amanda lynn photography

bye bye amanda lynn photography.

2010-05-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

no offense to blogger, it has been real good to me but i am so excited to finally launch my new blog. i hope you will join me over there as this will be my new home. a huge thanks to my hubby for the amazing illustrations and into the darkroom for all the hard work. the blog looks awesome!

see ya'll on the other side. &hearts

jax nathaniel doublin | 05.10.10

2010-05-13T22:44:00.000-07:00

well the day we have been anticipating for over 9 months has finally come! the day after mother's day to be exact, which couldn't be a more perfect arrival of our little man. he was born on may 10, 2010 at 7lbs. even. :) we couldn't be happier. zoe even said on the way home from the hospital, "i always knew something was missing in our family and this is it." (and as she pointed over to jax in his car seat), she reiterates, "it was him."

i cried.

all in all, i guess we all feel a bit more whole.

and danny got this in our first moments. (thanks baybeh!)

melissa + moses = married.

2010-05-03T16:58:00.001-07:00

melissa and moses came to me because moses is the brother of a dear family friend of ours. i want to quickly share that moses has served in iraq and not only survived being shot in his neck but also a scary and fairly recent motorcycle accident. i'm telling you he is a walking miracle with a warm heart and one deserving individual of greatness in this life. you should hear his fellow marines when they speak of him. they hold him in such high regard and it is truly touching to witness. to be a part of such a special day for him and melissa was truly an honor for me. they have been close friends since high school and have endured time apart while moses served for our country and while she attended college. quite a feat i say! their wedding ceremony was held at the heritage museum of orange county which is an awesome place to shoot! here are a few of my favorite highlights from the day.

congratulations melissa and moses! xoxo

becky + stevie = married.

2010-04-29T22:27:00.000-07:00

remember the hotness that is becky and stevie? well they are back and married now! i still just adore the behjeezles out of this couple and couldn't be happier for them and to be a part of this highly anticipated day. stevie was sure to keep us updated with to-the-minute countdowns via twitter. but i'm sure i will be seeing more of them in the future. heck stevie even offered his new wife as my babysitter (much to her chargrin i'm sure). ;) don't worry becky, i have your back.

anyway check out the day...

they opted to do a "first look" at family bible church in la habra where stevie is youth minister.

this allowed us to spend some time before the wedding ceremony in downtown fullerton.

and who can resist ending the evening at in-n-out? hello animal style fries! *drool*

becky and stevie, welcome back home and big huge congratulations to you both. much love and i'll be dropping two brats off to you guys in no time. ;)-

love you guys. xo

tiffany + nguyen = married.

2010-04-26T23:27:00.000-07:00

tiffany and nguyen ("wynn") had a traditional vietnamese wedding. what a treat! rich with culture and tradition, this was a first for me. we started at the the bride's family's house where wynn's family came with gifts and a tea ceremony was held.

it was so sweet to watch tiffany get emotional as her sister spoke to her and gave her a gift.

we then headed to the groom's family's house for another tea ceremony.

lunch time!

the reception was held at prince seafood.

congratulations tiffany and wynn!!!

yolie + rod = engaged.

2010-04-15T21:44:00.001-07:00

it was so good to finally see yolie and rod again. i hadn't seen them in about a year since they booked me for their wedding. we squeezed in their engagement session on the tail end of their spring break as they are both teachers and their wedding is right around the corner! they wanted to do their e-session in old towne historic orange which turned out awesome albeit overcast weather. check them out:

and you get to talk to one of these when you get caught on the railroad tracks. :)

yolie and rod, you both look amazing and i am so looking forward to big day!!!! &hearts

jenny + bryon = day after session.

2010-04-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

jenny and bryon got hitched not too long ago and you might remember their engagement session not too long before that. yep, they got to work it in front of my camera yet again and of course are as gorgeous as ever.

unfortunately they had a rainy wedding day but look what we got to do instead! ...

kristen over at the treasured petal did this amazing replica of her wedding day bouquet.

stacy + simone = married.

2010-04-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

stacy and simone are, of course, still as adorable as the last time i saw them.

this time i got to spend some intimate time with their family members as well and learned that stacy was accepted to the medical center at the university of kansas. so a big rock chalk jayhawk! to them. those were my old stomping grounds for 7 years and i am dying to go back for a visit. so yeah any kansas weddings?! i am up for em! *hint hint* i think they will love it there and stacy's dad strongly agrees with me. ;)- we had a good time bonding.

simone's parents even flew in from germany and on that note i have to stop right here, right now and show you simone's niece. omg. hello! stunning child!

ok. anyway! these cuties got ready at surfrider condos it was one of those disgustingly perfect southern california weather days.

they held an intimate circle ceremony at mission beach park in san diego.

so their first date was skating on the boardwalk. we had to!

fun cake!

stacy and simone, it was such an honor to be a part of this intimate and incredible day for you both! thank you so much! i enjoyed the people whom surround you and the beauty and fun you both exude. simone you have one funny lady on your hands (ya'll wouldn't believe some of the things flying out of her mouth! hilarious!)
hope you both had an amazing time in hawaii!!! much love to you both.

lily + martin = engaged.

2010-03-30T19:02:00.000-07:00

let me tell you this, i drove to hemet to meet lily and martin since they opted to do their session in what i now know as another gorgeous quaint mountain town i must make it back to, idyllwild. since i had never been, we met there and they escorted me in the rest of the way. when i arrived at martin's parent's house, i was welcomed with crackers, cheese and fruit all topped off with homemade rice krispy treats. i think this is the moment i fell in love with lily myself although unbeknownst to her, damn near started a riot in my house. i brought some home (rice krispy treats. mmmn kay. i HAD to!) ... "for my daughter" remind you *wink* and hid them in my purse literally guilt-free. because my daughter, however, has this unapplicable skill of radar detecting any outrageous sugary treat that enters our doors within 5 minutes flat, i was then faced with the true dilemma of sharing these baked treasures. so not only was i and my unborn son robbed of eating way to many portion shares but my daughter was probably truly in love with lily then too.

anyway, this is the kind of couple martin and lily are. truly thoughtful and caring people. i enjoyed all the extra time getting to know them more and was really delighted to trek around martin's parent's property although it seems my couples lately have given me more of a workout than i normally get while not pregnant. all of a sudden it's like, "hey! let's trek up mountain sides and huge steep hills!" although somehow i keep managing to put on "HEALTHY" as my doctor says, weight gain. *eye roll* that equates to too much i figured out.

but ok enough of that. check out this hot dayum couple!

bear (martin's parent's dog) was in tow. he made a great appearance.

we wrapped up with some shots in their traditional vietnamese clothing as well. i love this one.

thanks again martin and lily for all your hospitality and good company. looking forward to the big day!!!!

tracy + brian = married.

2010-03-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

tracy and brian had a beautiful ceremony at strawberry farms golf course in irvine. everyone surrounding this couple were just so doting and thoughtful. my belly got lots of attention (it was so sweet) and although this day turned out to be one of those i need a swimming pool and a sno cone pronto! hot days, tracy and brain really pulled off a gorgeous day. here are some highlights of their day:

their reception was held at pacific hills banquet & catering in laguna hills and they just did an amazing job. seriously, over-the-top, super-nice staff!!!

congratulations tracy & brian!!! &hearts

stephenie + scott = the day after.

2010-03-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

ok, so you have seen their engagement session and their wedding (or you may not have. in that case mosey over and check them out!)

now we have the day after session in old town orange. stephenie and scott did an awesome job!

stephenie + scott = married.

2010-03-25T17:24:00.000-07:00

stephenie and scott are a creative couple, so, we hit it off easily and pretty early on. especially when stephenie and i started talking about our love for the mountains and country well over the typical southern california beach areas that we are so surrounded by (i'm just sayin). i don't know what it is about the tall looming trees, crisp mountain air or vast wide open spaces of land but i can tell you that stephenie would have my back for sure. right stephenie?

anyway, these two had an adorable wedding ceremony at tivoli too! in laguna beach. they opted to also focus and spend time with their guests this day so no bride and groom photos were taken which made it a nice, intimate experience. however, be darned sure to come back and check the next post of our day after session in old towne orange.

stephenie got ready in an adorable back gottage at la casa del camino.

scott is one lucky man.

the dove release is gorgeous. i just cherish the bridesmaids face in photo 2 of this layout. ;)

the first dance.

the father/daughter dance always gets me a little emotional (not that it's a hard accomplishment) but these two really made this a moment of the night. so beautiful. by the way, such a stylin dad, eh?

stephenie and scott, much love to you both! not sure if you are still loving-up newleywed bliss in big bear but take some of that goodness in for me and enjoy! :)

best orange county wedding photographer contest

2010-03-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

ok, only four more days to vote. anyone can do it! please repost, share it, email it, shout it from the rooftops if you like. :)

it's easy and super fast. just go to: myfoxla.

it will look like this:

thanks for all your love and continued support as always!!!

xo

epiphanie camera bag

2010-03-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

i just purchased an epiphanie camera bag which i am super, dorky excited about. (pssst. it's the bright blue one, thank you very much!) i hope it actually ups my fashion points because i could really use some help in that department. seriously.

anyway, i will post photos of the ridiculously stylish thang when i get it in my grub-bay paws.

can i get a woo?

mieka + nate = engaged.

