The Mollie Jane Blog

New Blog!!!

2009-12-05T23:54:00.000-08:00

So excited to announce:

The Cheek Family!

2009-12-02T16:12:00.000-08:00

For the Cheek Family Portraits we went to one of my favorite new places in Laguna Canyon. Such a cute family! Seriously cute kids! I went to church with Catherine (the mom) when we were little, but I am A LOT older :) It made me feel very behind in life that I don't even have one child and Catherine has THREE. Carlos and I need to get on this kid thing, I think my biological clock is ticking :) Anyways, here are some of my favs from their fun session.

Our 2nd Anniversary!

2009-11-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

This is us November 27th, 2007!

Sanders Family

2009-11-25T22:05:00.000-08:00

Adorable family! Last year I was able to do Noah's 1 year pictures, it is so fun to be able to watch my clients grow up. And to watch families grow Joyce is due to have her baby in January, can't wait to do some fun newborn pictures.

Atwood Family Christmas Pictures and Baptism Pictures

2009-11-24T21:43:00.000-08:00

These could have been the best behaved kids that I have ever photographed. It was so easy, I couldn't believe it. They had a really cute idea for their Christmas card picture, I was very happy to help out. We also did some really cute baptism pictures, such a special time. I was so happy with how they came out.

Sebastian and Julia: Married!

2009-11-22T23:26:00.000-08:00

Sebastian and Julia held their beautiful wedding at Crystal Rose in Hemet. It was a pleasure to be a part of their special day. So much fun. Enjoy married life, guys!

Such a sweet candid moment...

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow.

King Family

2009-11-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

My heart just aches for this sweet family. Their beloved dog, Hershey, had cancer and they wanted to get one last family photo. You would have NEVER been able to tell that Hershey was so sick, she ran around on the beach, tired to chase the birds, everything a perfectly healthy dog would do. As we were finishing our session we were talking about how Hershey was their first child and such an integral part of the family, I had a giant lump in my throat as I left and I prayed for a miracle. Unfortunately, I heard that Hershey lost her battle this last week. I truly hope that these pictures are a comfort.

The Hunt Family

2009-11-17T16:57:00.000-08:00

We are now deep into family portrait season and so you will be seeing a lot of family portraits on the blog for the next little while. The first are the Hunt Family. Love this family, they were one of my very first clients after we moved to California. They are just such a cute, fun family. Check out some of my favorites from their shoot.

Tara: Graduating!

2009-11-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

Another awesome senior! I had so much fun with Tara. I have really been so lucky with my senior this year. I love it!

CLICK HERE to view her slideshow!

Kevin and Megan: Engaged!

2009-11-16T23:31:00.000-08:00

I met up with Kevin and Megan early Halloween morning for their engagement session. They were such troopers when I told them we would want to start at 8am. Wow, that was early. But we had such a blast. Can't wait for their wedding in January!

CLICK HERE to view their fun beach slideshow!

Lexx: Graduating

2009-11-14T19:25:00.000-08:00

Talk about personality! This girl has got it! I had so much fun shooting Lexx's senior portraits. She is one of my Redlands reps. I have gotten so lucky with my seniors this year, so much fun. Don't forget to check out Lexx's "extraordinary" slideshow at the end.

View Lexx's slideshow HERE!

Lance and Jennifer: Married!

2009-11-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

Lance and Jennifer were SO much fun. Carlos and I had such a blast shooting their wedding. Everything was so beautiful the entire day, Jennifer designed all of the details for the wedding and reception and even made the cake! Is that amazing or what?! I was blown away. Here are some of my favs along with their slideshow at the end.

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow!

Greg and Genevie: Engaged!

2009-11-10T21:58:00.000-08:00

This really could be one of my favorite engagement sessions ever. We had such a blast with Greg and Genevie wondering the streets of LA, getting some sweeeeet images. It was so rad that they were up for anything and I think it really paid off. We had to search for the city scape shot and we nailed it. So fun. Definitely don't miss their slideshow at the end.

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow.

Nick and Melyssa: Engaged!

2009-11-08T22:33:00.000-08:00

Carlos and I had SO much fun with Nick and Melyssa. I found a new place in Laguna Canyon that I am going to love shooting at, it is beautiful! We hit 3 different places for their shooting and I am so happy with how they came out. They are getting married in a couple of weeks, can't wait for their wedding!

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow!

Ernesto and Rosa: Married!

2009-11-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

I just loved this couple!! You can CLICK HERE to see their fun engagement session. Poor Rosa had rough start to her wedding day with a car accident. Luckily no one was hurt and it will be a good story to tell their kids. They were married at the beautiful San Gabriel Mission. It was such a wonderful day! Thanks guys for letting me be part of your day. Don't miss their slideshow at the end of the post.

CLICK HERE to view their wedding day slideshow.

Fredy and Katherine: Married!

2009-11-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

Fredy and Katherine were married at the Coco Palm in Pomona. It is such a beautiful venue. The views are breathtaking. The details that Katherine put together were amazing! Everything was just exquisite.

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow.

Mike and Danielle: Engaged!

