Monday, August 25, 2014

Sabra & David, L'Auberge Du Soleil, Napa, CA

Wow, what a ride! So far, this has been a really fun year for me. I've had a great wealth of wonderful clients, but from the moment I met Sabra & David I could tell that they were the bees knees. Just as I knew it would be, their wedding at the fabulous Auberge Du Soliel was a blast. From their very first touch amidst the vines crawling up and down the hills of Domaine Chandon to the purple sky finish of the evening, this day had electricity. It's truly such a pleasure when the focus of a wedding is squarely placed on the heart. I loved watching how Sabra & David made each other laugh and how the power of their character and humor shown throughout the day and in everyone around them. It was a trip to find out that Sabra's dad, Pat "Golden" Ruel, was one of the 2013 super bowl coaches for the Sea Hawks! And the depth of his charisma and unending pride and praise of Sabra seriously contributed to the love that day. By the end of the wedding, I could certainly see where Sabra got her charm. It was a lovely wedding, filled with Napa's finest qualities, and extremely good company. Thank you for the wonderful memories, Sabra & David!


Monday, August 18, 2014

Janice & Adrian, Paradise Ridge Winery, Sonoma, CA

Janice & Adrian were a joy to work with. They came to me via Ali DiLuvio, planner extraordinaire, whom I've had the pleasure of working with now on quite a few style shoots and weddings. The day started in a flurry but it was all laughs straight from the beginning. I loved Janice & Adrian's anime theme, tiffany-blue color story, and personal DIY details throughout the wedding; but the touch that took the cake, was their altar creation of 1,000 paper cranes. After months of meticulous work creating each crane with family and friends, the final effect was unlike anything I've ever seen. This tour de force offered one of the most unique collaborative art works I've ever had the opportunity to photograph at a wedding. It was a real act of love. And the love must have been acknowledged by the powers that be! With breath-catching luck, the second we set foot on Paradise Ridge's property, there, in the woods, was a crane! Snap! Snap! Ugh, perfection! If that wasn't a good sign, I can't imagine what would be considered one. Paradise Ridge, was, as always, stunning. The venue is filled with sculptural art, vineyards and barrel rooms, and offers such a remarkable slew of photographic opportunities that I'm always spinning with ideas. The florals by Wine Country Flowers were, as always, incredible. Great venue, great touches, amazing staff, and awesome clients! All in all, I'd say that it was a wonderful day :)