After a lovely meeting this morning with potential wedding clients, Jesse and I decided to take the kids to the beautiful coast to round out our fabulous weekend. We went to the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz- the weather was amazing! As it turns out, our little man was in a rare mood today- calm. Normally he is a wild man, but I enjoyed every second of this cuddly, tentative guy. Sure enough, it didn’t last and as soon as we sat down for dinner in Capitola, he was back to his wild ways. Oh well, it was great while it lasted! Here are a few shots from the few rides we could go on- turns out Teague needs to grow a bit!

As it turns out, our little Cecily is quite the dare devil. I think she would have ridden on anything if given the chance. Jesse is the best dad, always up for anything with the kids.

Jesse giving Teague a little pep talk before “the spooky train ride”… and then whooping it up with Cecily on the Pirate Ship.

I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend! We were so blessed to have amazing weather and this time together.

Today my little guy turned 3. My little baby, 3- I can hardly believe it. Teague is wild, he is fun, he laughs hard and easily which I love. He can be a handful, but I wouldn’t have him any other way, I adore him. And with this, our month of birthday madness ends!

Happy Birthday Little Man!

This morning it was such an honor to open my email to discover I have received a “Bride’s Choice” award on Wedding Wire! Thank you to all my lovely past brides and grooms that nominated me for this! Happy Tuesday!

You may notice a new look around here, I spruced up my blog so it looks like the new website I have been feverishly working on. I can’t wait for it to be released (within a week or so I believe) and hear your thoughts on it. It has been a long time coming and I’m really proud of it!

“Stop growing!” I told her for the 100th time. “Nooooo!!!” She laughs. She thinks I’m joking with her, but I’m not, it is going by too fast. Four and a half and the whole world at her feet.

Today, my baby girl goes back to school. Another year full of adventure, learning, and FUN! She has so much fun at school with her friends and her amazing teachers.

Cecily, this year your daddy and I hope for you lots of laughter, wonder, amazement, and learning. The biggest gift we can give you, besides our love, is a strong education. We hope this year deepens your love of learning and your relationships with your teachers and friends. Go get ‘em baby! We love you.

Old friends are the best, and I got to see a few of them the other night. Well, one is my sister and I see her all the time, but the other two, Sarah and Jaime are some of the oldest friends I have and I don’t get to see them as often as I would like. These three are all dear to me and it was so fun to have a night out with them. There is never a lack of things to talk and laugh about- it’s just so easy and I love it. Thanks ladies, and Jaime…. I had no idea you were such a bowler! It’s on lady, I’m taking you down next time! (any bowling coaches out there?)

I had all the confidence in the world going in…. it was me (thanks Jaime for pushing the button on this one!)

Versus these three… (from the left Smokin’ Sarah, Jivin’ Jaime, and Karumba Katy) It was ON!!!

Jivin’ Jaime proved to be a great bowler- I should have known when she brought her own shoes! There were a few moments when I thought I could gain on her….

But once she got a turkey and did the official turkey dance, I knew it was over!

So when we walked by the basketball game on the way to the bar- I didn’t even think to challenge Jaime to a match- but Katy did- and it wasn’t even close!

Thanks ladies- much love to you all!

Two posts in one day- crazy, eh?

I love when brides wear unique hair accessories. I think it is a lovely way to add a little color to that all white palette, and makes for some marvelous photographs as you can see in the recent post about Rhiannon and Tony. Her birdcage veil and flower pin completed the look. I recently stumbled upon the ban.do line who carries all sorts of hair accessories and corsages, even some scarves.

Next up? The Pioneer Woman. I love this blog. Ree calls herself a desperate housewife who channels Lucielle ball and Ethel Merman. She has  great sections of her blog including Cooking, Photography, and Home and Garden. Go give her a lookieloo, I think you’ll like her!

Sweet and Saucy Shop is located in Long beach, not really in my area, BUT if those desserts taste as good as they look, they may be worth the trip. It’s a great site to check out for inspiration for mini desserts or, if you happen to be heading down south for your bridal shower, why not take one of their classes with your dearest friends?

Enjoy your weekend!

Growing up in the South Bay, I have always been a fan of the Mountain Winery and the summer concert series they offer as well as the beautiful grounds they have- it is perfect for a wedding! It has changed since I first photographed a wedding there, this past year it underwent a renovation and it is now even more beautiful than before. They added some expansive terraces with views to die for! It boasts towering redwoods as well as golden hills covered in vineyards. The bowl, where the concerts are held is a great spot for photos and the reception space is romantic. If you are looking for a gorgeous venue, this just might be the spot for you. If you are considering it, they are hosting a preview of the 2009 menu on June 24th. Click here for details.

This is photo was taken with my iphone… after some yummy wine- please excuse the heads in it!

I got to spend Thursday evening there. With a sea of city lights dancing below and a blanket of stars turning high above, Jesse and I as well as a couple of our dear friends listened to the magic that is Rodrigo y Gabriela. If you haven’t listened to this Dublin based, Mexican duo, you should give them a try. They play acoustic guitars and create such a unique sound, you would swear they had 5 other instruments up there with them. I would say it is world music with a rock edge, but I hate to categorize it as it is truly unique. Their whole sound sounds like summer to me, and I love it!

Here are Rod y Gab doing their thing….

When photographing Priscilla’s dress this past weekend, I had to ask where she got it because it was just that gorgeous.  She had purchased it at The Unique Bride in Burlingame. When I checked out their website today, I noticed they are having a sample sale this coming weekend! They carry mid to high-end brands including Monique Lhuillier and Kenneth Pool. If you haven’t gotten your gown yet, you should check them out as the sample sale offers up to 75% off the original price!

Wedding Gowns

Happy Thursday!

This morning, I am preparing to meet Priscilla at the Hotel Valencia in Santana Row to shoot her getting ready before her wedding to Brandon at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club. Priscilla and Brandon have such a wonderful dyamic between them, I can’t wait to photograph their wedding this evening! Here is one of my favorites from their engagement session and a link to their slideshow.

San Jose Engagement Session, Priscilla and Brandon