One thing that has been really really amazing about this job is being able to reconnect with childhood friends. They somehow catch wind {through facebook? a catch-up email?} that this is now what I do, and it works out that I get to photograph one of the happiest days of their lives. These are often friends I’ve fallen a bit out of touch with over the years, but who I share some of my most fond childhood memories with. So there is something extra special & heartwarming about getting to be a part of their wedding day, of meeting & getting to know the loves of their lives, of seeing their parents (who cooked me dinners and watched over us during sleepovers) again there, and ultimately, rekindling a friendship that feels like it literally picked up right from collecting Lisa Frank stickers and making up dance routines, as if no time passed at all :)

Natalie is such a friend, and I keep counting my lucky stars we were able to reconnect this year! I really hoped I captured a piece of her personality in these photos – on her wedding day she was all smiles, beautiful, warm, and caring towards every single person around her, the exact same Natalie I knew when we were just little kids. And although I’ve only met Jeff this year, he seems like the greatest guy, and together they are just so perfect. They had an intimate ceremony at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden in Long Beach {yay for shooting weddings in my own neighborhood!} and I love the pretty peacock theme they tied into their day.

I hope you enjoy this peek into a wedding that is so dear to my heart :)

A perfect sunny day in Long Beach, the shimmery ocean, lots of bright jewel tones courtesy of the Hotel Maya, tons of emotion, and a seriously awesome couple. So much prettiness to shoot that day :) Meghan and Lee are the type of people who go with the flow, who keep it real, who find every opportunity to smile & enjoy the moment, so you can imagine that shooting their wedding was a breeze and so much fun! It was the perfect way to round out my summer wedding season :)

The past couple months have been the busiest for me this year, and I’m excited to share lots of lovely fall weddings with you soon!

I love when all the components of a wedding come together just perfectly!

It maybe begins with an intimate seaside venue {the Long Beach Museum of Art}. It includes a darling first look, the kind with lots of smiles and perhaps a few tears. There is a ton of time for fun portraits. There might be pretty diffuse light, and definitely a warm & relaxed atmosphere. Overjoyed family and friends abound, laughter fills every corner of the venue. Maybe a fantastic sweets bar, filled with treats from Sweet and Saucy? :) And of course, a couple that shares a deeply-rooted love, the kind of people that are warm & sweet & beautiful on their own, but, even better together.

Before the crazy photo barrage ensues {there are something like 50 of them!}, I would like to give a special shoutout to Mai of Bunch Studio, who not only created the florals for this wedding, but designed this wedding in its entirety. She took Deena’s visions of bold pinks, black & white, damask, and added her own Bunch Studio flair (the peonies! the feathers! I die!) that is immensely creative, full of style, and always unmatched. If you don’t yet have a florist, you really do need to give this girl a ring :)

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