Heather and Jason were set up on a date by Jason’s dad.
Just proving that Father Does Know Best!

They’re having their ceremony and an organic/chic garden party in Round Rock.
I’m looking forward to it!

Barbara and Jeremy were just going to elope…
skip all the wedding fanfare.
Then she found out that her dad had joined the UT Club
years ago specifically so that she could get married there.
A thoughtful idea by her dad turned into a great wedding.
Both Barbara and her dad are huge UT fans, so it was cool
to see all the Bevo memorabilia at the Club.
And…in a truly fantastic touch, Barbara and Jeremy hired the very band
that they fell in love to…AlphaRev…who were amazing!
Barbara and Jeremy had a blast and couldn’t believe that
they had considered skipping it.

Congrats to Barbara and Jeremy!

Allie and Brian brought a lot of DIY to their beach rehearsal dinner and that’s what
made it personal and fun fun fun.
Location? Big River Beach in Mendocino
There was:
football
kite flying
Ducky Derby
a bonfire
s’mores
a thunderstorm (everyone stayed! what troopers!)
and a gorgeous sunset.

To say it was a breezy during Allie and Brian’s ceremony might be an understatement.
But that’s typical weather for Mendocino. Unpredictable. Windy. Rainy.
When people approach me about photographing a wedding in Mendo,
I know that the Mother Nature will be a factor.
I also know that it makes for some rugged, but incredible beauty
and that everyone at the wedding rises to the occasion.
There was some major bonding at this wedding…although that might have also
been due to the boas that Allie and Brian provided!

The ceremony was at Point Cabrillo Lighthouse.
Pablo (Allie and Brian’s chihuahua) was the ring bearer.
The unique invites were designed by a family friend and the color scheme of
hot pink and orange was everywhere (including those boas).

The reception was at the MacCallum House.
Great service and food as always, including local oysters during the cocktail hour…always a hit!
I have a lot of great memories of this wedding, but my favorite moment was when one of the
decorations, a garden gnome, was whisked on the dance floor.
Even the lead singer of the band announced that there was some
“Great Gnome Action.”

I had a hard time doing Julie and Tim’s engagement session because
they kept making me laugh.
They confessed that they are dorks…just like me!
Needless to say, we got along famously.
I’m looking forward to their very cool wedding in Santa Monica on October 4.

Farra and Juan are getting married in about 2 weeks!
We zoomed around San Diego and had a blast doing engagement photos.
There was even a moment where Juan changed pants in the middle of the street
(sorry folks, I cannot show those pix here).

Their wedding is on 8/8/08 at a sweet little resort, Hotelito Desconocido. Stay tuned!

Danielle and Scott got it so right by having two parties:
an elegant morning wedding with yummy brunch
and the night before, a casual rustic BBQ.

I forgot to mention that after the morning wedding,
everyone lounged around the incredible pool at Lost Pines.

They really knew how to enjoy themselves!

Danielle and Scott got it right.
A morning ceremony in the springtime,
followed by a superb brunch put on by the folks at Lost Pines.

Bubbles.
A Celtic fiddler.
Pinks and greens.
Gerber daisies for the ladies.
Beautiful monogrammed table linens sewn by Danielle’s grandma.
Mimosas and Bloody Marys.
Cupcakes by Simon Lee.
Boys dropping their pants (I can only show you the rated G stuff).
And, of course…Danielle and Scott being their relaxed and fun selves.
Congrats on tying the knot!

To all my wonderful couples, don’t take it personally, but
this is what I look like the morning after shooting a wedding.

I love my life of documenting the big moments in peoples’ lives.
I shoot for hours and hours on the wedding day.
A gazillion creative decisions and yes, hauling around loads of camera gear.
It’s the only way for me to capture everything.
That makes for one tired girl.
Thank goodness for cold beverages in frosted mugs!

photo by Bob.

Jasmin and Lee live in Chicago, but they had a big ol’ Texas backyard wedding.
The backyard in question was Jazz’s parents house, which
is on a small lake north of Houston.
The weather was spectacular as was the scenery.
It was a day filled with hospitality and personalized touches.

Jazz’s extended family came in from Germany.
Plus, there was such a good, welcoming vibe, that
pretty much everyone there seemed like honorary family (including me!).

Jazz had a dress with a red sash and her “something blue” was Ruby, the family parrot.
Ruby enjoyed hanging out during the cocktail party.

Some very good friends, Mr. and Mrs. Gerdes, made outstanding ribs
in their family bbq cooker for the main course.
When Lee was growing up, he was a boy scout. Many of his fellow boy scouts
attended and made “Boy Scout Cobbler” in a big cast iron pot on the hot coals of a fire.
I thought it was the coolest thing! They made two kinds, blackberry and peach.
The cobbler took the place of cake. They even had a “cobbler cut” instead of a cake cut.

Jazz and Lee had personalized vows. Hey, they even mentioned pancakes!
(I see a food theme here…these guys are my kind of people).

But the most special part of the day was when the newlyweds stopped
eating ribs and slaw to saw a log in half.
A German tradition that proved to be hard work and very entertaining.