At Nisha & Woody’s wedding, there was quite a bit of talk about opposites. Like that Woody is an artist and Nisha is an attorney. That one is right-brained, one is left. One is a dreamer while the other is more logical. One is passionately into fashion (and shoes!) while the other is not quite as much {hint: it’s not who you think it is!} But that even as opposites, it works. They work. That Nisha & Woody, with their pieces that are both similar and very different, somehow fit each other perfectly.

And though probably unintentional, I feel like this idea of complementing opposites spilled over into other aspects of their wedding day. Like how Nisha & Woody are probably some of the most laidback and chill people I have ever met ever, but that the wedding day was still planned out to a T and went off literally without a hitch. Or that the Skirball Center is a very modern venue with sharp lines, concrete, and muted grey tones, but that it was filled to the brim with romantic details – whimsical flowers, soft pinks, pretty designs (how cute are those programs??) Again, it all fit together perfectly!

And as always, Fresh Events did a stellar job planning and coordinating the day, I so love working with those girls!

{ A special thank you to Style Me Pretty for featuring this wedding! You can see more photos in the feature here! }

{ Thank you to Style Me Pretty for featuring this wedding! You can see the post here! }

When Holly first asked me to be her wedding photographer, I was so so excited, but also a bit nervous – as much as its an amazing honor to shoot the wedding of a) a friend, and b) a fellow photographer!… it’s also all kinds of nerve-wracking. I really wanted to do a stellar job for Holly and Jeff & create the best photos possible making me a bit jittery about it all.. but I found, when I showed up on her wedding day, that with how beautiful and heartfelt everything was? This really wouldn’t be very difficult at all :)

Holly’s wedding planning story is one that warms my heart and that I’m excited to share. Initially, as someone in the wedding industry, she understandably felt some pressure to put together something extravagant, super unique, magazine-worthy, trendy, top-of-the-line. After going through all sorts of venues, rummaging through wedding blog posts, and enduring quite a few stressful weeks she realized – that none of this was what she really wanted. What she really wanted was something true to her & Jeff – that was an extension of who they are and a reflection of what’s in their hearts. And as pretty as huge reception halls and giant flowering centerpieces can be, those things weren’t quite them. So she thought of what they loved to do, a pastime that for years was part of their relationship – which is attending baseball games together – called up Dodger Stadium, and took the planning from there.

So this is the wedding I walked into that day.

A wedding on the 4th of July, at a baseball stadium, during the opening game.
A small ceremony on the sunny Loge Patio, encircled by their closest family and friends.
Casual sweets and hot dogs, cups of ice cold beer, tickets for all their guests to watch the game in lieu of a traditional reception.
Personal vows, and tears, and a very very happy Holly and Jeff.
It was beautiful and perfect and so so them in every way.

I feel like this wedding was such a perfect blend of elegant + casual, with a brilliant dash of east coast charm thrown in {carried over by Dana & Brandon from NYC}. And the Hartley Botanica? With its lush gardens, sun-dappled lawns, quiet tucked-away location, it has officially been added to my list of super-duper-swoonworthy venues. I seriously fell in love with the location just from the ceremony area alone!

And while pretty green willows, cute jam favors, and whimsical bouquets all can add to the loveliness of a day, none of it quite compares to the emotion. The laughter, the tears, the love in this wedding was what really made the photos :)