Emily and Jarrod's wedding was so wonderfully elegant. It was a beautiful sunny day at Tahoe and a warm clear night. Emily looked stunning in her gown and I was so glad we got to take photos at the lake several times throughout the evening; day, sunset and night. It's very fun for me when a couple is really excited about the photos they want, and when they are willing to walk on the beach, stand on a swaying dock and walk around at night to get those photos!
Melissa & Jeremy /
This was my first time back at Lavender Ridge this summer and I am constantly impressed with the little things they do each year to make this venue better and better. Melissa and Jeremy's wedding here was so beautiful. The lavender was in full bloom and the wedding party wore a minty green to compliment all the purple. And it was a real party. Everyone was having such a good time from the moment I got there to the time I left. It made my job super easy; it's not hard to get good smiles out of people who are genuinely having a great time!
Mikelle & Sam /
Mikelle and Sam's wedding was so delightfully unique. Their burner wedding took place on a terraced property right on the shores of Lake Tahoe. They had a hookah lounge tent, face painters, signature cocktails, singing bowl and didgeridoo players, and even a cupcake eating contest! It was such a fun and beautiful party for everyone there and it was so enjoyable for me to capture it all!
Amanda & John /
Amanda and John's wedding was what every wedding should be. A happy, easy-going couple, a big fun-loving, good-looking wedding party, beautiful backdrops of forests, mountains and sky and a rockin' reception. But I think my favorite part of this wedding were the pink sequined bridesmaids dresses! But even those flashy little numbers couldn't upstage Amanda in her swirly, blingy gown that fit her like a glove.
Taylor & Josh /
The National Automobile Museum was the perfect place for Josh and Taylor's Disney themed wedding. All the vintage cars perfectly complimented the Mickey ears center pieces, the bright playful colors and even the Disney music! It was such a fun and magical day and Josh and Taylor were so sweet the whole day and so easy to work with. I've found that to be a commonality among Disney weddings; a magical atmosphere with great people having a wonderful time!
Stephanie & James /
Stephanie and James were so easy to work for throughout their wedding planning process. They were focused on enjoying the day with their family and friends. I found out during the speeches that Stephanie James and met when they were 12 and 13 years old. Their families talked about how they remember those early days when the two first started dating and how wonderful it is that these two people with hearts of gold finally got to tie the knot!
Misty & Garrett /
It's always so fun for me to go to new locations to do wedding photography, like Misty and Garrett's wedding at their friend's house in Bridgeport. There was a creek running right through the property with bridges and a little waterfall. At one point, Misty even did a little fishing from the shore! A wedding at home seemed to fit Misty and Garrett perfectly. They were so easy-going, happy and really just excited to be partying with and having fun with their friends and families.
Valerie & Cody /
Valerie and Cody's wedding was such a fun time for me. It was like a big old UNR reunion and it was great to see so many familiar faces. The rose garden at Idlewild looked absolutely perfect, and even though it rained everyone was willing to take lots of photos! The Wagner's are such a great couple, they dedicate their time to helping kids and the community in Fernley. I caught a couple of moments when Cody was pointing into the air and while I'm not positive why he was doing it, I assume it's because he feels like the luckiest guy in the world to have a lady as sweet as Valerie.
Sam & Corey /
Sam and Corey were so easy to work for. Not only are they both so kind and sweet, but it's so easy to photograph a couple who is so in love that they can't help but smile when they look at each other. In his speech, Corey said that the friends and family there show their love and support every day for Sam and Corey's relationship, so this day, their wedding day, was just like any other day. I thought that was such an insightful thing to say. I don't often see couples after their wedding day, but it's always nice to hear when they truly have their whole lives in mind when they get married, not just this one special day.
Location: Galena Creek Park Flowers: Flowers by Patti
Alyssa & Ken /
Alyssa and Ken's engagement photo shoot last year produced some of my favorite images. Partly because we had a really nice backdrop and great lighting, but mainly because Alyssa and Ken are both so photogenic as individuals, but even more so as a couple. They are so comfortable with each other, they smile so genuinely at each other, it's very obvious that they are truly in love. Their wedding was no exception. The Twenty Mile House has so many spectacular spots to take photos and Alyssa and Ken were willing to go to all of them to take their photos and I'm so happy with how they all turned out.
Location: Twenty Mile House Dress: Blue Garter Catering: Southern Accent
Tiffany & John /
The Carson Valley is one of my favorite places to take photos and Tiffany & John's wedding was no exception. It was a chilly, blustery day, but Tiffany, John, their wedding party and families were all so great about taking photos outside with the beautiful mountains for our backdrop. Everyone there, friends, family even the staff at David Walley's, were all so nice and so happy for this great couple. It was such a pleasure spending the day with this great group of people, and it didn't hurt that the deep purple they used as their main wedding color is my absolute favorite color!
