Posts Tagged ‘destination weddings’
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
La Quinta Resort, Palm Desert Destination Wedding
In the foothills of the picture perfect Santa Rosa mountains outside of Palm Springs is a a hideaway resort called La Quinta. Perfectly manicured gardens, lush palm trees, and a hacienda-style charm welcome visitors as an oasis in the middle of the arid, desert landscape. Famed as a refuge for Old Hollywood luminaries for decades past, the resort is at the same time luxurious as it is utterly charming and relaxing.
With their impeccable style and steamy chemistry, it’s easy to imagine Michelle and Joe as silver screen stars escaping to the desert for a weekend getaway!
Thank you to the amazing vendors we worked with!
Dress: Matthew Christopher
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Jewelry & Accessories: Custom designed by Seattle Diamond
Hair and Makeup: The A List Makeup Studio
Bridesmaid Gowns: Bill Levkoff
Tuxedos: La Strada
Caterer: La Quinta Resort & Club
Linens/Decor: Arrangements Floral Designs
Cocktail Entertainment: Mike O’Bryan
Reception Entertainment: A Musical Affair
Videographer: Moonstone Pictures
Wedding Cake: Juliette’s Bakery
Rentals: Signature Party Rentals
Limousine: Phat Daddy’z Limousine Service
Wedding Ceremony: Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church
Reception: La Quinta Resort & Club – La Casa
Wayfarer’s Chapel Wedding, Rancho Palos Verdes & Hotel Portofino Yacht Club
As you drive toward Rancho Palos Verdes, the tension of the larger cities gives way to a relaxed, almost magically natural environment. Thanks to Lillian & Mike, we were able to discover the beauty that exists at the Wayfarer’s Chapel by the sea. It was designed in the early 1970′s by Lloyd Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright’s son) to be a natural sanctuary in the midst of a beautiful forest, allowing visitors to be closely connected to the trees, sky, and surrounding environment. What a perfect location to hold a wedding for such a down-to-earth couple!
From the moment that Mike first saw Lillian, he was head-over-heels in love with her. He was totally blown away by how gorgeous she was!!! They had originally planned to hang out for a couple hours on their first date, but it turned into an all-day event and they couldn’t get enough of one another! From that day forward, they’ve been completely inseparable. It is so cool to see a couple that is always on the same wave-length, and so lovingly supportive of one another. We really look forward to hanging out with them as both our families grow! ;)
On the wedding day, Lillian just glowed– the sunlight illuminated her bird cage veil as she posed for bridal photos in the lush gardens outside the Chapel. Mike was nervous, but that gave way to pure joy the moment he saw Lillian arrive and walk down the aisle toward him! We especially love the zen-like feel of the trees rising above the altar, framed perfectly by the glass windows of the chapel. The dappled light coming through the trees made exposures very contrasty, but the shadows served to make our wide shots even more dramatic. It would be so fun to shoot weddings here at various times of day, as there would be a completely different feel depending on where the sun/moon are! One of my very favorite shots was the moment after they were married when Mike stopped to wipe is forehead as if to say “whew, I am glad that is over!” Classic.
We wish Lillian & Mike our best as they embark on adventures in parenthood with their new little boy!
Locations:
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!
The Westgate Hotel, El Cortez Reception, and Grace Lutheran
If you’ve spent any amount of time in San Diego, you will have heard about what locals call “June Gloom.” Basically there is a time period right around June when you would think that the weather would be absolutely perfect in San Diego… however, it actually tends to be overcast and cloudy! This was the case for Katie & Tim’s wedding, but with good planning, we were able to shoot in locations that worked really well with the weather.
We started out at The Westgate Hotel for getting ready, bridal party photos, and romantic portraits. The Westgate is a luxurious hotel decorated in 18th century style — it has a refined elegance that is perfectly suited for weddings! Shane took the guys down to the USS Midway for groomsmen portraits (the guys are almost all in the Navy- thanks for your service!). After that, we all met up at Grace Lutheran Church for the beautiful ceremony. One of the things we love about shooting with the Canon 5D MKII in conjunction with fast L-series Canon prime lenses is that we were able to shoot 90% of the ceremony with no flash at all!
