform… it was like being on stage at a private showing of Cirque du Soleil! I remember walking over to Jen and saying “Can you believe we are getting to photograph THIS?!?”
Special thanks to Ashley & Travis for planning such an incredibly unique wedding and having us come along to capture all the fun!
Hotel Del Coronado & Breakers Beach San Diego Wedding
You know that feeling when you first dating someone that you really like? You get butterflies in your stomach, you light up when you hear their voice on the phone, and you just can’t wait see them again… Well, that is what Tiffany & Alan are like ALL THE TIME! They have this fresh, sweet, joyful way about their affection toward one another… you can’t help but get caught up in the romance of it!
We started out at the Hotel Del Coronado for getting ready, family, and romantic portraits. After that, the bridal party hopped in a classic Old Town Wedding Trolley and rode over to Breaker’s Beach for the ceremony and reception. We loved how (instead of holding the ceremony on the deck) they invited guests to kick off their shoes and relax so-cal style for the gorgeous beach ceremony– now that’s how we do it in San Diego! Subtle details like the seashell lined aisle, beautiful candy bar, and bright color palette all came together so well to perfectly match the light breeze coming off the ocean.
Special thanks to all the vendors who made this beautiful wedding happen:
- Wedding coordinator: Yvonne Prout with California Party Divas
- Minister: Rev. Alan Ernst
- Ceremony Music: Russ Zinser
- Florist: Haydee’s Creative Flowers
- Reception Music: Primo DJs
- Catering: Navy Catering
- Cake: Sylvia’s Cakes
- Hair & make-up: Flora Wade
- Videographer: Jensen Studios
- Dress: The Bustle
Rock the Dress at Huntington Botanical Gardens & Leo Carrillo State Park
In the last ten or so years, there has been an awesome phenomenon in wedding photography called a “trash the dress” photo shoot. Brides all over the world have donned their wedding dress for a second time and modeled for a photographer while literally destroying their dresses. The theory behind this type of a shoot is that the wedding is over and the bride won’t ever wear the dress again. So why not trash it while making beautiful images instead of letting it collect moths in a closet? We think it is a fantastic idea, but what about all the brides who aren’t so eager to part with their most cherished of keepsakes?!?
We present to you: the Rock the Dress session! Rather than going for the shock value of a trash the dress session, give your (likely expensive) dress the respect it deserves by modeling it in a full-fledged fashion shoot. This is your opportunity to get breath-taking shots in incredible locations that would otherwise be difficult to achieve within the constraints of a wedding day. Afterward, you might need to get the dress dry-cleaned, which you should plan on doing after the wedding anyway! Who says you can’t have your wedding cake and eat it too?
This Rock the Dress session was sooooo much fun! We started out at the historic Huntington Botanical Gardens, where a kind groundskeeper drove us around on a golf cart so we could shoot in all of the best spots. For the second location, we drove out to Leo Carillo State Park (where the groom originally proposed to the bride), and were able to capture some really romantic moments during sunset.
Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Destination Wedding – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
There are some weddings when everything simply comes together – perfect weather, a gorgeous location, and an incredibly fun-loving couple.
This summer we were very fortunate to escape San Diego’s unseasonably poor weather by flying to Cabo San Lucas and shooting Megan & Justin’s beach wedding at the world renowned Pueblo Bonito Resort. With a five diamond rating and distinction by Travel & Leisure as one of the five best spas in Mexico, Pueblo Bonito was an awesome choice for their ocean side celebration!
So many little things made this day perfect for us: Megan’s fabulous, thousand watt smile and the way her sisters giggled in delight as they walked her down the aisle…The endless blue sky and wispy clouds straight out of a movie…How intimate a wedding can be when friends and family have travelled together to celebrate…And the light in Justin’s eyes when he saw his bride walk down the aisle in that jaw-dropping dress.
For anyone thinking of planning their wedding in a fantastic far off location, our advice is to go for it! We’d be more than happy to come along and take pictures for you ;)
Special thanks to Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort!
Acqua Photo Wedding featured on Exquisite Weddings!
Sunshine & Eric’s gorgeous Coronado wedding is featured as a Real Wedding on the Exquisite Weddings website!
Check it out! Sunshine&Eric
To see the full blog with tons more pics, click here: Suni&Eric Blog
Thanks to the fantastic vendors who made this day possible:
Coordinator: ARAffairs.com
Location: Breaker’s Beach
Florist: Lotus Flowers
Pismo Beach Engagement Session
“Playful” is the first word that comes to my mind when I think of Rachel & Omar. The joy they have when they are together is just so infectious!!!