Kayla & Sarah /
I've been looking forward to taking Kayla and Sarah's wedding photos since taking their engagement photos in the fall. But taking photos turned out to be more of an adventure than anyone could have expected. A snow storm rolled in and it didn't look like it was going to let up for the outdoor ceremony. But when the snow finally subsided, they were able to go forward with the beautiful ceremony... only to be covered with snow again by the end! It made for such amazing pictures and I'm so happy everyone was able to brave the cold for this special occasion. Sarah and Kayla make everyone around them feel happy and loved and I was so grateful that I was able to spend this special day with them.
Location:Tannenbaum Events Center Flowers:Petal to the Metal DJ:Do Well Events Caterer:Blend
Ryan & Aimee /
I was so excited for this wedding not only for the beautiful scenery that I knew we were going to see, but also because I got to spend the whole day following around Ryan and Aimee, two truly awesome people. This day was perfect, and even though it rained, we had clear blue skies for all the photos and the ceremony. We did the first look photos in the same spot where Ryan proposed to Aimee, beneath Bridal Veil falls (how perfect!). This park has so much meaning to Ryan and Aimee, it was very special that they were able to begin this new chapter of their life here. Now they are off to Tennessee where Ryan will begin his medical residency and I'm glad I got to capture this day for them before they go!
John & Emily /
Photographing John and Emily's wedding was the prefect way to start off 2016. They are both so sweet, so fun and it was such a pleasure capturing their day. Arrowcreek looked beautiful with a blanket of snow on the green and a view of the snowy mountains outside and warm flower arrangements by Sparks Florist on the inside. It was a very cold day, but lucky everyone was brave enough to go outside for a few shots and the photos turned out beautifully! No one even looks cold! If every couple is as easy to work with, as easy to photograph and as in love with each other as John and Emily, then I'd say I'm in for an excellent year.
Marty & Crista /
New Year's Eve weddings are always fun to photograph because everybody is ready to party, and Crista and Marty's 1920's Great Gatsby themed wedding was no exception! The ladies at Salon Lux made Crista and her bridesmaids look super glamorous and the lights, the music and the decor at Cargo made for a roaring party that was perfect for ringing in the new year as well as celebrating such a wonderful couple. But my favorite party of the night wasn't the cake with sparklers on it or the newly weds counting down to midnight (thought those moments were close!). My favorite part was during the ceremony when Crista and Marty invited Marty's kids to stand with them up at the alter. The officiant asked the kids to take Marty and Crista as their parents and the Marty and Crista to take them as their children. It was such a cool way to incorporate the children into this new union and special way for them all to start this new life as a family together.
Ayala Wedding /
I couldn't have picked a better wedding to end my 2015 wedding season on. Erica and Cesar are such a sweet couple who's love for each other had an affect on everyone at the wedding. They both cried upon seeing each other during the ceremony, and almost everyone giving a toast got chocked up as they talked about the happy couple. It was also nice to see how much Cesar's friends and family love Erica and how much Erica's friends and family love Cesar. Everyone's support of their relationship was inspiring. Sasha at The Tannenbaum and Stephanie from Pin-Ups by Paris Events made my job so easy and it was altogether a great day!
Powell Wedding /
You would never have guessed it, but almost everything at Jessica and Joe's wedding was put together not by wedding professionals, but by their families. The wedding was held in Joe's mom and step-dad's beautiful backyard, Jessica's mom actually made two beautiful, intricate dresses for Jessica, the dessert table was full of handmade cookies and fudge and Joe and Jessica themselves brewed all the beer and wine at the wedding. At the end of the night when I commented on how great it was that so many people pitched in to make this day do great, Jessica's mom said, "This is how a family is supposed to be." It was really inspiring to see two families so happy to be brought together by two great people.
Pinkston Wedding /
It's hard to believe that Casey and Haley's wedding took place in a backyard because it was one of the more beautiful weddings I've been to and they are definitely one of the sweetest, kindest couples I've had the pleasure of working with. We had extra time before the wedding to take a limo to a beautiful spot for pictures and even though it's already October, it was such a lovely day. That is until is started hailing and raining later in the evening! But nobody's spirits were dampened by the rain and every either kept dancing or kept warm by the fire.
Solari Wedding /
Not many people get the privilege of having their parent, children and grandchild at their wedding, but Debbie and John were lucky enough to have that. Debbie's bridesmaids were mother and daughter and they all got ready in their newly built home on Lake Almanor and it was so fun to take pictures there. John's groomsmen were his sons and Debbie's son walked her down the aisle. There were beautiful fall colors at the ceremony site, but the weather was still warm and beautiful. And the fact that there were so many familiar faces made it especially fun for me to photograph.
Graham Wedding /
I have been looking forward to this wedding ever since I met McKenna. I have always wanted to photograph a wedding at Sardine Lake in the Sierra Buttes and I was so excited that it was for a couple as fun as McKenna and Dusty. It was altogether as amazing day. The weather was perfect, the ceremony was beautiful and the reception hall in Sierra City was so elegantly decorated with chandeliers, big bouquets of flowers and taper candles. McKenna and Dusty added so many personal touches to really make it their own; a personalized photo booth back drop with little notes written to each other, old photos from the weddings of a bunch of different family members and my favorite, a little fondant spider man at the bottom of the cake!
