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

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!

Elizabeth Anne Designs
Elizabeth Anne Designs

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

Bicycle Tour!

Such fun! I had this past Saturday off and before the wedding season REALLY kicks in, my husband and I decided to do a mini-bicycle tour! I've been slowly training myself to be a rider in the California hills (I grew up in the non-outdoorsy Chicago flatlands) and so we wanted to get me out on my first bike tour. We were gone four days. Itinerary: - Oakland (caught the ferry into SF) then rode over the GG Bridge into Marin, up to Sir Francis Drake and out to Samuel P. Taylor Park (slated to be closed in the fall due to CA budget cuts) for our first night of camping - Then back out to the bay for one night at China Camp (another soon-to-be casualty of the CA budget cuts) - On to  Tiburon to catch a ferry to Angel Island where we had one night reserved at what I think is THE MOST SPECTACULAR urban campsite in the WORLD. I know that's a big thing to say, but really, there is a site that has a view of the GG Bridge, the Bay and a full view of the SF skyline. You can't get much better than that - unless it's foggy, but we had PERFECT weather. - Then another ferry back to SF, lunch at the ferry building and on the ferry back to Oakland.

Here are some pictures taken with my hubby's awesome wide-angle Lumix/Leica lens point and shoot:

Loaded up and waiting for our ferry to SF:

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You would never guess how windy it was right here. Ouch!

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First stop - lunch in Sausalito....

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West Marin is so gorgeous!

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First night camping in the redwoods:

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Views at China Camp:

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Much needed rest in the hammock!

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I had five minutes to spare to run and find us some cold beer for the ferry ride to Angel Island. Success and a cold beer never tasted so good!

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View from Angel Island...

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Views from our campsite on Angel Island...

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Headed home!

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

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.

The Budget Savvy feature DIY wedding
The Budget Savvy feature DIY wedding

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

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
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

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!

Healdsburg Country Gardens summer red wedding
Healdsburg Country Gardens summer red wedding

Leah and Jason's Jewish wedding at Casa Real

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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Julie-Mikos-Photography-Jewish-wedding-16

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

Roses for your house and for your wedding

The roses are blooming! The roses are blooming! I love the early bloom season of roses in the Bay Area and the garden at my home is bursting right now! I dug out an old silver plate pitcher that was my late Aunt's, polished it best I could, put the dented side of the base at the back of the arrangement and viola! A gorgeous bursting summertime bouquet supplemented with a cherry blossom (also from my yard) and some green blooms from Trader Joe's! I know, I know, I AM NOT a florist, but it's really fun to play with flowers and cheap when most are from your own garden! Happy spring!

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Rose-Bouquet
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Rose-Bouquet

I've also included a sneak peak of a recent wedding I photographed -- the bride's and bridesmaids' bouquets featured roses! Check back later this week for more of this gorgeous wedding.

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rose bouquets
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Featured: Ray and Lily's wedding on A Paper Proposal

Ray and Lily's wedding was beautiful, and one of the things that really stood out were the gorgeous paper products that Ray designed just for the event. Photos of the products -- from their invitations to their favors and table numbers -- were featured on A Paper Proposal! Be sure to check out the feature on A Paper Proposal, and get photos of the entire wedding on my blog!

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Julie-Mikos-Photography-A-Paper-Proposal

Vendors involved in Ray and Lily's wedding included:

Church: The Church of the Nativity Chinese Banquet: Champagne and Seafood Restaurant Cake: Citizen Cake Flowers: Friend

Featured: Today's Bride San Francisco 2011

It was a delight to have my photographs featured in Today's Bride San Francisco 2011 edition! Trish and Bronson's wedding was stunning, filled with vibrant details that were a true treat for the eyes. Please check out Today's Bride on the newsstands, and see more of Trish and Bronson's wedding on my blog!

