Angie and Jay were married on top of a mountain! Literally! I was invited to take photos of their incredibly beautiful and picturesque wedding ceremony and dinner. The day was gorgeous, and the mountain provided incredible views of Malibu Canyon, one place I am going to hike someday. Angie and Jay are both avid hikers and birders, so it was fitting that they chose to be married near one of their favorite trails. Catered by Elements Kitchen the food and setting was so elegant! Thank you Angie and Jay for allowing me to be a part of your very special day!

sometimes in the whirl of the wedding, the groom is often lost in the shadow of the dress. it is just as, if not more, emotional of a day for him as it is for her. photographers spend hours with the bride while she's getting ready for her big day, but where is the groom? most of the amazing shots i capture of the groom and his men happen before he says "I do". i absolutely love hanging out with the guys before the ceremony, there's never a dull moment! i put together this slideshow of just a few fun portraits as a tribute to the many grooms and groomsmen i have photographed over the years. Let's hear it for the boys!

after going through my office stuff, again, to organize ... again! :) i found this picture of my very best friend on her wedding day. it was taken of the three of us, kara and paul and me, walking back to the ceremony site at the botanical gardens in phoenix, az back in 2004. just before the shot was taken, kara and paul had just seen each other for the first time before their wedding and it was the sweetest moment i've ever witnessed. it was their moment that actually made me consider going into wedding photography. i was so full of their love and respect for each other and the fact that i was a part of that with my camera, it was very moving and inspiring at the same time. today kara and paul have a one year old little girl and are still loving and respecting each other every day. thank you guys for being a part of my life and helping me shape my future. :)

one of my favorite parts of my job is getting to be the 'second' photographer at weddings. i love it because all the shots are creative and candid, more behind the scenes than the lead photographer and able to really capture moments! for these two weddings, i helped out my friend jihan at the montecito country club and the moorpark country club. both gorgeous locations and gorgeous people and both completely unique.

so many people travel great distances to where i live! santa barbara is one of the most beautiful places along the pacific coast. after living in santa barbara for almost 7 years, i have become accustomed to the tourist spots and save visiting them for when i have guests. but, one of my favorite things to do in this town is finding a new spot, or better, a new meaning to a spot. _alice keck park _ was just another city block park to me ... until i shot melanie and keith's wedding for Barbara Alessandra. {barbaraalessandra.com} i fell in love with why they loved it, too. they had no extra flowers brought in, just chairs. you could hear the kids playing from across the street, adding a magical ambiance to the ceremony and it honestly felt like everyone there was in their bubble. the rest of the night was spent tearing the roof off stella mare's! what an amazing and very memorable santa barbara wedding!