Many thanks to these amazing blogs for recent features! When I meet with couples in the early stages of their planning, I often send them links to some of these spectacular sites to get their gears turning and to see what options are out there. These blogs are overflowing with ideas that are both budget-friendly, eco-friendly, & party-for-your-eyes friendly, and flood you with inspiration from every angle! I am a firm believer that you don’t have to break the bank to have beautiful & unique details for your day – it’s all about infusing YOU into your wedding and brainstorming with the help of gems on the web like these!

A little peek of Liz + Adam‘s balloon engagement session in the sweet “Love This!” spot on Green Wedding Shoes. Jen’s blog is one of my absolute favorites and is an endless well of inspiration!

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Tina + Sam‘s wedding featured on Ever Thine, Ever Mine, Ever Ours. Lydia is rapidly growing on the blogging scene and it’s easy to see why – beautiful handpicked features daily!

Part One
Part Two

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Sarah + Brad featured on Trendsetting Wedding. If you are planning a lovely urban wedding, this is your go-to blog! She features the most stunning city weddings & sessions.

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It is 7 am, bright and early in Cathleen’s bridal suite. Victor, accompanied by his groomsmen, arrives at her door, eager to see his bride. But he is met with a barricade of bridesmaids, armed with a list of demands should Victor want to make his way to Cathleen. And so ensues a series of cruel and unusual tasks, right in the hallway of the Pasadena Westin, not limited to removing a garter from one of his groomsmen’s legs and a slew of post-wedding push-ups. But the best & final task is a song – a song of all the reasons he loves Cathleen. And through all the laughing, and the erratic dancing of his groomsmen, and the silly fun atmosphere, Cathleen sat hidden in her bridal suite listening to Victor’s makeshift song. And you could see from the shining glimmer in her eyes, that though his song was silly, his words rang true, and they resonated in her heart.

It was our longest wedding of the year, and though I can’t lie and say I wasn’t slightly terrified of what might become of my feet, the day flew by due to the perfect flow and the relaxed atmosphere that filled every moment. We moved from a tea ceremony at the Westin, to another tea ceremony at Victor’s parents’ home, to Caltech for photos, to a beautiful backyard ceremony, and finally a lively reception.

In between we got tons of portraits, and it made me so happy that Cathleen and Victor put such trust in us for their photos. They were on board with all the ideas I had – many of which included a bright red umbrella that I was itching the use the moment I laid eyes on it!

Cathleen & Victor – thank you so much for inviting us to share in your wedding, for your extreme kindness and hospitality, and for the Lupicia teas! {how did you know they are my favorite?} We are so happy for you & this new chapter of your lives together!

I LOVED the colorful pops of color that adorned the ceremony:

This kid was absolutely AMAZING. He was the most adept & coordinated picture-taking-toddler I have ever seen.

And apparently he wasn’t the only one! More child prodigy photographers at this wedding than I’ve ever encountered!

I find that when a bride and groom are amazingly sweet and awesome, they have most likely filled their life with similar people. Tina is lively and brimming with an amazing energy; Sam has a calm & wonderfully mellow demeanor – but they share the same qualities of warmth, of compassion, of exuding happy, positive vibes. And as I discovered at their wedding, they are surrounded by family and friends who all share such qualities, and it resulted in a beautiful day with all the best components – warm hugs, bursts of laugther, heartfelt speeches, crazy dancing – all moments that make for the very best photos!

Tina is an event planner for Panda Restaurant Group and with her experience, I knew the day would be executed with the utmost finesse and thoughtfulness. They chose a venue that reflected their modern aesthetic and then draped it in details that made me swoon. There was a subtle bird theme that filled the day which I absolutely loved!

And of course there was a huge emphasis on the food (read: my kind of wedding!), catered by Panda Restaurant Group Catering Team which included everything from sweet potato fries, to prime rib, plus the addition of a few “bars”, namely of the sushi, candy, and gelato varieties. See them in all their glory below!

Tina and Sam – thank you so much for entrusting us to capture your phenomenal day! Around every corner was a beautiful moment and a lovely detail, and we could not be more honored to have shared in the day with you!

I loved the sweet moments of Tina and her mother walking hand in hand down the aisle, and the group hug that ensued at the end:

The light during the ceremony was phenomenal:

At the cocktail hour, I came across a boy with a Rubik’s cube – he solved it in front of my very eyes in a matter of seconds!

Tina’s friends Amanda of Fresh Events Company (who I always LOVE working with!) & Alicia of Alicia K Designs helped coordinate all the details of the ceremony and reception:

The candy station!

The sushi bar!

And last, but certainly not least, the gelato corner!

Tina and Sam also had a photobooth with a neighboring crafting station. It was a total hit and guests returned multiple times to take more pictures and make more pages!

Tunes were provided by Jason with 11H Entertainment – he’s always engaging and fun!