Alyssa & Alejandro - Wedding

After having a blast hanging out with this couple for their engagement photos, this was one of the weddings I had been looking forward to this season. Alyssa and Alejandro are amongst the nicest people we have met and we immediately felt connected with them even after our short engagement session. Since we had already moved up to Alaska, we flew back down on a mini work vacation to shoot their wedding at the Santa Barbara Courthouse and the Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center. For this couple, it was totally worth traveling all those miles!

Alyssa and Alejandro carefully crafted a beautiful Santa Barbara wedding. Loved having the couple arrive at the reception hall via bike carriage with everyone outside with colorful streamers and a mariachi band. The mariachi band continued on through the night playing for their first dance and serenading each of the tables individually. The Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center is a great venue - it's got a high ceiling with exposed beams with plenty of windows to let in light; additionally, there's the beach right outside to run out and get really quick sunset photos on the beach.

Thank you Alyssa and Alejandro for including us on your wonderful day. Had such a hard time choosing amongst the photos for this blog. We had such a blast working with you and wish you the very best!

Jeanie + Stuart

Being backlogged is no good but I am getting the chance to revisit some of our work from Santa Barbara. This one was a short session that we shot at the Mural Room at the Santa Barbara Courthouse. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed shooting in Santa Barbara. Although the Mural Room can be a little difficult to shoot, I love how the light streams in. Loved working with this beautiful blended family! 

After the wedding, we followed them to Stella Mare to shoot a few pictures of the venue. Stella Mare is an awesome French restaurant near the Santa Barbara zoo. Jeanie and Stuart took over one of the smaller rooms in this quaint house-turned-restaurant. Again, the light in this room was gorgeous! Thanks Jeanie and Stuart for letting us capture your day!

Nick & Tara

January is actually one of the nicest months in Santa Barbara - temperatures can hit the 70s and the sky is blue with no hint of May Gray. Tara and Nick were our first 2013 wedding. We met the couple at the University Club where they were getting ready and would later have their reception. One of my favorite parts about shooting as a couple is getting to see what Scott and the boys are up to while I'm with the girls. The guys are typically working hard being goofy while the girls pull off the actual hard work.

The ceremony was in the Mural Room at the Santa Barbara Courthouse. This room can be notoriously difficult to shoot in depending on the light and whether the courthouse people have opened the heavy drapes (which you're "technically" not allowed to touch). However, today was a beautiful day with the sunlight streaming in and giving the ceremony an ethereal look. 

Then it was back to the University Club for the party. Tara, in Japanese tradition, folded 1000 cranes to bring good luck to their marriage. Music by Bonnie kept the dance floor busy and Pink Diamond (who also did Tara's beautiful makeup and hair) had an impressive, well stocked photo booth and guest book station. Tara and Nick were very gracious clients who always went out of their way to make sure that we were taken care of. Congratulations to the both of you!