Santa Monica Mountain Wedding

Weddings are all about joining two families together. As Kumi and Justin were looking at where to get married, they focused their search on Los Angeles, which is in the middle of where their families live in Japan and Delaware. The 1909 was the venue they chose - a white washed building tucked in a canyon surrounded by blooming chaparral. It served as a lush background to their intimate gathering.

Venue: The 1909

Wedding Planner - Feathered Arrow Events/Kari Dirksen

Topanga Canyon Wedding at the 1909

As we share this blog post on Thanksgiving, Nicola and Evan’s wedding is a great reminder of so many things to be thankful for: bringing your closest family and friends together under one roof, loved ones who are able to travel from near and far to support you, dancing with your best friend and finding a partner to spend the rest of your life with.

During the ceremony, GuruPrem made a simple analogy that rang very true to our ears and in many ways, addressed so much about what we love about weddings. In his analogy, he compared a newlywed couple to an acorn. Inside of an acorn are all of the ingredients for life, the blueprints for a large tree. When we think about all of the aspects of a wedding to be thankful for, this simple analogy could not be more accurate.

Venue & Catering - The 1909

Bride’s Dress - Vera Wang

Grooms’s Attire - The Black Tux

Florist - Native Poppy/Natalie Gill

Invitations & Day-of Items - Paper Paper Co.

Linens - La Tavola Linen

Tableware - Casa de Perrin

Rentals - Signature Party Rentals

Wedding Planner - Feathered Arrow Events/Kari Dirksen

Videographer - After It All

Cake & Desserts - Yvonne’s Vegan Kitchen

Joshua Tree Adventure

Quick little post from a quick little adventure with Nick & Katie in Joshua Tree. Thanks for inviting us on a fun exploration into the California Desert to do a portrait session together!

Hope to see more of you two in California soon.

Big Sur Cliffside Engagement

California’s Central Coast is one of our favorite places to visit. We recently to spent a warm autumn evening there with Veronika and Will exploring the craggy coast to celebrate their engagement. Knowing that they love to hike, we spent our time exploring a cove beach and climbing all around some coastal rocks without another soul in sight. It was a fun way to celebrate the season and get to know Veronika and Will. We are very much looking forward to their wedding next year!

Autumn Wedding at Barnsley Gardens + Manor Ruins

As a Landscape Architect and musician respectively, Nicole and Will are a true power couple. When we met for the first time, it was clear that their wedding in Georgia was going to be a heartfelt and hand-crafted celebration. And we were not disappointed. To begin with, their venue was a dilapidated brick manor surrounded by a wide range of landscapes, from carefully sculpted english gardens to a towering grass forest. Nicole helped design her stunningly simple gown and hand-crafted the invitations. For their first dance, they busted out a semi-choreographed creation that put the older-generation to shame. These two exude kindness, sincerity and spirit. This was clear as they danced the night away with their pack of friends and family. As the party came to an end, guests were treated to a homemade hot-sauce party favor for the trip home.

Brides Dress: Design by Nicole Ives + Jill Aiko Yee

Groom's Attire: Sid Mashburn

Florist: Adaptation

Invitations + Print Material: Design by Nicole Ives, Printing managed by Paper & Type

Ceremony + Reception Venue: Barnsley Gardens

Wedding Planner: Britain Lamon

Hair: Jessica Joslin

Makeup: Blair Boreland

DJ: Ryan Rashid Because the Night

Desserts: Sarah Dodge

Garden Wedding at Villa Verano

To mark the occasion, Rachael and Ivey rented a house in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains and spent the weekend leading up to their wedding hanging out with their closest family and friends. This peaceful house in Santa Barbara is set on 10-acres of terraced gardens with unbelievable views of the Pacific Ocean. It felt like there was no one else around for miles. One of our favorite parts of this day was the first-look between Rachael and her Dad. It was completely organic, and the reaction as he saw his daughter for the first time in her gown was so sincere. This is the best stuff in life. We're so fortunate to have been part of their day. All of our best to Rachael and Ivey!