2009-11-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

Lately I have had the most fun engagement shoots ever! I am so happy! We did Mike and Danielle's session downtown Orange. I love shooting down there, so many fun places, the possibilities are endless. Plus Mike and Danielle are SO much fun. Here are some of my favs from their session.

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow.

Todd and Amber: Married!

2009-11-02T22:26:00.000-08:00

All I can say is I think Amber is the happiest bride I have ever seen! I think Amber may be the happiest person I have ever met. The entire day was a joy. They are just the cutest couple. We drove all over Redlands after their ceremony to a couple of AWESOME locations. I was so happy how these came out. Congrats guys! I am so happy for you.

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow.

Nolan and Katie: Engaged!

2009-11-01T14:29:00.000-08:00

Nolan and Katie are such an adorable couple! These two east coast transplants are so cute and in love, I love their story of how they just knew right away that it was meant to be. Seriously, you can just look at them and know it's true.

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow!

TC and Jane: Engaged!

2009-10-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

I met TC and Jane at the Queen Mary Bridal Show in Long Beach. They won an engagement session from there. And I am SO glad that they did! They were the funnest couple ever! They are getting married on Halloween 2010, so they brought so many fun props, we had a blast at the cute pumpkin patch in Yucaipa. Here are some of my favs, I had so many, so don't miss their slideshow at the end.

View their spoooooky slideshow HERE.

Jesse & Violet: Married!

2009-10-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

I have been waiting for Jesse and Violet's wedding for SO long! They were one of the first weddings that I booked last year, in October, after moving to California. I was so excited for their wedding! They own Ohana Yogurt Shop in downtown Redlands and it was so fun to use that in their wedding photos, plus their table at the reception were names after yogurt flavors. So creative, I loved it!

I love this shot that Carlos got as we were shooting the wedding party pictures.

Oh yes, my favorite shot of the day.

The most creative garter removal EVER!

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow.

Kelon and Tina: Married!

2009-10-27T16:45:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day Tina and Kelon had for their wedding day! Perfect temperature. Perfect blue sky with perfect little puffy clouds. So nice. I love fall weddings in southern California! Carlos and I had so much fun with Tina and Kelon, they live in Washington DC, so I had only met with Tina once, but everything turned out so perfectly and we loved the time we spent with them along with their wedding party and families. Here are some of my favs, don't miss the slideshow at the end.

This is my favorite shot of the day that Carlos captured.

CLICK HERE to watch their slideshow!

Out of Town

2009-10-20T18:31:00.000-07:00

Going to visit my family in Utah for the rest of the week. I will have my phone and email that I will be checking. I will be back Monday afternoon.

Have a great week.

Miranda: Graduating!

2009-10-19T22:41:00.000-07:00

Seriously...could she be any more stunning?! I don't really think so. When Miranda and her parents walked up to me for their session in Newport Beach I knew that my job was going to be easy that day, I couldn't go wrong. We had such a fun time walking around Balboa (my favorite). Here are some of my favs and don't miss her slideshow at the end :)

CLICK HERE to view her slideshow!

Richard and Bethany: Married!

2009-10-19T20:48:00.001-07:00

I just adored Richard and Bethany from the first time that I met them. They are such a sweet couple and they (and their families) had me cracking up all day. Plue, Edwards Mansion in Redlands is so pretty!

CLICK HERE to see their slideshow.

Sebastian and Julia: Engaged!

2009-10-19T00:46:00.000-07:00

Sebastian and Julia are getting married in three weeks! We went to the beach in San Pedro, where they live, for their engagement session. It was so beautiful! Such a fun beach to shoot at! We had such a great time and I can't wait for their wedding.

CLICK HERE to see their slideshow!

Jerry and Julie: Married!

2009-10-17T00:27:00.000-07:00

Such a fun wedding!!! Jerry and Julie's wedding was so beautiful. We did all of their pictures in Laguna Beach at and around La Casa del Camino and their wedding was up the street at Tivoli Too. One of my favorite things about the day was how amazing the backdrop was for their ceremony. I will have to say that Tivoli Too was one of my favorite places to shoot a wedding.

Another awesome First Look.
My favorite shot of the day!

A little Sweet Caroline sing along.

CLICK HERE to view their slideshow!

Jesse and Emily: Engaged!

2009-10-12T22:40:00.000-07:00

This is such a fun couple! You can tell that they have such a cute relationship. They are both teacher, Jesse, a high school math teacher and, Emily, a kindergarten teacher. I had such a blast with them!

Check out their slideshow HERE.

Hannah's Senior Portraits!

2009-10-12T22:29:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I am the luckiest ever with my senior reps this year. Hannah is one of my Redlands reps from REV. My husband summed it up best when he said, "she is totally California". So adorable with the blond hair and blue eyes. I am still looking for reps from Orange County. Click HERE to get more info and give me a call if you are interested.

Her slideshow is just adorable. Check it out HERE!

Alex and Kim: Married!

2009-10-12T20:23:00.000-07:00

I am going to be posting a bunch of posts tonight. I am trying so hard to catch up! I'm getting there :) Here is the first of at least 3 posts tonight. Alex and Kim's wedding!

To view their slideshow CLICK HERE!

