The Festival of Love and Matrimony {Wedding Photographer-Eureka, CA}

We were chosen to be part of Angelina and Will's wedding day months and months ago without ever having met, but once we did finally get the chance to become acquainted during a walk through of their wedding venue, I knew we were a great match! 

Angelina brought out her event planning background and pulled out all the stops to create her dream wedding. They chose Will's family ranch in Freshwater to be the site of what came to be known as "Will & Angelina's Festival of Love and Matrimony" which, for them and a few of their guests, started and ended days before and after the big day. Being a ranch, they had lots of room to spread out, with charming little vignettes sprinkled throughout the property. From the ceremony site in a small apple orchard, to a reception tent, to a mini campground set up for overnight guests, everywhere you looked was a place with a purpose. 

The wedding guests were treated to live music as well as DJ Stir Fry Willy for a variety of great tunes to get down to. But the biggest surprise of this grand event were the fire dancers, of Firefly Entertainment who put on a unique and exotic show ending in the lighting of a huge bonfire. 

All I know is, Angelina could plan my wedding any day! Well done! :)

Flowers by the great Flora Organica, gorgeous as always!

If you like any of these images, feel free to borrow them. 

But PLEASE, be kind and classy. Give credit where it's due & don't crop out my logo.

Thanks!

The Royal-Urban Wedding {Wedding Photographer - Eureka, CA}

I'm so ashamed. With my busy summer season I have SERIOUSLY neglected my blog so I'm having to play a little catch-up. Please forgive me! 

That being said, in this posting we revisit Michelle and Daniel Urban, only this time, for their wedding! I was so impressed by the gorgeous event these two were able to throw together in just a mere two months. They were married at Faith Center Foursquare Church where their families had become acquainted years earlier. With the church's newly installed advanced lighting system that washed the whole venue with lovely hues of lavenders and plums, strategically placed branches and mossy twigs were set off by the white twinkle lights and candles to create a beyond-romantic atmosphere. Their ceremony matched the beauty of the ambiance with a communion for the two of them followed by the pouring of sand together along with Michelle's son Jordan into a single vessel. It was such a sweet official beginning to their little family!

After the nuptials, we whisked the newlyweds away for a private portrait session in Old Town, Eureka where we had a little surprise waiting for them...a horse-drawn carriage! As they rode from the the waterfront to the plaza, greeted by waves and well-wishes by passersby, Daniel said, "I feel like we're the Royal Wedding of Eureka!" with the most giant grin on his face. Priceless!

Congrats, Urbans! You will always be royalty to us! :)

Does his expression not say it all?

If you like any of these images, feel free to borrow them. 

But PLEASE, be kind and classy. Give credit where it's due & don't crop out my logo.

Thanks!

A Family Engagement {Engagement Portraits, Wedding Photographer-Eureka, CA}

We recently had the pleasure of meeting up with Michelle and Daniel for their engagement portrait session in Scotia, California. This couple has only been engaged since the beginning of March and they have such a refreshing, nonchalant attitude when it comes to their wedding plans. So when it came to choosing their wedding date they figured, "Why wait?" and chose mid-May for their special day.

Their engagement session was no ordinary engagement session, we had a feisty little tagalong name Jordan.  Jordan is Michelle's 6 year old son and was such a fantastic addition to the occasion. It was kind of chilly out and was drizzling on us, conditions that have the potential to make most kids be...well...crabby, frankly, but not Jordan! He took the bull by the horns and gladly hopped into shots, many times coming up with his own ideas for poses.

We all had a good time exploring the little nooks and crannies of Scotia, trying to stay dry, and sharing some laughs. It won't be long now and this cute little family will be gracing my blog again in their wedding photos! :)

If you like any of these images, feel free to borrow them. 

But PLEASE, be kind and classy. Give credit where it's due & don't crop out my logo.

Thanks!

Against all odds...{Engagement Portraits, Wedding Photographer- Eureka, CA}

Ever since the fall, when Heidi & Matt booked us for their July 2011 wedding, we had been trying our darnedest to get an engagement session to happen.  Normally it wouldn't be too difficult to be able to schedule with a couple, but when they have to make the four and a half hour drive from Chico to get to me, it makes it a little tricky. 


