Wishing you and yours lost of peace, love and happiness this Holiday Season.
See you in 2014!

Welcome back to the continuation of Sam and Brad’s fabulous wedding at the Mission Ranch in Carmel. Not only did I have the pleasure of having Todd Johnson photographing with me, I also got to hangout with the uber-awesome ladies of Celebrations of Joy.

This suitcase filled with vintage hankies was so charming. Sam and Brad put them out for their guests anticipating tears during the ceremony but they probably didn’t foresee the tears would come from laughter.

Without fail, some of my favorite images involve the bride and her father. This is usually such a tumultuous day for the dads. The closer they get to the ceremony, the more their emotions surface.

Sydney, Sam’s niece was like a lens magnet. Everything she did was so darned cute!

Brad’s brother issues the rally cry!

No, there weren’t any underage shenanigans going on, she’s just holding it while one of the adults had his picture taken.

I always look forward to this part of the day. While everyone is lining up for the main event great candid shots are ripe for the picking.

Considering Sam and Brad’s untraditional approach to their wedding, it was no surprise they had this awesome singer belting out some very cool tunes while guests were being seated.

What did I tell you about Sydney? She’s too cute! Her big brother however, is also no slouch in the cuteness department.

Sam’s uncle acted as officiant. He was determined to incorporate every wedding tradition he could think of into the ceremony…

much to Sam’s dismay and to the delight of the audience.

But first, Sam’s nephew did an extremely eloquent reading about a subject very dear to his heart…dinosaurs.

Then, it was time for Sam and Brad’s first surprise – jumping the broom.

I hate to call you out Brad, but Sam jumped way higher than you did.

It was so much fun having so many beautiful children at this wedding. We could put together an entire album of just kid’s photos.

Okay, this was my favorite part of the ceremony. There is a tradition where the bride and groom each break off a piece of the same loaf of bread to symbolize the joining of two families. In this case, a chocolate frosted donught stood in for the bread. Where the heck was this guy, when I was looking for an officiant for my wedding?!

So many beaming faces…

No matter how many times you may kiss during your lives together, this one will always be the most memorable.

At the end of this leisurely stroll, cocktails and nibbles awaited the guests.

The fabulously talented Dorry of Celebrations of Joy, created these escort cards featuring a Day of Dead bride and groom.

Sam and Brad’s guests mingled in this airy, lovely space.

An array of cupcakes and a unicorn festooned cake baked by Layers Cakes, catered to everyone’s sweet tooth. Dorry handmade the photo luminarias featuring images from Sam and Brad’s lives together.

Dorry also made the saloon sign for over the bar and painted original artwork for the two signature cocktails: The Culprit and Highway 101-icorn. This is what I find so cool about Celebrations of Joy, they bring so much more than just wedding co-ordination to their events.

Twigery did such an amazing job on these centerpieces. It’s no wonder they are one of the most celebrated florists in the Carmel area.

Vintage books not only speak to Sam’s love of Jane Austen but add such wonderful texture and layers to the table-scapes. Signage of meaningful places stood in for table numbers.

Todd and I wanted to create some special imagery for the end of Sam and Brad’s wedding story…

It was Brad’s idea to carry Sam over the threshold.

Good call Brad!

Venue: Mission Ranch
Event co-ordination: Celebrations of Joy
Photography: Isabel Lawrence Photographers
Makeup: Kim Larson
Florals: Twigery
Cakes: Layers Cakes
Signage, escort cards, photo luminarias: Celebrations of Joy

If you liked this destination wedding, you might like to see this one we photographed in Hawaii.

There are so many reasons I’m excited to share Sam and Brad’s wedding photos with you! First of all, I got to work alongside a photographer I’ve admired for a long time, Todd Johnson, secondly, the wonderfully creative team, Celebrations of Joy, were on hand making sure every detail was perfect. In addition, the setting could not have been more gorgeous, (Mission Ranch in Carmel has been on my list of places to photograph for such a long time) but most importantly, Sam and Brad made this day an utter joy to photograph!

Mission Ranch is the perfect blend of California chic and rustic charm. You’re not going to find many wedding venues that feature grazing sheep.

I love a girl who can rock a pixie haircut! Sam is utterly adorable. Her smile lights up any room she’s in.

Yup, this photo pretty much sums up the tone of day… fun!

Sam’s choice of jewelry was modern and chic. Just like her.

An Alice & Olivia dress made for a much fresher option than a traditional wedding gown.

I laughed out loud when I saw this photo. These invitations are a riot!

Sam’s beautiful mother helped her daughter prepare for the big day.

Aaah, Macallan’s 25 year old whiskey… the breakfast of champions.

There were so many cute things to photograph… the cutest being Sam’s nieces.

The first look – my favorite photo-op.

I would love to know what Brad whispered to get this reaction…

Twigery created the bouquet. It smelled as lovely as it looked.

Another wonderful thing about Mission Ranch is its proximity to the Carmel Mission. We took a quick little jaunt there and created what turned out to be some of my favorite images of the day.

