Stephanie and Kelvin’s wedding was the perfect mix of sophisticated old Hollywood glamour and California desert casual.  With a venue like the Parker Palm Springs you don’t need much to make it amazing–it’s pretty much the prettiest place ever.  Add a couple that look like they’re straight out of a movie, glorious florals by Twig and Twine and spot-on planning from Twine Events and you have pretty much my dream scenario.  The gals over at 100 Layer Cake are featuring this beauty today–pop on over and take a look!

Kaila and Bill’s wedding at the Hotel Lautner was just as relaxed and fun-loving as they are.  Kaila designed everything herself, and the insane flowers were created by her aunt.  Kaila’s Sarah Seven dress was one of my all-time favorites ever and I loved that Bill just wore short sleeves, no jacket.  This gorgeous day is being featured by our friends at Green Wedding Shoes today so pop on over there for more details and inspiration!

I had so much fun and am left with so much birthday party envy over this gorgeous Malibu beach-house party thrown in honor of Susan Feldman, the founder of One King’s Lane. If you want to see more photos, it was featured recently on Inspired By This.

• Design: Homethrown LA
• Floral Design: Twig & Twine
• Catering: Heirloom LA
• Table: Found Rentals
• Tabletop Rentals: Archive Rentals
• Chair Rentals: Yeah Rentals
• Linen: La Tavola Linen
• Photo booth: Flipbooth
• Charicatures: Sophie & Lili
• Calligraphy: Li Wardian
• Cake: Matchbox Kitchen
• Illustration: Quinn Luu
• Photo Wall Illustration: Kristen Long

I love, love, loved Pamela and Matt’s wedding at The Lombardi House in Hollywood. It was recently featured on BRIDES if you want to see more photos.

Venue: Lombardi House || Wedding Planner: The Love Riot Company || Bride’s Wedding Dress: Pronovias || Groom’s Attire: Ted Baker || Wedding Bands: XIV Karats || Florist: Foxtail Florals || Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas || Music: Prism DJs || Catering: Wolfgang Puck || Rentals: Line 204 and Town & Country

Liz and Josh’s casual summer wedding in Portland, OR was one of the most fun I’ve ever shot, and it’s being featured on Style Me Pretty today, so go take a look!  Liz works in fashion (she’s the President of the shoe company Matt Bernson) and Josh is an industrial designer, so every sleek, minimalist detail was perfect, and perfectly understated.  They’re also two of the nicest and most genuine folks I’ve ever known, and they know how to throw a good party (including a 2nd line replete with a kick-ass brass band!)  So glad they asked me to come along for this one.

Jenny and Levi’s wedding was one of my absolute favorites and I am so excited to be sharing it.  They got married at the Korakia Pensione in Palm Springs.  For more photos check out their feature on Green Wedding Shoes.

Event Design: Sugar & Fluff

Flowers: Moon Canyon

Dress: Oscar de la Renta

Amy and Jamie’s backyard wedding was one for the books.  I couldn’t resist putting a few more photos in this post because every detail was seriously SO. GOOD.  And how cute are they??  This wedding was a labor of love and the two of them, along with their friends and family, created so many amazing things, from the chuppah to the reception tables to the house itself, Jamie’s childhood home and showcase for his Dad’s contracting business.  (The family also owns the fabulous Portola Paints.)  With to-die-for florals by Of the Flowers and spot-on coordination from Tealight Weddings, this casual summer solstice fiesta was pure perfection and we’re so grateful our friends at 100 Layer Cake are sharing it today!

Sara and Shant are the sweetest couple who had the most amazing two day long wedding at Pelican Hill Resort. It was featured in the August/September issue of BRIDES magazine which I’m super excited about! Sarah Winward did the incredible flowers and the whole gorgeous event(s) were designed and pulled off without a hitch by Nancy at So Happi Together.

I LOVED everything about this wedding especially Garrett and Eric! They’re the sweetest couple which just made an awesome day even better! To see more photos from this day, head on over to 100 Layer Cake.

Venue & Vineyard: Malibu Rocky Oaks / Coordinator: Couture Events / Florist: The Little Branch / Hair & Makeup: Katie + Shauna at The Girls Beauty Shop / Invitations: Minted / Save the Dates: Smitten on Paper / Cake: Sweet & Saucy / Catering: Whoa Nelly / Rentals: A Rental Connection & Town & Country Rentals / Vintage Rentals: Archive Rentals / Band: The Replicas / Bride’s Dress: Stephen Yearick from Low’s / Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Headpiece: Twigs & Honey from Elle Bridal Boutique / Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Jos.A.Banks / Shoes: Cole Haan / Ties: The Grunion Run / Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo from Bella Bridesmaids in Memphis, TN

I wanted to share a few favorites from a recent engagement shoot with these pretty people since their wedding is this Friday and I’m getting super excited!! They’re really fun and easy to work with and it should be an awesome day!!