For anyone who feels a little camera shy, or unsure how to pose during their engagement session, I think this is such a perfect example of what we strive to capture: Couples just being themselves and having fun together as if the whole world around them has disappeared. Kick off your shoes and run barefoot in the waves. Be silly, get a little dirty, roll around in the grass. Flirt. Laugh. Enjoy each other’s company. Play like today is the first day you fell in love!
We would like to thank Rachel & Omar for inviting us to shoot at their home in Pismo Beach, a beautiful little haven by the sea. We wish you the very best with your elopement and can’t wait for the Rock the Dress Session!
Live It Up! Acqua Photo featured in Latter Day Bride Magazine 2010
We are excited to be included in the 2010 Latter Day Bride Magazine, in bookstores now! The theme of this year’s magazine is “Live It Up! Celebrate For Life” and our images were chosen as the main feature to help illustrate the overall spirit throughout the issue. We couldn’t think of a better couple to embody the joy and excitement of marriage than Jen & Rhett Walker. We had such an amazing time shooting their Rock the Dress session in La Jolla. To see more images from the session, click here. See below for tear sheets!
Special thanks to Jennifer Oldroyd & Emma Freeman at Latter Day Bride Magazine .
Breakers Beach Destination Wedding – Coronado, CA
On this cold and stormy winter day, it’s fun to revisit one of our favorite summer time weddings from this past season. Looking at these images, I can almost hear the ocean waves and feel the sun on my face – San Diego in the summer is truly paradise!
Sunshine & Eric were married at Breaker’s Beach on Coronado last August. The inspiration for their laid back beach wedding was a blending between ocean inspired colors and textures with a Zen feel. We fell in love with the bright turquoise ties, bamboo trimmed cake, and white parasols that shaded their guests.
True to her name, Sunshine is one of those rare people who can literally light up a room with her smile. One of the funniest moments of the day happened as Sunni began her walk down the aisle. Just as she rounded the corner and came into view of the audience (and her future husband!), someone accidentally stepped on her veil from behind, unexpectedly yanking her head back. Sunshine burst out laughing as she spun back to see what had happened, and Eric said this was the best thing that could’ve happened. He had felt himself suddenly overcome with emotion and beginning to tear up as he first saw her…as she laughed his face broke into a huge grin. He knew then and there that nothing could be more perfect- and that his fiance not only had a good sense of humor, but could handle all life’s little “accidents” in stride, with a beaming smile and a laugh. Apparently their guests agreed, as roaring laughs and cheers emitted from the entire crowd!
La Jolla Shores Wedding with Shani & Matt
Tucked away behind the Museum of Modern Art in La Jolla Shores is a beautiful little park that looks out over the ocean. Its natural beauty and elegance provided the perfect setting for Shani & Matt’s Wedding. These two made getting married seem like a refreshing swim in the ocean – effortless, relaxing, and filled with fun!
A few years after they met and started dating, Matt invited Shani to go for a night surf session. As they sat on their boards under the moonlight and stars, Matt miraculously produced a brilliant engagement ring and asked Shani to marry him. Unbeknown to Shani, he had tied the ring to his wetsuit using fishing line and planned an entire evening to follow. They then celebrated by riding some of the most epic 50ft waves ever. Ok- I made the last part up, but the rest is totally true, I swear! We thought it was probably the most romantic proposal we’ve ever heard of.
Anyway, congratulations to Shani and Matt!!! We hope you enjoy this selection of some of our favorite images!
Shane & Jen
Moonlight Beach Wedding with Storm & Bill
Bill fell in love the moment he first saw Storm. They quickly became best friends, spending endless hours talking together on the phone while Bill was deployed with the Coast Guard. As more time passed and their relationship blossomed, they found that it was even better to be together in person! So Bill asked Storm & her son Ridge to move from Indiana to San Diego so they could be a family together.
They were married by the water at Moonlight Beach on a beautiful Saturday morning. There is nothing quite like arriving at a wedding, kicking off your flip flops, and feeling the sand between your toes as you enjoy the ceremony! It was a perfect setting for such a laid back, fun-loving couple.
to savor this summer
Sun-kissed and barefoot, hair tousled by the ocean wind, they played together under the pure blue sky…
Our Trash the Dress session with Jen & Rhett was simply magical. The exuberance and joy that these two exude is contagious. They are is so in love, so youthful and full of life. These images bring a smile to my face every time I see them and make me think of how special it is to enjoy life with the one you love.