Aaron & Vivian: Engaged!

2009-10-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

Shooting at some of my fav locations. Love it! Plus Aaron and Vivian are SO much fun. Can't wait for their wedding in April!

Watch their slideshow HERE.

Scott and Jessica: Married!

2009-10-05T23:17:00.000-07:00

I love it when my clients really understand how important pictures are. Scott and Jessica did! And we got great images because of it! They were married in Redlands and then their beautiful reception was in Oak Glen at Serendipity. Just the week before was the big fire in Oak Glen, I was worried for them, but Serendipity narrowly escaped the flames. You could see the burned hillsides just above the venue. I don't think that I have ever had a more beautiful backdrop for a first dance, breathtaking. The whole day was so great!

CLICK HERE to see their slideshow!

Family Portrait Time and More Pics of My Cute Nieces and Nephew

2009-09-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Family Portrait Time! We are trying something new this year, I'm so excited!

FAMILY PORTRAIT SESSION

1 hour session
40-50 Edited Images
Mid-Res CD of Images
Up to 6 people (each additional person $15)

$200

Included is a 1 hour session in the Orange County area. Outside of Orange County is a $25 travel fee. Following the session 40-50 artistically edited images will be placed on the proofing site for 2 weeks for ordering. After your orders have been placed, your mid-res CD of all of the images will be sent. A mid-res CD means that all of the images will be in a 4x6 format, so you can make any prints up to a 4x6 size. Perfect for any Christmas cards that you will be making!

Hi-Res CDs will also be available for purchase for $400. You can see all of the print prices on the Mollie Jane Website in the Portrait Prices section.

Call today to set up a session, we are booking for the last week in October right now.

A couple of weeks ago I posted a sneak peek of a shoot I did with my nieces and my nephew while I was in Utah. Below are some more images from that shoot. Aren't they SO adorable?!

My sister and her little cuties.

Ernesto and Rosa: Engaged!

2009-09-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

Ernesto and Rosa are getting married in less than two weeks! Crazy! It's coming up so quickly now. So we hurried to downtown Fullerton for their engagement session. They are such a sweet couple and I can't wait for their wedding!

To see their slideshow CLICK HERE!

Danny and Jen: Married!

2009-09-28T23:53:00.000-07:00

I was SO excited to shoot Danny and Jen's wedding at the Mission Inn. For those of that don't live here, the Mission Inn is legendary. It is seriously so beautiful! It is almost overwhelming because you want to capture that beauty, but it is SO big and there is SO much it is hard to know where to even begin. Lucky for us Danny and Jen decided to do a first look and left us plenty of time to explore this amazing venue.

They had their reception at the Sevilla just down the street it was so fun and intimate. It was such a treat to be a part of their day.

Yes, I love first looks.

This could be my favorite groom shot ever!

I love this shot. This is when the moms were going up to light the unity candles. I think it is so cute that you can see Danny in the doorway, before he makes his entrance, saying hi.

CLICK HERE to see their slideshow.

Charlie is ONE!

2009-09-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about going back to Utah is that I get to see my family (of course), but I also get to see my very bestest friends. Charlie is one of my best friends' son, I have able to shoot Michelle's wedding (WAY back when I had no idea what I was doing and in FILM craziness), her maternity pictures and Charlie's newborn pictures. So it worked out perfectly when I was going to be in Utah right around the time he was turning one.

One is such a fun age! Moms out there, this is not really the age that you get cute posed pictures with them smiling perfectly at the camera (if you go into it thinking like that you will be highly disappointed). It usually works something like this: put them in good light, chasing them around and around, they pick up something off the ground, mom takes it away, baby cries, mom hands it back and it becomes a prop for the shoot. At the time it feels a little bit hectic, but in the end we get this:

(Don't forget to watch the slideshow at the end. He's too cute to miss!)

CLICK HERE to see Charlie's slideshow.

Alvy and Julie: Married!

2009-09-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

It was my weekend for crazy, stylized lighting situations. First, as you can tell from the previous post, I had Monique and Dustin's wedding and then came Julie and Alvy's. Talk about style! I loved all the details and thought that went into their wedding. Their ceremony was COMPLETELY lit by candles in a room painted completely black with no windows (with no flash)...yes, dark. But it has to be one of the most AMAZING ceremonies that I have ever be witness to!!! I loved it! Plus, they decided to do a first look and we got some of my favorite couple shots ever. I just really loved this wedding. Check it out (don't miss their slideshow)!

My FAVORITE shot of the day!!!

Yep, I love this classic shot.

Remember this cute couple, Oscar and Lily. We shot their wedding this last March
DO NOT miss their slideshow HERE!

Dustin and Monique

2009-09-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

What is up with my weddings lately? It is like talent central! I've done themed weddings before, but nothing quite like this. I was blown away. Monique is an actress in Canada and so she chose an old Hollywood theme for their wedding and it was so beautiful and creative. And I really cannot believe how much talent is in their combined families! Every detail was planned out so carefully and executed so perfectly, from the red carpet outside with the reporter there to interview guests to the director getting everyone to their places. It was all just so much fun to be a part of.

View their slideshow HERE!

Antioni and Heather: Married!

