Ceremony and reception: Aliso Viejo Country Club
Coordinator: J Bird Events
Hair and makeup: Elizabeth Hickman
Floral and decor: BG Visual Designs
Photobooth: Party Time Photobooth
DJ: The Events Consultant
Cake: French’s Bakery

We started off the day getting ready at The Renaissance hotel in Aliso Viejo. I was VERY excited to walk in and see Cindy’s stunning dress already hanging in the window!

A sweet moment between Cindy and her mom :)

Helloooooo, gorgeous! This waterfall structure at the hotel is so cool, and a great backdrop for portraits!

The first look took place at the country club. I just love having a first look, the moment where the bride and groom see each other for the first time is so sweet!

Their outdoor ceremony was beautiful!

A few more portraits on the grounds…

Absolutely beautiful reception details!

I was completely in awe of this cake!

A sweet first dance as husband and wife…

I love a wedding where guests really get on the floor and show their moves. I would say everyone had a fantastic time here :)

Congratulations, Cindy + Keith!

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1. Herb garden

My husband and I live in a condo, so we don’t have space to plant anything. Even if we did, I don’t have a green thumb and I doubt we’d have a vegetable garden. However, we always have a potted herb garden! I learned long ago when a recipe calls for fresh parsley, dried is not an acceptable substitute. Herbs pretty much grow like weeds and don’t die when I forget to water them…which is often. I love having a fresh herb garden!

2. Raspberry Thyme Smash

Another reason I like having a garden is a few select drinks I make in the summer that require herbs :) A couple of  summers ago we went to the JW Marriott for a weekend trip. The stay was amazing, but I also had a drink there I’ve never forgotten – it was raspberries muddled with thyme and it was delicious! The version from Bon Appetit is the closest I’ve come to recreating it. I like to add a little club soda because I like bubbly drinks :)

3. Caffeine

My position on caffeine can be summed up via someecards:

I admit I love energy drinks, which I know are not great for you, so I’ve been trying to transition to tea. I love Yogi Vanilla Spice Perfect Energy tea because it has a healthy caffeine kick :)

The only problem with tea is it takes FOREVER to make and drink tea. Heat the water to boiling. Brew the tea. Wait 15 minutes so you don’t scald off your tastebuds. Fortunately, I just discovered a website that provided me a solution to my tea making quandry!

2. Fab.com

I read about this via Perfectly Cursed Life and I just love Fab.com! It’s similar to the Rue La Las of the world, but instead of clothing or beauty, they focus on home goods, as well as offbeat items. I have pretty modern taste and a lot of their items appeal to me, but I only recently purchased something from the site! I bought this Takeya tea maker which I just love!

It’s perfect for brewing large batches of tea. Then I can refrigerate and heat up when I want a little tea. Non-scalded tastebuds, rejoice!

5. DRY soda

I don’t drink pop. That’s right, I said pop, I’m from the midwest! ;) I mean, I use it as a mixer for drinks, but in general, I never crave it. I don’t even like cola. But I DO like buying new, trendy things! I don’t remember where I heard about DRY soda, but I was pretty excited to see the lavender flavor at Ralph’s.

This is SO GOOD! It’s probably not for everyone, but it’s the perfect combination of lavender, a touch of sweetness, and bubbles, of course! It also smells divine! A bit of a relaxing soda (pop), if you will.

Happy Friday!

Ceremony: Presbyterian Church of the Master
Reception: Dove Canyon Country Club
DJ: O’Malley DJ Company
Florist: Sweet Blossom Designs

Morgan was a little excited to be getting ready for her wedding day!

Morgan waited in the bridal suite so her dad could see her for the first time. It was an incredibly touching moment! Here they are practicing lifting the veil at the altar.

I just love the expressions in this photo as Morgan sees Kevin for the first time and her dad’s pride at walking his beautiful daughter down the aisle!

We found a few minutes after the family formals to get some pictures of the new husband and wife!

