Weddings

There was just something special about this wedding that it was hard to put your finger on. Was it the buzz of eager anticipation in the air? Was it the warm, genuine hugs from the family and friends that flooded in with broad smiles on their faces? The constant soundtrack of laughter that enveloped you everywhere you went? Or was it just Emily and Shannon, who seem to have touched so many people with their generosity of spirit and sweet love story?

Love /luv/ (noun, verb, & everything in between) 1. sweethearts 2. gets better with time 3. the best kind of friendship Two days after Mandi and Tom celebrated their marriage on a gorgeous April day “made to order”, in a beautiful backyard ceremony, I headed east for a month long adventure to celebrate some of my own milestones including a birthday, a high school reunion, a graduation celebration and two weeks out of the country celebrating my own marriage, nineteen years ago. Mandi and Tom’s relationship began at a Mexican taqueria in Davis that had “terrible food” in 2013 after…

While these two are out starting their new lives together on their big cross country adventure to their new home in Tennessee, I thought it would be fun to post some of my favorite images from their Wedgewood Sequoia Mansion wedding earlier this month. I’m hoping they will get a chance to enjoy them on some mountain top, down in a canyon or even at a cool historic diner somewhere between here and there. Road trips rule! I loved working with Cambria and Craig. There was such a strong connection between them, and not only that, their friends and family…

Mary Lou, the mother of bride Kaitlyn, contacted me a couple weeks prior to her daughter’s marriage to Chaz expressing that she really wanted to make sure her daughter had some beautiful wedding photographs. I hear this alot especially from people who perhaps didn’t have their own wedding documented or even in a way that they were happy with. It’s a one chance event- you don’t get to do it again and with the unfortunate trend leaning to “Uncle Bob” (with a really great iphone, btw), some folks WANT to get it right. I don’t mind the pressure, in fact…

Just as the sun was setting, Stephanie and Aaron exchanged their vows at the beautiful Wine and Roses in Lodi in a romantic twinkle light ceremony, sprinkled with lots of laughter and officiated by cousin Blaine. Steph and Aaron first met at a wedding of mutual friends a few years ago, only to discover that they lived down the street from each other, knew all of the same people AND went to the same high school, but somehow had never met. Serendipity. I got a chance to get to know Aaron and Stephanie prior to their wedding as we drove…

Kalene and Joey tied the knot on October 6 in at Black Creek Center in Copperopolis, surrounded by family and friends.Joey’s family is local to Copperopolis. Having known the Bartolo family for over 16 years, I was so honored when Kalene asked me to photograph their big day. In fact, Kalene and both of her sisters, Samantha and Jacqueline, used to babysit our kids a long time ago. Time keeps pushing on…and now Miss Kalene, outgoing with the beautiful smile, is married. That’s crazy! Joey is a bit more shy and reserved than Kalene but when I got him out…

Stephanie and Aaron drove up from San Jose for their engagement session up in high country. Little did Aaron know that he was just up this way the previous weekend when he was 4-wheeling with his friends out past Loon Lake. I enjoyed meeting Stephanie and Aaron outside of their wedding day. It’s great to get to know my wedding couples through a photo session prior to their wedding day. It helps me to better understand their connection so when the big day arrives, I know what is natural and what is comfortable for them, in order to capture them…

On a most spectacular Thursday afternoon in the mountains, my daughter Jaz and I headed to Sorenson’s Resort in Hope Valley to capture Bethany and Dan’s very intimate wedding ceremony. The day was beautiful and the drive made me realize how much adventure and road trips give me renewed energy. Bethany and Dan’s connection was clear when I first met them as we hopped in my car to photograph them together, down the road in the open meadow of Hope Valley. Here are a few of my favorites…including their dessert bar and charcuterie plate. They give you a good flavor…

I met Mariah, Charlie and their son Wyatt over a year ago at a coffee shop in Camino. I really enjoyed them because they were real. I know that sounds trite but honesty and joy that shines through is so refreshing and so much fun to capture as a photographer. They were down to earth and excited about spending the rest of their lives together and being Wyatt’s parents.  That day we decided it would be fun to work together so we made it official 🙂 A few months before their wedding, Mariah asked me if we could do a boudoir…