2009-09-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

I figured it out. I have know Heather's family for TWENTY years! Is that insane or what?! Erin, Heather's older sister was my very bestest friend all of my growing up years. We met in 4th grade and were completely inseparable until we were forced to when we got into separate colleges. People said we were connected at the hip. (Funny side story: Erin went on my first date with me and my date when I was 16. I wasn't allowed to single date and she was still 15, so she couldn't date at all, so she just came, just the 3 of us. Hahaha.)

Anyways, I was more than thrilled to shoot Heather's wedding! But what made it even more great was that I also was able to shoot Tara, Heather's younger sister's reception that same day. How, you may ask?! Tara and her husband Marlin were married on July 3rd (just a little over a month before Heather). And so they decided to have a combined wedding reception!!! How fun is that?! Definitely a first for me and I loved it. It was entertaining from beginning to end! They are a very culturally diverse family and everyone is so talented. Heather and Joan and Terry, her parents, all sing with the Gladys Knight choir and travel all over the country signing, so there was a lot of singing. Heather wrote a song and performed it for Antioni, so beautiful. And their was cultural dancing galore, so fun!!!

It was a wonderful day for me! I felt so blessed to be a part of their day. Here are a few of my favorites from the day and don't miss their slideshow at the end!

Heather and Erin. Erin lives in Hawaii now, it was SO fun to see her and catch up.

My second favorites shot of the day!
With all of my whole soul I love this picture!!!!

View their slideshow HERE.

Out of the Office...and Sneak Peaks :)

2009-09-13T01:07:00.000-07:00

I will be out of the office from September 13th-17th. Carlos and I are going to Michigan to visit his family. So fun! I've never been there, they have always come to us. I will have my phone and email with me so I will be return call and emails as quickly as I can.

In the meantime, I did this shoot of my nieces and nephew while I was in Utah to shoot Tanner and Brighton's wedding. There is much more to come, but I was dying over these pictures. Don't I have the cutest nieces? (I have a darling nephew too and he will be in the full post.)

Tanner and Brighton: Married!

2009-09-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

I loved this wedding, everything about it. I was beyond ecstatic when Vicky (Tanner's mom) asked me to come to Utah to shoot Tanner and Brighton's wedding! Everything about this wedding was perfect. Umm, yeah, the couple was beyond adorable, they made my job so easy! They were married at the Draper LDS Temple, it is a brand new temple so I had never shot their before, it was so beautiful, with the mountains so close behind it, breathtaking. Tanner and Brighton were up for anything! We shot for awhile at the temple and then we went to downtown Lehi (one of my old Utah stomping grounds). It was so cool. I was SO happy with the images we got!

Their reception was held at the Alpine Art Center, it was so beautiful, so many fun details. I especially loved all of the blue puffs all around, so original. Tanner and I share a neice, Eliza, she has been on the blog many time (here and here), it was so fun to see her dancing and running around with all of her cousins. It was just a great time!

Anyways, enjoy some of their wedding pictures and don't miss their slideshow at the end!!!!

My sweet little Eliza! In the first picture she is doing this cute little shoulder dance. Tanner and Brighton had a live band, she was having so much fun.
Click HERE to view their slideshow.

Dave and Erica: Married!

2009-09-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

Dave and Erica AMAZE me!!! I have never been so inspired by a couple's love and support towards each other in all my years of doing this. Their wedding was absolutely beautiful, it was a perfect day. I loved all of the details at their reception. And the Jones soda bottles with their engagement pictures were awesome, I've never had my pictures on one before, so great! They had their reception at the Heritage Museum of Orange County, it was so cool with all of the old building and the old rusted car, perfect!

Don't miss their wedding slideshow HERE!

Jesse and Violet: Engaged!

2009-09-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

I'm mixing it up a little bit today with a senior session post and an engagement session post (back to weddings tomorrow). I did Jesse and Violet's session in, my favorite place, Newport Beach. I love it. Plus these two are just COOL. They own my favorite yogurt place in Redlands, Ohana Yogurt Shop. If you are ever in Redlands, go there!

HERE is their fun slideshow!

Kylee's Senior Portraits

2009-09-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

Kylee is my first Senior Rep for the year! Seriously, I could have taken pictures of this girl all day. How adorable is she?! I feel so lucky to have her as my rep. Don't forget to check out her slideshow at the end of the post!

By the way, I am still looking for some Orange County Senior Reps. If you are a high school senior click HERE to check out the details.

Check out Kylee's slideshow HERE!!!!

Wes and Amanda: Married!

2009-09-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

Wes and Amanda had a beautiful ceremony at their church in Garden Grove and then we headed over to the amazing Hyatt Regency in Huntington Beach. A quick side story...way back before I even thought it was possible for me to be a wedding photographer (I wanted to be, but I didn't think it was the "responsible" this to pursue...hahaha) we parked in front of the Hyatt Regency and there was wedding going on, I just stopped and watched the wedding photographer and thought, "man, that is what I want to do. How great is his job! He gets to take pictures of the happiest day of these people's lives on the beach. I want to DO that!!!" It was a dream come true for me to be shooting a wedding there, I felt like I had come full circle.

