Beautiful details, an elegant backdrop, and the most joyous collection of family and friends made L & S’s wedding an absolutely dreamy occasion! They were married at the stunning St. Monica Church in Santa Monica, with a reception following at the Bel Air Bay Club and the day could not have been more beautiful. The occasion was adorned with the most lush and inspired details, from candlelit reception areas, to decadent floral arrangements (with a kumquat or two nestled in!), to a dessert bar brought in by none other than Vanilla Bake Shop. (Their macaroons have to be some of the best in town!)

With family and friends flying in all the way from Australia, it was so heartwarming to witness the closeness and warmth shared with both families and all their friends. A thank you to Dave Richards for having me along and Paola of Just Chic Events for coordinating a beautiful event!

Starting off with a first look, followed by portraits around the beautiful grounds of the Bay Club…

Loved the wispy powder blue bridesmaid dresses!

I love how every aspect of a wedding serves as a reflection of a couple’s personalities. The color palettes that adorn the day, the choice of food to be served, the selection of dance music at the end of the night. And one of the biggest expressions is undoubtedly the choice of venue – the backdrop against which all the evening’s memories will be created. I LOVE both seeing new venues and revisiting ones I’ve photographed at before, since every couple puts their own spin on the location!

If M & P’s venue choice were to speak for them, it would describe them as modern, fashion-forward, considerate and conscientious. The Seven Degrees in Laguna Beach perfectly mirrored their style and personalities and it was a joy to share in their wedding day! A big thank you to the lovely and talented Bonnie Tsang, who invited me to come along. I adore working with my clients as the main photographer, but love second-shooting as well – it’s such a great opportunity to take chances and flex my creative muscles sans the usual responsibilities of being the main photographer!

We started off at one of the bridesmaid’s homes, which was absolutely stunning. The fresh and clutter-free location made for some great photos!

We then headed to Seven Degrees for a sweet first look and some relaxed portraits inspired by the venue and the surrounding architecture:

Laughing photos are my absolute favorite!!

Sparkly-sweet lighting? Coming right up!

Some peeks at the artistically modern decor of Seven Degrees. How utterly fabulous are the hanging mobiles?

The beautiful & touching ceremony. Like always (it never fails, never!) I found myself blinking through tears a few times:

I love how the quintessential Southern California hills frame the venue on all sides. They really play up the contrasting sharp and modern vibe of the venue!

Now before we go on please take a deep breath, hold onto your seats, and prepare yourself for these details. The purpley-pink goodness was just breathtaking!!

Dancing the night away…

The skies had been gloomy in LA all week, but Santa Barbara on Saturday was covered in a blanket of sun. Jenn & Ron’s dispositions mirrored the bright weather perfectly (or maybe it was the other way around? :) and the whole day went beautifully! It was a cozy intimate affair that started at the stunning Santa Barbara Courthouse and ended at Stella Mare’s, an exquisite French restaurant serving the most delicious French country cuisine. As the night unfolded with toasts and laughter in the warmly lit restaurant along the quietest Santa Barbara road, I wanted to pinch myself. To make sure I was really this lucky. To work with such sweet couples (seriously, both Jenn and Ron kept checking in to make sure we had received dinner and gotten a slice of German chocolate cake! :) and to get to capture some of the happiest moments in their lives.

Jenn & Ron – thank you so much for inviting us to share in your day. We hope you’re having a blast in Kona and can’t wait to hear all about it!

Christin and Ashley of LunaBella did a beautiful job on Jenn’s hair & makeup!

Love how bright and bold the bouquets were!

Their cat definitely wanted to know what all the commotion was about…

Off to the courthouse for the ceremony in the Sunken Gardens:

A kiss just after the recessional…

As the guests moved on to the reception, we stayed to do some portraits around the grounds. Every inch of the courthouse was just begging to be used as a backdrop! Lush greenery and stunning architecture at every turn…

Off to Stella Mare’s for the reception. The ambiance was so warm and inviting and the reception was filled with great details.

Fun fact: The amazing guitarist was Aaron Robinson, who toured with Sea Wolf for a couple years!

Loved their choice of sign-in book and the sweet messages that graced the pages:

Jenn’s mom baked the scrumptious German chocolate cake!