Posts Tagged ‘San Diego Wedding Photography’
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
Featured on Style Me Pretty: Old Town San Diego Wedding, Marina Village Reception
We are so thrilled to have Heather and Nick’s gorgeous vintage-Italian inspired wedding featured on Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book Blog! With incredible attention to detail, Heather and the “moms” painstakingly designed and hand crafted nearly all of the decor and special touches. It was such a treat for us to photograph this incredibly unique wedding! Of course, having a very good looking, fun loving couple (and bridal party) who were totally into getting beautiful photos around Old Town, San Diego, was pretty fabulous, as well! We would like to give a special thanks to Melissa from I Do…Weddings! for helping Heather achieve her amazing vision and also for making the day incredibly smooth and stress free! To see even more images from the day, visit Style Me Pretty’s Gallery.
Photography: Acqua Photo / Cinematography: Jeff Hendler / Flowers: I Do…Weddings! / Event Design & Planning: I Do…Weddings! / Ceremony Location: Immaculate Conception Church / Reception Location:Marina Village / Invitations & Stationery: Mother of the Bride / Shoes: Demetrios / Dress: Demetrios / Lighting & Reception Music: DJ Daniel Peterson
Coronado Tidelands Park, Star of the Sea Event Center Wedding
One of the best outdoor ceremony locations in San Diego to take advantage of the amazing cityscape is Tidelands Park on Coronado Island. Located a short walk away from the ferry landing, this park is a little oasis of greenery, blue skies, and uninterrupted city views! Bre’s mom also happens to be a planner, and we were blown away by the gorgeous details awaiting us at the Star of the Sea reception. We especially loved the delectable sweets in blue and green, accents of sparkly gems, and the uber-creative custom seating chart featuring images from our Engagement Session!
Congrats Bre and Eddy and thank you to the fantastic vendors who made this wedding such a treat!
Vendors:
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:
Estancia Hotel, La Jolla Wedding
Estancia La Jolla is definitely one of our favorite locations to photograph a wedding in San Diego. It has a timeless feel that reflects casual elegance in such a seemingly effortless way that you can’t help but get caught up in its beauty. The grounds are perfectly designed with weddings in mind, as there are many hallways with columns that create dramatic natural light, wonderfully landscaped gardens, and beautiful mission styled architecture. In short, it is a photographer’s dream!
Not that any of this was necessary to make our awesome couple Ala & Uly look good- they certainly do that all on their own! They really worked it for the camera and had a great sense of humor, too. With help from their very talented wedding planner/coordinator Alexandra (from AR Affairs), they created a unique nature theme with bird’s nest accents, moss and twig center pieces, and excellent uplighting. They were able to turn what would have been a somewhat non-descript wall into a stunning backdrop that created a very romantic ambiance for their reception. Another fun detail that really stood out to us was the ice cream bar – JUST LIKE COLD STONE (!) – where guests picked their flavor and toppings and had their tasty treat blended on a stone slab as they watched. We’d also like to give a shout out to Pink Star Design for their perfectly elegant menus and place cards which added a very stylish touch!
It truly was a pleasure to shoot for Ala & Uly and to work with all of their excellent vendors!!!
Coordinator: AR Affairs
Cake: Sweet Cheeks Baking Company
Menus/Place Cards: Pink Star Design
Flowers: Artistic Florals
DJ: DJ Cito C
Linens: Concept Event Design
Catering & Venue: Estancia Hotel, La Jolla
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.
La Jolla Shores Engagement Session
The most beautiful natural light for photo sessions is usually 2 hours before sunset or early morning just as the sun is rising. As it can be a bit challenging for most non models to get up and ready for their close-up before 7 am in the morning, engagement sessions are typically shot in the afternoon! Lucky for us, early birds Katie and Tim were up for the challenge!!! We envisioned a shoot at La Jolla Shores with bright blue skies, deep turquoise water, and the gorgeous couple perfectly lit by the rising sun. Thank you Katie and Tim for being fabulous models while most love birds are still snuggling in bed :)
Acqua Photo has award winning image in international contest!!!