Anyway, I had SO much fun at their reception! It was a PARTAY with music and dancing, absolutely beautiful. Amanda even did a native dance. You go girl. It was awesome! Check out some of my favs and their slideshow at the end is so much fun! Check it out.

Don't miss their wedding day slideshow HERE!

Tito and Nami: Married!

2009-09-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

What a fun couple! They were married at the Bell Tower Community Center in Rancho Santa Margarita. It was a beautiful ceremony and, let me tell you, their reception was a PARTAY! I had so much fun.

5 beautiful sisters!

For sure, Nami is a gorgeous bride!

Check out their slideshow HERE!

Miguel and Jocelyn: Married!

2009-09-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

This wedding was so much fun! It didn't hurt that it was a built in vacation for Carlos and me. We were able to visit San Francisco and some of Carlos' old stomping grounds in the Oakland area. We really had so much fun! We don't get away very often, so this was a treat.

Miguel and Jocelyn were married in Fremont at the San Jose Mission. So beautiful! I love the architecture of the mission. Then they had there reception at a gorgeous vineyard in Livermore. I loved being able to spend the day with Miguel and Jocelyn, they are such a sweet couple! Here are some of my favs and then there is a great slideshow at the end that will really give you an idea of how gorgeous their day was.

Click HERE to view their slideshow!

What is a Hippo Cookie?!

2009-08-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

I talk about them a lot and I get a lot of questions as to what they are. Are they shaped like a hippo, do they just make you feel like a hippo, do they taste like a hippo? Well, today, that question is finally answered.

Hippo cookies are a family tradition. My family, especially during the summers, would spend a lot of time in Newport Beach. And with almost every trip we would take the ferry from Balboa over to Balboa Island, whether we take the car, our bikes, or just walk. And we would ALWAYS hit up Dad's for a hippo cookie. In my opinion, they are the best cookies in the world! They make my heart and my tummy so happy.

So, that is what a hippo cookie is. Everyone should at least try them :) And you may not share my opinion that they are the BEST cookies in the world, but...hello...isn't eating a pink or purple or yellow or green hippo fun in and of itself?!

Jack and Amy: Day After Session

2009-08-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is Jack and Amy's Day After Session (which was actually a week and half later). They were such a joy to work with! Plus we got to shoot at Prospect Park in Redlands, which is really the most beautiful park I've seen in Southern California. I loved it.

Check out their fun slideshow HERE

Christian and Kara: Engaged!

2009-08-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hello! What a hot couple! San Diego is a really special place to Christian and Kara and so they decided to do their engagement session at Balboa Park. I love shooting there, it is really amazing! Plus it didn't hurt that I had an amazingly beautiful couple! Here are just a few of my favs and their slideshow is not to miss.

I love all of the color in the next 2 images.

Don't miss their slideshow, click HERE.

Amy and Jack: Married!

2009-08-25T20:50:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun at Amy and Jack's wedding. They were married in the LDS Temple in St. George, Utah. I have been wanting to shoot there for forever, it is so beautiful! The scenery, the temple, everything is just beautiful. It was H-O-T hot that day, that is a fact. I would say it was at least 110 degrees, at least. But, I would much rather shoot in heat than in cold, any day. Amy and Jack were such troopers, poor Jack in his black suit and Amy, wedding dresses are heavy and so they are not much cooler. But we got through it and got some great shots! We also did a Day After Session with them and that is to come in the next couple of days. Don't forget to check out their slideshow at the end.

I loved their cake, it was so different and so yummy.
Jack sang Amy a song. So sweet!

Watch their slideshow HERE

Joe and Megan: Engaged!

2009-08-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

Megan and Joe are from Arizona and they are getting married in Southern California this winter. I am so excited, they are such a cute couple! They share a love for Coronado Island and so we set up an engagement shoot while they were on vacation at the Hotel Del Coronado. I was so excited to shoot there! It is so beautiful! Plus I had such a fun couple. Doesn't Megan have the most adorable smile?

Check out their slideshow HERE!

Queen Mary Bridal Show: Success!

2009-08-23T22:47:00.000-07:00

So last week we did our first bridal show on the Queen Mary. It was SO great! Carlos and my sister, Carrie Beth came along for help and support which was desperately needed, I would not have been able to do it without them. I met lots of fun people!

Maybe we will do another one sometime...we'll see.

These are some images of our booth. I was so happy with it. Of course there are things that I would change next time, but I wanted something that was "me", not something boring and cliche. I loved my flowers! I got them at the Every Bloomin' Thing in Costa Mesa.

We went a little bit over board and we made ("we" meaning Carrie Beth and my niece, Madison) 500 of these frosted brownies. They were a hit though, but we had a couple hundred left over :)

My booth neighbors were a couple of awesome wedding designers/coordinators. Their booth was awesome! They were Serendipity Event Group, definitely call them!

Come See Us at the Queen Marry Bridal Show on Sunday!!!!!

2009-08-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

$100 Off Show Special!!!

Come see us at the Queen Mary Bridal Show in Long Beach on Sunday, August 16th! Doors open at 11am and it goes until 4pm. Our booth should be really fun with albums and slideshows and treats.

