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Penthouse Suite Welcome Dinner at the Fairmont San Francisco

September 5, 2012

Emilie and Andrew were fortunate to be able to have their welcome dinner in the Penthouse Suite of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Originally designed as a private residence, the suite was designed by Julia Morgan and has four bedrooms, a living room, dining room, circular two story library and a Moroccan tiled billiard room! What a gorgeous setting for the night before their wedding!

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My First Bicycle Summit!

September 4, 2012

So proud that I was able to climb to the top of Mt. Diablo on my bike! 3 1/2 hours of climbing and 3800 feet! Saw a tarantula on the way up too!

Private Ranch Wedding - Flora and Andrew!

August 24, 2012

Congratulations to Flora and Andrew! What a gorgeous wedding! Alicia of Alicia K Designs and her team did a phenomenal job transforming a working ranch and hundred-year-old barn into a festive and intimate location for a wedding. The ceremony site was set with hay bales covered with pink fabric, a very sweet detail. But that was hardly the only sweet detail of the day! The couple included a popcorn bar complete with a reclaimed wood top, stunning bouquets of pink and coral roses by Nasrin and Momo of La Lavande and a cupcake display filled with delicious creations by Sibby's Cupcakery. (Did I mention you could choose your cupcake flavor from an antique cabinet?) An old-fashioned, upright piano and player set an Old West tone during cocktail hour. But the barn was truly transformed for the DJ's set later in the evening, when everyone let loose for loads of dancing. Serious fun was had by all at this wedding!

Wedding coordination and design: Alicia K Designs

Flowers: La Lavande

Event Rentals: Blueprint Studios

Additional event rentals and lighting: Hartmann Studios

Catering: Gerald's Paella

Stationary: Painted Tongue Press

Calligraphy: Papineau Calligraphy

Cupcakes: Sibby's Cupcakery

Linens: La Tavola

Ceremony Music: Blossom String Quartet

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Tra Vigne Restaurant, Napa Valley Wedding - Athena and Arthur!

August 16, 2012

Sweet, sweet, sweet! Athena and Arthur are such a super sweet pair! She is definitely the Yin to his ultra-silly personality Yang and I just loved shooting their intimate wedding at the lovely and oh-so-good Tra Vigne restaurant in St. Helena, Napa Valley. I've never shot a wedding at Tra Vigne and have heard nothing but raves about the food and was pleased to finally see it. What a lovely courtyard setting and wonderful food. Set in St. Helena, it's the perfect location for an intimate weekend wedding. Athena and Arthur seemed to have a ball socializing with their guests and enjoying a long, leisurely dinner despite the fact that Athena was sick with bronchitis! You would have never guessed. She looked gorgeous and glowing as Arthur entertained the crowd! Congratulations Athena and Arthur!

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Vendors involved in Athena and Arthur's wedding included:

Venue: Tra Vigne

Bakery: Sweetie Pies

Flowers: By a family friend

Featured: Mandy and Jim on Elizabeth Anne Designs!

August 9, 2012

Mandy and Jim's wedding was simply romantic! I loved every detail, and I am delighted that Elizabeth Anne Designs has featured their wedding on its blog today! Check out the feature on Elizabeth Anne Designs and for even more images, see my blog post!

Featured: Michelle and Ron's wedding on I Do Venues!

August 3, 2012

It's always nice to find out that images from a wedding I've taken have been used on I Do Venues! This time, it was Michele and Ron's Auberge du Soleil wedding that was featured on the site! You can check out the feature here, or for more images from this wedding, see my blog post!

Napa Wedding at Brix - Marilyn and Michael

August 1, 2012

Bright fuchsia and grapevines make this a super cheerful Fourth of July wedding in Napa Valley. I just LOVE the outdoor area of Brix restaurant. With the organic garden, vineyard and mountains in the background, I think it's one of the prettiest and most intimate spots in Napa Valley. Dee Merz did a wonderful job creating this super colorful and cheerful setting for Marilyn and Michal's intimate gathering. This was a destination wedding for bride and groom and guests (all were in from Canada) and I'm sure it was the perfect day for them that it was meant to be. Great atmosphere, gorgeous weather and family are all you need for a perfect wedding day!

