Chelsey and Mark's wedding was so stunning and seriously unique. I am thrilled that 100 Layer Cake chose to share it recently with its readers! You can see the feature here, or my post on this adorable couple's wedding here!
Zion National Park Wedding - Eve and Ed
My very dear friend, Eve, married Ed a few weeks ago in Zion National Park. I was so honored to be there both as a friend and her photographer. Another dear friend, Olivia, whom I've been mentoring for the past year, was on hand for second shooting.
I loved this quirky DIY wedding. Set on a hotel property just outside the main gate of Zion National Park, this couldn't have been a prettier setting for Eve and Ed's day. The Cliffrose Lodge & Gardens lawn was perfect for accommodating an intimate group of family and friends who came from all over to celebrate this destination wedding. I loved the views of the Zion Cliffs surrounding us, and was so happy Eve and Ed were game to walk over to the property's section of the Virgin River for their post-ceremony photo shoot. Such good sports walking around in the sand!
Eve put her heart and soul into the decorations, hand-painting and sewing all of the table numbers and place cards. She also ordered dried flowers (such a good idea for transporting to a remote location) and recruited me (!) to help her put them into sweet bud vases. I also loved the vintage ball jars and the gorgeous dried bouquets and boutonnieres, which were tied together with burlap and complemented the simple burlap table runners. The bridesmaids were asked to wear complementary pastel colored dressed, with the maid of honor's being a lovely pattern to help her stand out. Looked great with the men's pastel ties and the kids vintage clothing!
So happy for my friend Eve. What a long, lingering, lovely day for all!
Kim Betzina Interiors: Sonoma County Log Cabin
Loved photographing this gorgeous Sonoma County log cabin home for Kim Betzina Interiors. Kim has such a fabulous eye that crosses many design styles, and she flawlessly embraces this gorgeous log cabin home set on a Sonoma County rural horse farm. We had a lovely shoot day, kicking back on the farm and listening to the horses whinnying in the background!
Wedspring - San Francisco Wedding Planning Space
As a photographer represented by Melia of Wedspring, San Francisco, I was honored that Melia asked me to photograph her lovely shop. Love the chalkboard painted walls, gorgeous invitation displays and shabby chic furnishings. Melia is such a great talent from interior decorating to floral and invitation design she can plan a wedding from start to finish. She's even certified to plan your honeymoon a a travel agent! Such a gorgeous space set in a classic Russian Hill, Julia Morgan designed storefront!
Urban San Francisco Wedding - Lauren and Taylor
Lauren mentioned in some notes about her wedding that she wanted it to feel as if they had invited all of their closest friends and family over for a dinner party with dancing. And that is the PERFECT description of this urban, San Francisco wedding, held literally around the corner from the couple's home. They chose the Stable Cafe both because of its proximity and because it's a place they love and frequent. The Stable Cafe has some deep San Francisco history, too. Its menu is inspired by the owner's Neapolitan Agrarian roots, and its food all comes from his farm! Lauren's many talents come from building a business as a wedding designer and planner called Ryder Sloan Events. This wedding was full of DIY and personal touches, from hand-drawn invitations to a seating chart made from wallpaper in the couple's new house. Lauren and her mother also handmade all of the tables' tiles, and so much more. I loved this wedding not only for all of the above, but mostly for its simplicity and true celebration of family, friends and the true love of Lauren and Taylor.
The whole day felt like a big love-fest, and was filled with great joy. Always an honor to be included in this incredible right of passage!
Vendors who participated in this wedding included:
Venue: Stable Cafe
Coordination and Design: Ryder Sloan Events
Florist: Mandolin Floral
Caterer: Thomas John Events
Baker: Cake Coquette and Sweet Lauren Cakes
Featured: Holly and Tosh on Ceremony blog!
I was so pleased when Ceremony Magazine decided to feature several weddings and a styled shoot in its most recent issue! And I was even more delighted to see they also spotlighted one on their blog, Holly and Tosh's wedding at the Kenwood Inn and Spa! Be sure to pick up the latest issue of Ceremony Magazine, as well as view this blog post.
Featured: Karen and Mike's wedding on Borrowed & Blue!
Karen and Mike's lush outdoor wedding was so much fun to photograph! Their gorgeous fete was first featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs, and now it's up on Borrowed & Blue's blog! I know brides-to-be will find tons of inspiration from this wedding, so I hope you enjoy the newest feature!
Best of 2013!
So excited to share my best of 2013 show! I can't believe how fortunate I am to photograph such happy couples and gorgeous locations. Reviewing this made me weepy. So many beautiful couples and emotional moments. I hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I do. A big thank you to all of the vendors and locations for giving me such gorgeousness to photograph and a super big congratulations to all of my 2013 clients. I hope you all have many happy years ahead! With love, Julie
NOTE: The embedded video below will play in low definition video, so it is best viewed in its current size. Please click here for high definition, full screen viewing.