At Dove Canyon, we were able to work with the bridal party for a few minutes. This is my largest bridal party to date and by far, the most fun!

A few more portraits of the stunning bride and groom…

On to the reception!

Morgan and her dad had an INCREDIBLE choreographed first dance! The crowd was going wild!

Congratulations, Morgan + Kevin!

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I’m not usually outdoors in the wee hours of the morning. Back when I was going to the gym and getting up at 4:40 (!!!) in the morning to do so, it was in and out of my car. It’s kind of nice running outdoors, and I’m noticing things I never saw before. Like snails. It rained Tuesday night and Wednesday morning’s run turned into a snail-dodging obstacle course. I didn’t hear any crunching, so I think the snails were spared. It made me realize I know nothing about these…invertebrates? Where do they go during the day? What do they eat? What eats them? Are they nocturnal? Do they have eyes? So much to learn about snails!

They seemed to be heading towards the grassy areas on my route back, so I’m thinking they live in the grass / bushes. But seriously snails. What’s up with you?

2. Gimlets

I like me some summer drinks! I used to make gimlets with bottled lime juice, but then I made one with fresh limes via The Way The Cookie Crumbles and I can’t turn back! Such a good drink.  One of my favorite beverages on a warm summer night. They’re completely worth juicing all these limes!

“It feel so good when it hits your lips!”

3. Speaking of delicious things, I must insist you make lobster macaroni and cheese.

I made this for Easter dinner and forgot about it until looking through some pictures. This isn’t something I’d make everyday, but it’s AMAZING! Incredibly rich, with a crunchy crust and chunks of lobster. I think next time I will make it with crab. Be a rebel and make it for Cinco de Mayo!

4. Tom and Lorenzo

I started following this blog because they post editorial fashion campaigns, which can be great inspiration for posing. But I started following everything because they’re funny and comment on pop culture, too, not just fashion. I particularly love their Mad Men recaps, and their Mad Style recaps are fascinating. As a viewer, other than thinking about whether I like or dislike an outfit, I don’t think about how costumes can influence a scene. The latest recap is here.

And last, but certainly CERTAINLY not least!

5. WEDDING SEASON!!!!!!

Wedding season officially kicks off for me this weekend with Morgan + Kevin’s spectacular gala at Dove Canyon Country Club! I’ve been slowly getting prepped all week doing the not-so-exciting things like charging my batteries and packing my bag that allow me to be fully prepared and excited about shooting weddings! I can’t wait for tomorrow (and I’m sure Morgan + Kevin can’t either)!

Happy Friday, all!

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The always amazing Riley family…

…and the unfairly photogenic Jessica + Young!

I hope you had a FANTASTIC weekend!

Today’s Friday Five is some pictures I took on my phone. I considered bringing my 7D, but between my laptop, tablet and purse, I thought I had plenty to take on the plane already. Nearly every time I consider taking my camera and leave it behind I regret it. I know a lot of people love taking pictures on their phone, and it’s super convenient, but I can’t help but compare them to the beautiful pictures I take with my DSLR :)

I saw more horses and cows in my time there than I probably have in the past 10 years combined. This was such a beautiful tawny-colored horse that I wanted to come closer…but he or she seemed a little wary of me.

The Sacramento airport’s baggage claim. I don’t mind flying into Sacramento, pretty decent food, easy to get in and out of, and most importantly, free Wi-fi!

You can’t see them too clearly here, but I drove through an area with lots of windmills. If you can see them, it’s a picture of windmills. If you can’t…it’s cows.

Yay big trees! Maybe it’s because I grew up in Michigan, but I appreciate large trees. I mean, a palm tree is nice-looking and certainly says something about where you are, but a tree like this, with branches reaching towards the sky, simply seems more rooted to me. It feels like it has a history.

Last but not least…duck face with a giant pinecone from Lake Tahoe.

I’m proposing a new rule…you can ONLY do duck face and take a picture of yourself if you are able to procure a pinecone the size of your face. Otherwise…just say no. ;)

Happy Friday!