2010-03-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

mieka and nate are the kind of couple that just make each other laugh and laugh and laugh. just stand these two together for a few on their own and they'll be at it. that or it was either the big camera in their face or the big preggo bell-ay i'm sportin' these days but i'd like to think not. :)

i waddled around with these two at torrey pines state natural reserve which was a feat in itself for me as i huffed and puffed and shredded my sweater to cool down while these cuties had the chills from the awesome evening wind rolling in. it was quite a treat to hike in such beauty and get to know mieka and nate a bit more intimately although i think it would have been too intimate for their liking if we stayed a second longer (they tow at sundown). luckily this was not the case. we were off and on the road by sundown with great pictures in hand. check them out!

we started with a couple on the sand while we waited for the upper lot to open.

then we got our hike on.

thanks mieka and nate for not only letting me hang out with your cute selves but giving me such a great work out! now i can go grub down that chocolate malted crunch with out the guilt. ;)

<3

jenny + bryon = married.

2010-02-09T23:15:00.000-08:00

i'm sure you remember jenny and bryon from their engagement session which seemed like the other day practically. i just love these two!

their wedding day came with some good luck rain so forgive the smaller than normal post since they opted for a "day after" session for their bride and groom photos. keep your eyes peeled for those real soon! i can assure with these two they will be sizzlin hot. day after sessions are great because it will also give them a chance to get dressed again and spend one-on-one time with me in a waaaay more relaxed environment without all the goings-on and stresses of their wedding day. plus we get to pick some super cool location(s) that we probably wouldn't be able to swing the day of either. ridiculously excited about it.

anyway, check out the wed-dang!

dress from the lovely the white dress.

check out this gorgeous church! mariners church in irvine. bee-yoo-tee-full!

i love this one of jenny doing the final touches on her hair in the bride's room at the church.

this little precious moment between them is right before their kiss. i smile when i see it.

the reception was held at salt creek grille in dana point. the food was amazing and the staff just adorably kind people. they really did a great job!

what a great night.

jenny and bryon, much love but you aren't through with me yet. i will be seeing you two soon! &hearts

best wedding photographer | orange county

2010-01-25T22:31:00.000-08:00

i apologize i am ruthlessly self-promoting here but just wanted to let you all know that myfox la's hotlist voting has begun for best wedding photographer in orange county and if you want to show some support and love please click here and vote your little heart out! it really only takes a painless second. ;)

thanks for visiting, supporting and loving. all back atcha! &hearts

stephenie + scott = engaged.

2010-01-25T20:51:00.001-08:00

stephenie and scott are another fabulous couple i just hit it off with right away. creative, laid back and fun duo; just the way i like it. :)

we did their engagement session in san juan capistrano.

love the stroll with the rooster! it is indeed real and quite a nasty watch dog. i wanted close ups but only got a couple before he let me know he was not down with what i was doing in his yard.

and my two faves of the day...

can't wait until the big day stephenie and scott!
&hearts

happy birthday arlene!

2010-01-25T17:06:00.000-08:00

so i have shot the lovely meyer's for a couple years now. their engagement session, their wedding, ethan's birthday, grace's baby photos, their family photos...

... and now the whole gang for grandma's 94th birthday get together!

they just wanted to get some family photos while everyone was all in the same place. i really just love watching the kids grow up. i think that is my favorite part although i love getting to see sheila and john as well. :)

when i arrived in newbury park, i got some of the kids goofing around.

ethan keeps everyone on their toes. :)

i simply can not resist little baby grace. i keep trying to convince john and sheila to let me take her home. unfortunately hasn't worked out for me yet.

happy birthday to grandma arlene! she has a beautiful family that's for sure!

jenny + bryon = engaged.

2010-01-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

well first and foremost, happy new year everyone!

meet jenny and bryon. jenny and bryon are my people. i love when i find my people and i love that they are in love. they make an adorable couple. we hit it off right away over dinner and realized we had a ton of things in common. i couldn't be more excited for their wedding which is right around the corner actually. i am glad we actually squeezed in this awesome engagement session! we shot their session at laguna wilderness park and i must say i am pretty excited about it and their hotness. :)

happy new year jenny and bryon! can't wait to see you soon!!! &hearts

christmas 2009

2009-12-28T19:49:00.000-08:00

well, it has come and gone but we hope everyone had an absolutely wonderful hanukkah and christmas. as some of you may know we have a pretty diverse family (with danny being raised jewish and of course on my side, we've always celebrated christmas). so as zoe says, we are half jewish and half christmas. we couldn't love and embrace this more. i couldn't imagine what this wonderful world would be like if we all didn't have so much culture, uniqueness and differences to share yet i always still feel among this that we are also all united and that just makes me smile. we (as a family) just want to pass along our well wishes as we now approach a new year. and from our house to yours much love and warmth although i wouldn't put animal cruelty past us (explanation later).

as danny fumbles with the video and i armed with the camera stating, "don't open it yet!" ... zoe of course peeks.

but she still managed to pull off this excitement.

and now for the animal cruelty explanation. we really do &hearts him!

happy, merry belated and bring on the new year!!!!
xo

tiffany + wynn = engaged.

2009-12-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

tiffany and wynn are so redonkulously adorable it almost makes you want to throw up in your mouth a little. seriously, they are so darned cute! they also scored major points with me because they introduced me to my first experience with pho which i had been dying to try for awhile. it was really yum! thanks again tiffany and wynn, by the way! ;)

anyway, we were originally going to shoot in joshua tree for their engagement session, however, we ended up at huntington botanical gardens which is not only crazy gorgeous but you gotta walk in that place. whew! got my exercise for sure and some amazingness...

i just &hearts this one!

tiffany and wynn, thanks for such a fun and gorgeous day! you two made these so fun and easy! can't wait for the wedding! xo

susan + grant + bethany + danny = family.

2009-12-21T11:14:00.000-08:00

meet the shaw family!

bethany actually called to book a session for her family as a holiday gift. little did we know we'd all be freezing together in the hills of silverado canyon shortly after. but i have to say i think we all had fun. it is always a tad exhilarating when you trespass too. not that we did for any of these. *wink* no. but i can say we all managed to hop n' duck a fence pretty well. bonus points for the pregnant girl! *pat pat*

anyway, enjoy:

elisa + harry + blake = family.

2009-11-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

meet elisa, harry and blake along with adorable furballs jeter n' molly:

we found each other through my healdsburg peeps. elisa called me to schedule a family portrait session and lucky for me this is one adorable and fun family. our session didn't quite exactly go as planned but i must admit we got some great shots anyway.

blake makes an awesome model!

how cute is this mother and son?

julia + josh = celebrate their marriage!

2009-11-28T15:50:00.000-08:00

julia called me from out of state one day and immediately struck me. she was so supportive and gushy about my work i really couldn't help but smile. it really made me feel good. she booked me right away over the phone and in the same conversation told me i needed to charge more. hahaha. how often does that happen?!?! yesh, she is one cool lady.

julia and josh were actually already married, however, really wanted to have a special day to spend with their friends and family all in one place to celebrate their marriage.

we were hoping to meet before their big celebration but unfortunately it just didn't pan out. so as i arrived in santa barbara at elings park i hear my name and get a giant hug from an excited julia.

so meet julia and josh...

it was such a laid back and fun day. they sat under this oak tree while some friends spoke briefly about them.

then they were off to eat and celebrate.

and celebrate they did! =)

julia and josh, thanks so much! wishing you much success, love and happiness! &hearts

it's that time of year.

2009-11-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

carrie + cal + ryan + madison + luke = family.

2009-11-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

this is one fun and hip family! we matched up because about a year ago i donated a couple sessions for my daughter's school and those sessions were then raffled off to help raise money for the school. so, this is one of the awesome families that won a session with me. woo! we hadn't met yet so it was fun to get to know eachother. luke goes to school with zoe although he is in third grade and then i also found out that carrie works at one of my favorite clothing stores here in fullerton roadkill. double awesome!

we trekked around downtown fullerton for these.

we totally got lucky with the train.

thanks so much carrie, cal and family! it was fun spending time with you all and we will be seeing you around for sure. &hearts

stacy + simone = engaged.

2009-11-02T09:32:00.000-08:00

stacy and simone are ridiculously adorable. we bonded a tad over our love of dorking out. it's true. it was fun working with these two.

we shot their session at laguna wilderness park (well a portion of it, that place is HUGE!) check out what we got:

thanks stacy and simone!

halloween

2009-11-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

reenie + reilly + mollie = family. [healdsburg family session]

2009-10-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

i couldn't be more idiotically giddy when i get to go to healdsburg. it's pretty ridiculous actually, my healdsburg obsession. but with good reason. i get to spend time in a place i adore so much i can look you dead straight in the eye and mean it when i say i'm gonna move there someday AND even moreso is that i get to spend time with new friends i absolutely adore as well. i flew in early (which it was raining all day = photographer's thoughts: yikes!) and spent the day with emily, whom is hands down so awesome that i am making her adopt me as a friend for life. ;) we then met maggie for lunch, whom is also just as amazing (she will adopt me too. oh yes!) *insert evil laugh*

anyway, aside from the day of pour that emily and i were swearing off and confident it would pass by shooting time (which it did by the way, we hung out with her aunt, niece and nephew for these! and guess what? i LOVE them too!!! ;)

i &hearts this hair! believe it or not, i have a red-headed aunt reenie too. truth!

ok so it did drizzle for a few.

you don't even want to know what we went through for these.

they were game for anything. even muddy, drenched feet (which aren't fun when you have to remove your shoes in an airport to get back home by the way).

family vineyard.

they're so fun and reilly loves to whistle and walk at the same time. ;)

reenie, reilly and mollie... thanks for letting me get to know you all. you are so fun and full of spunk it's hard to not love! hope to see you all again soon! much &hearts

emily, again... thank you a thousand times for everything and for being my babysitter all day!! &hearts

padma + joe = married.

