Sometimes this job can only be described as ridiculously easy, especially when our subjects are as drop-dead gorgeous as Leslie and Sean.
Photographing their engagement session was so much fun. Everything came together wonderfully – the light was glorious and the foliage put on an amazing show for us. It was the perfect stage for Leslie and Sean’s playful, loving chemistry.
Ridiculously easy indeed.
Wishing you lots of love, peace and prosperity in the New Year!
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.
