Brooke and Dave had a beautiful day for their wedding.  Everything was held at the The Point Church in San Jose, California.  Amazing enough this was the first time I had met Brooke and Dave and it was fun getting to know them. Before the ceremony Brooke showered her groom with little presents.  It was fun for everyone as we anticipated what he was going to be receiving next.  It was a really sweet thing and I’m sure her groom will always remember it.  Surrounded by their closes family and friends they exchanged their vows inside the church sanctuary.  It was a great message delivered to the couple about keeping God the center of their marriage and what marriage really is.  I could tell the two of them really took the advice to heart.  The ceremony was accompanied by live music which I don’t see much of anymore.  What made it so intimate is each of the singers and musicians were friends of the bride.

The fun continued at the outdoor reception which was held right out on the front veranda of the church overlooking the valley.  It was a beautiful location and the evening light streamed across creating a beautiful atmosphere for dinner.  As the sun set the lights of the city awakened to create a romantic feeling of twinkle lights. The reception was very simple with heartfelt words from friends and family and a simple cake cutting.  The grand finale of the night was a sparkler send off for the couple as they left their wedding celebration.  It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day.  You can view some of the photos from their day and please remember to leave them a little love below so they know you stopped by. Enjoy!

I was raised in a country church, and I couldn’t imagine not getting married in one.”  Was one of the many things Rebekah shared with me while she was getting her hair and make up done in the downstairs of the Coloma Country Inn.  A beautiful piece of property just a couple blocks away from Emmanual Church in Coloma, CA.  The church nestled in this historical gold rush town could of been torn from the pages of a Norman Rockwell painting.  From the photo you can see she found the perfect spot for Michael and her to exchange vows.  I loved the simplicity of this wedding and its backyard dessert reception held in the bride’s grandma’s backyard.  It was truly over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house.  When you arrived you came upon a little opening in the trees sparkling with twinkle lights.  It was adorable.

I was so honored when asked to photograph and to tell their story. I’ve known the groom’s family for many years.  In fact, I photographed his Aunt’s wedding in Yosemite about 9 years earlier in a very similar quaint country church.(The ring bearer and flower girl was hers).  It was great to see the man he turned out to be and the beautiful wife he had chosen.  There was so many wonderful little details about this wedding that made this day truly about them and where they came from.  The grooms  wedding band would be a ring passed down to him from his Grandfather who passed away just a over a year ago.  The Chevelle that you see in so many of the photos was the exact car his mom and dad left their wedding in.  The rings on the bride’s bouquet (her mother made it) stood for the rings she would leave behind and the significance of the new one she would be getting.  The ring bearer pillow and flower girl purse was made by the groom’s cousin. The Pastor that married them was Michael’s youth pastor and flew in from Colorado to do the ceremony.  So many little things by the people who love them. From the smiles on their faces I know they felt blessed by the day.  You couldn’t of wiped those grins or smothered the giggles the two of them exchanged with each other all evening.  Every wedding should be about those smiles, laughs, and moments.  If you stopped by to see their day please leave them a little note below so they know you stopped by.  Congratulations Michael and Rebekah!

In all the years that I’ve been photographing weddings in the San Francisco Bay area I had never heard of the Creekside Terrace.  It is the cutest little place perfect for an intimate wedding.  You can’t resist the charm of the tree lined streets as your drive up to it, and the 100 year old cabin that  sits proudly on the property.  Well with the threat of rain all week the day turned out beautiful and there was a beautiful view from the cabin. Some of my favorite images of the day were of Julie getting ready and what I kind of nicknamed her magical veil.  Not sure if it was the rustic-ness of the cabin, the way the light lit up the veil or what but each of those images reminded me a little bit of a Norman Rockwell painting but a little more moody. Simple, classic, and a timeless feel of yesterday.  Another favorite included the veil and her walking down the aisle with her dad.  This time the veil just added a sense of mystery and tradition.  The last one the look on Steve’s face when he lifted her veil to kiss her, it was endearing.

It did get a little chilly in the evening but everyone came prepared and was having such a great time no one really noticed the cold.  Besides the beautiful flowers, river, and waterfall Julie chose the color of purple for her wedding day.  I loved the flowing curtains in the Gazebo and the beautiful flower arrangements from the ceremony site to the table. Their table names were places they have been or places they would like to go.  I couldn’t resist looking at them and wondering where their next adventure would be together.  The bride and groom celebrated with their closest friends and family and I loved how they mixed the Chinese and Western wedding cultures together.  Julie looked beautiful in both of her dresses and Steve was beaming with happiness all day.  I think a favorite for everybody was the candy buffet at the end.  They chose a ton of wonderful sweets for their guest to take home.

Lara and Andrey had a beautiful spring day for their wedding. The Bernardus Lodge‘s ground was breath-taking with the trees in bloom. It was the perfect location for family and friends to gather.  I love having the oppurtunity to photograph in Carmel it is such a beautiful town and we were able to sneak some time out of their day to head to the beach for photos.  Lara was beaming and her bubbly and infectious personality just made you smile with her.  The two of them were so fun to watch during the day making jokes, funny faces, and laughing.  One of my favorite parts of the day was in the evening.  This crowd loved to dance and play wedding games.  They were so much fun to watch.  In fact, the first dance was beautiful to watch.  Lara loves ballroom dancing and you could tell as she floated across the floor with her groom.  We are wishing them all the happiness as they start this new adventure together.  To see more of their day click here to view their slideshow  Bernardus Lodge Wedding.