The reception was held at the El Cortez Hotel. I absolutely love the intricate ceiling detail and polished black floors in the Don Room. The light was just gorgeous coming in through the windows, creating reflections across the floor for the first dance. It’s a very beautiful venue at night, but we really loved how the light filled the room in the afternoon, creating a truly romantic ambiance.
Rock the Dress – Destination Wedding Moab UT & Arches
One of the most beautiful and otherworldly places in the United States is Arches National Park located near Moab, UT. Incredible rock formations soar thousands of feet out of the ground forming natural towers, bridges, and arches — a landscape that is truly awe inspiring. Years ago, Shane and I camped and hiked throughout the park and always hoped for an opportunity to come back and photograph it with clients. When Lynn and Peter contacted us and asked us to travel to photograph both their destination wedding AND a Rock the Dress Session here, we were floored!
The day after their amazing wedding was held in a natural canyon just outside Moab, we headed back out with the goal of creating some incredibly unique bridal images in Arches National Park. Weather moves quickly across this state, and the perfect blue sky day quickly became tumultuous and stormy as we drove through the entrance gates. We had originally envisioned landscapes with full sun and vivid colors, but the soft light and cloud cover revealed a romantic and unexpected glow that we find to be captivating.
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.
Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Banyon Court Wedding & Regatta Pavillion Reception
We had so much fun shooting Jen & Brian’s wedding!!! These guys have great style and weren’t afraid to break a couple “rules” at their wedding! Brian and his groomsmen wore teal and purple Nike kicks along with their tuxes to match the wedding colors while Jen’s wedding dress was downright glamorous. They knew when to keep it simple, and when to add a little something extra. For example, they kept the bridesmaids’ dresses a chic gun-metal gray while having the girls wear bright purple heels– elegant, yet sassy! Throughout the wedding decor, they incorporated a mix of modern luxury with a hint of casual fun to compliment their personalities.
We were amazed at the sheer number of friends and family who absolutely adore Jen & Brian. How on earth anyone can make the time to be such good friends with so many people is somewhat mind boggling, and very inspiring to see!
The Mission Bay Hyatt is a great location to have your wedding, especially if you have a lot of people arriving from out of town. They have beautiful rooms, pristine grounds, and the location on Mission Bay couldn’t be better. We loved how the sunset light came through the trees at the Banyon Court during the ceremony, and the luxurious white fabric ceiling & lighting in the Regatta Pavillion created a romantic setting for the reception.
We also had the pleasure of working with the guys from 4120 Weddings… they are very professional and super-creative!
Anyway, thanks to Jen & Brian for being such wonderful clients! You can add us to the long list of people who adore you ;)
Location & Catering: Hyatt Regency Mission Bay
Videographers: 4120 Weddings
Officiant: Jelynn Rodriguez (check out her new music video!)
Dress: St. Patrick Babieca from Bridal and Veil Mission Valley
Hair: Erin Fong
Make-Up: Jenny Cortez
Cake: The French Gourmet Wedding Cakes
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
Rock’n'Roll Wedding at Marvimon in Los Angeles
In this business, there is no doubt that we get the pleasure of meeting some really amazing and interesting people. I can say unequivocally that Johnnie and Ralf are some of the most talented and inspiring people we have ever met! They are both rock musicians who have had successful careers following their passion and traveling all over the world to perform. When the rest of us are just going to bed, these guys are just getting started!
Johnnie & Ralf knew that their timeline was going to be long, and they wanted to be sure that they had photography coverage for the whole wedding. So they decided to book us for the unlimited coverage. It’s a good thing they did because we started shooting at about 11:30 am and continued until after their exit at about 1:30 am!!! We love unlimited weddings because it gives us the flexibility to actually cover everything start to finish.
Marvimon is a truly unique space that can be transformed to accommodate various types of events. They have a gorgeous outdoor vertical garden area where the plants literally climb to the top of the old brick walls, creating an intimate yet lush natural setting. The interior is a completely remodeled loft that started as a race car showroom in the 1920′s. It is the perfect artistic blend of modern design mixed with vintage furnishings and distressed materials.
