The guests, grouped at candlelit tables on a warm Californian fall night, grew quiet as the best man began his speech. The way he described their relationship summed it up perfectly: “when I asked Larry about Mary, he simply replied ‘I love her man, I just love her.‘ Now, we all say we love our wives, but no one says it like THAT!” The reception came to life with laughter, but you could see it in everyone’s eyes that they knew what he meant. The way Larry beamed with joy as Mary walked down the aisle, the way he made her laugh. I could tell from our very first meeting, digging into pastas and BBQ chicken pizzas at CPK, that they were absolutely perfect for each other.

The wedding was held in the backyard of their stunning Walnut home. I was so impressed with all of the details (organized by the fabulous Ada of Fresh Events Company!) that transformed their home into the most beautiful and intimate of venues. I loved that Mary and her bridesmaids were able to get ready upstairs and then waltz downstairs for the ceremony – none of the stress of running between different sites! At night their backyard was transformed into a beautiful reception site, with a cozy bar and floating candles across the pool. Mary’s vision for her wedding perfectly matched her own admirable qualities – elegant, friendly, and warm.

Mary & Larry – thank you so much for choosing me to document your special day! Scott and I had such a great time at your wedding and wish you all the best in the years to come!! :)

Starting off with some details…

Something about lace dresses gets me everytime – love it!

Mary was absolutely radiant!

The ceremony begins… Larry’s smile just kept getting bigger and bigger as Mary walked down the aisle!

Catching the last of the light with a few portraits:

Love the rays Scott grabbed in this one!

And then it was time to morph the place into reception-mode!

Could this BE any cuter?? (*insert Chandler voice here*)

Mary and Larry rocked the rhumba for their first dance:

Their cake was from Ms. Ruby’s Bakery, renowned for their scrumptious red velvet. When we first met up to discuss their wedding plans, they so kindly gave me a piece, and it was honestly to DIE for!

A bride as shown in magazines and movies is elegant, sophisticated, graceful. But a bride in real life is so much more – she’s excited, she’s effervescent, she’s unique, she’s real – a down-to-earth girl who who just happens that day to be adorned in the most stunning white dress. Susan served as a beautiful reminder of this – throughout her wedding day at the elegant beachside Portofino Hotel, she laughed, she cried, she cracked jokes, she mastered a silly pose in a shot or two, and showed everyone present why a real bride is more beautiful than anything you’d find on the cover of a magazine.

Their wedding was simple and fresh. Gerber daisies, which have always been some of my favorite flowers, graced the room and popped against the cool ocean colors. Susan and David have a beautiful connection and it was great to see the bond between their families as well, as they danced together and laughed together and celebrated the union of two individuals and two households.

A big thank you to the amazingly talented Tracy Kumono for inviting me to come along!

Loved this moment of prayer:

There were bouts of dancing throughout the entire reception!

The moving father-daughter dance:

Near the end of the reception we snuck out for just a few portraits:

I must admit I was a just a teensy bit excited when Dave invited me to come along to help shoot the wedding of a real-life “Real World” celebrity. I didn’t immediately recognize her name, but when Beth breezed through the doors of the Hotel Oceana in Santa Monica, I remembered her from some of the Real World/Road Rules challenges. Both her and Matt were honestly such awesome people and so full of joy on their special day, and it was such an honor to witness their stunning wedding at the Beach Club in Santa Monica!

A big thank you to Dave for having me along!

Up next, a weekend visit to my new favorite city…