Ceremony Magazine San Francisco: I made the cover!
Family Portrait Berkeley - Angela's Family Continues to Grow!
It's been such fun to watch my good friend Angela's family grow. It started with her first maternity session, then Miranda, then a second maternity session and then Lucas! Now look how the kids have grown!
Here are a few from Angela's maternity session and another of the family's portrait sessions with me. They've grown so much!
Maternity Photography in Berkeley - From Bride To Mom!
My beautiful Healdsburg Country Gardens bride Jen contacted me when she was expecting their first baby. I was so thrilled to see Jen and Dario and to shoot their maternity session. We had fun shooting around Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, and Jen was truly glowing! Their daughter, Alessia, ended up being born just a few days later on my own birthday! Wow! What a surprise! Congratulations Jen and Dario, and welcome Alessia!
Here's adorable Alessia!
And in case you need a refresher, here are a few from Jen and Dario's beautiful wedding at Healdsburg Country Gardens!
Maternity Shoot Oakland and Berkeley - Allyson!
Gorgeousness! I love shooting a maternity session, and Allyson looked so gloriously happy and beautiful. We were running out of light when we finished up our shoot on a small beach in Emeryville, but I loved how soft and cool the light was. It worked out just fine!
Piedmont Community Center Wedding - Catherine and Eytan
I've always loved this little gem of an east Bay Area wedding venue! Piedmont Community Center has it all — convenient location, redwoods, gardens, lawns, a lovely courtyard and a beautiful indoor hall for the cooler months or dancing. I was thrilled when Catherine and Eytan contacted me and also told me that Svenya of Chestnut and Vine Floral Design referred them to me. I love working with Svenja! Her work is gorgeous and so original. She created the most beautiful chuppah for the ceremony beside the redwoods. Blue Heron Catering also created a wonderful buffet of food and made sure the day went smoothly for all. And who could miss the beautiful cake by Masse's Pastries? Catherine and her family had a huge hand in the details of the couple's big day. For their handmade programs, Catherine designed a "Catakshy" family seal, a name that combines Catherine's first name with Eytan's last name. Her mother also designed and sewed traditional Vietnamese gowns for the bride and family members to wear during the reception!
Catherine and Eytan and their families were an absolute joy to work with, and I was so pleased when I got this thoughtful note from Catherine:
"We can not thank you enough for your consummate professionalism and astoundingly beautiful work. It was such a true pleasure to work with you before and during the wedding. We couldn't have asked for a better photographer and will recommend you to all our friends!
Looking at the photos is such a joy. It's like reliving the joy of the day each time, for which we thank you!"
What a thrill to get this note from Catherine and Eytan. I could go on and on about what lovely people they are, and am so happy that they have found each other. What a wonderful couple!
Vendors involved in this wedding included:
Venue: Piedmont Community Center
Floral Design: Chestnut and Vine Floral Design
Catering: Blue Heron Catering
Bakery: Masse's Pastries
Featured: Karen and Mike's wedding on Elizabeth Anne Designs!
Karen and Mike had the most elegant and vibrant outdoor wedding. And their beautiful big day was recently featured on the ever-classic Elizabeth Anne Designs! You can read the feature here, and be sure to check out my original blog post!
Atwood Ranch Sonoma Wedding - Lindsay and Andy
Oh how dreamy! Lindsay and Andy's intimate wedding at Atwood Ranch in Sonoma was such a gorgeous affair. I just love Julie Atwood's incredible styling and Atwood Ranch is one of the absolute best in Napa and Sonoma valleys. Simply one of the most gorgeous wedding venues in wine country. Despite having fewer than thirty guests, Julie managed to make this large property a gorgeously intimate venue with her magical styling. The property was in all its fall glory and the barn was magically lit with hundreds of candles. Gott's Roadside served up burgers, fries and onion rings from it's food truck and Anne Appleman Flowers & Plants did such an amazing job with the rustic and stunning floral arrangements.
Oh and Lindsay and Andy! What a darling couple! Loved their style and their passion for each other. The day was filled with excitement, loads of love and lots of emotion. I especially loved the idea of the Bible guest book. Set with the backdrop of the chalkboard claiming "love is eternal", guests were asked to write an inspiring passage for Lindsay and Andy and sign it. What an incredible way to start your family Bible! I also loved that in lieu of a cake, the couple opted for a milk and cookie bar by Model Bakery. How adorable!
Congratulations, Lindsay and Andy!
