VALLENTYNE WEDDINGS

Venue: Loews Coronado

Coordinator: Stacie Barba, A Day of Elegance

Music: The Heroes

Video: Side by Side Video

Katherine and Shane got married on a beautiful day at Loews Coronado, one of my favorite wedding destinations in Southern California. Katherine’s dress was definitely in my top favorites for this year, it was so gorgeous and it looked like it was made for her. While I was photographing their first dance together, it was so apparent by the looks on both their faces that they are really, very, in love with each other. It was one of those weddings that even after attending so many unions, I still tear up a little! I also thought it was so sweet to watch Katherine’s mom and dad, they were so obviously proud and happy. There were many moments that day that I would choose for an album, here are a few that I loved.

Venue & Catering: The Temecula Creek Inn

Bridesmaids Dresses: Two Birds Bridesmaids

Flowers & Favors: All by the bride!

Frankie and Kacie had a small and intimate wedding with their very closest friends and family. I think that every detail of wedding planning reflects the couple’s personal style, especially the size of the wedding they choose to have. I do love the small family wedding, there is always a whole lot of love:) I went to high school with Frankie and since then have gotten to know Kacie who is very sweet, very organized, and also an amazing chef! If this girl ever invites you to one of her famous dinner parties, you would be crazy to turn her down! So it was very cool to be the photographer at the wedding, among the inner circle of their loved ones. We all had such a great time taking photos, here are a few of my favorites!

The Napa Valley wine country in California has been on my list of places to visit for a very long time. So when Laurie and Chuck decided they wanted their engagement photos done there I was so excited to be able to visit them and see the vineyards. Laurie is actually my cousin and our mom’s were always very close, so not only do we have great childhood memories together but now I get to shoot her wedding in October! We had an amazing time touring the wineries, drinking a little vino, and taking photos. Not only was the scenery gorgeous, but it is so obvious that Laurie and Chuck are perfect for each other. I know they will have a wonderful marriage and we will be in each other’s lives for years to come.

After having so much fun working with Jenny for the Pre-Wedding Shoot I knew the big day would be super fun! What I didn’t know about was how fun Chris’s side would be! Chris has a big Samoan family with lots of relatives coming in from Samoa. I love island culture, they really are just good people. At the reception, the big surprise was a dance troup from Samoa doing some pretty amazing performances! It is times like these that I remember again how lucky I am to do my job. To sit there, watching and shooting, and to get a rare and personal glimpse into one of the most personal, fun, and cherished moments that a couple has in life, it is pretty great.

Jenny is the sister of my friend Joy, who I love, and do not get to see nearly as often as I would like. When Jenny and Chris got engaged, I was so excited that they hired me as their photographer, because it would mean I would get to hang out with them in San Francisco! Jenny and Joy are the cutest sisters, they are hilarious and Chris is a perfect addition to the family. When I got to San Fransisco Jenny and I decided to go have some fun taking pictures in her wedding dress before the big day. I always thought Jenny was shy, but no, I was wrong:) We had an awesome time shooting under the Golden Gate Bridge before it actually started raining. Jenny had her dress made especially for the wedding by a Flamenco dress and costume designer. It was totally one of a kind, and perfect. Here are a few of my faves from the shoot.