A lovely email....

So, I had to share with you a lovely email I just got today from one of last year's brides... I just love it when photos make people happy... yeah!!!

Hi Andrejka, I'm so excited to tell you thank you for the album! I just opened it and looked at it literally 5 minutes ago. It is so gorgeous and beyond anything I could have expected. It's perfect! The pictures are so clear and arranged so perfectly. It took me back to our wedding day and made me feel everything all over again. Thank you, thank you, thank you! What a special surprise the three little brag books were too! They are perfect and I can't wait to give one to my mom and to Pete's mom and of course keep one for myself :) Thank you again from the bottom of my heart. Take care and keep in touch! Stephanie P.S. Pete just got home from work and I'm so excited to show him right now!

S & P... I'm so glad you love the album ... it was such a joy working with you last year... I hope we get the chance to meet up again this summer!

Love,
A

Jane & Glen's slideshow...

Here's a little more of Jane and Glen's beautiful and touching wedding in Oregon. Take a look at their slide show...

Click here for the slide show

I LOVED their first dance song so much that I had to use it in their slide show... a little ode to Billy Idol & Adam Sandler

Love, A

Jane & Glen are married!!

This past weekend I was so touched and honored to be a part of a very special ceremony between Jane & Glen. They asked that I meet them in Portland for the beautiful wedding.

This couple exudes joy, happiness, laughter and love to the extreme. Glen's eyes sparkled everytime he stole a little side glance at his new bride and Jane laughed with the biggest smile I've ever seen. It was truly an evening full of touching moments and belly laughs!!

Now, I've been to quite a few weddings and I must say that NEVER have I been to one that had EVERY SINGLE person dancing... sure usually you've got the small kids sliding across the dancefloor, the college friends dancing to LoveShack, the parents slowly dancing in the corner, and maybe once in awhile the grandparents will take their turn too... but THIS was something else, the bride's aunt was being swirled around the dancfloor by the bestman as both sets of parents boogied down with the couple, everyone else boogied in a circle... even the amazing caterers from Fresh Palate Cafe were dragged out there. I'm telling you... not a single person was sitting down (no exaggeration)... I was truly impressed!!

... and did I mention the whole affair was planned and executed in a month... without missing a single detail... it was a beautiful and elegant evening from beginning to end.

Jane & Glen... You two warm my heart every time I see you... thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of your special day!

Love, A Here are the amazing vendors who made the affair such a success:
Venue: Zenith Winery (the most AMAZING bridal room EVER)
Caterer: Fresh Palate Cafe (So accommodating and the food was awesome) & dancers too
DJ: Ryan Hein from Perfect Memory DJ (obviously he must have been doing an out of this world job to get the ENTIRE wedding out on the dancefloor)

Style Me Pretty... my newest favorite online find...

I am so excited to explore this blog more... it is the perfect little place to get advice on all things beautiful and wedding (from color palettes to vendors and everything in between) ... Abby has done an amazing job at creating a site that is all-inclusive, user friendly, and

To all my brides... check this out... ASAP... Style Me Pretty http://www.stylemepretty.com

Have fun exploring...

Love,
A

Off to Portland for Jane & Glen

I leave tonight for Portland to photograph the wedding of the adorable couple below. See you two in a few hours...
These pics were taken during Jane's bachelorette/shower afternoon last week, where she was to re-enact... "This is your love affair ... Jane & Glen" . . a retrospective around SB of how the sweet couple met and fell in love... only she had to carry around this goofy pic of Glen the whole time... (sorry Glen . . . the hat... a little goofy... it IS Santa Barbara not Alaska.. but I know for a fact, Jane thought it was cute ;)

I can't wait to be a part of this very very special day.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend...

Love,
A

Just like the movies...

Last night I witnessed the most unique, creative and thoughtful proposal ever...

Brent (an amazing filmmaker) has been working for months to organize the perfect proposal for Polly. He rented a theater, invited their closest family and friends under the guise of a going away party (Polly is headed to Africa for 6 weeks), and then here's the kicker... he created his own personal movie all about how to propose to Polly fully cast with the people closest in their lives.

It started with what looked like a documentary about Africa... then next thing you see is Brent on screen with all his buddies at the bar giving him the worst advice. It was hilariously funny... and perfectly them. Polly had no idea . . .and was definitely shocked!

After the film was finished he pulled her in front and got down on one knee.... AMAZING!!!

and after all that, at the "real" going away/engagement party, all he kept saying was "I can't believe she said yes... I can't believe she is going to be my wife..." ... how sweet is that, was there really any doubt...