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Vendors involved in this wedding included:

Venue: Brix Planning: Dee Merz Weddings and Special Events Catering: Brix Hair and Makeup: Monique of Unique Sonoma Salon Flowers: Sue Buhagiar Cake: Perfect Endings

Healdsburg Country Gardens Sonoma Wedding - Jen and Dario

July 20, 2012

I couldn't believe it when I heard Jen did all of the detail projects for the wedding! Loved the burlap signs and the light and airy feel to the whole wedding. Healdsburg Country Gardens is one of my favorite venues for a wine country wedding. It's small, intimate and lovely and the owner of the property couldn't be nicer and more accommodating. Maria Philbin is a wonderful florist and as usual, I had fun photographing the flowers and all the little details Jen provided. She made everything from chalkboard signs to burlap table runners! Jen and Dario and I had a great time on a rainy evening in SF shooting their e-session and it makes for such a relaxing time for all of us during the wedding day photo session. They did great and seemed to have a terrific time while we were shooting. They are a sweet and special couple and had a gorgeous wedding! Congratulations Jen and Dario!

Vendors involved in Jen and Dario's wedding included:

Venue: Healdsburg Country Gardens

Florist: Maria Philbin

Day-of coordinator: Megan Terry

Caterer: PBS Catering

Bakery: Jeanette Wallace, friend of the bride

Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas

Featured: Lauren and Nick on Wedding Chicks

July 18, 2012

Lauren and Nick's Healdsburg Country Gardens wedding was the ultimate in pink shabby chic! I am so happy that Wedding Chicks featured this gorgeous affair and all this couple's very special details on their blog today! Please check out the Wedding Chicks feature, and see my blog post for even more photos of this beautiful wedding!

Wedding Paper Diva Watercolor Floral Invitation

Wedding Paper Divas

July 10, 2012

I was recently introduced to Wedding Paper Divas, and I just love their business model — ordering your invitations online makes things so easy! How pretty is the below floral invitation? I also love that Wedding Paper Divas frequently offers special discounts and promotions to their customers, which you can check out here. Some of their special offers end today, so you'd have to act fast!

Running Rabbit Ranch - Sonoma Wedding of Marisa and Ryan

July 9, 2012

Lovely summer details in such a perfect sunny wine country setting! Marisa and Ryan found Running Rabbit Ranch, a lovely little venue tucked in Sonoma wine country complete with a white barn and green vineyards. They hung colorful lanterns from the gorgeous oak trees and used sunny sunflowers to brighten all the tables. Marisa was like a sunflower herself, glowing in the summer light with huge smiles brightening everyone's day. Gorgeous!

Vendors involved in Marisa and Ryan's wedding included:

Location - Running Rabbit Ranch

Floral Design - Myrna and Patsy Vandenberg

Catering - Pacific Connection Catering

Cake - Caroline Besse

Stationery - Crescent Moon Paper Company

Family Portrait in Chicago

June 28, 2012

I've been photographing this family every year since the day Bridget and Jim got married! I swear their kids just get cuter and cuter! This time Bridget dressed all three in matching monogrammed outfits from Kate and Libby. I thought they were gorgeous and perfect for our Lake Michigan-side shoot!

Fun ideas for flower girls!

June 22, 2012

Happy Friday! To kick off the weekend, I wanted to post a few of my favorite flower girl ideas! Flower girls don't have to sprinkle rose petals down the aisle! Take a cue from some of my past clients and give your flower girls purses or parasols to carry, flowers for their hair or even their own bouquet!

Rancho La Puerta Take Three!