Vendors who participated in this wedding included:
Venue: Atwood Ranch
Event Coordination: Julie Atwood
Florist: Anne Appleman Flowers & Plants
Caterer: Gott's Roadside
Bakery: Model Bakery
The Flood Mansion and Palace of Fine Arts Wedding - Chelsey and Mark
I shared a sneak peek of this one last week because I was just DYING over the coral colors and the pink splash of color on Chelsey's insane Tara LaTour gown. Feast your eyes on more loveliness from San Francisco's James Leary Flood Mansion and Palace of Fine Arts Theatre wedding. Chelsey was all about the color and details and Amy Nichols of Amy Nichols Special Events and Nancy Liu Chin Floral & Event Design did an amazing job of pulling everything together. Loved that lit up "LOVE" sign and the homemade kissing booth!
This wedding was not just about gorgeousness, however. It was a true fairy tale wedding overflowing with emotion and surprises for both bride and groom. The culmination was when Mark presented Chelsey with his wedding day gift which was a commissioned painting by Mary Grand Prix of a prince proposing to his princess. This was followed by a surprise by Chelsey to her groom of a song sung along to her own playing of the piano and then out the windows a fireworks show started over the bay! What an amazing night!
BTW - their cake by Beaux Geaux was a replica of a cake on another painting by the illustrator Mary Grand Prix, which was also given to Chelsey by Mark while they were dating. The castle also appeared on their wedding invitation. Oh my! What a day! You two were meant for each other!
Vendors involved in this wedding include:
Bridal gown: Tara LaTour
Ceremony Venue: James Leary Flood Mansion
Reception Venue: Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
Event Coordination: Amy Nichols Special Events
Florist: Nancy Liu Chin Floral & Event Design
Baker: Beaux Geaux
Featured: Danielle and Tomas on Elizabeth Anne Designs!
Danielle and Tomas had the most classic, elegant wedding at Beaulieu Garden — and one of the most classic and elegant wedding blogs, Elizabeth Anne Designs, shared it with their readers this week. I couldn't be more thrilled! Be sure to check out the feature here, or read more about the wedding on my blog!
Vera Wang Trunk Show Event San Francisco
Fun at the Vera Wang Trunk show event last night! Melia of Wedspring organized the event and asked me to set up a photo studio setting for a self portrait station. Guests had a blast getting "styled" by the ladies of Vintage Box 1947 who provided gorgeous custom headpieces. The photos are available at www.pictage.com/1526826 for viewing and ordering!
Guests!
Sonoma Mayacama Golf Course Wedding - Karen and Mike
Always lovely shooting at Mayacama Golf Club which is nestled in the Mayacama mountains of Sonoma Valley just south of Healdsburg. Stephanie Beer of Covenant Coordinating and Maria Philbin Floral Design did a stunning job with this classic look in Mayacama's luscious Tuscan courtyard. Karen and Mike and their families were all about the love at this wedding and all had such a great time. The ceremony outside the wine cave and overlooking the golf course was stunning, followed by cocktails on the terrace with a BACON appetizer (gotta love that) and then as the light faded, dinner in the stunning courtyard with candles hanging from the trees. But let's not forget the beautiful cake by Fleur de Lisa Wedding Cakes! Truly magical.
Vendors involved in this wedding included:
Venue: Mayacama Golf Club
Event Coordination: Covenant Coordinating
Florist: Maria Philbin Floral Design
Bakery: Fleur de Lisa Wedding Cakes
Kenwood Inn Wedding, Sonoma Valley - Holly and Tosh
I've been wanting to photograph a wedding at the fabulous and intimate Sonoma wedding venue The Kenwood Inn ever since doing a photo workshop with the incredible wedding and lifestyle photographer Elizabeth Messina. I was thrilled when I booked Holly and Tosh's intimate wedding and couldn't wait to photograph it! I could not get enough of this gorgeous, intimate and classic wedding — and guests surely knew they were in for an elegant affair when they received beautiful letterpress invitations from Invitations by Ajalon. And my BRIDE! Holly was pure beauty itself, in her Jasmine Bridal wedding gown. It took all I had to not completely take over her wedding day with photos of just her. But, Tosh was adorable to photograph, too. He had so much fun and was so besotted by his bride — who can blame him — and the ceremony site and table styled and decorated by Fleur Essence were stunning. I loved the greens with splashes of color.
The dinner was an incredible multi-course meal created exclusively by Chef Snook of The Kenwood Inn. The chef even came out of the kitchen to pass around a plate of truffles! It was a fabulous meal and long and intimate dinner filled with toasts, great food and wine, capped off with a delicious cake by Patisserie Angelica. I think Holly and Tosh got their exact dream wedding. Oh, and then vavoom! Holly changed into her sapphire green evening gown and I went bananas all over again!
The following vendors participated in Holly and Tosh's wedding:
Venue and Catering: The Kenwood Inn
Floral Design: Fleur Essence
Bakery: Patisserie Angelica
Invitations: Invitations by Ajalon
Bridal Gown: Jasmine Bridal