Kim Larson did such a great job with Sam’s makeup.

Naturally, we had to stop on our way back and take a moment to admire Carmel’s spectacular coastline.

Of course, kissing is highly encouraged…

Enough with the kissy stuff…the family and bridal party awaits!

Sam’s nieces were so thrilled to be a part of this day. They followed the bride around like two little satellites.

I love photos like these. Yes, we photographed the traditional posed shot, but this to me, has so much more warmth and speaks volumes about their relationship.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for Part 2 of this lovely wedding, where in addition to one of the most charming ceremonies I’ve ever photographed, you’ll see lots of beautiful decor reflecting the couple’s love of unicorns,Day of the Dead and Jane Austen.

This family session was particularly special for Larry and me because Paddy and Sean were one of the very first couples whose wedding we photographed sixteen years ago.

When Paddy mentioned this as we were hiking through Wildwood Park, I was nearly floored! How could so much time have gone by so quickly? And how can Paddy and Sean look almost exactly the same as they did on their wedding day!!??

It felt like nothing had changed, with the exception of course, that we were joined by their two gorgeous children, Gwyneth and Justin.

Paddy suggested we meet at Wildwood Park – we had never been there before and were delighted to discover a terrific new place to photograph. As we meandered around, we would stop at one lovely spot after another. Justin often led the way, eventually bringing us to a cave where we made some of my favorite images.

Alas, the day quickly slipped away and as we walked back to our cars, we became enveloped in glorious pink light. It made for the perfect end to a wonderful afternoon with old and new friends.

I’m finishing up the edit on a beautiful wedding we recently photographed in Carmel with the wonderful team at Celebrations of Joy, and just had to share this – one of my favorite images of the day.

We’ve been photographing Lincoln and his parents on a regular basis since he was born four years ago. The location of each sitting has always had special meaning to the family. For example, the first time we photographed Lincoln was at Greystone Mansion, the place where his parents, Erica and Moksha were wed, other spots have included some of their favorite places to hang out like: Griffith Observatory and UCLA.

This time we went way back into their history… to Eric and Moksha’s first date!

On that fateful day many years ago, the young couple enjoyed their first date at the Long Beach Aquarium. As they were leaving, Eric spied the Queen Mary sitting majestically across the harbor. He was determined to bring Moksha back. Long story short, it became one of their favorite places to visit.

Given their history with the place, Eric and Moksha were especially excited to bring Lincoln here and we were equally excited to be given the opportunity to document the outing.

Needless to say, Lincoln’s excitement was infectious. It was so much fun seeing the Queen Mary through his eyes! He was up for exploring every inch of the place. Only the promise of a “cherry drink” from the gorgeous art deco bar slowed him down. (It also gave the adults a much needed martini break) After that, it was back to scampering on the decks with his parents happily playing along.

If you’d like to see more of Lincoln, here are links to some of his sessions we’ve photographed over the years. It’s amazing how quickly four years have gone by!

Griffith Observatory

Lincoln’s First Birthday

UCLA

Disneyland

Beverly Hills

Disney Concert Hall

Hi everyone. Larry here again. I’m so excited to show you more of Jennifer and Jake’s special day that I photographed with our associate photographer, Maya Myers.

Jake takes a practice run at carrying Jennifer over the threshold before the ceremony.

There were so many charming touches. The feather festooned bottles held soap bubbles.

Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church was a new venue for us. We were delighted to discover how photogenic it is.

Jennifer makes her grand entrance.

This church has both opulence and an airy quality. It was wonderful to photograph here.

The rings were successfully delivered!

Greek Orthodox ceremonies are truly beautiful. The crowns the bride and groom wear have origins in ancient Greece. Back then, the headpieces were woven of plants honoring Aphrodite. It was believed they would bring beauty and fertility to the newly married couple.

Love those bubbles! They always make for a fun, festive exit.

Jennifer and Jake had the fabulous idea of making a quick detour to this old fashioned train depot.

Rusted metal always makes for a great backdrop.

Alas, our play time soon came to an end and we headed back to the church for the reception.

We did however, go back in style…

Jake’s uncle lent them this vintage truck for the occasion.

Not only does Saint Babara have beautiful grounds and a gorgeous church, it’s also built to party. Jennifer and Jake arranged for their guests to sit family style at these long tables.

The happy couple made a dramatic entrance.

I personally love this type of seating. It creates such a relaxed, convivial atmosphere.

Amidst all the revelry, the newlyweds made time for a few stolen kisses.

As you can see, it was a lively crowd! There was lots of energetic Greek dancing.

The money dance always makes for great photographs.

Montecito Confections baked this charming cake.

The end of the night came all too quickly…

But it ended like it began, with lots of love!

Venue: Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church
Photography: Isabel Lawrence Photographers
Florals: S.R. Hogue & Company
Cake: Montecito Confections
Caterer: Pure Joy Catering
Dress: Nicole Miller
Shoes: Sergio Rossi
Suit: J. Crew
D.J. & lighting: In The Mix Events