2009-10-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

padma and joe got hitched! twice even! they had a western ceremony followed by a hindu wedding ceremony at the jw desert springs marriot in palm springs (which is a gorgeous drive by the way). i'm not sure what it is with these two and the heat though! *wink at padma*

i decided to post my favorites which *ahem* happen to be of the hindu ceremony. =) i have a deep interest and passion for this culture (although i still am learning much about it). it is really exciting to document. full of color and rich with tradition and of course i won't even get into my love of indian music and food! ...and if anyone feels the urge to take me out to their favorite indian eateries, i'm all game.

ok anyway, check out my faves:

a very happy groom.

i think this is my ultimate favorite of the day. so fun!

congratulations padma and joe!!!! much &hearts!

julie + dan = married.

2009-10-13T13:45:00.000-07:00

i was eagerly awaiting julie and dan's wedding for quite some time. we had so much fun with their e-session so i knew the wedding was going to be a treat.

julie and dan got married at the mesa verde country club in costa mesa.

julie got ready at her mom's house which was within walking distance to the country club.

and then we even used a few of the neighbor's homes for some photos. everyone was so nice!

i love this photo of julie. it's those eyes i tell ya.

here she comes!

it was an emotional ceremony!

ok so julie and her sister thought it would be funny to get this shot. i said i would do it only if i could post it on my blog. they were game. ;)

julie and danny... congratulations!!!! much love to you both! i hope to see much more of you in the future.
&hearts

erni + eugene = married. [calamigos ranch | malibu]

2009-10-05T21:44:00.000-07:00

erni and eugene booked me awhile back so it was so great for their wedding day to finally arrive so i could see them again. what a cute couple. i met them at their apartment in los angeles while erni got ready and then we all drove to calamigos ranch in malibu for their ceremony and reception which was gorgeous! erni planned everything herself and i confidently told her she might be ready for a career change. ;) she did awesome. literally everything down to her bouquet. check out their day:

oh and she did her bridesmaids make-up! yup. one talented lady!!

i'm a sucker for barns. must be some kansas left in me. ;)

ok, as gorgeous as everything was i have to admit their details were probably my favorite touch! love them ridiculously.

&hearts best cake topper evar!

and one heck of a first dance!

erni and eugene, thanks so much!!! eugene, you have one super mega-talented woman on your hands! congratulations to you both!!!

xo

thank you emily & john!

2009-09-28T20:52:00.000-07:00

we received this package that made me smile when i saw emily's return address (actual addresses removed for privacy) label.

danny and i opened the card...

and then adored what was inside!

big sister zoe got the cutest bar of flower soap that made the entire package smell so yum!

and baby doublin got this awesome tee!

emily and john... i melted when we received your package. thank you a million times!!! seriously can't think of more thoughtful and warm people. thank you SO much.

we love you guys bunches and i cannot wait to see you again in october!

xo &hearts

guess what?!

2009-09-23T21:17:00.001-07:00

we totally can't keep a secret. we sent these out to our family today!

all of us are beyond excited bliss over here (well maybe johnny 5 is containing his a bit better than the rest of us but he just doesn't know what he's in for).

&hearts

meghan + brandon = married.

2009-09-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

remember meghan and brandon?

they just got themselves hitched! their wedding was held at the crossings at carlsbad. it was a beautiful venue but meghan and brandon just made it all the more amazing. what a gorgeous couple inside and out. meghan really makes me laugh and has such a fun personality. brandon is warm, genuine, thoughtful and obviously crazy about meghan so watching these two together is pretty special. they are both so devoted to their faith and are surrounded by a great group of people.

check out some highlights of their wedding day:

absolutely drop dead gorgeous!

a couple of my faves. &hearts

i really adore this one too.

the first dance.

meghan and brandon, thank you so much! was so great seeing you both again. wishing you much success and love in your new life! &hearts

padma + joe = engaged.

2009-09-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

padma and joe are another pair of super troopers that survived ridiculous heat. we headed to huntington dog beach to shoot with them and cali. cali had a lot of fun and is quite a swimmer. i had to cringe a few times watching her fetch her ball and swim back as she had waves barreling over her but i'm sure she loved it. padma and joe made great photos (and cali made her way in quite a few of them too) !

love these!

thank you padma and joe. SO excited for the big day!

carolyn + matt = engaged.

2009-09-12T19:08:00.000-07:00

carolyn and matt are total troopers! i think it had to be the hottest day to work in ever. we even stopped at her parents house for some relief from the sun and to guzzle some ice water! i felt so bad (not that i can control the heat but man) and these two really stuck it out. truly great sports!

check out what we got (i don't think you'd even know the pain we were in at times). ;) they look great!

thanks carolyn and matt! looking forward to the wedding!

healdsburg country gardens.

2009-09-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

this is my last healdsburg post i promise.

...(well for awhile anyway!) ;)

danny and i stayed at healdsburg country gardens which is absolutely adorable! (and yes they do weddings for those wondering.) i took a few photos, i just loved the barn and all the little details so much. danny and i actually wanted a barn wedding ourselves when we got married and i have to tell you that finding one in southern california for weddings was not a successful venture. not that this has much of a point here but i DO love barn weddings!!!

those are beautiful, fresh asian pears my friends! we ate a ton of them.

succulents are my favorite! i even used them in my own bouquet. (wow, am i a little nostalgic or what?)

i MUST be. this is my wedding ring! &hearts

doh. there it is again. (no shame. NO SHAME!)

what about these amazing grapes huh?!

ok. dork alert!

hey, i warned you!

we had SO much fun. you don't even know. ;)-

emily + john = just because.

2009-09-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

you might remember emily from my sizzle sizzle photo session with her a couple months ago. i was so excited and happy to see her again for maggie's wedding! and a big bonus was that i also got to meet john, emily's man. these two make a really great pair. so ridiculously warm and generous i am still a bit overwhelmed by it really. i can't possibly say enough good things about them. so it was really fun to work with them while we were up in healdsburg before we left to come back home. check out how awesome they are!

we found this awesome somewhat abandoned place to shoot at (total trespassing to get these). healdsburg rocks!

emily and john, you are both so beautiful inside and out. thanks for everything *insert big huge bear hugs here* and we had so much fun hanging out with you guys (hopefully not the last time). you are too adorable together for words and i am so glad i got to see you again emily. much &hearts. hope to see you all again soon!

have some funny with your lunch.

2009-09-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

quite possibly one of the funniest emails I've received!

"Top ten reasons to cut us a break on four hours, digital negs only:

1. We're practically getting married in your backyard.
2. Its on a Sunday afternoon, 4-8pm. You'd be in, out, home before bedtime.
3. I work with computers; you will not find a geekier bride more in awe of your fantastic talent.
4. My boyfriend is the cutest thing EVAH! And a big, mushy, sentimental fool, who will do whatever you tell him to in photos. Man-tears? Not a problem.
5. Who doesn't want to shoot a venue this crazy?
click here
Those are LEOPARD print chairs! Oil paintings of John Wayne! A Buddha lamp! I can't make this stuff up!
6. Your Knot profile says: "STARTING PRICE RANGE: $1,000-$1,999" I just *knew* it was too good to be true. [insert bride sobbing here]
(*note from amanda: yikes, not good. sorry melissa! this needs to be fixed.)
7. My Dad spent "The Wedding Fund" on a convertible. (I'm not even kidding.)
8. I am NOT a bridezilla.... I don't want a fuss, I just want to marry my best friend and dance, dance, dance...
9. I love your work.
10. I love your work. A Lot."

melissa is one awesome and funny lady. got this awhile ago and our other correspondence has been pretty fun (obviously). love it! told her i had to blog it.

wedding 4 africa [attention all couples!]

2009-09-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

i have been wanting to post this for awhile now (whew it's been busy!) but whatever! this post is a MUST READ. I am SO excited about it.

if you are a couple planning a wedding stop and think about this...

you have an amazing opportunity to win a fabulous dream wedding (seriously), but more importantly, to be a part of heart 4 africa which is an organization whose mission is being: ... "dedicated to helping africa's orphaned children in their most vulnerable state by providing food, clothing, education, medicine, shelter and a loving, nuturing and caring environment." just think, your dream wedding can benefit orphans in kenya, africa!

all of this greatness is an opportunity because of the amazing annette biggers with triplecord photography who's heart is bigger than you can imagine. i am so excited and feel so blessed to be a part of this. a whole team of super-talented, big-hearted wedding vendors are coming together to give a special couple whom raises the most funds for heart 4 africa the wedding of their dreams on october 23, 2010.

so couples, it's time to register for your chance to win your free dream wedding package!! we are still busy collecting donations from vendors on behalf of your grand prize but you can go ahead and get started. the grand prize is now worth over $35,000. once you register, you will be given further instructions on how to win. click here to register and then hit the weddings 4 africa button.

jennifer + jaime + josie + aaron = family.

2009-09-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

so the last family photo session i did while up in healdsburg was with maggie's cousin and family. serious photography fun with these kids at the lazy w ranch. meet jennifer, jaime, josie and little aaron...

driving tractors is serious business.

but also fun.

dad even had to try.

&hearts the beauty when they have no idea.

aaron picked some fresh apples.

josie picked a beautiful dahlia and showed me how awesome it was!

always stop to smell the flowers!

i just love how aaron stops to look back at us.

josie is the best dog walker. i see the best first teenage job ahead of her. ;)

this makes me giggle.

peek-a-boos and curiosity.

and hey, it's wine country! (btw, i just adore their curly goodness!)

thanks a million jennifer, jaime, josie and aaron! hope to see you all again in the future!!! &hearts

debbie + bill + logan = family.