We are running a show discount! If you come to the show and book your wedding day there you will receive $100 off any package.

We would LOVE to see you there! It should be a really fun show, really, it's on the Queen Mary :)

Ngan & Graciela: Married!

2009-08-12T21:54:00.000-07:00

Carlos and I drove up to Capitola, near Santa Cruz for Ngan and Graciela's wedding. So beautiful! I had never been there and I was blown away! They got married at the cutest bed and breakfast there called Monarch Cove Inn. They were such a sweet couple and made us feel so welcome and their families were so much fun. Just wait until you see the dancing pictures, Graciela's mom is a dancing machine. I loved it!

Carlos and I! I love shooting with my hubby!

My mom is from Florida and one that that I LOVE about Florida is the moss that hangs off the trees. I wish it grew in Orange County! They had tons of it in Capitola and I just thought it was the coolest thing.

My favorite shot of the day. Look how cute and happy they look.

Graciela's mom getting down. It was a party!

You can see their slideshow HERE.

WE HAVE A NEW PHONE NUMBER!!!

2009-08-10T09:33:00.000-07:00

Since we are now in Orange County we have change our phone number. Our new phone number is:

714-224-9904

Every thing else has stayed the same, but, as of immediately, this is our new phone number.

Mark and Sara: Married!

2009-08-08T00:03:00.000-07:00

This wedding was AHHH-mazing. There was such an ambiance, every detail was just perfect. It was a photographer's dream with all of the fun details. Mark and Sara were so great, they have such a fun style and that shown through throughout their wedding (right down to Mark's Darth Vador grooms cake). And I loved the live band. If there was one thing that I would re-do from my own wedding, it would be that I would have a live band, it adds so much to a reception. Here are some of my favs.

This is one of my favorite dress shots EVER.

Another couple that opted for the First Look. Love it!

Such an awesome couple! I had so much fun!

What an exquisite backdrop. They were married in Topanga Canyon, it was a VERY warm, but such a beautiful day.

This is my very favorite shot of the day.

You can't miss their slideshow, click HERE.

Chad and Ashlee: Married!

2009-08-06T22:42:00.000-07:00

I knew this wedding was going to be fantastic the second I walked up their winding driveway and saw the most beautiful Victorian home I have ever seen. Yes, my friends, this is their home...not a reception venue...AMAZING! Plus it didn't hurt that Chad and Ashlee are beautiful. It was just a perfect day all around. They decided to do a First Look, which I HIGHLY recommend, it is always so emotional and wonderful and they just felt so relaxed the rest of the day. In the slideshow you will see the first 8 images of the two of them together were from their First Look. We got such amazing images because it is all just raw emotion. LOVE IT! Definitely check out their slideshow at the end of the post. It is one of my favorites ever, their are a TON of images (I had the hardest time narrowing them down), plus the song is by my favorite singer EVER, a little Bon Jovi for your listening pleasure.

We are doing a Trash the Dress session with these two in the near future...I can't wait!

First Look Image:

Click HERE to view their slideshow.

New Logo

2009-08-05T00:13:00.000-07:00

I went to a workshop and the instructor said that you needed LOVE your logo. I have always LIKED my logo, but have never felt in love with it. I've had and used my first one for a couple of years now and then I had Carlos make the 2nd one and I started switching things over, but I never finished it, probably because I was never really in love with it. BUT... tonight Carlos and I (mostly Carlos) finished a logo that I LOVE, I feel like it is totally ME, probably because it is based on my real life signature. I am just really so excited about it and I can't wait to incorporate it into everything.

And...tomorrow I will have a real blog post up. July was an absolutely CRAZY month! Lots of fun, lots of cool weddings, but now I have to get caught up on everything that got set aside while I was traveling all over the western United States.

Yay! Check out my new logo! Thank you, Carlos! I love it! If anyone needs a logo or a website or anything check out his website (www.visual5.com) or give him a call (909.809.1119)

The Important Things

2009-07-27T23:10:00.000-07:00

Today I read a blog post from a photographer in Michigan. Her husband, who is younger than I am, was diagnosed with an inoperable tumor in his brain that will significantly shorten his life. As I was reading the post I was struck so strongly with what is really important in this life.

I LOVE my job. It makes me so happy that I get to get up everyday and do something that is so fulfilling to me. I feel so blessed. But that is not what is important in this life. My husband and my family are what is important and not wasting one second that we get to spend with them. Life is so fragile. Carlos is my entire heart and soul, and maybe this is a little too personal, but it's true. I really don't think any two people could love each other more than Carlos and I (I really hope everyone feels that way about their significant other). I don't want to take a second of it for granted. It's too wonderful, it's too special.

This week we planned a trip to San Francisco. I have never been there and Carlos lived in the Oakland area for 2 years and has wanted to go visit for a long time. I booked a wedding there and we decided to make a trip out of it. But after that, I booked 2 more "destination" (out of town) weddings for the weekends preceding it. Plus...my family had planned the beach house trip for the 1st week in July. So as we were driving home from Santa Cruz last week and then again from St. George this weekend I wanted to cancel the trip part and just fly up for the wedding, but we didn't. And today I am so glad. Even though all of this came at one time and both of us feel so behind with work the time together is more important. We can catch up with work, but we will never get back this time together.

