Martha and Lonnie ... Married!

For a July afternoon in Southern California, you could not have asked for a better day. It was warm, but not hot. The vineyards of the Temecula Wine Country were green and ready to burst with fruit. Clouds ambled across the sky adding contrast to the deep blue. Friends and family drifted in, smiling with anticipation. The day was bathed in hope and joy, good wine and laughter. Lonnie and Martha got married.

Roses adorned the gazebo helping to cast a cool shade across the platform on which Martha and Lonnie gave their vows to love and to cherish. Permanence echoed in the sounds. In front of a small crowd of friends and family, the two basked in the warmth of the sunshine as well as their own friendship ... the bond with which they will make a life together.

I could not describe the reception in any other way than real. Their friends and family enjoyed each other's company and conversation. They enjoyed watching the bride and groom enjoy each other and the moment of their lives together. They enjoyed the food and dancing. They smiled with a genuine appreciation for what was taking place that day. They toasted Lonnie and Martha with real words, not fakery and flattery. Genuine love and sentiment wafted off of words that at times tottered out from vocal chords choked with emotion. It was real. Love.

Thank you Martha and Lonnie for the distinct privilege of capturing your day in photography.





Martha made her own bouquet!






























Lonnie, Martha and Martha's daughter, Sarah, poured sand into a vase, symbolizing the union of their lives. Very sweet moment.












The beautiful Temecula Valley Wine Country!




And lastly ...

A Preview of Martha and Lonnie's Wedding

Nicole and David

It was an absolute privilege to shoot the wedding of Nicole and David recently. A large, extended family arrived and were in good spirits and celebrated the joy of these two young people who are obviously in love and ready to embark on their lives together!











I absolutely loved the colors of her dressing room and the light pouring through the windows!

























Deliberately blurred ... I kindof like it...

Claire's Wedding Day -- A Preview

TK and Bethany's Wedding Reception

I had the privilege and honor of shooting TK and Bethany Scott's "second" wedding reception. The wedding was a couple of weeks ago in Minnesota, the place where Bethany grew up. After a honeymoon in Hawaii, the two were celebrated a second time by their family and West Coast friends. Held at the home of Ken and Thalia Scott, the family and extended family threw out all the stops to host a wonderful affair that doubled as a Hawaiian Luau (the family is half-Hawaiian) and wedding reception. Thrown in for no extra charge was a bit of a birthday party for TK who was 24 that day.

The 200 guests came in traditional Hawaiian clothing, adding a colorful festiveness to the already fun and joyous occassion. TK and Bethany were like seasoned wedding reception veterans and seemed to enjoy the relaxed, tropical-like casualness of the event; laughing and mingling with the host of friends and families that came to celebrate their marriage.

Capturing the event on film was a lot of fun and as the evening seemlessly flowed from traditional wedding ceremony events to Hawaiian and Polynesian dancing, it seemed as if I was shooting two very different gatherings at the same time. Fun!

The Polynesian dancers were made up of the Tippets sisters (cousins of the groom), Taylor Scott (TK's sister), Wendee Tippets (aunt of the groom) and TK himself along with his brother Travis. The groomsmen even joined in on one dance, and given they had all of two hours to become Hawaiian and learn the routine, they performed it flawlessly! The dancing was capped off by a hired professional that wowed the crowd with fire!

The Scotts put together a true "Island" feel to the reception, despite the Riverside locale!