To say that I have a major girl crush on Karri would be an understatement.  I’m not sure if she knows this yet, but I want her to be my friend.  I think she is absolutely BEYOND fabulous and I was thrilled to death when she asked me to shoot her wedding. 

See, Karri was the most perfect bride a photographer could ask for.  Her eyes tell you exactly how she’s feeling.  Her face is so incredibly expressive.  And her laugh is the most infectious I’d ever heard.  It’s deep and all encompassing and you can’t help but laugh with her.  Really, the most perfect bride.

And Doug, he’s the quiet calm next her rambunctious.  He’s tall and steady.  And so madly and completely in love with this vivacious woman.  But the calm, I think it wears off on her. 

I called her a few days before the wedding to run over some final details.  She told me she’d lost her engagement ring, at Costco.  And while my stomach absolutely fell for her, she told me that it only further reinforced the reasons that she was marrying Doug.  He was the calm to her freaked out frenzy.  And then, she was calm. 

There were hiccups through the day.  And Karri never once wrapped herself into a tizzy.  Cool, calm and collected.  And every once in a while she would look up and say "I get to marry Doug today!"  Because that was all that mattered. 

Karri & Doug - I absolutely adore the two of you.  And I can’t imagine a better match for either of you.  As I was editing through the images, I remembered how I felt when I saw the two of you staring at each other all googly eyed and madly in love.  And I got a little heart flutter.  I could not be more touched by the love and respect that you give to each other and to every single person that enters your life.  What you share is so special, incredibly unique and absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for choosing me to document this absolutely amazing day.  Knowing the two of you has made me a better person, a better wife and a better photographer.

I met Karri at the Marriott in Pasadena to finish up the getting ready.  When I arrived, she was taking a look over her vows.

Karri brought along a length of Russian netting and her hair stylists fashioned it into a birdcage veil.

While I was with Karri, Chris was with the guys.

Karri left no detail untouched.  Every single aspect of the wedding was intentional.

Kerim from My Wedding Blooms really outdid himself.  Everything was stunning!

Chris caught one of the ring bearers watching the guests arrive.

Karri & Doug were married at the Villa del Sol d’Oro, a venue that I’ve been DYING to shoot.  Thank you Jennifer, you and your staff were incredible!

The floral aisle was a surprise for Karri from Kerim… when she saw it, her mouth dropped!

Karri’s father passed late last year.  I love the ways she incorporated him into the wedding with the photo and a locket around her bouquet.

The way he looks at her, Ugghhh!  So beautiful.

This is possibly my most favorite first kiss image I’ve ever shot.  The way she’s going for him and pulling him to her.  So fierce.  So passionate.

Amanda and her team from In The Now Weddings put all of the details together.  They did a fantastic job!

Ohhh, and there’s more fabulouslness in slideshow form. 

I’m going to introduce you to Karri & Doug real quick with their Photobooth slideshow.  Few words, more pictures, because you’re going to get a HUUUUUGE mouthful about these two in the next blog post (or two, maybe even three because the images are so amazingly fantastic and I could shoot this wedding every single day of the year for the rest of my life and be the happiest little photographer in Los Angeles.)

So, we shall start with the photobooth!  Take a looksee!

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, we like to party.

Big kisses to Chris for shooting!

Danielle & Jerry give me so many opportunities to break out of my box.  I get to try different things.  I get to be a edgier.  Which isn’t really my style, but to have the opportunity to try something totally new… that’s just amazing!  Our engagement session in the dark was something I’d never done before, and I LOOOVED it!  And their wedding definitely broke from the traditional! My very first black wedding dress.  Danielle told me about it at our first meeting and I knew that the nontraditional fit them to a T.  Makes for quite the striking bride! 

Chris got some time before the ceremony to shoot the boys.

The look on a groom’s face as his bride walks down the aisle…  Jerry was so intently focused on Danielle.

Danielle & Jerry got complementing tattoos two days before the wedding.  They’re so simple and beautiful.

Danielle & Jerry - Thank you so much for inviting Chris & I to be a part of your wedding day!  You two are fantastic and we’ve had an amazing time getting to know the two of you.  Congratulations, we wish you all the best in the world!

My little business took a big step this week.   Up to this point, I’ve been meeting clients for consultations at coffee houses all over Southern California.  It’s always loud.  And we’re crowded around a little table.  And I drink WAAAY too much coffee and am bouncing all over the walls for the next 5 hours. 

So, I built a studio!  I am beyond wicked excited about meeting clients in this FAAANTASTIC new space.  It’s quiet and we can listen to any music we want!  And, there’s a coffee machine, so I can still bounce all over the walls for the next 5 hours. 

I’m so looking forward to meeting all of you on the super soft and comfy new couch! 