Read the blog entry that I read, and read down the couple of posts before where she is talking about his diagnosis, she is a much better writer than I. It really made me take a step back and be more grateful for what I have.

I snapped this picture of Carlos on our way home from our Santa Cruz wedding in Cambria along Moonstone Beach on our early morning walk. So beautiful and peaceful.

Soo00...I will be in San Francisco/Oakland until Sunday. I will have my cell phone with me and possibly the lap top (it died in Santa Cruz, but we got it working, but it is still wounded). Most likely phone calls and emails will be returned upon my return. And then it will be business as usual. :)

On a lighter note, my brother emailed me this video and I loved it! What a cute couple!

And I have to add this one! Holy wedding party! I don't think I've ever had clapping at the end of a procession. Check it out (there are annoying advertisements at the beginning, just to warn you).

Nick and Erika: Engaged!

2009-07-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

What a cute couple Nick and Erika are!!! We met up at the B-E-A-UTIFUL Balboa Park in San Diego for their engagement session. I love that place! There are so many awesome locations. Check out this adorable couple!

Don't miss their fun slideshow, click HERE.

Out of Town...Again & Mark and Kate are Married!

2009-07-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

Yes folks, I am headed out of town again for a wedding in Southern Utah. I am mentally preparing myself for heat, but it should be beautiful! I will be back Sunday night, but, since our lap top decided that it was going to crash on us our last trip, we won't have email, but you can call my cell (909.297.3251).

Mark and Kate's wedding was so beautiful! It took place at Calamigos Ranch. That is one of the most beautiful venues I have shot at, amazing. It didn't hurt that Mark and Kate are one hot couple!

John and Megan: Married!

2009-07-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

In my car it said it was 105 degrees! Yes, it was a scorcher on John and Megan's wedding day, but that didn't stop anyone from having a great time. John and Megan were married at Tennessee Gardens in Redlands, it was just beautiful. We went to a park that was by my house, it was the first time I had used it, I wish I had used it more! Here are some of my favorites.

Out of Town!

2009-07-18T02:21:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, this is a BUSY month! Not only do I have a ton of weddings, but we moved, my ENTIRE family came from all over and we spent a week at the beach, this weekend I am going to Santa Cruz for a wedding, next week we are in Utah for a wedding, then the next weekend we are back up in the Bay Area for another wedding. I am so excited, but I get tired just thinking about it!

We are leaving tomorrow afternoon and we will be gone until Tuesday (July 21st), we are going to take the scenic route home from Santa Cruz. I am so happy because we are going to stay in one of my most favorite places in the world, Cambria, I love it!!!!! We are staying right on Moonstone Beach and it should be just delicious. I will have my phone and email and will be checking it regularly, so I can still be in touch.

I thought I would leave you with some pictures of our beach house vacation with my family. We had so much fun, we have been staying in the SAME house off of 15th Street in Newport Beach since the early 70's, before I was born (just clearing that up). So many fun memories and it is fun to share it now with the husbands and nieces and nephews, gotta love tradition, even if it is a 10 mile walk to Balboa Island to get a hippo cookie :) .

Just so everyone knows, I don't take my professional camera on vacations, it stresses me out too much, so THESE ARE NOT PROFESSIONAL PICTURES. Scroll on down for 2 new weddings I posted yesterday.

Oh my! She is just the cutest thing EVER. My little niece, Eliza, I really wish they didn't live so far away!
Yes, peeps, I am that white. But this is the first time I have even put a bathing suit on in 2 years, but check out my wedding farmer tan. Awesome.

My cute nephew. Both of my nephews are such studs, little blond haired, blue eyed stud muffins. Their parents are going to have to beat all the girls off with a stick.
It is a firm family tradition of walk (or ride bikes) to Balboa Island, across on the ferry, to get a hippo cookie or a Balboa Bar. Carlos and Nate (my sister's husband) aren't as stoked about the walk as the rest of us are. Hahaha. It's tradition boys.My obsession, hippo cookies, I love them!!! (My 3 year old niece took this picture, not bad at all)
Megan, one of my nieces, taught Carlos how to boogie board. I felt like such a mom, I had to yell at them to come in closer to shore so the yellow boat wouldn't pick them up. :)
My sis and me. I REALLY wish she lived closer!
My brother-in-law rented us kayaks, we paddled around in the bay and had a blast and a good workout.
Let's end with precious Eliza. She doesn't know how to take a bad picture and she's only 2.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Chris & Katelyn: Married!

2009-07-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

Hot bride alert! I was just dying over how awesome Katelyn's dress was!! Chris and Katelyn were married at Inspiration Point in Corona Del Mar. It was such a beautiful setting! And the perfect day, that marine layer stuck around long enough to for us to get some awesome shots. We has a little adventure too, we went around the side of a cliff to get some shots and while we were there the tide came in just enough to make it very scary to get back. I was wet up past my knees in my dress pants and holding up my camera and bag, praying with all my heart that I would make it back to the shore. Hahaha. That was an adventure.

You definitely don't want to miss their slideshow at the end of the favorites.

