Wow! What a week it has been! After shooting a double-header last weekend, Erin and I swiftly drove off the next morning to a much needed vacation in celebration of our 1 year anniversary! I can’t believe it’s been a year already. Crazy!! I’m working on another post to tell you all about the surprise I pulled for Erin and share some photos of our trip, hopefully coming by the end of this week!

Why a week? Because we are bursting at the seems to share with you the two awesome weddings we shot last weekend! The first one being Lisa and Frank’s wedding on Saturday. We had such a great time with these two from start to finish! Not only do they love one another more than anything, they love having a great time with their family and friends! Their whole day was filled with laughter, tears of joy, and a celebration that lasted long into the night.

Erin was with Lisa and the ladies at the Newport Marriott and I had the chance to be with Frank, their son Christian, and Frank’s groomsmen at the Hotel Maya in Long Beach; definitely a great place filled with unique and vibrant colors! Needless to say, we guys had a great time relaxing and enjoying the morning.

After their ceremony at nearby church, everyone headed over to one of our favorite places in Long Beach, the Ebell Club!! (Remember Ashley and Brandon’s wedding we shot there?) Combined with the wonderful team coordinating the event and the awesome staff with Jay’s Catering, the food and fun were not in short supply. Before the party really got started, we snuck to a back alley with Lisa and Frank and they rocked out some killer looks for us…we just stood back and snapped away! Both of them are just so natural in front of the camera, we really lucked out with these two and feel so blessed to have been present to capture the beginnings of a wonderful family.

Lisa, Frank, and Christian, thank you so much for having us be a part of your day! We are so excited to share with you even more of our favorite moments…

48 votes vote for this image

47 votes vote for this image

50 votes vote for this image

48 votes vote for this image

56 votes vote for this image

51 votes vote for this image

47 votes vote for this image

53 votes vote for this image

48 votes vote for this image

56 votes vote for this image

48 votes vote for this image

47 votes vote for this image

51 votes vote for this image

48 votes vote for this image

48 votes vote for this image

46 votes vote for this image

43 votes vote for this image

52 votes vote for this image

45 votes vote for this image

51 votes vote for this image

43 votes vote for this image

45 votes vote for this image

48 votes vote for this image

46 votes vote for this image

48 votes vote for this image

50 votes vote for this image

50 votes vote for this image

They met one another, and almost as soon as they parted ways, the encounter was forgotten. Because that’s what was meant to happen for Alex and Dustin at that moment in life, the time wasn’t right, they weren’t right for one another….yet. Fast forward, and in both of their minds, the timing was perfect. But neither one knew the other was feeling the same way. However, thanks to the loose lips of an older woman at their church…the news was out…Alex had her eyes on Dustin. And that’s all Dustin needed to hear! Determined to tell Alex that he felt the same way, he was on a mission to find her and tell her his feelings. Thinking he was coming over to let her down easy, Alex avoided him at all costs, trying to save herself from the awkward and embarrassing “R.D.T” (relationship defining talk). Little did she know…that Dustin wasn’t giving up. He came to her house and was met by her friend, the ever-valuable buffer for all women, and she too tried to prevent him the chance to see Alex.  At the end of his wits, Dustin laid it all on the line, saying he’d wait on her porch all night if he had to…all he knew was that he had to see Alex…that she was all he ever wanted.

During our time with them in Old Town Orange, it was so amazing to hear them tell this story, as we now all can see that these two were brought together for a reason! Needless to say, Dustin didn’t have to wait all night on Alex’s porch that night, but something tells me he would have set up a campsite by her door, if only for a moment to be with the woman of his dreams and tell her how he felt.

We had such a wonderful afternoon catching a glimpse into the lives and hearts of Alex and Dustin, and are so excited to share in their wedding day this January! So without further adieu, we submit to you the photographic definition of “meant to be”

26 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

29 votes vote for this image

25 votes vote for this image

26 votes vote for this image

27 votes vote for this image

27 votes vote for this image

24 votes vote for this image

25 votes vote for this image

24 votes vote for this image

29 votes vote for this image

22 votes vote for this image

25 votes vote for this image

27 votes vote for this image

26 votes vote for this image

26 votes vote for this image

26 votes vote for this image

30 votes vote for this image

33 votes vote for this image

32 votes vote for this image

38 votes vote for this image

29 votes vote for this image

Where to even begin with this absolutely wonderful wedding?!

We’ve been so blessed to be a part of smaller more intimate weddings lately. And to be honest, they have been some of the most fantastic and amazing evenings we’ve yet to experience! Stephanie and Keith’s wedding was definitely no exception. They knew EXACTLY what they wanted out of their wedding, and that was an incredible location, surrounded by their closest friends and family, experiencing a night no one will soon forget! Nestled in the opulent Ritz Cove in Dana Point, they rented an estate that served as locations for their ceremony, reception, as well as vacation for the week after! Sheer genius…we love it!

Thanks to the wonderful planning and coordination by Kerri Hatter, her team created what Stephanie and Keith described as simply “magical,” and we have to agree in every way! With the sun setting what seemed like only yards away, Stephanie, Keith, their adorable Olivia, and 40 of their closest friends and family celebrated the night away. Soaking in the ocean breeze and the musical talents of Denny White, the celebration lasted late into the night! This perfect night could not have happened to two more amazing people. At every turn, both Stephanie and Keith could not contain their joy over the fact they were marrying their best friend and starting a journey hand in hand with the love of their life. Both were so calm, collected, and bursting with happiness; it was infectious to everyone around them!

Stephanie and Keith, thank you so much for not only welcoming us like family from the moment we arrived, but also for trusting us with a day filled with moments that were truly and honor to witness.

We know you’ve been dying to see more of our favorite moments before you leave paradise, so we hope you enjoy!

This Day Would Not Be Possible Without This Amazing Team:

Coordinator: Weddings and Evens by Kerri Hatter

Florals: Jen K Floral Design

Cake: It’s All About the Cake

Linens: Veronica at Fusion Linens

Musician/Vocalist: Denny White

Event Design: BTB Events

Calligraphy: Elizabeth of Calligraffiti

31 votes vote for this image

32 votes vote for this image

33 votes vote for this image

32 votes vote for this image

30 votes vote for this image

28 votes vote for this image

32 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

32 votes vote for this image

27 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

35 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

30 votes vote for this image

35 votes vote for this image

36 votes vote for this image

30 votes vote for this image

34 votes vote for this image

33 votes vote for this image

36 votes vote for this image

36 votes vote for this image

37 votes vote for this image

32 votes vote for this image

37 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

36 votes vote for this image

35 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

38 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

31 votes vote for this image

34 votes vote for this image

34 votes vote for this image

32 votes vote for this image

32 votes vote for this image

34 votes vote for this image

32 votes vote for this image

29 votes vote for this image

29 votes vote for this image

36 votes vote for this image

29 votes vote for this image