First, I believe Matt got the flu, poor guy, and they had to cancel their trip to the coast. Re-scheduled. Then the sky decided to open up and dump a ton of snow onto 299 and prevent them from getting here. Re-re-scheduled. Then, low and behold, Heidi came down with that same flu (thanks for sharing, Matt!) ;) We were beginning to think it just wasn't in the cards for us and we almost gave up on the idea since they knew they probably wouldn't be able to make the jaunt until their wedding rolls around in July.  But since the engagement session is a very important step to us in the entire wedding photography process, we decided that we had to make it work and that perhaps we could schedule a visit to Redding during their Spring Break and meet them part-way, so that's just what we did! 


I bet you think I'm going to say that I ended up with the flu and couldn't make it. Nope, but it did try to rain on our parade! We were lucky enough to have window that morning just long enough to squeeze their portraits in.  It must have been because it was St. Patty's Day! We had fun walking around Turtle Bay and the Sundial Bridge and shared a lot of laughs together. I'm so glad we didn't give up after the first three tries, because we never would have ended up with such wonderful results! Enjoy! :)

If you like any of these images, feel free to borrow them. 

But PLEASE, be kind and classy. Give credit where it's due & don't crop out my logo.

Thanks!

Show Me Them Pearly Whites! {Engagement Portraits, Wedding Photographer-Eureka, CA}

It's not surprising that, as a photographer, people who I am acquainted with in my personal life end up becoming my clients at one time or another. In this case, I would go so far as to say that this particular client and I are intimately acquainted...through my teeth. Now calm down, don't let your imagination run wild! She happens to work as a hygienist at my dentist's office and that dentist just happens to be my sister. Day after day when Stacy goes to work, she has the privilege of being able to stare up at some of my fine art framed on her operatory wall. Lucky girl! ;) So naturally when her sweetheart, Jason, popped the question over this past holiday season she knew that we had to talk wedding and engagement photos! 

Now it was time for a role reversal and for her to actually see ME in action. We got together on one of those freakishly nice February afternoons with a breath-taking sky. We had a good old time buzzing around to a couple different locations and getting even more acquainted, only this time, through my lens. Jason and Stacy were fantastic and a dream to photograph. We all fed off of each other's enthusiasm and ended up with some beautiful and adorable portraits of the two of them. Now I know they're with me when I say that I can't wait until the wedding when we get to do it all over again! 

On a side note, if you're looking for a great dentist and hygienist, call the office of Dr. Trish Barsanti. Say hello to Stacy and tell her you loved her engagement photos! :)

If you like any of these images, feel free to borrow them. 

But PLEASE, be kind and classy. Give credit where it's due & don't crop out my logo.

Thanks!

I love all things Lucca {Newborn Portraits, Portrait Photographer-Eureka, CA}

In the fall of 2009 I had the wonderful opportunity to travel through Europe. Thanks to Priceline, when we were booking our hotel for our visit to Florence, Italy, we somewhat by accident ended up staying nearby in this great place in the great tuscan city of Lucca. In this city we got to experience the absolute BEST meal ever and take a stroll down the picturesque path along the top of the wall surrounding the entire city. Needless to say, I loved Lucca.  So when good friends of ours, Sergio and Samantha told us they were naming their son after this magical place, we knew he was going to be something special. 
This little guy did not disappoint. With his momma's chin, great cheeks, long fingers, and big, wise eyes, he was a little trooper about us coming over and interrupting his nap. Unlike most newborns, who are normally just completely passed out for their first portrait, Lucca spent most of our session taking in his surroundings, seemingly deep in thought, especially when it came to the feeling of the fur throw against his cheek, it must have felt "tasty" because he kept trying to eat it! :) Once he finally tuckered out, he slept like a little angel on their bed. It was so nice to meet you, little Lucca, you certainly live up to your name! 

Gotta love that expression!

Here are a few of the gorgeous sights we took in on our trip!

Piazza Anfiteatro

The Passeggiata delle Mura, walk over the fortified walls

Someone is actually lucky enough to call this home

If you like any of these images, feel free to borrow them. 

But PLEASE, be kind and classy. Give credit where it's due & don't crop out my logo.

Thanks!