Venue: Villa Verano

Florist: Margaret Joan Florals

Wedding Planner: Swoon California

Hair & Makeup: Pretty Please Beauty

DJ: Gavin Roy Presents

Catering & Desserts: Pure Joy Catering

Baja Beach Wedding

La Paz, Mexico is a is a laid-back town with old-world charm that made for the perfect, fun-filled getaway to celebrate the marriage of Jillian and Chris. A unique part of their ceremony was the incorporation of the traditional Mexican lasso where a decorative rope was placed around their shoulders in the form of an '8' to symbolize infinite union. The day was warm, the sunset was spectacular and the dance floor was packed all night. Mexico, we can't wait to visit you again soon. Congrats Jillian and Chris!

Bridal Gown: Grace Loves Lace Alexandra Dress

Bridesmaid's Dresses: Jenny Yoo

Groom's Attire: Custom Suit

Florist: Costa Baja Resort

Invitations: Minted

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Costa Baja Resort

Videographer - Love Brain Films

Catering & Desserts: Costa Baja Resort

Ojai Summer Fling

Rachel and Justin’s wedding took place amongst the avocado trees and citrus groves in Ojai. The classic California backdrop of mountains and sunshine set the stage for a fun-filled celebration. The tiered venue was one-of-a-kind, as guests moved about throughout the evening from one setting to the next. Following the hilltop ceremony, guests were led to the dining area below by a three-piece band. And as the sun gave way to dusk, everyone made their way back up the candlelit walkway to dance the night away under a sky full of stars. We are so happy for Rachel and Justin – can’t wait to see what is next for this visionary couple!

Wedding Dress: Shareen Bridal

Grooms Attire: Johnathan Behr Bespoke Clothiers

Florist: WildRoots LA

Invitations: Swell Press Paper

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Private Residence in Ojai

Wedding Planner: The Love Riot, Courtney Toney

DJ: Red Shoe DJ

Cake, Desserts & Catering: Fig & Forage

Furniture Rentals: Ventura Rentals

Name Cards: Joanna Goss Design

Michigan Barn Wedding

Lauren and Drew's wedding took place in and around the historic, white-washed Blue Dress Barn. Covered in flowers and foliage, the grounds served as a perfect backdrop to their intimate and heartfelt ceremony. Later in the evening, family and friends moved inside to dine and dance under the soaring wood rafters that frame the iconic gambrel roof. A unique party favor, the couple made 'smores' packages for roasting over the fire as a late-night snack. Conversation and sticky 'smore' fingers carried the celebration well into the night. Thanks for sharing your friends and family with us Lauren and Drew! We had just as much fun shooting this beautiful wedding as we did enjoying conversation by the fire afterwards.

Photographer - Formwork Photography

Wedding Dress - Maggie Sottero

Bridesmaid's Dresses - Show Me Your Mumu

Groom & Groomsmen's Attire - Men's Warehouse & Knotty Ties

Florist - Marco Alexzondra

Venue - Blue Dress Barn, Benton Harbor, MI

Wedding Planner - Jessica Smith

Hair & Makeup - Pomp & Artistry

DJ - Bee Entertainment

Videographer - Rhys McIntyre Videography

Cake & Desserts - Amanda Marie Bakery

Catering - CK Catering

Malibu Mountains Maternity Shoot

Brittany and Evan are avid day hikers.  So when they asked us to take their pregnancy photos, not only were we thrilled, but we knew that we could get to some of our favorite locations accessible only by hiking trails. This evening we explored Topanga Canyon and walked from grassy fields to mountain tops, with spectacular views at every turn. A few deer even joined us along the way. We couldn't be happier for these two and their new little boy due in a few months! 

Coffeehouse Love & Courthouse Marriage

On the day of their private ceremony, Rachel and Justin kickstarted the morning with coffee from Handlebar Coffee Roasters. Despite the persistent rain, they kept warm and dry inside this quaint cafe. The rest of morning was just as warm. On the short walk to the venue, their golden-doodle Clementine joined in on the fun. The courthouse was practically empty because of the wet weather, which gave us our choice of places to enjoy the solitude. Congratulations, you two - we cannot wait to celebrate with you and your families in Ojai this summer!

