Style Me Pretty! Featured: Vivian and Cliff's Carmel Valley Ranch wedding

July 15, 2011

Vivian and Cliff's Carmel Valley Ranch wedding included incredible details -- from custom-made bridesmaids dresses to late night servings of chocolate chip cookies and milk -- and today, you can read all about them on Style Me Pretty! Enjoy the feature on Style Me Pretty, and for even more photos from this beautiful wedding, check out my blog post.

Carmel Valley Ranch wedding on Style Me Pretty

Vendors involved in Vivian and Cliff's wedding included:

Location: Carmel Valley Ranch

Coordination: Sarah Ward Events

Florist: Rose Hip Floral’s

Rentals: Chic Event Rentals

Wedding toasts

July 13, 2011

Wedding toasts can be heartwarming and hilarious -- and sometimes, hard to write. However, this article from The Knot gives some great advice on how to craft a creative toast.

The toasts at Alison and Andrew's wedding were really wonderful, and kept guests laughing. You can check out more photos from their beautiful Beaulieu Gardens wedding here.

Greek Orthodox backyard wedding -- Andra and Christopher

July 12, 2011

Who would think you could have a full-on Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony at home? When you have a mother of the bride who is a former film director -- and who has great style and determination and a dear friend of the family who is a Greek Orthodox priest -- it CAN be done! Andra contacted me just a few weeks before her Sunday wedding and asked me if I thought I could do some formal portraits as well as photograph an outdoor backyard Greek Orthodox ceremony. With over nine years of experience shooting weddings, I knew I was up for the challenge. My tagline (if you will) is: Classic, beautiful, fresh. Your wedding. Your photography. This means a great deal to me and it should to you, too. Every wedding is different and every bride and groom have their own style. It's important to find a photographer who can read and match your style. I feel that with my classic training in photography I can handle anything from formal portraits to casual candids and a photojournalistic style. Not everyone wants such formal photography as Andra and her mother did, but if they do, I've got them covered!

Headlands Center for the Arts - Birgitt and Stephen's Wedding

July 1, 2011

Birgitt and Stephen’s wedding at the Headlands Center for the Arts was filled with delightful details, including an impromptu puppet performance mid-ceremony. The bride and groom focused on fine food and wine, catered by Katie Powers, and creating what they called a “rustic, Californian aesthetic” through beautiful blooms and décor by IXIA Flowers. What a beautiful celebration!

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Vendors included:

Location: Headlands Center for the Arts

Caterer: Katie Powers Catering

Florist: IXIA Flowers

Bridal dress: COAN Couture

Bridal Shoes: Alfani from Macy's

Carmel Valley Ranch Wedding -- Cliff and Vivian

June 30, 2011

Cliff and Vivian are truly two of the sweetest people I've ever met, and I think it shows in their photos! They had such a good time on their wedding day! This was my first time shooting at Carmel Valley Ranch and I loved it! There were loads of gorgeous spots to photograph (in fact, it was hard to pick and choose which locations) and the staff was terrific. The food was also really yummy.

Sarah Ward of Sarah Ward Events did a great job of coordinating the day, and I loved Chic Event Rentals and Rose Hip Floral's simple design ideas. The architecture at Carmel Valley Ranch and the setting kind of speaks for itself!

Vendors included:

Location: Carmel Valley Ranch

Coordination: Sarah Ward Events

Florist: Rose Hip Floral's

Rentals: Chic Event Rentals

Mark and Kat's Inn Marin Easter wedding

June 29, 2011

Mark and Kat planned such a sweet Easter weekend wedding at the quaint Inn Marin. The colors were right out of the Easter egg coloring of our pasts, complementing the lush green surroundings perfectly. When I saw Mark in his morning suit and top hat, I was charmed even more! Kat's family and friends were in from England and we were all super lucky that the weather held up for us, as early spring in the Bay Area can be rainy! Congratulations Mark and Kat!

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Vendors included:

Venue: Inn Marin

Florist: Grant Avenue Florist

Cake: Nora's Patisserie

Caterer: Inn Marin

Featured: Rebekah and Drew's St. Regis Hotel wedding on The Wedding Yentas

June 24, 2011

A pair of architectural aficionados, Rebekah and Drew crafted a wedding that reflected The St. Regis' sleek look and clean lines. Their wedding was a stunning all-white affair, with pristine details that included white phaleonopis orchids that dripped from tabletop branches and vases. And I'm excited to say that their gorgeous wedding was recently featured on The Wedding Yentas! Get more details about Rebekah and Drew's wedding by viewing The Wedding Yentas feature, or visit my blog post for more wedding images!

Wedding vendors included:

Venue: The St. Regis San Francisco Wedding coordinator: Natalia Guillen Floral design: Floramor Ethnic band: Klezmania Dance band and entertainment: Pop Fiction

Candles that add instant romance to your wedding

June 22, 2011

Candlelight is one of the easiest ways to add instant romance to any table or room. Plus, what woman doesn't look her best in the soft glow of a candle?! Here are some of the creative ways my clients have incorporated candles into their wedding decor -- enjoy!

Headlands Center for the Arts Sneak Peek!

June 17, 2011

Another pre-vacation post! A few of my faves from Birgitt and Stephen's Headlands Center for The Arts wedding! More to come when my lovely PR Rep is back from her honeymoon and I'm back from vacation! Busy times!

Carmel Valley Ranch Sneak Peek!

June 17, 2011

Wanted to share a few from Ciff and Vivian's Carmel Valley Ranch wedding before I leave! More to come!

Unique ways to present escort cards

June 15, 2011

My clients are incredibly creative -- even when it comes to displaying their escort cards. They've come up with so many unique ways to direct their guests to their tables. Here is a collection of some of my favorite displays.

Published Today on Vivanista!