2009-08-31T20:04:00.000-07:00

debbie is maggie's sister from maggie and andy's wedding that i just did in healdsburg. i was so excited to do a couple family portrait sessions (another one to come) with some of her family while i was there. we did this session at the lazy w ranch as well the morning after the wedding. what a beautiful place!

logan is cool beans.

debbie and bill wanted to incorporate bill's firebird in some of the photos. fun car!

logan makes a great model!

and debbie and bill made for great photos in her mom's dahlias.

thanks so much debbie, bill and logan!!

maggie + andy = married. [destination wedding | healdsburg | sonoma county]

2009-08-27T18:39:00.001-07:00

i'm sure you all remember maggie and andy! i seriously can't believe their day has come and gone already, wow!

danny made the trip up to healdsburg with me for this highly anticipated wedding and i am sad to say we are back home as i write this. ha ha. we had so much fun it was pretty ridiculous. we were treated so warmly by everyone it just sold us both and confirmed that, yep! we really would love to live there. i was worried i'd have to twist danny's arm a bit but maggie and andy, watch out! we may end up on your doorstep faster than you know. ;)

seriously though, we love maggie, andy and friends/family so much. truly a wonderful and amazing group people. check out all the incredible beauty we had to work with!

the dress. *jaw on floor*

maggie got ready at her friends house which had such an awesome feeling to it. cute little details and plus she just plain has awesome decorating taste.

maggie is seriously just "wow".

the tijuana express was one of the many highlights of the day. it came to pick up the girls and was then off to go get the guys. hilarious and fun. you had to be there!

the guys got ready at the healdsburg modern cottages which are absolutely stunning by the way.

andy lookin very dapper for his soon-to-be bride!

the tijuana express made it to the lazy w ranch with quite an entrance. *insert crazy taco truck horn and lots of hootin and hollerin*

andy got out and escorted all the ladies out. he helped the guys out too but they actually scored a fanny slap on the way out. ;)

the ceremony began with marley coming down the isle.

&hearts

their ranch is a real life dream.

maggie arrived in this gorgeous vintage car.

we got them off to join their party and of course they were welcomed warmly.

look at these amazing details! maggie's rockstar mom grew all the flowers herself! yes, ALL of them. she is a goddess. the water was infused with rosemary and an espresso/gelato truck was waiting in the background. mmmn mmnn mmmnt!

another fantastic highlight was gerard's paella. i seriously have not the words! again, *jaw completely on floor* (and maybe with a little drool this time).

it was seriously a big hit!

the first dance (poolside). ;)

and of course plenty of dancing all into the night!

maggie and andy,
you two are obviously so meant for one another. this was such a beautiful day that danny and i felt so lucky and glad to be a part of. everything had such a special and memorable touch and the people whom surround you are so great, warm and compassionate. we wish you both so much love, happiness and success in your lives. congrats again on your new home (can't wait to see photos!) and job (andy)! squeeze marley for us and keep enjoying the heck out of hawaii!

&hearts

i can breathe.

2009-08-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

i have moments in life where it feels i nearly forget how to breathe. i get so wound up in my daily tasks or thoughts that it nearly drives me to the brink of wanting to scream. yeah i admit it. *shrug* and get this... i'm getting better at being ok with that. about once a year it gets so intense that i spontaneously decide i need a really really long road trip which is usually taken alone. my car speakers barely survive the abuse on these trips , however, my soul is forever grateful (well, at least for another year or so). ;)

so, this past weekend was clearly about that time for me except we had plans set for a couple weeks to visit my in-laws in julian. so as the weight of the day approached and we fussed through last minute atm and gas runs, we packed up the car (which doesn't take long, we aren't those kind of packers. it's more like toss what you see as fast as you can in the trunk and peel out the driveway without looking back) ... and we left. as we made our way down the 15 freeway, the sky darkened, the music played and the closer we approached julian.

something magical happens when i leave town with no work agenda. all of a sudden sitting in my car seat resembles more of a psychiatrists chair. it's pretty comical really. the thing is though that when i'm alone i can sort through this stuff privately so-to-speak until a fellow driver glimpses a tear or the ridiculous sight of me wailing some song lyric with a silly car dance (which obviously only consists of upper body movements) or an adorable back seat child may wave and make me giggle at the simplicities of happiness as i wipe the tears away that their parents in the front seat saw just seconds prior.

so this time i have my dear danny next to me with our cat in his lap as a nervous shaking wreck and my daughter in the back seat breaking down in tears because she can't hold the cat in the car while i on the other hand am driving and trying to hold myself together. yes, these are those fun moments in life.

we made it to julian about 10:00 pm or so, visited awhile, got the kids to bed, got the cat situated and danny and i made our way to the rv in front of the house where we were to sleep. danny and i decided to bypass the rv for sleep and stumble our way in the dark to "the point" for a bit which is the place we decided to get married on my in-laws property. there is something interesting about visiting the place you get married. we both sat under the stars (which one tends to forget how profound they can be until you visit a place that has not been so overly populated) i'm talkin milky way view and all! with the elevation being so high we were even commenting how strange it was that there was no moon until it decided to rise behind us as a spotlight literally minutes later.

i honestly didn't fall asleep until about 5:20 am (ish) that night. er... morning. that's what happens when i get these geminian urges to soar into a thousand mental directions at once. i tend to overwhelm myself unintentionally and need to find myself again. as i lay in bed i begin to piece together my blessings and as the weekend progresses it begins to dawn on me how blessed i really am. and in all honestly it isn't even until now as i write these words that i know the meaning and value of what i'm saying but once in awhile life grants us these amazing gifts that someone like me needs to loose sight of for awhile to keep finding and re-discovering and appreciate again.

the. simplest. things.

i'm so grateful for what i do have and i want to thank my husband who is 100% always there for me.

danny, you are my best friend. i love you with all my heart.

and also as important, i thank the friends in my life (new, old, near, far, haven't spoke in awhile, heck... ones i may have even yet to meet). i am so grateful!

much much &hearts!

“Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.”

orange county fair

2009-08-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

it isn't often a wedding photographer gets a full weekend off during this season so we had big big plans to go camping. but i decided i am either too spontaneous or moronic to camp apparently in the state of california. everything was packed and booked solid. i was bummed beyond belief. you have no idea.

however, my friend ryanne (that's pronounced like the boys name "ryan" just so you know. oh! and she's single! <---- she'll probably kill me for that. not like prospects are actually cruising my photography site anyway. hahha. they are usually already planning to get hitched by the time they find me. sorry ryanne! i love you!) ... where was i? oh yeah she decided to come down and keep us company. we weren't exactly sure what we were going to do but lucky for us we ended up at the oc fair. completely worth the down-played camping depression if you ask me.

i loved the random ski lift apes. zoe did too because she just about lost her marbles as she pointed it out to us oblivious adults.

um. this place intrigued us deeply at first. so much so that we attempted to approach the fried extravaganza later in the evening and then the reality of our actions rapidly freaked us out.

ryanne n' zoers.

i &hearts ryanne!

i &hearts danny too. thanks for nabbin these ryanne.

i call this one: scared the living buh-jeeezles out of me

zoe loved this one.

and then we had way too much fun with these. i can literally spend hours (if i was allowed to without looking slightly mentally ill) playing in these mirrors just cracking myself up.

and i'll just close with a couple of my faves. these beauties.

becky + stevie = engaged.

2009-07-28T12:34:00.001-07:00

i am in love with becky and stevie. if i could share with you my email correspondence from stevie you would all seriously die of laughter if that is at all possible. i don't really want to be responsible though for mass laughing deaths. seriously though, meeting them was just a match made in heaven from the get go, right guys?! i have to be honest and say i was actually slightly nervous to shoot these two because they really made me step it up a notch. with requests like hanging from the fox theatre sign (yeah the big one on the top of the roof)... i had my work cut out for me. we have two super adorable and creative people here which just made this session so ridiculously fun. we started their session in la habra at this awesome diner in a run down bowling alley in la habra. totally stevie's idea. i'm considering bringing him on board with me although they did mention they would be my models for life. he suggested i just change their names and i'd be set. see?! love them.

they really make this cafe hot.

we headed to fullerton for these beauties.

becky and stevie, you both are just truly one amazing and fun couple. thanks so much for the fun and for my delicious cupcake! i cannot wait to see you again when you tie the knot! much love.

happy birthday leilah!

2009-07-26T00:12:00.000-07:00

i met leilah through a good friend of mine so i knew i loved her already. her husband, rudy actually called me to schedule her a surprise session for her 30th birthday since she had been wanting one. we ended up in laguna at the wilderness park which was well worth the scorching heat, a sunburn and dirty butts. ;) check out the hotness! (no pun intended).

rudy originally wanted this to be a fun session for just leilah. but leilah wanted to incorporate her boys of course. so we did that too!

we even got rudy to join in on some even though he mentioned he wasn't going to do a family session. ;) aren't they a great looking family?

happy happy birthday leilah! it was such a pleasure to spend the day with your family!

shannon + steven = married.

2009-07-25T21:36:00.001-07:00

don't let this post fool you. shannon and steve tied the knot in hawaii a couple months ago. however, their families threw an adorable luncheon reception at the maderas gold club in poway, ca for some friends and family whom weren't able to make the maui wedding.

so shannon put that dress on again and steven rocked the tux a second time to celebrate their new marriage.

the grand entrance.

first dance.

i snuck them out to get some of these faves.

thanks shannon and steve! congratulations and many blessings to you and your new life together!

amanda + adam + autumn + addison + ashton = family.

2009-07-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

when jeni and josh booked their session, amanda and adam jumped on it too (yes they know eachother) and i couldn't be happier about it. it was a lot of fun. we shot at the same location in ventura, ca and the beauty of it is, even though we did some similar things, each family brings their own bond and essence to a session. i just love that! so check out what we goods we got with theirs...

the girls did some spinning. probably one of the best child activities to do evah in wide open grass.

baby ashton (whom just turned one) took some steps!

they all held hands. &hearts

sister bonds rule.

autumn.

addison.

ashton.

photographing and capturing kids as who they really are is always hilarious to me!

i love autumn!

thank you amanda and adam! always good to see you guys and what a joy to have baby ashton as a new addition to the family! looking forward to watching them grow.

jeni + josh + grace + brianna = family.

