You may remember Diana & Marvin from their wonderfully windy engagement session, where I was first able to really witness their relationship. This happens after many of my engagement sessions & weddings, but I left feeling especially inspired, inspired by their love for each other and how it outwardly manifests. There is a certain kindness and patience with which they treat each other that I feel we often take for granted in the hustle & bustle of every day life. Their first look on their wedding day was such a perfect example of this – I instantly saw a somewhat nervous Marvin turn joyfully calm and comforted in Diana’s arms. I saw her whispering reassuring words into his ear. I saw their ear-to-ear smiles light up the entire venue. I know I always encourage first looks, but watching them laugh together & share how excited they were for the day really reaffirmed this, and was such a wonderful thing to witness.

The rest of their day at the stunning Vibiana {think 19th century cathedral restored into a dreamy airy event venue} unfolded perfectly, hugely in part to the work of Fresh Events Company, one of the best wedding planning teams I know. I was so happy to have been a part of it and hope you enjoyed this peek into their day!

It’s an exciting day! So happy to share that this gorgeous wedding was featured in Ceremony Magazine! Ceremony releases an issue but once a year, so it’s a true honor to be included among the pretty pages of the 2013 issue!

So many sweet touches filled this day and so many wonderful vendors were involved – stay tuned for I will be sharing more loveliness soon!

Thank you to Style Me Pretty for featuring this wedding yesterday! Check out the full lovely feature here! :)

I think I first met Amanda when I was only a few months into wedding photography. She was perhaps one of the very first wedding planners I ever met, and despite me having only a teensy weensy bit of experience, she gave me the opportunity to photograph this amazing event, and passed my name along to one of her super sweet couples. It’s hard to express how much something like that can mean to you when you’re just starting out… that someone can grant you this unassuming trust, when you don’t have much to show or offer at all other than an incredible desire to meet people and make photos. It meant the world to me.

And now, some three years later, to be asked to photograph her own special day? It’s an unspeakable honor. I’m sure as a coordinator Amanda got asked tons of questions from family & friends during her planning process – what flowers? what colors? what details? After coordinating & designing so many weddings, I’m sure she realized how completely endless the possibilities are. And although the details were amazing, and the flowers spectacular, the dress breathtaking, the venue gorgeous – it really warmed my heart to see that Amanda & Kelly really embraced on what they learned most from planning other people’s weddings… that the day is about you & your love, that it is a reflection of your personalities, that in that moment, you let go and you laugh and love and enjoy the day completely.

Since this was the wedding of an amazing coordinator, the day of course unfolded flawlessly {it helped that Shirley from Amanda’s team was on hand to coordinate, she’s phenomenal!} Special thanks to William Kim for shooting with me, and to the all-star team of vendors – I had worked with them on so many different weddings with Amanda/Fresh Events & it was so fun to have everyone together for Amanda & Kelly’s big day! :)

Event Design & Planning: Fresh Events Company
Floral Design: Le Petit Gardenia
Venue: Westin Pasadena
Wedding Cinematography: Walter Pawluk Videography
DJ: Jason of 11H Entertainment
Hair/Make-up: Make-up: Kelly Zhang
Invitations: I Do Concepts
Dessert: Popcakes / Dots Cupcakes