Brent has definitely set a high precedent for all men to follow... and Polly truly deserves it!!

Congratulations Polly & Brent!!!

Love,
A

Click here for the slide show

Michele & Jeff... a wedding with Holiday flare

The first week in December I photographed the lovely wedding between Michele and Jeff. It was the beginning of the season that is now upon us. The tables were covered with evergreens and red accents.

After watching this slide show you'll have to agree.. what warms my heart most about this couple... Michele's laughter and the obvious look of joy in Jeff's eyes as he watches his bride's pure happiness expressed. There were so many moments that evening of this love that it makes me tear up just thinking about it... (yet again).

To Michele & Jeff, wishing you the most magical holiday as you spend your first Christmas together. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your special occasion.

Again I have to give a special props out to Janey for second shooting with me, and to the Crowne Plaza, and the Ventura Mission for helping to create such a beautiful event.

Love,
A

Click here to view slide show

Michele & Jeff are married!!

This past weekend I had the great honor and soooo much fun photographing this wonderful couple's wedding. I met Michele and Jeff last spring in San Francisco and totally hit it off. I've been waiting for months to photograph this December wedding... what a wonderful way to ring in the holiday season. We started at the San Buena Ventura Mission for a beautiful ceremony then moved down the street to party it up at The Crowne Plaza!!

I have to say (and I think everyone in attendance would agree)... there was definitely a higher power taking care of the light... gorgeous and sunny in the morning, perfect overcast right after the ceremony (just in time for group shots), and then the clouds broke like magic into the MOST AMAZING sunset I have ever seen in California...

Michele & Jeff... thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your special day. It has been so fun getting to know you over the last year. You two have such contagious smiles and laughter that light up a room. I can't wait to visit you up in SF this spring!! Congratulations!!

Here are just a few pics from this fun and lovely wedding...

A special special thank you to Janey for second shooting with me... you rock girlfriend!!!

Amy & Michael... An International Love Affair

(Above . . . some well traveled shoes)

Well, I must say this was one of the hardest couple to keep track of. . . I met Amy and Michael last year at the Dream Destination Wedding Weekend on Mackinac (location #1)... then we chatted and discovered we lived just a few hours away in Cali (location #2) . . . as we spoke more, I discovered Michael is from Australia. . .and they split their time there as well (location #3) . . .and now the kicker. . . over the past year as the three of us would email back and forth I came to realize that most of the time they were in Asia (location #4) . . pheewww. . .and I thought I traveled a lot...

And that was just the beginning. . . I could go on for hours about this couple, their wedding, their guests. . . everything... but I'll try and keep it short... To sum it up Amy and Michael along with Cameron and Matthew ("the boys") ... truly created an amazing family. I feel blessed to have been such a part of it.

As you can tell I love details, . . but when the details are meaningful and closely connected to the heart as they were that day... the love shines through even brighter (and I get even more teary eyed). Amy and Michael used this beautiful day to honor not only each other but their families, their friends, their ancestors and their traditions. It was truly inspiring!

Click here for the slide show

Okay . . .last thing. . .I MUST pay props to the wonderful team of vendors that pulled this event together.

The cake. . . by the AMAZING and talented Bella e Dolce

The flowers . . . by the talented Weber's Floral and Gifts

The event planner. . . Carole Erbel (For the Love of Mackinac) . . . words cannot even come close to express my appreciation for this woman's talent and skill

and. . . a very very very special thank you . . to my AWESOME assistant Britain... (there is no way I could have done this without you)... you rock!! (just look at her with the camera... you go girl)

Love, A

Stephanie & Peter. . . A "Grand" Escape

I wrote about this couple a few weeks ago. . .her shoes. . . his food .. . their smiles...

And now I am going back through looking at the pics for one last final edit and it just reminds me again of how cute Stephanie and Peter were... from the outside they were elegant and "adult" . . . but then you can look closer and see the childlike glimmer in their eyes as they looked at each other. Plus. . . take a look at the slide show... they couldn't keep their lips to themselves... they were constantly sneaking little pecks (luckily I had my camera)

Click here to view slide show

S & P . . . You two have showed me how love can bring out the childlike joy in everyone. I have no doubt this will keep you two forever young! Thank you.

Love,
A

BTW... They were married at Little Stone Church an adorable congregation on Mackinac then the reception was held at one of my favorite venues, The Grand Hotel (Marty you did an awesome job as always. . .good thing you know a thing or two about bustling)