2009-07-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

actually i have been shooting them for a couple years now although it is a little more difficult these days since they now currently live in guam. jeni and josh made it out to visit while celebrating their 10 year anniversary (woo hoo guys)! jeni's parents live in ventura (which is where we met) and joined us for a few photos with their kids and grandkids.

we started out our session at the crowne plaza in ventura (fun fact: a location for the end of the movie little miss sunshine) because this is where jeni and josh got married 10 years ago when it was actually a holiday inn. needless to say it's had a few changes but the big palm tree is still going strong and is really all we needed to make it another special memory for them.

then we made our way up to "the cross" (a well known local lookout spot to get the rest of these)... it was windy. ;)

brianna couldn't contain herself. reminds me of a little someone i know.

grace.

brianna.

thanks so much you guys! as always it was great spending time with your family. have a safe trip home and congratulations on ten amazing years together!

jenna + chris = married. [a santa barbara wedding]

2009-06-30T01:19:00.000-07:00

whew. my drive out to santa barbara was kinda crazy! lots of whacko traffic but all i needed was my loaded ipod and some caffeine and i was good to go. i actually got to listen to three awesome episodes of this american life (my favorite show evar!)

i arrived at the hotel mar monte where jenna was getting ready with the girls.

she's really adorable. obviously.

she kept cracking up!

we then were shuttled down the street to fess parker's doubletree hotel for the ceremony.

i love these kisses!

we were at the beach of course!

the girls were so fun!

their wedding reception was at the cabrillo pavilion arts center.

their first dance was gorgeous. fyi: chris is a great dipper!

cupcakes! my favorite! i mean really, who doesn't just adore cupcakes? let me at 'em!

jenna and chris, thanks so much! i enjoyed being a part of your big day. it was beautiful! i wish you both a life full of love, success and much laughter and happiness! xo

tomoko + masa = married 19 years.

2009-06-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

remember nao and naoya? well their friends saw their wedding photos and wanted some for their anniversary. they flew to beverly hills from japan to celebrate and i met with them at the peninsula hotel. i was told they didn't speak much english but i managed to learn right away that they have been married 19 years! they are so cute and sweet. i was greeted right away with these thoughtful and yummy gifts! on the left is a cleaning cloth for my lenses and on the right some yummy rice crackers i have already devoured a bag of. thank you SO much tomoko and masa! i love them.

tomoko also then showed me some of her beautiful beadwork. then we shot these in their room:

then masa guided me around the hotel grounds to some areas they really wanted and i worked my magic.

they changed and then i actually talked them into walking around the corner for these:

check out her shirt. she hand beaded it!

masa was so cute. he had enough photos but certainly wanted some of his cute wife alone. :)

i love her smile.

tomoko and masa, it was such a pleasure to spend time with you both. glad you had a safe flight back home and thank you so much! happy anniversary and congratulations to 19 years!!!

meghan + brandon = engaged!

2009-06-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

meet meghan and brandon. not only are they the picture perfect couple but funny too! but beautiful, genuinely nice and funny?! triple whammy. i met meghan through another friend of mine whom is also crazy beautiful and funny (hrmm, i think i'm on to something here). but anyway, we went down to del mar for their engagement session. this is where they had their first date and where brandon popped the big question to meghan. so where else would we go for their e-session?

exactly.

i loved how the train went by right when we started.

doesn't she make your jaw drop?

this is the bench where brandon proposed to meghan.

i swear i cannot go to the beach and NOT shoot on this thing. i don't know what it is. ritual i guess. but hot no?

thank you meghan and brandon for letting me spend a beautiful evening with you! can't wait to see you again in september!

mark + crystal = married.

2009-06-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

mark called literally a couple days before his wedding to book his small catalina ceremony. this post is a little larger than my average post as i had never been to catalina before and it was quite an adventure. in all honesty, i spent more time traveling to and from the location than i actually did at their cute, quaint and super laid-back wedding.

i woke at 4:00 am to get ready and catch the ferry by 6:15 am. i am no morning person but this made it all worth it for me.

i arrived in avalon about 7:30 and had time to kill before a vanpool arrived to take myself and some guests up to two harbors. so... i stopped here at sally's waffle shop. it was adorable, fast and yummy. i have to admit they had some good hearty bacon and i say you can always judge a breakfast place on their bacon. i ate more than one would probably care to devour in a sitting.

i hung out at the harbor after breakfast.

now here is where i tell you about the vanpool ride. *chuckles to self* when i got the timeline for this day, i was pretty confused as to why it was the way it was. seemed kind of insane but hey, what else would i be doing on a thursday? so i strolled over to the van and introduced myself to the 10 other passengers i was about to bond with over the next two hours. oh yes. two. whole. hours. not only that but we started off the trip by going up a steep, windy, one-way road in the wrong direction. :) as the trip progressed myself and another guest whom (as genius as we were) brought hot coffee in the van. uh. we kind of just gave eachother "the look" pretty quickly. we were seriously on our own crazy version of mr. toad's wild ride. but bonus points for not spilling it on our crotches right? it does take skill i have to tell you. anyway, me being the roller coaster lover that i am, the ride was AWESOME! the rest of the guests i think had a slightly different opinion. ;) for instance "highway to hell" was playing on the radio and someone said, "oh this is appropriate!" he he he. so yeah. that was the tune of the next two hours.

needless to say, we arrived at the banning house lodge in two harbors for mark and crystal's big day. again, it was super mellow, no major events, just a group of close friends and family.

this is crystal's dress that was actually handmade by her mom to fit not only crystal but her new grand-baby on the way.

this fella walked right by the lunch reception.

these two were funny. following me around and then giving me a taste of my own medicine.

i think mark was contemplating being slightly mischievous here as people belted out the typical shove it in eachother's faces remarks. but he didn't.

the banning house lodge rules. (but poor bison, no?)

even moreso, because it has a mascot i made friends with:

so after the ceremony and lunch it was time to pack up and head back to avalon to catch the ferry. that's right another two hours later and i ended up here:

the marlin club. now i'm not a big drinker but hey, my job was done and i had time to kill!

i met some friendly locals and got adopted by this guy whom is now known to me as "uncle barney". he learned i was into photography and wanted to show me around the island before i had to hit the ferry and go. he came with several good recommendations! trust me i checked. ;)

barney is an electrician and this is his set of wheels.

he showed me the town pet cemetery. it was so beautiful and sad to me all at the same time.

i &hearts the name "noodles!"

some great lookout spots i would not have been able to go to without the help of uncle barney.

and how often does a girl get driven to the dump! i'm a lucky girl. ;)

i feel in love with this car.

and i could go on and on with this trip but i should wrap up somewhere. my ferry ride back was as beautiful as when i came in. i snapped this of the queen mary right as i was pulling back into the long beach harbor from the ferry.

what a day!!!!

congratulations to mark and crystal! thank you so much for this memorable and fun experience and more importantly, i wish you a life of love, success, health and happiness.

cole = one year old!

2009-06-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

my nephew's first birthday was on sunday in ventura. time friggin flies let me tell you!!!

i made it in time to watch him eat some cake, nap and play airplane with his mom. :) it was fun.

it's not officially a first birthday without tears right?

happy birthday little man! love you. xo

emily = hot!

2009-05-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

i love emily! really. she is so thoughtful, free-spirited and fun! her, maggie and friends were just so friendly, warm and accommodating. i mean wow. i have to be honest and say i felt pretty spoiled. i'm still a bit taken by it. thanks again ladies. can't wait to see you again!

anyways, emily pretty much orchestrated (from what i gather) getting a trip together up to healdsburg to shoot for her and maggie. emily wanted something a little different, however. something fun. something sexy.

well... we GOT sexy!!! YIZZOW! (yes i got her permission to post these *wink*)

i &hearts this so much.

we did a few at these healdsburg modern cottages. um i seriously love this place.

and we tromped through her grandparents vineyard a bit. =)

emily you rock! see you in august.

maggie + andy = engaged.

2009-05-27T13:55:00.001-07:00

i met maggie through erin & ty (another one of my couples that i adore!). maggie and her friend emily (whom was one of erin's beautiful bridesmaids) flew me up to healdsburg yesterday to do an engagement session for maggie and andy as well as a sexy session for emily (more on that later).

anyway, maggie and andy are a true delight. aside from getting me acquainted with their jaw-dropping adorable life on a ranch in one of the most adorable towns; healdsburg and nearly having me drool about moving there pronto ... these two are genuinely a couple of the nicest people. i really enjoyed hanging out with them and learning more about how they met, their adorable height difference (which replicates exactly what danny and i endure), their baby (dog) "marley" whom i want to take home, maggie's cute mom whom is a gardening rockstar and all about the fun touches they will have at their august wedding! i am super excited.

their engagement session was mostly at their family ranch, "the lazy w" in healdsburg and later did some on this adorable bridge in town which is very sentimental to maggie. this place was a photographer's candy store! can't wait to go back.

this is the spot at the ranch that maggie and andy will have their wedding ceremony.

imagine maggie's mom (whom was watching from a distance while watering flowers) yell out as soon as we finished with these, "i don't know why you shot there but ok." it was so cute. apparently she HATES this old chicken shed but we all loved it. maybe maggie's mom might change her mind. *wink*

oh my god. behind the barn, i about had a mini meltdown. ok not really but i did get super excited! look at these!

here are a couple with marley. i &hearts marley!

this face makes me grin like an idiot. love it.

here is some on the bridge they love. aren't they cute?

this bicyclist whizzed by unbeknownst to us and scared the buhjeezuz (mandie word) out of us believe it or not. the after photo of maggie's face is proof but i prefer this one a split second prior.

thanks SO SO SO much maggie and andy! i am so excited to see you both in august. if i can find a way to move in the meantime (total dreaming taking place right now) ...

anyway, congrats to you both and squeeze marley for me!

sleepovers rule.

