Jess & Amy in Limekiln State Park // A Big Sur Elopement

location: limekiln state park     officiant: lauren daCruz     bouquet: unscripted design   wedding rings: sea babe jewelry       amy's engagement ring: kmi designs     amy's: dress, shoes     
jess's: jacket & pants, shirt, shoes

Amy left a message one Thursday morning - "hey, we're eloping in big sur. can you meet us there?" 

After an late night drive through a heavy storm, my partner and I woke up at Fernwood Resort in Big Sur to the sounds of the river raging. Happily, the sun began to shine.

We met Amy & Jess and their officiant, local Lauren DaCruz on the beach at the edge of Limekiln State Park. Together we headed into the forest, towards a spot along the river's edge that they had scouted the day before. With my partner as their witness, Amy & Jess married. It was quiet. It was profound.

Afterwards, we scurried along the trails of Limekiln, my partner and I taking photographs and Amy & Jess just enjoying their first few moments as wives. Did I get a raging case of poison oak from taking a shortcut to nail one particular shot? I did. Was it worth it? It was.

Diana & Dan in Seattle // a parsons gardens wedding & celebration at tallulah's

venue: parsons gardens & tallulah's     food: tallulah's     dress 01: galvan london     dress 02: proenza schouler     dan's ring: anna sheffield     diana's jewlery: studebaker metals          bag: olympia le tan     florals: flourish & found     officiant: the wedding gentleman     planner: molly corr     dj: luis angel cancel

Diana & I went to college together - my strongest memory involves her helping me sew an ugly Christmas sweater into a well-fitting ugly Christmas sweater dress - and kind of always just stayed in touch. You know how there are people in your life who you feel were kind of always there, always easy to be yourself with, always easy to laugh with and enjoy? Diana has been that kind of constant for me.

And damn, Diana & Dan's wedding was my dream wedding as a photographer. They held their ceremony in a beautiful park in Seattle where the wet trees hung heavy, creating a perfect canopy for them to stand beneath. We watched Diana and Dan recite their vows after hearing their story told completely, from both sides. Dan slipped his hands around Diana's hips, her dress falling perfectly against her curves, bringing her in for the most romantic kiss I've witnessed in a ceremony.

The group in the Gardens was small, and together we left for a friend's home for light snacks and bubbles and wine before heading over to one of Diana & Dan's favorite restaurants - Tallulah's. I spent years working in food service, and a good dinner party at a fantastic restaurant is my favorite type of reception.

There, they hosted a larger group of friends for an incredible dinner - filling the restaurant with people who loved them and toasts and jaw-droppingly beautiful florals. The night ended with an epic dance party and, for me at least, an impulse purchase of one of Studebaker Metal's mustache combs for my man.

Sarah & Alon in Stinson Beach, California // a marin county beachside wedding & garden dinner party

venue: historic stinson estate     planner: sasser events     food: shalimar restaurant & on call staffing     florals: arranged by sarah & friends, after a workshop with home sweet flowers     hair: heroes & hairoines

Sarah & Alon's planner, Casey, reached out to me a couple months before their October wedding. For big, important reasons their budget was small and their planning last minute, but they were hosting an intimate celebration in one of my favorite towns on earth - one of my soul's homes, really - and for that reason and a few others I felt strongly that I should be there. I left honored and blessed to have shared the day with them.

They had a beautiful ceremony with some of my favorite Jewish traditions - seven blessings were personalized and read by family, their chuppah also made by family of branches and wild flora from the woods across the street from the estate. They read earnest vows, held hands tightly and tenderly. 

After the cocktail hour, the three of us made our way to the beach to catch the golden light of sunset. I remember my first time driving from Fairfax to Bolinas to Stinson Beach - that afternoon I felt a sense of home that I had yet to feel since moving to California. That was six years ago, at least, and every time I head that way I feel it all over again. It was amazing to share that place with Sarah & Alon, so sweetly in love. We took portraits and watched the sunset, the rest of our lives stretched out in front of us.