The ceremony was beautiful, the dinner was delicious, and the evening was going perfectly. Suddenly, the house lights went dark. The stage lit up and a band appeared on stage! The tables were pulled away to clear room for a dance floor. Naturally, the Bride picked up a baby blue Les Paul signature electric guitar and hung it over her shoulder before adjusting the mic, the Groom sat down behind the drum set. Jen and I turned to each other- was this really happening?!?!? Before we could answer, a resounding guitar chord filled the air as the band started their first song. It was such an incredible experience watching Johnnie command the stage, singing and playing guitar in her wedding dress while Ralf wailed away on the drums in the background. His face contorted into the best expressions I’ve ever seen as he thrashed to the music, sweat flying from his hair. Check out the band website here! http://www.johnnieburton.com/
We were truly humbled by how kind, gracious, and welcoming Johnnie & Ralf and their families and friends were. Thanks for such an amazing day.
Stay tuned for their Rock the Dress session!!!
Special thanks to:
Wedding Coordinator: Jeff Fleming, TACT Event Management
Location: Marvimon
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 .
Colorado Destination Wedding – Beaver Creek
There are few places as beautiful as the Colorado Rockies in the fall. The brilliant bursts of yellow aspens and long sweeps of technicolor blue sky are a feast for the eyes. Fall has an extra special meaning for us, because it’s the season when Shane and I visited Colorado for the very first time and he asked me to marry him at a viewpoint in the foothills!
We were thrilled to have the opportunity to shoot a wedding in Beaver Creek during that same, magical time of year this past October. To take advantage of the window of perfect weather, Mary and Michael decided to do a “First Look” Session and see each other for romantic portraits before the ceremony. We had one breathtaking hour to capture the best sites in town, and then we headed to Saddle Ridge Lodge for the ceremony and celebration. The lodge was decorated with a mix of Ralph Lauren furnishings and an incredible collection of authentic western artifacts. We loved the rustic charm it exuded and the delicate details that Mary incorporated to give it a relaxed elegance.
As we drove down to Boulder the day after the wedding, a huge storm blew in, blanketing the area in snow. I love looking back on these photos and thinking of how lucky we were to be there for that perfect, transient moment in time.
Thank you to all of the wonderful vendors!
Planner: Emily DeDionisio Beaver Creek Resorts www.BeaverCreek.com
Location & Catering: Saddle Ridge Lodge
Florist: Delilah’s of Denver FlowersofDenver.com
Cake: Rimini Beaver Creek www.riminichocolate.com
DJ: Jeff D’Amico A Great Time DJ www.agreattimedj.com
San Francisco Destination Wedding Part 2- Dunsmuir Estate
After a fun filled morning of shooting in San Francisco, we rode with Christina & Brian out to the Dunsmuir Estate. This historic house was built in 1878 and is a gorgeous example of Neoclassical-Revival architecture. It felt like a fairy tale walking down the long dirt road lined with lush trees and gardens to the ceremony site overlooking the pond.
Christina’s Chinese heritage is very special to her and she incorporated the traditional Chinese wedding color, red, beautifully into the attire and decor. We loved all of the fantastic details; the red and orange parasols available to guests, her beautiful bright red shoes, and the elegant, whimsical red and orange cake! As the sun went down, their guests listened to the live blue grass band, played croquet on the lawn, and sipped wine beneath the stars. In the darkness, the tent glowed with the view of the mansion in the distance. A perfect ending to a perfect day.
To see part 1 of this blog click here: Romance in The City
Special thanks to the amazing vendors:
Wedding Coordinator: Grace Lee Gleevents.com
Florist: Spiral Hand SpiralHand.com
Catering: Miraglia Catering CateringandMore.com
Musicians: Angel Mountain Strings
DJ: AEC Marin AECMarin.com
Makeup & Hair: WowPretty.com
Officiant: Gerry Murphy
Canopy & Rentals: WineCountryParty.com
San Francisco Destination Wedding – Romance in The City
In August, we had the opportunity to go to San Francisco and shoot an absolutely gorgeous wedding with some of our very favorite clients. Christina & Brian are an amazing couple that would be any photographer’s dream – elegant, fun loving, and totally into doing whatever it takes to get great images! They had the wonderful idea of taking a few hours before the wedding ceremony to do a photo tour with us showcasing their favorite parts of San Francisco.