Johanna and Michael’s wedding was one of my favorites ever.  These two exude warmth, generosity and a passion for living that touches everyone they meet–after the first hour with them I knew I had made two lifelong friends!  Austrians-by-way-of-Italy, they planned an epic weeklong destination celebration for 20 of their closest friends and family, culminating in a desert wedding at not one but TWO amazing venues (the Hotel Lautner and Casa de Monte Vista).  It was a charmed, magical day and evening that had the luxurious feeling of a European dinner party (catered by the insanely talented Room Forty) in a quintessentially California setting, which is I think exactly what they wanted!  Thank you so much to our friends at 100 Layer Cake for sharing this dream of a wedding–head on over to check out even more!

I shot Samantha and Quentin’s perfect little winter elopement at La Quinta Resort this past February.  They have been coming to the hotel for years and it’s one of their favorite places in the world, so where better to gather their immediate family for an intimate celebration?  Escaping the rain of their native Seattle for the desert sun was the perfect move, especially since half their family was escaping major snowstorms back east!  Everyone was pretty psyched about that.  From wandering the insane grounds of La Quinta taking photos EVERYWHERE, to witnessing them tie the knot on the balcony of their room (which they strung with lights, a perfect touch) to sipping handmade cocktails with the family as the moon rose above the palms, this day was everything I love about elopements: relaxed, fun, and all about this couple and their sweet connection with each other.

Sue and Matt’s Hummingbird Nest Ranch wedding was pure fun!  These two were all about everyone having a blast, from the lighthearted and colorful dinosaur-inspired decor, to the 3 roving food trucks, to the ferris wheel that spun all night.  Even more amazing, Sue and her family basically DIY-ed all the decor–with crucial help from Jaime at Wild Heart Events and the floral stylings of Oak Barrel and Bloom.  The details were the icing on the (rainbow sprinkles!) cake though, because this couple could not have been sweeter or more in love.  I’m thrilled this wedding is being featured today by our friends at Green Wedding Shoes, so head over there and check out the rest of this fantastic party!

This wedding is close to my heart as Matt and Katie are two of my closest friends (and frequent photographic subjects).  Their intimate elopement, planned in less than a month, was a simple but heartfelt celebration of a 10 year + love story.  We started at the Ojai Valley Inn, where they got ready with the help of families, especially their nieces and nephews (who were all beside themselves that Uncle Matt and Aunt Katie were finally tying the knot).  The sunset ceremony at Meditation Mount was pure Ojai–the smell of clary sage and citrus hung in the air and fellow sunset-watchers respectfully looked on as they said their vows.  We ended the day with a candlelit al fresco dinner at the Ranch House.  All told, it was a perfect reflection of who they are as a couple–low-key, outdoorsy and family-focused.

New Yorkers Lauren and Campbell planned an intimate destination wedding in Santa Barbara for 60 of their nearest and dearest.  The wedding and reception were both at the Santa Barbara Biltmore, one of the most gorgeous venues ever that needs nothing in the way of embellishment!  The lush flowers, all in shades of white and green, were by Camellia Floral Design and planning was by XOXO Bride. 

I LOVE photographing elopements (they’re so chill and fun and we have tons of time for portraits and we get to schedule the day based around when the light will be prettiest!!) and Nicole and Jena’s was no exception! They got ready at one of my most favorite hotels in America, The Parker Palm Springs and then we headed out into the desert for their ceremony and some photos. They got married on January 1st and I cannot think of a better way to have started 2015! Congrats ladies!

Lindsey and Ryan got married at the gorgeous Bandy Canyon Ranch outside San Diego.  The rustic camp setting was perfect for their laid back day–everyone stayed at the cabins on site, lounging by the pool and snoozing on hammocks between the revelry.  With help from the always fabulous Lina Wallace of A Stunning Affair and wildly gorgeous blooms from Peony and Plum, this wedding was one of my favorites from last year, and it was recently featured on Style Me Pretty, so go check out even more goodness there!

Jacqueline is moving to Bermuda!!!

We’re so jealous/sad/excited for her! All the feels! We’re going to miss her so much – we loved having her as part of our team – but she’s off on a big fun adventure so we can’t be too sad. Here’s what she had to say about the move on her blog:

“a few months ago, my hubby andrew signed on with a new team and we’re super excited! this new team will be defending the america’s cup in june of 2017 and we just found out last week that it’s going to be in bermuda. we’ll need to move there as early as spring of this year!!

having this new piece of our puzzle, i had to think hard about how to move forward with my photography business. i love being part of birds of a feather, but because i’m going to be living so far away and it’s a california-focused collective, it probably doesn’t make sense for me to stay on. i’ll miss our meetings/meals/chatfests, shooting and planning things together, having my images appear alongside their amazing work, and taking on the wedding world together. while i’m a little sad to leave, i feel really fortunate to have built something great together and to have had the chance to meet a ton of amazing creatives in southern calfornia over the last couple of years.