We are happy to announce that Shane received 6th place in the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers winter 2010 contest for engagement portraits! Click here to check out the gallery: ISPWP Engagement Category
The award winning image was taken here in San Diego at the Cabrillio National Monument in Point Loma. We absolutely loved how Dustin & Kristen (the adorable couple in the photograph) wore vintage attire to perfectly match the style of the lighthouse. It took a few minutes to get the pose right so that the viewer could see them from head to toe even with such a limited perspective, but we got it! We just love how the light and the spiral staircase draw you in, keeping the focus on their passionate kiss. Thanks Kristen & Dustin for having a total make-out session in the stairs for us ;)
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
Some people say the Getaway Car is overrated… we completely disagree!
In today’s economy, it makes perfect sense to be careful about how you spend your wedding budget. We have seen some really amazing and creative ways that our couples have saved money on their weddings, and encourage you to do the same! In that spirit, we think that some couples tend to overlook a few things that could provide a huge value for the money. One of them, without a doubt, is a stylish getaway car.
A getaway car is a luxurious, relaxing, and fun way for newlyweds to take a few minutes and enjoy each other’s company after getting married. Usually, the chauffeur will have champagne chilled and ready for you to sip on during the ride. What other day in life can you think of that would be a better excuse for such opulence?!? Yep, we are totally biased because a getaway car can also create a perfect atmosphere for sexy, romantic portraits!
Let the prom-goers keep their standard limousines. Instead, consider renting a classic limo or your favorite classic car. Is your wedding going to be glamorous and ritzy? Go for a Rolls Royce. Is your style more relaxed and casual? Don’t tell me your fiance wouldn’t want to ride away in a 1976 SS Camaro or 1965 Convertible Mustang!!! You’ll be surprised at how spending a couple hundred dollars on something usually deemed “frivolous” can truly add to your experience!
Check out this perfect example from a recent wedding we did! Kira & Eric love old black and white movies and decided to rent a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow to show off their classic style. We really love how the images turned out– they ended up being some of our favorite romantic portraits from the day.
Spring Fever 2010 for Reinventing Beauty Magazine
It’s so much fun when the new Reinventing Beauty Magazine comes out each quarter and we get to see our shoots come to life in print! Here are the tear sheets from this Spring’s fashion and beauty. We were fortunate to work with an incredible team of people who really made these shoots rock!
San Diego Wedding Photographers
Location: La Costa Resort & Spa www.LaCosta.com
Makeup & Hair: Flora Wade www.FloraWade.com
Wardrobe: Linda Varol www.LindaVarol.com
Models: Courtney & Annelise, Next Models www.NextModels.com
Makeup: Flora Wade
Hair: Aurora Dewey
Flower Arrangements: Art Quest Floral www.artquestfloral.com
Models: Yuki, Marksie, Danielle
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 .
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
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!
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.
The Cabrillo Lighthouse with Jenni & Hugh
Last week, Shane and I were lucky to be a part of a very, very cool wedding coordinated by our friend Alexandra from ARAffairs.com. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful afternoon. The sky was beyond blue and a cool breeze tempered the warmth of the sun. The ceremony was held at the Cabrillo Lighthouse in Point Loma at the very edge of a cliff, overlooking the water below. If you’ve never been up there, it’s definitely worth a day trip! The view of the San Diego city skyline, rugged cliffs, and miles upon miles of ocean is breathtaking.
After the ceremony and a small portrait session by the lighthouse, the entire wedding party and family boarded the yacht America in Seaport Village for a private sunset tour of San Diego Bay. The night was made even more perfect with live music from Allison Adams Tucker and her incredible jazz band. As the sky darkened and the stars came out, Shane and I marveled at just how romantic and special this wedding was. We wish Jenni, Hugh, Henry, and Annie a wonderful life together with lots of joy and love.
Special Thanks to the fantastic vendors:
Coordinator: Alexandra Roselee www.aneventbyalexandra.com
Reverand: Rachel Rainbolt www.ever-after-weddings.com
Live Jazz Music: Allison Adams Tucker www.allisonadamstucker.com
Yacht: Yacht America www.stars-stripes.com
Cake: Sweet Cheeks Baking www.sweetcheeksbaking.com
Catering: Wild Thyme www.thewildthymecompany.com
Florist: Haydee’s Flowers www.haydeescreativeflowers.com