Just after their ceremony:

The scary walk through the tide was worth it...
Katelyn, you are fabulous!

And now for the slideshow, click HERE.

Thad and Lisa: Married!

2009-07-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

A Knott's Berry Farm wedding! How fun is that?! Thad and Lisa are from the Seattle area and had one of their first dates at Knott's, so they decided that they would make it official at the same place. I had such a blast celebrating, not only the 4th of July, but their wedding with them! They even had Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy in their wedding party, so fun. It was definitely a new experience directing cartoon characters for pictures.

Here are some of my favorites.

HERE is their fun slideshow.

Shailendra and Bindi: Married!

2009-07-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to shoot Shailendra and Bindi's wedding celebration at the absolutely beautiful Rancho Bernardo Inn a few weeks ago. They were married a year ago in Indian and this was the big party here in the U.S. If you have never been to an Indian wedding then you are missing out!! Everything is so amazing! So much color and fun. I had a blast with these two and all 500 of the family and friends. Yes, 500, this is definitely the biggest wedding I have photographed. Their reception was amazing, the dance performance were out of this world!!! So great! Check out some of my favs and don't forget their slideshow at the end.

View their slideshow HERE.

Tito and Nami: Engaged!

2009-07-12T23:54:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Yes, it has been a long time since I've posted. Two weeks ago we packed up and moved from Redlands to Costa Mesa. We are so excited! We love our new apartment and I have tripled my office space, so nice. I love Costa Mesa and being so close to the beach. I think I forgot how much I loathe moving though. It is a pain, plus we were without internet for A WEEK! I really thought that I might die, just today did everything start coming together and looking like a real home, thanks Ikea!

Then last week my entire family came from all over and we all coverged on Newport Beach for a fun-filled family vacation. We have been staying at the same beach house since the early 70's (before I was born), but we haven't gone for the past couple of years because most of my fam doesn't live in California anymore, but this year (after much hard work, mostly on my parents' part) we planned a family reunion and everyone was able to come. So much fun!!!! Do you know how long it has been since I took a week off (I did do a little work, but mostly I just played). It was definitely needed. My family left today, I was pretty sad about the whole thing, I miss everyone being close. But that meant it was time to get back to work.

I did Tito a Nami's engagements a few weeks back. They were actually married back in March, but are making it really official in August. For their engagement session we headed down to Laguna Beach. They are such a cute, affectionate couple, made my job super easy. They were up for anything and I LOVE that. In the beach pictures they were all dressed up, but weren't afraid at all of getting wet and that made for awesome pictures. Check out some of my favs.

Check out their slideshow HERE!

A Couple of Sneak Peaks

2009-06-26T17:04:00.001-07:00

I have just finished editing a couple of weddings and I wanted to get up a couple of sneak peaks of what is to come.

Andrew and Marina:

Scott and Alice:

Chloe's Haircut!

2009-06-26T00:35:00.000-07:00

This is my 200th blog post! So exciting! I just had to post a picture of my cute dog's new haircut. This morning we took her to the vet to get her next set of shots and we decided to give her her summer haircut. I was a little sad to get rid of her puppy hair, but she looks so cute. She looks like such a little lady. My baby is growing up. I snapped the first picture yesterday, with all of her poofy puppy hair.

Before:

After:
Oh, I love this little dog!

Mike and Megan: Married!

2009-06-24T23:34:00.000-07:00

While I was shooting Nick and Trini's wedding, Tifany was up in beautiful Oak Glen at Serendipity shooting Mike and Megan's wedding. What a cute, fun couple! I've been able to work with them a couple of time and I think that they are such an adorable family. Check out the amazing light they had, those beautiful overcast skies were perfect for pictures! Check out some of our favs.

Scott and Jessica: Engaged!

2009-06-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

Scott and Jessica have been together since high school and they told me that they have never had nice pictures done of them and so they were worried that they wouldn't be very good at the picture thing. All I have to say is: WHATEVER! They are so photogenic, they should do pictures more often. I had a blast shooting all over Balboa with them. It really is my favorite place to shoot. We did some in the downtown area and then we went down to the Wedge where they got engaged for some beach pictures. I was so so so happy with how these came out, so be sure to watch their slideshow at the end.

Check out their slideshow HERE!

Sneak Peak: James and JoJo Part 2

2009-06-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

I was so delighted when JoJo asked me to do another session with them. James is getting ready to go overseas at the end of the summer and so they wanted to do some pictures in his uniform. I wanted to post a sneak peak. So excited. I should have the full post and slideshow up in a couple of days.

Josh and Maria: Married!

2009-06-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

What a fun day that I had at the Callaway Winery with Maria and Josh! They are really a fantastic couple and I love that I have been able to work with them the last couple of months and be a part of their wedding day. I loved shooting in the vineyards! Here are some of my favs from their day.

Maria gave all of her bridesmaids Coach purses. Ummm, yeah, I was little jealous.
One of my favorite parts of the day was when I was doing some groomsmen shots and the bridesmaids wanted them to do a "pimp" picture. After some convincing, this is what we got. Love it!
I adored Maria's veil!

This is my favorite shot of the day. They look HOT!