2009-05-25T13:17:00.001-07:00

this sleepover was extra special because it was zoe's first and it has been something i have always wanted to do for her and boy did she ever beg and beg and beg. :)

chloe (that's right, zoe and chloe) came over to spend the evening with us.

they played little pet shop and stingray (chloe's sleepover friend).

they got matching side ponytails.

they ran through the house like loons.

they built a killer fort.

we woke up and made pancakes.

and we all had fun!

they also had the coolest top-of-lungs gutteral screaming match for about twenty minutes as their good-byes. trying to top one another at who was the loudest. i bet the neighbors think we are super awesome!

we can't wait for more.

the loves of my life.

2009-05-22T19:57:00.000-07:00

tonight is daddy and daughter dance night at zoe's school. my heart is melting as i write and post this. man! basically it is little "movie stars" and their escorts. ;) SO friggin cute!

anyway, sometimes i just need to shut up and leave my photos to tell the story (as much as i'd like to fantasize that i can write at times) just trust me that i can barely utter anything right now as i said before this has completely turned me to mush at the moment. so here are the moments right before in front of our home.

she borrowed my earrings. *my heart is beaming*

she was telling johnny 5 to get his little kitten butt inside. and danny was girl-ing out on his hair. ;)

literally a split second before the crazy get's loose.

right?

we seriously cherish our inner dorkiness in this household. without a single doubt, she is so mine.

you know, one would think that psycho photographer mom would put her kid up to poses and things like this but please let me assure you... NO! this is 100% zoe and her fantastic-ness.

signature.

at times, she really is THIS scary.

she had no idea what was about to come her way...

danny, i love you! you are the most thoughtful, loving man i know. &hearts

again, TOTALLY zoe. she said, "can i give danny a kiss?" such a photographer's daughter!

and then they left.

and as i was creating this post, i got this text:

i love you both more than anything!!! can't wait to hear all about the dance!

samantha barrington = headshots.

2009-05-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

samantha is a friend of mine. she asked me for some headshots for a television show she is in the process of of trying to land a spot on. i wish her much much much luck! we just did a quick session here in downtown fullerton. is she not cute as a friggin button?!

i &hearts her!

good luck sam!!!

the biggest honor.

2009-05-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

mother's day. a day that i can honestly say is the biggest honor to celebrate. zoe coming in to my life has been the best thing that has ever happened to me hands down. she has rocked my world and shown me what true love is. as i have said before, she is my blood, my purpose, my life.

this is what she handed me on my special day:

and then i gasped at how precious this sight was:

apparently, alice phillips from silverado glass studio came in to help the children with these handmade projects! i love love love them!!!

my mother's day was great. we broke in our new house with our own mother's and other family which was really nice. got the kitchen goin and enjoyed some yum!

then, my brother whom flew in from up north to go to a live concert (he is a HUGE fan. trust me.) with my mom informed me that his friend jimmy (whom works with live) offered to let me take a stab at shooting during their show last night at the house of blues in anaheim. wow! what a treat for me! i have never done concert photography before but i must say i was pretty darn excited at the opportunity especially since music is quite a tiebreaker for my heart next to photography. :) and let me tell you, these guys can rock the house! they put on a great show.

so thank you mica and jimmy for this great opportunity!

and thank you zoe for always being my shining star. &hearts

nao + naoya = married.

2009-05-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

nao booked me while she was still in japan so it was a real treat to finally meet her and soon to be hubby naoya just days before her big day. nao and naoya flew out to have their ceremony beachside at the la casa del camino hotel in laguna beach. it was a perfect day. it was small, intimate and precious. people came in from all over to spend the day with this darling couple. i was so happy to be a part of it.

i just love the rooms in this hotel!

who says you can't take a great photo in a hotel bathroom? i just love this. nao's mom made this beautiful bouquet.

probably a couple of my faves in the hall.

this dog has the cutest outfits!

congratulations nao and naoya! thanks for sharing your special day with me!

corrine + michael = engaged.

2009-05-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

corri and michael are so adorable. when corri booked me it was so cute when she shared with me how she felt she was the "anti-bride" and was really not pro-marriage by any means. that is... until she met michael. i loved hearing this story and watching them as i realized how much she really cherishes michael coming into her life. these two were so doting and obviously completely it for one another. they are huge huge huge disney fans so where else for an engagement session?

this is where he popped the big question!

i just love these.

he he he. michael is so funny!

hey it's all about having fun ... and they did!

congratulations corri and michael!!!

monica + matthew = day after.

2009-04-28T23:57:00.000-07:00

yep, it's monica an matt again. hot hot hot!!!!

for those not familiar with day after sessions they are essentially just that. a session for the bride and groom a day or so after the wedding which enables time to capture more amazing-ness. but this time in a more super relaxed and fun way. weddings have SO much going on and can sometimes be such a whirlwind that i wish more couples would opt for a day after photo session. it is such a great way to capture a more genuine and intimate side of a couple. check these out, they were taken in laguna beach:

monica + matthew = married.

2009-04-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

monica's sister jessica actually met with me and booked me for the wedding since monica and matt live in baltimore, maryland. it had been so long since i had seen her i barely recognized her at the wedding! but what good taste she has for her sister no?! *wink wink*

the wedding was flawless and beautiful thanks to the lovely miss lindsay longacre over at lvl events. she really did a great job and was so nice to work with. monica and matt were just adorable and up for anything. let me show you some of their day:

a couple shots of monica before the big ceremony.

the saint joachim church in costa mesa was SO stunning. what a breathtaking wedding ceremony.

we then made our way over to the balboa strip for photos prior to the reception at the harborside grand ballroom in newport beach. what a fun place to shoot!

hotness!

this cake was done by cakeland bakery. yum!
*fun fact: that design actually matched her dress pattern.

how about that bouquet?!?!? a gorgeous creation by bella blooms.

and can i just say these two had quite a last dance ensemble.

we also had a sizzling day after session so stay tuned for that post...

congratulations monica and matt!

susan + dr. alan = married.

2009-04-20T18:18:00.000-07:00

susan and alan's engagement session was not that long ago you may remember. it was so cute, i was very much looking forward to their wedding. the ceremony and reception were both held at their home in corona and was such a delight. tiffany and wendy from sorrelle weddings & events did such an awesome job. i love these ladies and highly recommend them! the food was also amazingly yummy prepared by jays' catering. mmmn. mmmn. mmmmnnn!

we shot in this field down the street before she showed up to her ceremony.

i &hearts front yard tire swings!

here is susan sneaking a peek out her front window at her ceremony getting ready to start.

and i love this shot that danny got of it so much i could squeeze him for a week!

and you all know "blondie" the dog of honor from the e-session. she's so stylin.

dun. dun dun. dunnn.

there was some serious excitement at the cake!

these two won the bouquet and garter toss and were so funny. actually she came up to me earlier in the evening to tell me she was a fan. *insert awwwwwww!* no really, how awesome is that?

congratulations susan and alan!

happy easter!

2009-04-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

danny's family attends the annual pancake breakfast in silverado canyon put on by the volunteer fire dept. every year. not only is it a gorgeous place to spend the morning and afternoon but they stuff you with all the pancakes, eggs and sausage you can eat! great people, great cause, great day.

here is zoe and her cousin roman. they absolutely ADORE eachother.

we had lots of bubble time. i love how zoe is cracking herself up. that's my kid!

she drew quite a little crowd actually.

actually see that kid in the orange pants? well... zoe and him later decided to retreat behind a tree to have a diary writing session. it was quite cute. his mom actually got those photos. :)

there was this really awesome field next to the park. i HAD to before we left.

i made danny grab a few of us girls since we never really get many photos together. zoe wasn't really thrilled about it, she was pretty done but was a trooper anyway. mom wins!

happy easter everyone!
xo

noel + chris + holden + brody = family.

2009-04-12T14:37:00.001-07:00

it seems to have become tradition that i shoot the wolferts every year. super cool for me. i love them. as i have mentioned before i knew them from when we all lived in the 805 and they now live in jersey. so i am especially happy when i get to see them. although it does just remind me how fast everything just flies by. i get to judge this by the size of her boys, i mean wow. time really flies.

here are a few faves from our session in downtown disney:

it was fun playing in the hotel lobby.

for the love of sharing.

2009-04-12T01:25:00.000-07:00

i found these gems while browsing through old photos tonight and just felt the urge to share. these are of my daughter from a couple years ago and have to rank as a couple of my favorites of her.

these tug at my heart strings big time.

much love to everyone. i am feeling mushy tonight. :)

xo

gloria + shawn + elliot = family.

2009-03-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

yesterday i got to spend the day with my best friend and her family. what a treat for me! baby elliot is so scrumptious i want to steal him. he cracks me up with his facial expressions and adorable baby noises. we got some gorgeous photos in his nursery that has the coolest color green for the walls. that's pretty much because his mom rocks with good taste.

check them out:

a huge reason i love the plunketts and why we get along so great: their sense of humor!

i love you guys!

regina + micah = married.

2009-03-30T22:07:00.000-07:00

what a delightful couple! regina has such a fun spirit, i can really see why micah is head over heels for her. and she's gorgeous to boot! when i arrived her parents were so sweet and really working to get everything put together. they did such a great job and were also so great to be around. hrm, i wonder where she gets it from? ;)

these two held their ceremony at faith community church. their reception was at william s. hart park in newhall.

they had this super fabulous get-a-way car!

next to their reception site there was this little treasure of an area! i am so glad they were willing to make it look hot.

this lovely vibrant bouquet was put together by: melissa rose at for the love of flowers.

everyone really had a great time dancing. you can tell!

congratulations regina and micah!

marla + chad + taylor + brayden = family.

