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 :)

It starts with a scenic drive up the 101. You see a sign for “Ojai” and turn onto a narrower road, accompanied by sunny fields, tall trees, and the big open sky. You pass through the town, which gives way to farmland, endless orange groves, and an explosion of fall colors. And then, you arrive at the Thacher School.

Dana & Brandon recently moved onto the Thacher campus after living for years in NYC. The change from loud streets & busy sidewalks to a quiet home on campus was quite the drastic change, but they love their new life at Thacher. I was so excited to meet them in this quiet nook outside of Ojai and explore the lovely quaint campus with them. We shot just across the street from their house where Dana walks over daily to pick grapefruits & oranges off the trees, we visited their favorite pepper tree-lined road, we drove up to the tippy top of campus that houses the observatory. I always love love shooting in and around the homes of couples – there is always something so relaxed & intimate about these kinds of sessions!