Valentine’s Day Children’s Portraits

Monica recently had the opportunity to photograph two of the cutest little girls around. The mission was Valentine’s Day portraits. Not only did Monica get a serious workout trying to maintain a toddler and baby’s attention, but we like to think she also got some beautiful photos too.

Thanks mama for the awesome props, they always help make the pictures that much more adorable!

Wedding @ Dove Canyon Country Club, Dove Canyon, CA

Some weddings run like well-oiled machines, and others just have a wonderfully crazy feeling about them, like you are never sure what will happen next.

One thing we know for sure is that we always have to be ready in order to capture the frantic, nervous, beautiful and exciting moments every day has in store, however and whenever they happen.

Colin and Bushra’s wedding definitely fit this description. We started the day at the Ayres Suites in Mission Viejo for getting ready shots of the bride. When our photographer Monica arrived, nerves were high and hairspray was flying. The hair and makeup artists were working at full speed to get all the ladies ready for the big day.

As we always tell couples getting married: plan, plan, plan, but when your wedding day arrives, just take a big breath and enjoy it, no matter what happens. That advice certainly came in handy for Colin and Bushra.

Through no fault of his, Colin was more than half an hour late for his pictures with our second photographer, and it also happened to be raining. Now, we have to say, rain makes for some beautiful picture conditions, event though most clients would still prefer sun. Clouds lend a lovely light for portraits, and here in Los Angeles there is usually enough of a break between sprinkles to get some really amazing outdoor shots, which is exactly what we did!

Bushra, smart lady that she is, also had a shot list ready to go for all the family portraits she wanted us to take on the day of her wedding. She got us the list ahead of time, which was really helpful because it told us we’d need to work quickly through wedding party group shots to have enough time to get gorgeous wedding portraits of the bride and groom, which we took on the green at Dove Canyon Country Club.

So, everything worked out. We got a lot of stunning pictures, had a blast, and there wasn’t a dull moment all day! Colin and Bushra had short, sweet ceremony and a really fun reception. It was a wonderful start to their marriage, and we wish them an exciting adventure in the years to come!

Wedding @ Coyote Hills Country Club, Fullerton, CA

Oh yes, we did enjoy photographing this wedding.

One of the most striking things about Coyote Hills Country Club is its outdoor ceremony site. It was absolutely charming. A beautifully designed waterfall served as the backdrop, while wooden beams provided shade and even more charm overhead. The happy couple exchanged vows alongside their wedding party on a stage in front of their guests. Behind their guests was a lovely fountain. On a beautiful day you have peaceful water sounds on both ends, a gorgeous breeze, and the warming rays of the sun in just the right amount.

Many country clubs will provide a golf cart ride for the bride, groom, and photographer to get some intimate portraits on the green. The great thing about Coyote Hills Country Club in our opinion is there was no need for this. While jostling around in a golf cart and getting away from it all for a few is admittedly very fun, it does take up at least an extra half hour in addition to the amount of time that is normally required for pictures. At this venue, the bride and groom can just take five or ten steps away from where they said “I do,” and take stunning wedding portraits.

In addition to an unusually picturesque outdoor area, this orange county venue hires some of the nicest and most helpful staff. The ceremony was romantic, the reception was gorgeous, and the evening proceeded in a timely and well-organized manner. It was a wonderful evening. Congratulations Stephanie & Juan!

Old Town Pasadena Engagement Photography

Old Town Pasadena is one of our favorite places for portrait sessions including engagements. A lot of people are hesitant to choose a city backdrop for their pictures, opting instead for the beach or a park. If you’re feeling brave, somewhere like Old Town Pasadena can be super fun. Start your day out with a coffee or hot chocolate, then start walking around and let your creative juices flow! An urban themed portrait session is very different from taking pictures in a studio or at the beach. You really get the feeling that you’re on an adventure! In the end, you will get a huge variety of fun looks from your portrait session. Afterward, have some lunch and enjoy the rest of your day!

Fun Beach Wedding in Malibu, California

One of our favorite places to do a beach wedding is in Malibu, California at Westward Beach (near Zuma Beach). The coastline is stunning, with a very natural untouched feel, and of course the the weather in Los Angeles is nearly always sunny and gorgeous. You can’t spend an hour there without noticing either a dolphin, a seal, pelicans, or all three! It’s really a wonderful beach to get married at or to just spend a Saturday!

We’ve photographed quite a few beach weddings and are happy to share what we’ve learned from the experience. First, if you’re watching your budget and your guest list is small, then you might want to try getting married during the week. It might be a little harder to locate an officiant, but everything else will be cheaper that way, and you’ll probably have the beach entirely to yourselves (great for portraits).

If you’re considering having beach wedding, you also want to be sure to think about the timing of things and how that can affect your wedding photography. Many people opt for a sunset ceremony — and that’s totally romantic, but it limits your photo taking opportunities somewhat.

Instead, we recommend you shoot for sunset wedding portraits by doing your ceremony a bit earlier, instead. If you have your ceremony at least two hours before sunset, then you’ll have plenty of time for formal shots and bride and groom portraits in good light, assuming the ceremony is short.

It’s important to take all of the important wedding pictures before the sun starts going down, and that starts happening up to an hour before sunset. After you finish the wedding portraits, the bride and groom can join the reception — the nearby Sunset Restaurant is a good place to consider.

Then later, just as the sun is about to set, you can hit the sand again for a couple of quick sunset photos, just like Angie and Kevin did, below. Please enjoy the pictures, and for more great beach wedding photo ideas, give us a call!