2009-03-19T22:57:00.001-07:00

marla has been a friend of mine ever since i met her while i was living in ventura. she has since moved to chula vista and now just moved to hawaii (literally like yesterday). i was so happy to take photos for her and her family prior to them leaving but of course bummed she will be so far away. although now i do have a place to stay in hawaii whenever i visit, right marla?!

i love them. taylor is like a spitting image of zoe, all i can do is laugh, chuckle and giggle everytime i am around her. quite a spirit these girls! this was also my second time seeing braydon which was nice because i only had a brief moment to visit with him while they came down for my own wedding. he is SO delicious!

we had our photography session at la jolla cove. here is some highlights of our day:

this was just cute. grandma was entertaining brayden while i was shooting with marla and chad and i couldn't resist flying baby when i walked over.

glad you all had a safe trip!

julie + danny = engaged.

2009-03-16T23:12:00.000-07:00

julie has a danny. i like dannys. i like julies too but especially these two! they were pretty much game for anything and let me just go with my vision. i scouted our first location at a top secret spot in irvine where my danny and i landed contact with the cops to discuss trespassing shortly after we arrived to shoot. now i sorta have this little inside joy at breaking the rules but i must admit we probably won't be shooting there again. lucky for julie and danny landing a truly one of a kind session there! i love that place. i guess some things are too good to be true. psh.

check out the hotness! i really can't pick a fave.

i loved her red shoes!

we then all moseyed over to laguna to dodge traffic and hop a fence to shoot here: (so worth it don't you think?)

we'll be seeing more of these two in october after they get married. looking forward to it!

susan + dr. alan = engaged.

2009-03-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

the dr. is in the hizz-ousssse! danny and i just thought that was fun to say. :)

anyway, susan and dr. alan brought their three babies to play at huntington dog beach for their engagement session. total win win win for me because i LOVE these dogs!

so let me first introduce (appearing in order from top to bottom):

blondie, lizzy and... duck!

how friggin cute are they?!

ok so on now to this hot session with susan and dr. alan. when i first met with susan she shared with me that she liked muted color so... fun for me, i tried a little spin with these. it was an overcast day which i thought made for an awesome color palette. i am diggin it! let me know what you think, i love feedback.

ducky was being a frame hog. wasn't too keen on sharing the camera love.

did you know blondie is going to be the ring bearer?

you can imagine with three happy frolicking pooches it was pretty fun trying to get them all to work the frame.

come back for the wedding right around the corner in april. cannot wait!

when danny leaves...

2009-03-12T22:19:00.001-07:00

it's been awhile since danny has done "drawing night" which pretty much ranks up there like a weekly religious event. he gets to hang with his super talented friends while they all spend hours into the night with a mission to draw (or so they say). ;) i love when he gets his time to do this because this is his passion. so needless to say the girls stayed home and we had fun with ours. i realized tonight how awesome it is that i am blessed with a daughter who loves the camera as much as i do. we just constantly laugh with each other and i get to witness and document her being the silly creature she is. she said to me today, "momma, i am so glad you picked me to be your daughter." ... "were you not super happy when you found out you were having me?"

and without a doubt or moment of hesitation, i said, "huh? turn around i need to wash your conditioner out."

naw... really, i am one super-blessed and lucky mom and i am absolutely aware of it. zoe rules.

poor johnny. he is a patient little man.

kole brave hart = just born!

2009-03-05T21:45:00.000-08:00

well actually kole beat elliot by a few days, however, i was just able to get up to ventura county to visit him and momma today. what an awesome day it was too! i feel so lucky to have such great friends with new additions not only in their own lives but mine too! i have two new awesome little men to get to know.

you may remember jaime's maternity session from not too long ago. i couldn't wait to see this little guy and let me tell you, cute cute cute! just like mom. ;) he has got to be the most mellow and quiet baby i have ever met too. no joke. for the several hours i was there he was alert and didn't fuss once really. except once he did finally start to drift off and we moved him a bit to get a few photos before i left but even then, this kid is cake.

kole brave hart was born 02.25.09 and was 7 lbs 8 oz.

i love me some baby kole!

shawn "elliot" plunkett = just born!

2009-03-03T21:20:00.000-08:00

gloria and i are pancakes and waffles (phooey on those peas and carrots. pancakes and waffles are WAY better!). these were nicknames for each other ever since the ninth grade. we have endured many adventures together then and although we had a few years of being out of touch, being reunited several years ago has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. we had no problems picking up right where we left off as if time did no damage at all. my only regret is what i have missed in that gap of time for those years. i have shared so much with her and feel so lucky to have done so, i really have not the words. when she got married to shawn it was obvious they were it for one another. a marriage i have always looked up to and i have not had many great examples of that in my life. when they shared they were pregnant i think they shocked pretty much everyone they know (if you knew them personally you would know exactly why). i couldn't think of two better people to be blessed with such a gift.

shawn "elliot" plunkett was born 03.02.09 and a whopping 6 lbs. 6 oz! i honestly think johnny 5 weighs more than he does.

when i walked in to see him for the first time today, i cried. he is absolutely beautiful and amazing. i am thrilled to be his "auntie" and watch him grow. i have already coined him "baby butter" (just nod go with it.)

<3

photographers + las vegas = wppi.

2009-02-20T18:06:00.001-08:00

so i wasn't sure i was actually going to make it to wppi this year. my first attempt stopped me at the 15 freeway in hesperia with snow and i had to turn around. then another photographer and i were going to attempt to ride up together the next day and it was raining cats and dogs again! she opted to stay understandably and i decided to make another run at it and actually got through, thank god.

little did i know however, that i would be stopped a little past baker because two big rigs were on fire. luckily i stopped and was able to fill my belly with a gyro just prior because i was starving! when i got back on the road i approached a dead stop with everyone standing outside their cars. oh yeah, i got photos.

the guy behind me was so sweet, we shared a chocolate candy. then fire engines came.

and then finally i inched up to the accident.

whew! got through all that and finally made it to the convention. i was a little nervous being by myself and decided to run up on a whim but luckily with the help of photographer friend melissa mcclure i was able to not only have some roof over my head for the night but i also met an awesome bunch of san diego photographer ladies. i was immediately stripping down to my pajama bottoms for some jumping on the bed action (i knew then these were my kind of peeps!) and then made it out for one of the parties and topped it off with a night filled with dancing. super fun!

the next morning i was given the opportunity to shoot with the lovely david and kim baxter of ohana photographers because jeanette of jeanette sanchez photography was so gracious enough to let me shoot in her place. i really hope she can make it with me next year!

so this session was a group of photographers and a group of models in primm (state line) nevada. it was cold but SO fun (even with my 3 hours sleep from the night before). i came home filthy and exhausted.

all in all i had a great time. met awesome people! i think i learned my lesson though that next year will require some planning!

zoe madison = six years old.

2009-02-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

i took my daughter out today after school for a session here in fullerton. not only was i itching to get out and shoot but realized i really don't get out enough to capture my own families growth. or rather feel i should do it more often. i mean i am a photographer and all. sheesh. one would think i have way more photos of my family than i do.

anyway i must start by saying my zoe madison is beautiful, funny and such a joy to be around and i'm not just saying that because i am her mother. at least i don't think so. i love taking photos of her, although she does make it so easy for me. actually i love doing children portraits whenever i get the chance. although i absolutely love the wedding work i am blessed to do, working with families and kids gives me fulfillment in other ways. i love capturing a child's personality or the way a family shares intimate moments and laughs together. there is lots of room to be super fun, silly and playful with kids and i love that. here are some of my favorites from today's portrait session:

bye bye balloons.

so if you are like me and haven't had family portraits in awhile or just want some fun and creative portraits of your children or of your family, don't be shy and email or call me!

samantha + chris = baby wtf?!

2009-01-30T14:33:00.000-08:00

so before you all think i am a total freak (although there may be some validity there) you must know that i have a total soft spot for toys and LOVE to photograph them along with food and other objects for fun. and now that i have prefaced this blog with that (heh), i must tell you about how i came to meet samantha and chris as well as their baby. =)

on new years eve i was invited to sam's house through a friend of mine for some celebrating (which we did a pretty darn good job at i think) and during mid-evening after discussion over art she said, "want to see my art?"

of course intrigued, we all said, "yes". moments later she walks out a small yawning newborn. literally. our mouths were on the floor (we didn't know she had a baby).

needless to say, she makes the most incredible life-like babies i have ever seen in my entire life. among her collection was this little baby as a novelty (which she bought from another artist).

i was so thrilled she let me borrow her!

sally + jay = engaged.

2009-01-25T23:16:00.001-08:00

sally and jay won a free engagement session from me that was given away at bridal inquirer. the funny thing is i know sally and jay through a friend of a friend sorta deal so it was quite a surprise to contact the winner and find out it was them! and no this was not rigged. they won fair and square.

we opted for disneyland as a location for their e-session. it was a beautiful day, these two are silly as ever and it was so much fun. check them out:

the weather was awesome and here is what it looked like when we first arrived.

the haunted mansion was a priority photo for them and it was closed. we managed to get this however. how awesome is that?

they were so playful. i love it!

now on to the other side.

so we waited in line for churros and as jay handed sally some money, this is the faces she makes when she shoves as much of it as she can in her pocket.

churros are pretty hysterical apparently. =)

this was another priority location for these two.

congratulations sally and jay!!!

watch me work my magic.