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rw2011_patricia-bronson.indd

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, in Calistoga

Featured: Wine Country Wedding on Perfect Bound

If only one thing could be said about Jamie and Ozzie’s stunning wine country wedding, it’s that her dress—oh, that Monique Lhuillier dress—was as breathtaking as every other detail the couple planned. So I was delighted that Perfect Bound, a wedding blog focused on bridal fashions, wanted to feature Jamie and Ozzie’s wedding! Get the fashion scoop on Jamie and Ozzie’s wedding on Perfect Bound, but for more details, be sure to visit this blog post.

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Julie-Mikos-Photography-Perfect-Bound-wine-country-wedding

Vendors involved in Jamie and Ozzie's wedding included:

Wedding Location: Lancaster Estate

Wedding Coordinator: Stephanie Beer of Covenant Coordinating

Catering: Grapevine Catering

Cake: Fleur de Lisa

Florist: Maria Philbin

Didi and Tim's Headlands Center for the Arts wedding featured on The Wedding Chicks

Didi and Tim's Headlands Center for the Arts wedding has been featured on The Wedding Chicks! Their wedding was a gorgeous fall affair with warming candles and hearty food -- it was a true pleasure to photograph! Check out The Wedding Chicks feature, or view even more photos from Didi and Tim's wedding on my blog!

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Julie-Mikos-Photography-The-Wedding-Chicks

Rancho La Puerta: A beautiful desination for friends and brides

I've been back almost a week from my shoot at Rancho La Puerta and have missed it so. My friend Laurel and I have already heard from a few of our ranch friends, all just as nostalgic as we are. There's a saying at the ranch, which is "take the ranch home with you," and I've been trying! I'm still going to bed pretty early (they even have a lecture on sleep!) and getting up early to do stretches before starting my day, and every day has had some form of exercise but one! Because most of the tables in the dining room are community tables, we got to meet so many fascinating people. More than one described the ranch as "summer camp for adults" and I would agree. That's a great description. The guests are limited to 100 a week and many guests sign on immediately for the same week the next year so they can see their ranch pals.

Cooking school, organic garden tours, swimming pools for relaxing AND water classes, a world class spa, 3,000 mountainous acres for hiking, and healthy, organic, mostly vegetarian eating. I would say it's perfect. Travel and Leisure magazine apparently agrees because it named the ranch the "Best Destination Spa in the World." Brides, if you can go to the ranch with your besties for your bachelorette party or just with your mom and sisters for a little R&R before the wedding (I ran into one of my former brides and her mom and sister in a swimming class!), I would HIGHLY recommend it!

Enjoy the photos!

Rancho La Puerta Organic Garden
Rancho La Puerta Organic Garden
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Rancho La Puerta Courtyard
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Rancho La Puerta Cactus
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Rancho La Puerta Hiking 5
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Rancho La Puerta Yoga 2
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Rancho La Puerta Gym 1
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Rancho La Puerta Gym 2
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Rancho La Puerta Bingo
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Rancho La Puerta Pool
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Rancho La Puerta Organic Farm 2
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Rancho La Puerta People
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Rancho La Puerta Eggs
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Rancho La Puerta Cooking School
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Rancho La Puerta Food 1
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Rancho La Puerta Food 2

Scenes from Rancho La Puerta

The incredible people behind Rancho La Puerta—a Mexican fitness resort and spa just an hour south of San Diego—invited me this week to photograph the resort’s fitness department and its new cooking school and chef for marketing materials. I love, love, love Rancho La Puerta. I love its unique atmosphere, its classes that promote a lifetime of health, its place beneath the mountains. Because my assignment was the resort’s fitness and cooking departments, I didn't get to photograph its lovely spas, grounds and pool—maybe on my next visit. This place is truly transforming. I think it may be perfect. Most of the vegetables and eggs used in dishes prepared here come from the resort’s onsite organic garden. Its spa treatments are to die for, as are the resort’s serious classes and workshops. I even went on a seven mile mountain hike this morning!

I’ll be sure to post more when I return.