June 9, 2011

Kate Siegel of Kate Siegel Events asked me for a photo of the Flood Mansion for an article she was writing for a blog called Vivanista and I was happy to oblige since The Flood Mansion is one of my favorite SF locations! Just one photo, but always fun to be published!

Summery Wedding Cocktails!

June 8, 2011

Is there anything more yummy than a summertime cocktail? From simple champagne to a citrus treat, there are so many ways to delight and treat your guests with a beverage. Here are a few of my favorite cocktail photographs -- I hope they inspire your own sweet drinks!

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Classic Portraiture

June 3, 2011

I wanted to share a little classic portraiture from last Sunday's wedding. After I was booked for the wedding, my bride mentioned she had some photos she wanted to send for me to emulate. The photos were classic portraiture of Queen Victoria! Oh my! BUT, to my "tagline's" point, "Classic, beautiful, fresh. Your wedding, your photography." I was reminded that part of what sets me apart from other photographer's is my classic training in photography. I received a four-year fine arts degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago over twenty years ago and have been shooting pictures even longer than that. Weddings for over nine years. When a curve-ball gets thrown at me and I need to shoot classic portraits from another era, I can handle it and true to my tagline, I really can morph my photography to match my client's style. I only had about twenty minutes in a somewhat small and crowded hotel lobby to shoot and will share more soon, but wanted to share a couple of my faves and then I'm off to shoot my good friend Ann Hamilton's (voted one of the top ten wedding photographer's in the world!) wedding today! It's also my three-year wedding anniversary today! Enjoy these photos!

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Featured: Trish and Bronson's wine country wedding on Elizabeth Anne Designs

June 1, 2011

Trish and Bronson's beautiful wine country wedding -- filled with incredible, colorful details like tabletop trees and men donning pink pants -- has been featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs! This couple and their talented vendors poured tender love and care into every inch of this wedding, and it really shows. Please enjoy Elizabeth Anne Design's feature, or to see more images from Trish and Bronson's wedding, check out my blog post!

Vendors involved in Trish and Bronson's wedding included:

Wedding Coordinator: Stephanie Beer of Covenant Coordinating

Catering: Grapevine Catering

Cake: Fleur de Lisa

Florist: Kate Stanley Design

Bridal shoes that fit your personal style

May 25, 2011

Brides' wedding shoes no longer just come in ivory -- a bride can don a deep red or a crystal-encrusted pump beneath her dress to reflect her personal fashion style. What bridal shoes do you love the most? Here is a little inspiration to get your wheels turning!

Featured: Beka and Josh's DIY wedding on The Budget Savvy Bride

May 19, 2011

Beka and Josh's beautiful wedding is one for the books -- with help from family and friends, they pulled off a totally do-it-yourself and budget-friendly wedding that was both stunning and fun. I'm delighted that their wedding has been featured again, this time on The Budget Savvy Bride! Read the feature to see just how much time and thought went into crafting each detail of their wedding, or check out this post on my blog for some additional images from the wedding.

Featured: Taylor and John's Ferry Building wedding on I Do Venues

May 19, 2011

Taylor and John’s gorgeous Ferry Building wedding has been featured again on I Do Venues. The couple’s ceremony took place at St. John’s Presbyterian church, then the celebration continued at the Embacadero’s most famous structure, the Ferry Building. It truly is an awesome location for a reception! Enjoy I Do Venues’ feature, and be sure to check out John and Taylor’s wedding on my blog!

I Do Venues Ferry Building San Francisco

Wedding vendors included:

Reception Venue: San Francisco Ferry Building

Gown: Romona Keveza

Bridesmaid dresses: Priscilla of Boston

Coordinating: Amy Nichols of Amy Nichols Special Events

Catering: Paula Le Duc Fine Catering

Florist: La Fleuriste

Cake: Cake Coquette

Party Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Band that rocked the house: Dave Martin’s House Party

Ceremony Musicians: Nob Hill String Ensembles

Hair and Makeup: Joseph Cozza Salon

Second Shooter: Carloyn Quilici

Hotel for guests, some portraits and getting ready: Hotel Vitale

The perfect summer wedding at Healdsburg Country Gardens

May 17, 2011

When I think about the best things about summer -- cherries, bright, bold blooms, refreshing drinks served outside and picnics on checkered blankets -- Melissa and John's wedding jumps immediately to mind. This couple's Healdsburg Country Gardens wedding embodied all I love about summer, and I think it can be a huge inspiration to brides planning a sweet summer fete. Here's a few of my favorite details from their wedding, or check out this post for the full feature!

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Leah and Jason's Jewish wedding at Casa Real

May 11, 2011

I think I say this every time I post a Jewish wedding, but they are so great, I have to say it again! I love all the traditions at a Jewish wedding and although I'm not Jewish, I even tried to convince my husband to incorporate the circling of the bride and groom into our own ceremony, but he didn't go for it. I think it's one of the single most wonderful things I see at wedding ceremonies -- it's steeped in Biblical texts that say a woman encompasses and protects a man. As the bride circles her groom, he prays, and it's believed that when the ritual is complete, the pair are united in souls. I also love the craziness of the Hava Nagila dance that usually precedes dinner and at Leah and Jason's wedding, the very traditional "Tish," a table filled with snacks and drinks where family and friends celebrate with the groom before the ceremony.

Leah and Jason are currently living in Israel and did much of the planning from overseas with help from the great staff at Casa Real, which is where the wedding took place. The circular seating at the ceremony was especially nice as well as the gorgeous flowers and gold tablecloths. Such a festive and gorgeous wedding!

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Vendors involved Leah and Jason's wedding included:

Location: Casa Real

Florist: Karl Eckel from Delford West Flowers

Cake: Cake Creations by Bev

Coordinator: Shannon McGrail, of Casa Real