All we can say is that if you are comfortable with seeing each other ahead of time , we really recommend doing this!
We met at their house by the Bay Bridge to capture the stunning view that they wake up to each day. After that, we all piled into a friend’s car to hit the town! Shane and I haven’t spent a lot of time in SF, and we couldn’t think of a better way to get an introduction to the city that Christina & Brian love.
To see part 2 of this blog click here: San Francisco Destination Wedding
San Diego Wedding Photography
RJFTT3KUQ99H
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!
Colorado Mountain Wedding at the Silverthorne Pavilion
Shane and I love to travel for weddings and shooting in Colorado is an extra special treat. Each season brings an entirely new landscape of color and weather. Summertime weddings can be risky because most afternoons feature a thunderstorm (and at the higher elevations, occasionally snow!) The fun is that you never know what you’re going to get – only that the light and sky will be dramatic!
When we first arrived at the Silverthorne Pavilion to do some pre-wedding portraits with Teresa & Steve, the sky was perfectly blue, the air soft and warm. Without warning, though, the wind began to pick up and a flurry of storm clouds overtook the sun. Being the fabulously adventuresome couple that they are, these two had no intention of letting a bit of wind and drizzle get in the way of us shooting outside! They ran out into the storm hand in hand, laughing as the wind whipped through their hair.
I love how the diffused light gave a brilliance and depth to the greens and reds and how Teresa’s turquoise feathers and shoes perfectly matched the sky. Teresa designed every bit of the style, from her fabulous 50′s inspired dress, to the creative bouquets, and flirty peacock feathers that topped her birdcage veil.
We hope you enjoy these images as much as we enjoyed creating them! Congratulations to Teresa & Steve – you two are so full of joy and personality. It was inspiring to be a part of your wedding!
Happy 2009!!!
Well, it was a crazy 2008. We witnessed some of the most profound events in history, for better or for worse. Despite much of the bad news that we heard throughout the year, Jen and I look back at 2008 as a year of Change. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know. That was Obama’s campaign slogan, but Barrack winning the election was just one of the major changes that we experienced!
Jen and I planned and made the BIG MOVE from Colorado to California. We sold our house, lived in downtown Boulder temporarily, and finally packed up all the junk and headed out west to reclaim our hometown of Encinitas. It was a huge amount of work, and not just because Jen helped carry The Sectional Sofa either. We had the seemingly daunting task of infusing Fellows Weddings into the San Diego market while continuing to grow our business in Colorado. The result? A slew of fast paced trips back and forth to shoot weddings, meet with clients, network with pros, and have fun with friends! We’ve survived so far, and 2009 is looking to be a fantastic year.
We truly miss living in Colorado- we loved hiking and snowboarding in the beautiful Rocky Mountains, the wonderful people, and the Boulder lifestyle. It is just an amazing place. Colorado will always be in our hearts, and we will always be coming back as often as possible.
On the other hand, we are so happy to be back home in San Diego!!! One thing is for sure, you can’t beat the laid-back SoCal Lifestyle. Where else can you wear a t-shirt, shorts, and flops out to breakfast at Pipes Cafe on a Saturday in February after a morning surf session? We’ve been able to reconnect with family and friends who live here and are having lots of fun.
Among all the craziness involved with the move and work, we still found some time to play hard too. We took a short trip to Mexico, went on a never-ending road trip to Portland for Thanksgiving, and got to go on the vacation of a lifetime in Geneva, Switzerland.
If you haven’t been to Switzerland, you should definitely go- IN THE SUMMERTIME. We went in December, and while it was one of the most beautiful places we have ever been, it was REALLY, REALLY, COLD. We went with Jen’s family to visit her sister, Jessica, who is studying for her MBA in Geneva. It was great spending time with her family in such a beautiful place.
Here is a collection of some of our favorite images from the Switzerland trip. We hope you enjoy them and wish everyone a happy new year!