and now i’m excited to take all of that experience and goodness and put it into a new adventure. from here on out, and in bermuda when we get there, i’ll continue to shoot in the same vein i always have, the main difference being that all of my work and info is now housed in a new place (go see!). i’ll be coming back to california and the east coast for several shoots in 2015 and can’t wait to book more weddings and shoots all over the place, especially since bermuda’s only a short flight from places like new york, boston, DC, charleston, miami, and even london. you may be surprised to know that it’s not in the caribbean… it’s actually all by itself in the atlantic, off the coast of south carolina and georgia.

our next step is figuring out where exactly in bermuda we’ll be living. i really have no idea since i’ve never been there (!), but i’m sure we’ll figure it out. i’m super happy for andrew and mostly just excited to take this on together, along with homer (the hound), who’ll be coming with us!”

WE LOVE YOU JACQUELINE! XO

Amy and Peter are the most beautiful couple inside and out.  Their love story is so sweet–they met when they were in grade school on one coast and reconnected years later on the other!  Peter, an architect, designed all the paper goods and invites himself–so adorable.  And of course, being an architect, he had only one choice for a ceremony site–the incredible Lloyd Wright-designed Wayfarers’ Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes.  Amy chose a dream team of vendors to help bring their vision to life, including Orange Blossom Special Events and the Little Branch.  This beautiful day is being featured on Style Me Pretty today so head over there to check out even more pretty!

I absolutely loved shooting Stephanie and Michael’s wedding – everything was gorgeous (big thanks to Beth Helmstetter and Holly Flora) and they are two of the sweetest people ever. To see more images and for a full list of vendor credits, check out their feature here on Style Me Pretty!

I had so much fun shooting Terri + Matt’s engagement photos up at El Capitan Canyon! They couldn’t possibly be nicer or easier to work with and the location is one of my all-time favorites!! Love these guys!

I was so honored to shoot Jennifer and Kris’ gorgeous and intimate wedding at the newly reopened El Encanto Resort in Santa Barbara.  Brides-to-be, this place is truly spectacular and exudes old world California glamour–just like the couple! Such a heavenly day, hope you enjoy the photos as much as I loved shooting them!  If you want to check out more from Kris and Jennifer’s gorgeous day head on over here to see the full feature on Style Me Pretty!

Emily and Dan’s backyard wedding was the perfect combination of romance and elegance with a home touch.  Sweet Emilia Jane did design and florals, Whoa Nelly catered and Flashdance DJed–an all star team that they somehow put together in four months!  The gorgeous spanish-style house itself was the inspiration for a moroccan-themed affair with the laid back feeling of a dinner party.  Handmade and homey touches were everywhere, from Emily’s mom’s collection of textiles and art to Emilia’s beautiful calligraphy that adorned the programs and signage.  Family style dinner turned into a raucous dance party, followed by cakes based on Emily’s grandmother’s recipes.  A firepit and s’mores station capped off the night.  If you’d like to see more from Emily and Dan’s intimate backyard wedding check out the full feature on Style Me Pretty!

Sheng and Ken are an adorable couple from Singapore who were traveling to the US on holiday.  We took some amazing photos in Sheng’s wedding dress to show her friends and family back home at their wedding banquet.  The soft yellowy glow of the light and the grassy fields were a complete compliment to Sheng’s bouquet that was filled with orange and yellow flowers.

Such a beautiful couple inside and out!  I had a blast shooting Lindsay + Ryan’s engagement session at this gorgeous location!

A few months ago I got to work with Exquisite Weddings Magazine on their Spring/Summer 2014 bouquet feature. I had the best time meeting the four talented florists involved and seeing what they came up with for a variety of wedding looks. I’d have to say my personal favorite was the soft, full, organic look of Plenty of Petal’s blooms. I love a good olive leaf!

Gorgeous couple, beautiful beach, and amazing light–couldn’t have made for a better engagement session with Emily and Dan!

I had the best time photographing these two – they’re so easygoing and fun and I couldn’t be more excited for their wedding in August!

I recently got to be a part of the launch party for Please & Thank You‘s liquor bar at Luce Loft in San Diego.  Food by  A Miho Experience, flowers by Siren Floral Co., glassware, table and flatware by The Hostess Haven, as well as design by Smid That and Powwow Design Studio, made for a seriously amazing moody and modern vibe.  The cocktails by Please & Thank You were spot on, and definitely contributed to the shenanigans on the dance floor.  It was so much fun working with such a rad group of creatives, a big thanks to Max Cutrone for the capturing the evening on video for all of us!! If you want to see more, head on over to 100 Layer Cake for the full feature!!