Posts Tagged ‘photojournalism’
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
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
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!
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:
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.
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
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
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
San Clemente Wedding at the Ole Hanson Beach Club
There are very few beach towns in Southern California that are even comparable to the quaint and beautiful San Clemente. We had the pleasure of photographing Lindsay & Chad’s wedding at the Ole Hanson Beach Club, a historical building that was originally built in 1928 by the city’s founder. With blue skies, a gentle breeze and the sound of waves breaking on the beach – conditions were perfect :)
We’ve had such a great time working with Lindsay & Chad that we’ve all become friends! One of the all time funniest wedding moments that we have witnessed was when Lindsay’s father and one of their best friends put on a surprise performance of “Business Time” by Flight of the Conchords. Our favorite improvised line was “there is a race for grandchildren, and we’re in last place…” ROFL
Lindsay and Chad are awesome together and we wish them the best in their new life!
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.
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!