Handmade LA Art Gallery Wedding

From their renowned weekend brunch gatherings to their elopement in Mexico City, Christina and Jon know how to throw one hell of a party. At All(Most) Studio & Gallery, it was a fun-filled night of celebrating with lots of family and friends. The couple, along with lots of help from their families, completely transformed the blank-slate space with handmade banners, string lights, a mariachi band and a magician - all thanks to the vision of the incredibly talented and organized Christina. Congratulations Jon and Christina - we can't wait 'til the next party you throw!

Windansea Beach Engagement

When we lived in San Diego years ago, we ran by this beach in La Jolla on a regular basis. It wasn't until meeting up with Rachael and Ivey for their engagement shoot that we discovered the endless beauty of this spot. The numerous rock formations and crystal clear sky made for the perfect San Diego backdrop. As the sun set below the horizon line, we checked out the view from Mount Soledad and watched the city light up below us. Having clients like Rachael and Ivey make us feel lucky - we can't wait to photograph their wedding this fall in Santa Barbara!

Classic Wedding at SF City Hall

Instead of popping champagne for New Years this year, we celebrated the marriage of Natasha and Jorge in San Francisco. City Hall served as the classical backdrop to this stunning and heartfelt wedding. We loved that that these two brought their super friendly dog Rocco with them to the ceremony and reception! This little guy was a trooper, dressing up in a bow tie and all. Natasha and Jorge's family nearly all flew in from out of the country to celebrate with them. Even the officiant flew in from out of town, having married Natasha's parents a few decades prior. We couldn't be happier for them as they start out their New Year together!

Wedding Dress - Aria

Bridesmaid Dress - Joaquin Blanco

Florist & Wedding Planner - Forsyth Designs

Invitations - Riley & Grey

Favors - Ghirardelli Chocolates

Ceremony Venue - San Francisco City Hall

Reception Venue - Dirty Habit

DJ - Corelli Strings

Cake - The Cakemaker

Chicago Engagement

Visiting Chicago in December is the best because Christmas feels very real in Chicago. Everywhere you look, twinkling lights and festive decorations adorn window displays, doorways and rooflines. This is one of our favorite aspects about visiting the Windy City this time of the year. Another highlight for us on this trip was hanging out with Lauren and Drew for an evening engagement shoot. We found a few spots to relax as we strolled along the Chicago Riverwalk, making our way to the 1920's Wrigley Building and plaza. We can't wait to photograph these two again in June for their wedding!

Coronado Engagement

Coronado was the perfect place to celebrate Jillian and Chris's engagement. We love photographing people in their favorite spots because it brings a sense of familiarity and comfort to a shoot. This is the spot that Jillian and Chris go to on their 'beach-days' which made the location feel very personal and special. We had a blast playing along the shoreline and toasting with some champagne at sunset. Shooting with the Hotel Del as a backdrop was also exciting for us. The building is so iconic and we were up to the challenge of photographing it in a unique way. Jillian and Chris, we can't wait for your Mexico wedding in October!

LA River Engagement

When asked where they wanted to take engagement photos, Hayley left it up to Grant to decide.  An enthusiastic fly-fisherman, Grant quickly decided on a forgotten section of the LA River near one of his fishing spots. What a find. These two make the LA River look so good! This shoot quickly turned into an adventure. We crafted bridges from discarded signs and boards to cross over streams and narrowly escaped a wild barking dog. On our way back to the car, we stopped for a few photos in front of an amazing graffitied wall. Hayley warned us beforehand that she has a habit of smiling uncontrollably in photos. As you can see, we certainly didn't mind. So excited for these two to get married next year!

Big Bear Maternity Shoot

We had such a great time exploring the woods and enjoying the crisp fall weather at Big Bear Lake with Jamie and James. Jamie is 36 weeks in these photos, and she looks absolutely incredible. These two know how to have fun - they are going to be the best parents. We are thrilled for them and their baby girl to be!

Check out the full gallery of images here.

Backpacking Adventure - 1,000 Island Lake

Before summer officially ended we found time to make one last road trip into the Sierra Nevada to take advantage of the long days and warm summer nights. We started our journey at Silver Lake just off of the 395 and hiked deep into the wilderness, spending a night at 1,000 Island Lake on our way.