2009-01-13T19:39:00.000-08:00

this is a video danny took a couple days ago during our family portrait session with ryanne and sheila a couple days ago in ventura county. hope you enjoy it, it is our first stab at a video. let us know what you think!

sosena + neil = engaged.

2009-01-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

sosena and neil's engagement session was in newport beach today. man i tell ya it was more like june than january today in newport. it was beautiful! people were everywhere.

here are some of the highlight of our photo session today:

what a great day! congrats to sosena and neil!

sheila + grace = family.

2009-01-10T00:35:00.001-08:00

ok so ryanne (from previous post) and sheila are best friends which is how i met sheila. as you may know i shot her engagement session, wedding, and family portraits so i was excited to shoot for her again. last time was a total bum deal because we both ended up with parking tickets. yeah. *sigh*

anyhow, it was just momma and baby grace (whom i just adore) this time. stunning day. check it out:

who doesn't love baby sized pink cons?!?

this was grace's favorite time of the session i think beside the nap. you should have heard her squeal. SO friggin cute!

ryanne + ella + max = family.

2009-01-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

wedding season is slow and i hate when i get bored. it is not a good thing. so i have been dying to take some family portraits and my friend ryanne came to the rescue with her beautiful children as well as sheila (which you will see in my next post) . we all spent the day at one of my favorite shooting spots and got these beauties:

ella makes a great big sister!

she is also a pro with the camera.

i loaned her my sunglasses and she definitely ROCKS them!

these next three are my favorites.

i totally lied. THIS is my favorite.

and in case you are wondering what happened to max...

yeah. we lost him.

we love zoe.

2008-12-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

hope everyone had a great holiday!

while we were eating dinner over christmas at my mom's, zoe was playing with her new ipod speakers and i was able to catch this gem on my own christmas gift. a flip video. i love it!

stick around for the chorus. it is pretty fabulous!

who does she think she is?

2008-12-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

this is my daughter's christmas list. she has always had, shall we say interesting taste. the kid who eats sushi and shrimp but refuses pbj's, macaroni and cheese, hotdogs and grilled cheese. seriously! just kill me now! lol.

today was beautiful.

2008-12-21T00:18:00.000-08:00

danny gave me some alone time today which i really really needed.

so i took a road trip because i love nothing more than blasting my music and hitting the road. today was gorgeous!

this is a random abandoned house i found. i am always drawn to them.

and these kept me busy on the way home in the dark. :)

thank you danny, you're the best! i love you.

alexa + christopher = married.

2008-12-16T22:21:00.000-08:00

alexa and christopher had an adorable and unique wedding here in downtown fullerton. a hop, skip and a jump for me. the wedding and reception were held at the imperial ballroom.

alexa's dress was from the dresser. an absolutely amazing bridal couture shop also here in downtown fullerton.

i just love this little wedding tradition!

alexa's maid of honor helped her get ready for the big day. she looked beautiful!

both of alexa's parents walked her down the isle. i really love this.

kissy kissy...

kissy!

i really adore this cake!

they had all sorts of vintage candy to share with their guests and how awesome are the candy cigarettes?

first dance smiles.

this maid of honor danced pretty much danced more than anyone that night. she was so fun!

congratulations alexa and christopher!

jaime + josh hart = baby kole.

2008-12-10T17:24:00.000-08:00

well jaime is one of my best friends and i am so lucky to have her in my life. we met over the internet of all things over our love of ferrets. yes ferrets! (neither of us really like talking about that though these days since we no longer have little gidget, tiki and lily. they are missed). we both lived in ventura at the time and have been inseparable since. i miss her and was so happy we got to hang out together to get these stunning shots. jaime has helped me with photo projects since i first started screwing around with a camera seriously. i was honored to shoot her maternity photos. she is expecting baby kole in march and i can not wait to meet him.

one of the reasons i love jaime, she lets me put her in peculiar situations. ;)

i love how she is on her tippy toes! she said to me after i showed her how to stand, "uh i'm not as tall as you mandie." lol.

isn't she cute?

jaimers, thank you for being such a big part of my life. i love you and can't wait to welcome little kole!

mira + mark = married.

2008-12-10T02:06:00.000-08:00

mira and mark are a stunning pair. this was such a fun wedding for danny and i and there are SOOOO many fantastic images it was seriously painful to narrow it down to the handful of highlights i have here. despite the rainy day in santa barbara this day, it really was so amazing you can't even tell! we showed up at hotel oceana where mira and her bridesmaids were getting ready. i ADORE this place. the colors are so fun!

mira getting her final touches of make-up finished.

i really heart orange and pink together!

this is mira's sister helping her out with her dress.

ready to go take photos!

we took the wedding party photos as well as the bride and groom shots at alice keck park memorial gardens. we battled some rain but so worth it.

thanks to danny we were able to keep these two dry for a bit as well as use it for some photos.

now check out this for a ceremony location. this is one of my favorite wedding locations by far! this is also in santa barbara at elings park.

the wedding reception was held at the santa barbara polo & racquet club which i have shot at before and they also have a gorgeous location for weddings and outdoor receptions. because of the rain however, a tent was put up for mira and mark. but i must say, it was fun and this group can party!

this is their first dance.

these beautiful dancers were a total surprise to mira and mark. WOW! what a show!!!

cake!

congratulations mark and mira!

melinda + brad = married.

2008-12-04T01:02:00.001-08:00

melinda and brad were high school sweethearts and this was their big day. the wedding and reception were held at the coyote hills country club here in fullerton. it was gorgeous and filled with a good group of fun people. i thought melinda's mom was terrific and just so bubbly and fun to be around. everyone really had a great time and melinda and brad look fabulous!

here are a few of my faves from the day:

the beautiful bride!

the first dance.

congratulations melinda & brad!

melissa + raynold = engaged.

2008-12-01T23:18:00.001-08:00

another awesome engagement session at the getty museum with melissa and ray. i love that place and these two look great there!

here are some of my faves:

we'll see these two in july for the wedding!

vonnet + li-yang = married.

2008-11-25T19:43:00.000-08:00

vonnet and li-yang aka: leon are new yorkers whom tied the knot here in california. san gabriel as a matter of fact. the wedding ceremony was at the grapevine arbor which was a beautiful historic location. i LOVED it. anything rustic looking is quite okay in my book. the wedding reception was right across the street at the mission 261 restaurant. yum!

here are some highlights of their big day:

the bling and something blue! niiiiiice.

giving high fives while going down the isle.

i think simple=beautiful most of the time.

leon is hilarious. he made faces randomly all day. cracks me up.

see!

this is my favorite of the day.

walking across the street. how nice is that?!

the restaurant had an upstairs room with a balcony. this is vonnet and leon spying on their guests while waiting to make their grand entrance downstairs.

they sorta played a version of the newlywed game and it was pretty funny.

they got all the answers right except one. pretty good!

they also lined up all the groomsmen and she had to find her husbands hands. this was his reaction. i think you can figure out if she guessed correctly or not.

kimberlee + christopher = married.

2008-11-24T19:13:00.000-08:00

welp, i met kimberlee and christopher one cold morning over coffee and i knew right away how smitten with eachother these two were. the sparkle in both their eyes said it all right away. i couldn't help but take notice.

we had so much fun with their engagement session which was in balboa park in downtown san diego that i knew the wedding was going to be a treat. i met kimberlee at the manchester grand hyatt where she got ready. we then made our way to first united methodist church for the ceremony and THEN finally to the admiral baker clubhouse to party.

here are some of my faves:

right as she got her dress on she had an emotional moment.

she is beautiful.

they rented this mondo limo to roll in. niiiice!

this is danny and i following them. i love this shot.

i love feets!

first dance.

these two must have REALLY wanted the next wedding because this little battle broke out.

woo!

congratulations kimberlee and christopher!

heather + travis = married.

2008-11-20T15:29:00.000-08:00

i have known travis since we were in high school together. we have been good friends for years and i was tickled to shoot his wedding with heather! i think she is a delight and a great match for him. it was beautiful and so awesome to hang out with friends on their big day.

they were married in redlands at the mitten building. here are some highlights of their wedding day:

his first look at his bride. it was an emotional moment for most in the room.

these are travis's adorable daughters.

i caught this little guy posing against the car. what a ham!

i've been doing this "get shot by amanda lynn" project for awhile now so i was shocked to show up only to find that heather's mom bought a bunch of these glasses to have the guys wear because she thought it would be funny. little did she know she was asking the right photographer! great minds think alike.

i LOVED the train tracks on this side of this building. paired up with flare... YUM.MY.

they served some awesome mexican food.

i love this. the kids are smitten with their ice cream.

and he's just smitten being a kid.

so. there are a lot of years in this picture. travis, me and dan! as travis's mom shot this for us... dan just mumbled, "oldskool."

um.

2008-11-19T00:14:00.000-08:00

my daughter took it upon herself to pull out her sleeping bag onto the floor while i was working on the computer this evening and i found this:

seriously,

oh i did it!

and danny joined in...

goodnight!

maia + william = married.

2008-11-18T23:37:00.001-08:00

maia and william had a palos verdes estates wedding at the la venta inn. it was an awesome afternoon wedding with a lunch reception.

here are some of my favorites from their wedding day:

i know i posted two. it was just such a gorgeous wedding dress.

playing peek-a-boo with me. so cute!

bridesmaids keeping her entertained.

maia's dad ready to give her away.

i love all the little moments between a couple while they are getting married.

i just love william cracking up here. the guys look so fabulous!

as do the ladies!

grand entrance means let's get this party started!

ok toasts are probably my favorite time of the night. i am guaranteed to laugh or cry or both (the latter probably most likely) at EVERY wedding during this time.

first dance.

maia and her sorority sisters.

last dance.

congratulations to maia and william!