Mara & John wanted to throw a “last hurrah” type engagement party before their intimate wedding next year, and invited their closest family and friends out for a mini-retreat to celebrate. It was all held at the most beautiful Parker Palm Springs – a brightly-colored oasis in the middle of the desert, a place that has long been on my must-shoot-there! list, with lush gardens that calm your soul & the most stunning modern decor. (Added bonus – bougainvillea everywhere!! I could shoot those pretty little blooms all day long.) Mara & John made full use of the gorgeous property, with cocktails in the lobby, mingling on the lawn, an indoor reception, and portraits around the gardens.

A little peek into the lovely evening…

Fact: I take the phrase “The Happiest Place on Earth” not as a slogan, but as the cold hard truth (second only to “wherever there are cupcakes”, but that would make an awkward amusement park theme). And I could argue the Disneyland skeptics til the end of time – that singing animatronic pirates and pastel-colored rides and bundles of balloons and yummy turkey legs (and snow at Christmastime, snow!) outweigh the crowded, expensive side of things. So I was more than a bit excited for Van & Hai’s engagement session at Disneyland! We traveled from land to land and I got to photograph an amazingly happy couple in a fantastically happy place.

I would say that the positive vibes of Disneyland are infectious and therefore brought joy into the photos, but the truth is that it was the other way around – Van and Hai are some of the sweetest, warmest people I have ever met and they bring the happy with them wherever they go :) I feel truly blessed to have met them and loved photographing them in a place that holds some of their favorite memories!

I really love the soft pastel colors we found in this little corner:

Really adored Van’s stylish outfits!

I leave you with a quick shot Hai took of Van & I. I generally like to stay on the other side of the lens, but when Hai asked to snap one of us together, I couldn’t miss an opportunity to pose with such a sweet client-turned-friend! :)

Afternoon tea is quite possibly one of my favorite things in the world. Just the thought of colorful pots of tea, dainty cups and saucers, and sweet conversation over cream-covered scones makes me feel relaxed and wonderfully girly (which makes up for all my non-girly times when I’m scorching things in the kitchen and running around the house in sweatpants). A couple weeks ago I was delighted to have the opportunity to photograph the beautiful Alice In Wonderland-themed tea party Joanna Chong of Joanna Events organized for her mother’s birthday. She is just getting into the wedding and event planning industry and wanted some shots of the table settings and guests. I was giddy at the very idea of a tea party, but was SO unprepared for the incredible camera-candy she ended up putting together!

Joanna was still setting up when I arrived and I got to witness all the beautiful items being brought one by one to the table. As each vase of flowers, each platter of pastries, each little teacup was hurried over, my eyes grew bigger and bigger, my squeals of delight louder, and my camera clicks more flurried. I couldn’t believe the colors, the concepts, the creativity!! From the paper lanterns to the tea-party music wafting through the iPod, there was not a single detail overlooked. After witnessing firsthand her event-planning prowess, I can only imagine the amazing work she would do as a wedding coordinator!

The floral arrangements were simply stunning! Sue Cook of SooziCook Events (soozcook@gmail.com) put together each unique collection of bright blooms – they really set the mood for the entire tea party!

There were endless platters of the most delectable treats – mini tea sandwiches, scones, delicate cakes. No one would be leaving this tea party hungry!

I instantly fell in love with these hand-crafted blossoms, lovingly planted around the table :)

The guests all wore the most awesome oversized hats…

And a quick photo of Joanna and her mother, the guest of honor!