Ca del Sole Intimate Wedding

Ana- a vivacious Russian with a beautiful smile and a great love for her friends & fun + Charley- her Latin lover (now husband) with a heart of gold. Sometimes a most unexpected combination fits so right and witnessing the marriage of these two souls was just that. It was a simple ceremony where I met them for just a few hours on the back patio of the Ca del Sole Italian restaurant in Studio City, CA. The bougainvillea was in gorgeous bloom and the long table was set for their nearest & dearest friends and family. It was a simple and no-fuss way to have a beautiful celebration. xo

El Presidio & Alhecama- A Historic Santa Barbara Wedding

Meet Shauna & Graham, two gracious souls who got married at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara- a state historic site on Canon St built by Spain in 1782. Originally a fortress, two original adobe buildings still stand here- including the 2nd oldest surviving structure in California. Thus, it was extra special to have such a sense of history for a west coast wedding. On a day of many moments, one that stands out is when a close friend graced these two creatives with a meditation within the thick, quiet adobe walls holding the realities of dust & time before walking down the aisle. True to their spirit- authenticity, family, friendship, intention & joy encircled these two throughout their wedding day. Following the ceremony, a multi-instrumental procession performed by friends and family led the party to the reception across the street at the Alhecama Theatre. Here, tables were covered in goldenrod yellow, bowls of mandarins overflowed (Graham’s favorite) and market lights hung from above. Inside on the wooden stage, Shauna’s dad performed more than one song as the dance floor kicked into gear. Shauna & Graham- y’all crushed it and it was oh-so-lovely. xx

That dress btw? Leanne Marshall | Location: El Presidio | Reception: Alhecama Theatre | Event planning: Burlap & Rose Weddings

Erin + Eric's Duke Gardens Wedding

Erin & Eric know how to throw a wedding. Everything was simply gorgeous & graced by a sun-filled October day. So many of their loved ones flooded into Duke Gardens to celebrate the vows of this couple. Nothing was rushed and everything was lovely. Everyone’s presence was quickly treated to champagne flutes on the garden grounds following the I Do’s, while Erin & Eric greeted everyone in turn. Their attention to detail clearly applies to the friendships these two have. I wish these sweethearts only more magic in the years to come. xx

A Botanical Engagement at LA Arboretum

Naomi and her beau flew into LA from New York and we were able to set up this gorgeous botanical-inspired engagement session at the LA Arboretum. Lucky for our short window of time, we had those classic California sun rays all afternoon. Naomi has a love for cacti so we incorporated those beautiful desert vibes and then made our way to the ancient forest to create some lush Gauguin inspired images. Best wishes to this dreamy duo who are set to marry on Long Island next year. xo

A garden party bridal shower for Lili

Actress, Reiki healer, and the beautifully abundant soul that is Lili Bordan is soon to be married! After kicking Michael, her beau-to-be, out of the house, friends pulled together to throw her a garden party bridal shower at her home in South Pasadena. There was plenty of witchy-ritual, tasty cocktails, fresh flowers twisted into crowns, guessing games and reiki-blessings (even Finn got one!). It was amazing to see Lili surrounded with a community of such strong female support. Hang onto your girlfriends y'all, they are your number ones! Here are some snaps from the afternoon. xo

Ruthie + Tom

Blue skies and golden leaves surrounded these two expert hand-holders at their wedding on October 29th in Tuckaseegee, North Carolina at Castle Ladyhawke. If you hold your partner's hand about as naturally as you breath air, something tells me it's meant to last. Ruthie & Tom, it was such a treat to meet you both and to be welcomed into a crowd of friends and family who were so ready to celebrate you. They clearly love y'all to pieces and it's easy to see why. 

Katie + Wil

I met Wil and Katie during my time at UNC Chapel Hill, building individual friendships with them thumbing through records on Franklin St, winning NCAA championships, hitch-hiking to Cocoa Beach FL, late-night talks over cinnamon toast crunch, 80's dance parties and crisp Carrboro bike rides. Years later, their magnetic draw brought them together in Los Angeles, and before long these beautiful, quality humans found themselves engaged (beside a castle in Prague no less)! So when they decided where to get married, there was nothing like their mutual love of home and commitment to family that made a North Carolina wedding the clear choice. They did it right. Everything looked and felt perfect. The wedding held a golden glow the whole time... maybe it was the October air but it was probably Katie's smile. (And ALL the friends who love these two deeply.) I love seeing how happy these two friends make each other. To both of y'all, congratulations! 

Location: Starlight Meadow near Burlington, NC. Dress by BHLDN. 

gracie a la sophia

The prep photos are always some of my favorite pictures from a wedding... kind of similar in spirit to why christmas eve feels so special... the anticipation, the prep, the (relative) calm, the community and those beautifying details that are so special. I already posted a few instax that I loved of gracie getting ready in Granada, Nicaragua... but decided that's not enough! Here are a few more off my mark ii. Gracie... a Sophia Loren of her own kind.