I just have to get it out there...Cecilia and Anthony were adorable, charming, and just as sweet as can be. The photo deities were totally on our side that day, too: perfect weather and everyone was right on schedule (Cecilia, I don't know how you did it, but getting a 25 person bridal party on schedule was an impressive feat). Also, when we went to Brand Park: a stunning, yet VERY popular shooting location, it suddenly emptied. Years of shooting there and I've never seen the crowds just thin like that, just for the perfect moment allowing us to capture some heartfelt, elegant, and timeless photos.

Cecilia had a custom made dress; with customized coordinated accessories that were just gorgeous. The ceremony was held at one of my favorite churches, St. Didacus and the 200 person reception that followed was held at Palacio Torres. (BTW: thank you for the delicious dinner you guys made sure was ready for us and insisted we sit down and make time for; Brian would especially like to mention the chips and salsa). The reception was a non-stop, lively party and your fabulous color-coordinated Candy Bar by The Sweet Bar was just perfect. Thank you again for everything; we are thrilled with how these turned out and are very eager for you to see the rest!!!

Karen Leah on 08.21.08 @ 09:58 PM PST [link]

I got something in the mail the other day that absolutely made my day. Now, I know my photos take a long time, and if you've ever wondered why, it's because I take each and every wedding that I'm fortunate enough to photograph very personally. Every photo gets edited, analyzed; even down to whether I think you guys will like it-you should hear some of the conversations I have about photos with my assistants; and when all else fails-Mom. (Mom will ALWAYS tell you how it is).

So, that being said, thank you notes mean the world to me. I truly take weddings to heart and have received some notes and phone calls that have really made me tear up. This was one of them. Anoop and Jennifer were married at the Luxe Hotel last year. It was the joining of Hindu, Christian, and Jewish cultures and it was done beautifully. They were such a fantastic couple; and Jennifer and Anoop: thank you for letting me know how you felt, even a year after your wedding-it gave me a reason to post one of my favorite photos :-) and just meant so much to me.

Karen Leah on 08.14.08 @ 09:48 PM PST [link]

This is going to be a long entry. I would sit back, maybe grab a snack or something if I were you...A few weeks ago, Courtney and I photographed the wedding of Julie and Shana. I am at a loss for where to begin, so, I'll start at the very beginning.



A couple of years ago I photographed the wedding of Chris and Michelle. Have you ever met someone and just thought: I totally want to be friends with you? :-) That is not only how I felt about Shana and Julie, but Chris and Michelle as well. They just rock, simply put. I mean, Chris and Michelle had air hockey and pool at Yankee Doodles as the wedding afterparty; how can they not???






So, awhile later when I get a call from Shana and she throws out the name of one of my favorite couples, I was thrilled!

Shana and Julie were just as fabulous, sweet, and snarky (a quality I treasure), as Chris and Michelle and such a pleasure to just be around that our initial meeting seemed to fly by! I was truly shocked at how late it was when I left.



And, at the time, they were planning a Committment Ceremony. While it would look, cost, and feel like a "legal" wedding-it wasn't, yet, until the law passed a few months before their ceremony. I have to say, the feeling among all of the vendors that day was that we were a part of something really special and felt just honored to be there; it was just an amazing day with an awesome couple.

Julie, while it's not on the blog, the photo of your mother pulling on your ear came out great and was just priceless, BTW...and Shana, thank you for being such a great sport while I made you bend, climb, jump, and climb some more for your wedding photos!

It was really, really hard to narrow down which photos I wanted to include, but here they are; you'll be receiving the rest soon and thank you again for allowing me to document your day.

Before I go, there are just a few of the other vendors I would be remiss if I didn't mention:

Tina at the Greenside Cafe was amazing. She kept everything running smoothly and was so sweet to work with.

Reverend Sarah (revsarah@ocfairviewchurch.org) gave such a meaningful, heartfelt service it was so hard not to cry.

The Flowers in Bloom in Yorba Linda created some gorgeous arrangements that complimented the banquet hall and golf course perfectly.














They chose to see each other before the wedding; this was from their first viewing:

Karen Leah on 08.11.08 @ 06:53 PM PST [link]