The Gallery Wraps are my most favorite thing on the planet.  After the chandelier.  And the couch.  And the bookends.  They’re HUGE and I’m so incredibly happy with how they’ve turned out.

Something super awesome that I’ve been working on! 

I met Amy & Larry for the very first time on Sunday!  They live in DC and are getting married in Orange County in the Spring.  Paola, my most favorite wedding coordinator, sent Amy over to me.  We had a lovely phone conversation last year, but I’ve been able to really get to know her through her blog, The Relentless Bride.  So, when we finally got to meet this past weekend, I felt like I knew her already! I was really looking forward to our shoot though, to put all the pieces together finally! 

Amy follows me on Twitter and Facebook too.  So she recently read that my sister had just finished makeup school.  She asked if Moira would be able to do her makeup and I hooked the two of them up!  I think my little sister is just fabulous and am so excited to see her heading down this new path! 

So, the four of us made our way through Malibu and had a FAB time laughing and joking with each other.  Well, a fab time until we got to the beach and it was approximately -42 degrees.  Seriously, FREEZING!

Amy & Larry - I couldn’t be more excited for your wedding!  You two are super fun and I’m excited to laugh my way through the day!

I LOOOVE these kinds of sessions.  Trash the Dress sessions that aren’t actually trashing the dress.  More like After Sessions.  The Forever After!  See, wedding days are SOOO full.  And we don’t always get to give portraits of the bride & groom the full attention that they deserve.  So, to have two full hours, devoted only to images of two people in love… well, that’s just beautiful! 

Ingrid and Chris have been married for just short of a year!  They decided to don their wedding clothes once more to commemorate the big anniversary!  We had a fabulous time traipsing around Old Town Orange, finding amazing little alleys and backdoors.  They were so easy going and so absolutely and amazingly happy.  The way that they look at each other, it’s pure and utter joy.

Ingrid & Chris - I had such fun with the two of you!   You’re absolutely fantastic people and, as a couple, stunningly beautiful! I hope that you two love these images… because I’m head over heels for them! 

I love love love shooting engagement sessions.  Love.  It’s such a great chance for me to really meet my clients.  To hang out and get to know them.  To find out what they like and don’t like.  To see how they react to my camera and what makes them giggle.  I’m so happy when we get to spend this time together! 

Danae, Brian and I had a great time hiking around the Hollywood Hills.  And they were down for everything.  Danae was willing to sit down in the general vicinity of dog poo for me.  DOG POO!  (I didn’t make her though, that would just be cruel!)  So, thank you Danae & Brian, for doing everything I asked and for having so much fun with me!  Ohh, and the cookies.  Oh holy crap, the cookies.  Danae made me Hazelnut cookies!  And I’ve been eating them nonstop for the past three days.  SOOO delicious!  I shall be round in no time!   I’m super excited for your wedding! 

I had the super awesome opportunity to second shoot for James Carson last month!  I love being able to shoot for someone else.  It gives me the chance to do a bit of experimenting, to focus on the little details and to see how someone else goes about shooting a wedding.  It’s such a great learning experience and I’m so excited to be able to do it! 

Monica & Vic have known each other FOREVER!  They’ve followed each other around the world while they pursue their dreams.  They seem to be so supportive of each other, it’s really beautiful. 

And they threw one hell of a party at The Museum of Latin American Art. There was color and food and a mariachi band and a beeeatufiul bike!  The details were fantastic, the cake was beautiful and the guests were so happy to see Monica & Vic tie the knot.  Nothing better than super happy people! 

I started off with the boys before the ceremony.

They were married at St. Anthony in Anaheim.

I was chatting with Monica’s mother and she told me she made the centerpieces.  I was wowed, because there were so many of them!  And then she told me by "made" she meant "grew".  She GREW all of the succulents in the centerpieces!

 Congratulations Monica & Vic!  And thank you Carson, for having me along!

So, I’m fairly easily excited.  I get excited by lots of things.  Well, really everything.  Chris must thing I’m insane.  Sometimes I come bolting out of my office, jumping up and down and grinning in a ridiculous manner.  When I got Michelle’s email i did just that.  She wanted to drive up from San Diego to shoot with me.   And I was just tickled that someone would want to come so far just to see me! 

Michelle is absolutely super adorable.  Her sister drove up with her and the three of us had a fab time on the beach making sure that we captured some amazing images for her fiance. 

And as excited as I was to get her email, Michelle beats me.  She is probably the most excited person ever to see photos.  She told me on the beach.  And then in an email.  And then in a letter.  And then in another email.  And we just shot on Friday!  She told me that my cats were cute, but she would like her images to be the most recent blog post.   (I’m so excited that you’re excited Michelle!)

Michelle - Hope you adore them!