June 15, 2012

Oh, what a good gig! For the third time in a year I've been lucky enough to go to what I'm now considering might be the most special place in the world. Rancho La Puerta is a spa/health ranch located just south of San Diego, nestled on 3,000 in Tecate, Mexico. It was founded in the '40s by a health-conscious couple and has grown into a lovely, healthy getaway. It was voted two years in a row as "best destination spa in the world" by Travel and Leisure magazine readers. The fitness program is top-notch, with full time instructors plus weekly visiting instructors in various disciplines. The food is vegetarian with a bit of fresh fish, and a lot is grown on their own gigantic and gorgeous organic farm. Oh, and the spas and the spa staff are phenomenal! Last time I was there, I got something called a "four hands" massage. Two burly guys working on you completely in sync. Incredibly decadent! Best part about the ranch is it's not pretentious in the LEAST. Most people describe it as "summer camp for adults". Everyone comes in on Saturday and stays until the following Saturday. With mostly communal tables in the dining room, you get to know a lot of the other guests by the end of the week. I've met some fascinating people every time! This visit's assignment was trying to get more men in the pictures to encourage more men to visit. I brought my hubby and he pops up in some of the pics!

Featured: Kim and Ken on Wedding Row California!

June 15, 2012

Kim and Ken's wedding was simply sweet. From Kim's trailing and delicate bouquet to flower girls with wings, every detail was simply precious! And now, their wedding has been featured on Wedding Row California! Be sure to check out the feature on Wedding Row California and for even more photos, be sure to check out my blog post!

Marin Art and Garden Center - Ashley and Bob

June 12, 2012

Marin Art and Garden Center is such a hidden gem! Ashley and Bob recognized it for all it's charm and beauty and for all of the wonderful early summer blooms! What a backdrop for a garden wedding. Also, Marin is blessed with such gorgeous weather. It was freezing and foggy all over the rest of the bay area, but in Ross it was all sunshine and warmth. Ashley and Bob couldn't have been a sweeter couple and their families and friends all had a blast. I always love working with Sarah Hyde of "sHe" hair and makeup and LOVED the simple makeup and lovely side-swept ponytail with orchid accent she created for Ashley. So simple and lovely. Congratulations Ashley and Bob!

Vendors who were involved in Ashley and Bob's wedding included:

Venue:

Marin Art and Garden Center

Gown: White by Vera Wang Hair and Makeup: Sarah Hyde of

sHe

Florist: Josette Brose-Eichar of

Lavender Floral

Baker: Jill Branch of

Branching Out Cakes

Caterer: Michael Woodward

Happy Four Years To My Hubby!

June 5, 2012

It was four years ago Sunday my hubby and I got married. It was a Tuesday in Yosemite Valley with immediate family. What a lovely day we had!

Peonies, tulips and snapdragons in hot pinks and oranges create a cheerful bouquet!

June 4, 2012

Once again, Trader Joe's grabs me with their flowers! My husband always gripes because we ride our bikes to the grocery store and hardly have room in our baskets for flowers, but I can't pass them up! It started with the hot pink peonies and then I decided to accent with orange/pink snapdragons and orange tulips. Throw them in the old pickle jar and what a lovely bouquet to enjoy for the week! Happy Monday!

San Francisco Engagement Session - Cassidy and Brandon

May 31, 2012

Such a sweet couple! Cassidy and Brandon got engaged at Ocean Beach so it's appropriate they chose Ocean Beach for their engagement session! We totally lucked out and had gorgeous weather (as any San Franciscan knows, Ocean Beach can be fiercely cold and foggy). After a few shots in casual clothes, they did a quick wardrobe change and we headed to nearby Surto Baths for a few more shots. We had such fun and I'm looking forward to shooting their November wedding!

Featured: Henry's nursery on On To Baby

May 24, 2012

I have had the pleasure of photographing Kelly and Eddie's simply stunning wedding, as well as portraits of their newborn son, Henry. Kelly and Eddie put so much work into making Henry's nursery extra special -- she hand made a mobile, while Eddie constructed Henry's changing table. And those are just a few of the gorgeous details you'll find from the nursery, featured today on On To Baby! If you are planning your own nursery, or simply love design, you don't want to miss this post!