wedding at Paion, Big Sur

It occasionally happens that I work with shy clients, who may not want photos of themselves, or their names, up on the internet. I totally understand, and above all want my clients to be comfortable. So I have some kind of anonymous photos from this beautiful wedding I photographed at the stunning, cliffside location in Big Sur... and you'll just have to enjoy a little bit of mystery about it. The weather was cool and socked in with fog, which certainly lent the location, a private estate called Paion, a mysterious, romantic, and breathtaking air...







The details, arranged by Alicia Falango of AK Designs, were just too fantastic not to share. I loved these table settings! Each one was unique, and oh-so lovely:









More details, which I believe were all brought in by Alicia and her team:







There was a very tempting s'mores kit, with cushions, blankets, and everything you'd need to get snuggly by the fire:





See?



Adorable kids were abusing the paper parasols, running and jumping to try to take flight... although eventually Alicia and I got nervous one would run right off the cliff!



How much do you love this? The bride got ready in a little on-site yurt tucked in the trees... then got to ride a golf cart up to the ceremony site. So fun!





I heart food:









Three kinds of paella!



Can you tell how big this cupcake is? The biggest cupcake ever. It was amazing! The "paper" cup was also cake... the whole thing was beautifully decorated and amazingly delicious (I love it when there is cake enough for the photographer!). I wish I could post a shot of the bride and groom, not only for scale (it was BIG) but because instead of cutting the cake, they scooped in with wooden baker's spoons and fed each other. It was awesome!



It was a very lovely day:





Some long exposures after dark, before the fog turned into rain:











(here's part of a super kind note from the bride's mom:

"I was so thrilled when (the bride) just called me from Asia to tell me she'd just forwarded your email with first set of photos. They are wonderful!...

After reliving the wedding through your photos, I then went to your blog and spent about an hour or more just looking at all the weddings you've done recently. You really know how to personalize to each couple. I particularly enjoyed "the elopement" photos, complete with horse and dog!

Looking forward to the next group. And thank you again for such attention to detail and for taking such care to make every wedding so special for the couple and their families.")

Thanks for such a great event in an amazing location!

film shots at the beach, Sonoma County coast

Kind of a weird post, but it's a gray rainy day, so somehow it makes sense to post these photos of the gray beach (though it was actually extremely hot when I took these in late August) covered in random dead and strange stuff. It was hot and still at the beach (so rare) and we found lots of bones and pieces of animals. And it really, really smelled (especially to this pregnant lady!)





















More VERY pretty wedding photos coming soon, I promise : )

Natalie and Craig, Compass Rose Gardens, Bodega Bay

(click on the image above to view the slideshow)

Natalie and Craig were married at the Compass Rose Gardens in Bodega Bay - a venue I have heard a lot about, but had never been to before. It was a lovely sunny day (which is rarely the case in that area), and there were so many cool details in the gardens:













Natalie and Craig incorporated lots of bright colors in their decorations, which complemented the gardens, and the couple's joyous personalities very well:









Natalie is my high school friend, Natasha's mom. I was very honored to be recommended by Natasha, who is a photographer as well, and happy to be a part of the sweet wedding day!



The ceremony site is really cool - there's a little creek or gully thing in between the "audience" and the couple. I had fun sneaking around behind the ceremony area for the processional to get some different points of view!











The light was gorgeous for family portraits. And there were a lot of honored female family members at this wedding, like Natalie's granddaughter, daughter, and mother:



And Craig with his mom and many stepmothers! What a great community:



Natasha and Max looking fabulous:



Next Natalie, Craig and I took a limo (drive by their neighbor) to one of their favorite cliffs overlooking the Sonoma County coast:





Back to the pretty gardens:





There was a taco bar catered by one of my favorite taquerias, lots of great toasts, and a ton of dancing and fun:









In this family of blood relatives and friends, everyone loves each other!



Thank you to Natalie and Craig, for having me along to photograph your wedding! I definitely teared up during the sweet vows, and wish you two a long happy life together.

Me!, some early pregnancy photos

I guess these are almost mid stage pregnancy shots, not early ones. I can't believe I'm already almost 20 weeks, halfway! Crazy. You'll see from these shots which are almost 2 weeks old (I'm even bigger now!) that I'm definitely showing:





I took these photos on Halloween to track my belly's growth, now that it's really shooting out day by day. I'm even bigger now. Scary but wonderful! Do you guys want to see continued belly progress photos as I grow? Or is this already an overshare? ; )





I so appreciate all of your comments and emails of support. I waited to go public until I was obviously showing because I didn't want to freak anyone out ("you're pregnant and shooting my wedding??") during the final months of my busy season. But I obviously needn't have worried, as everyone's been nothing but sweet and excited. So thank you!

(here she is again - pretty cute, right??


Here are a few more shots of a little belly showing - this one goes back to mid October, on our trip to Mendocino, when I was about 15 weeks. Oh, what a difference a few weeks can make!





Now, for a few work related particulars:
- I am planning to work through February, and may do some smaller shoots in March, depending on how I feel and what comes my way. Then I will be taking April off entirely (baby is due 4/5/10), and will return to work by June 1st. I plan to be in touch here and there (answering phone calls and emails a few times a week or so) but look forward to taking some good time off with our little girl!
- I will continue to book weddings and other shoots, for now through February, and from June 1st on. This baby is pretty good timing for wedding season, so I look forward to shooting the June-October 2010 season and beyond!
- I'm happy to address any concerns or questions potential or current clients have about my maternity leave or post partum time, and how it will affect your event or shoot (short story: it won't, unless you want to see baby pictures!). I'm working with my husband and a great community of friend photographers to ensure that my new family has what it needs to thrive, while my clients get what they need and deserve as well. So I'm planning a lot of things out now and am going to remain very flexible in the next year!

I hope that's not too much information... I know some photographers don't share any personal details on their blogs, but that's not how I roll, so I figured, why not let it all out there.

I'm so grateful for my wonderful, caring clients, and my community, and I can't wait to bring this baby girl into the world to meet you all! xoxo

Angela and Collin, Bunny Meadow, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

(Click the above image for the slideshow link)



Angela and Collin's wedding was awesome! They were married at noon, in a meadow in Golden Gate Park. Then they joined their friends and families in a relaxed, sunny picnic. I also love weddings in big, fancy venues, with ornate flowers and food - but these guys really blew me away with their creative details, their bright and lovely colors, and their focus on staying true to what matters to them. I think it was a perfect day!











We wandered over to the nearby Conservatory of Flowers and adjoining gardens for photos. It was a foggy-then-sunny Sunday morning and afternoon in Golden Gate Park, which was filled with families and tourists and locals visiting museums, roller blading and biking, walking their dogs, etc. I think it was just the right feeling of community and place that Angela and Collin were hoping for.











The food was fantastic! Sandwiches, salads, and vegetables, plus a selection of refreshing drinks and handmade fruit galettes for dessert - simple but totally delicious.





And OH the dahlias :)









I love how Angela and Collin were literally encircled by their community during their ceremony:









There was croquet, bubble blowing, a football tossed around - and a lot of great lounging in the (rare) SF sunshine, on these most adorable picnic blankets/ guest favors, homemade by Angela's mom!





I can't think of a sweeter place to get married, complete with squirrels and dog walkers meandering past.





And a really kind note from Angela"

"Yay! These are so amazing. Thank you!!! I was having a really crummy day (suffice it to say that involved the SF DMV). Getting [the photos] really turned the day around. I absolutely love all of the shots. You did an amazing job capturing the day."

Thank YOU and congratulations, Angela and Collin!