Chico California Wedding Photographer: Chris and Katie

Seven years ago, when Kenny and I got engaged, we knew exactly who we would ask to help us with premarital counseling: Marty and Linda T are some of the kindest, wisest people that we know. They have a love for helping young people mature in their relationships and we were so blessed to learn from them. So then, we were absolutely honored to be asked to shoot the wedding of one of their sons. When Chris and Katie emailed me this past fall, I couldn't believe it. We were so excited!

Katie and Chris are so sweet and they adore one another. They are high school sweethearts, married one month after college graduation. And very soon, the newlyweds will head overseas to teach for the next two years. Their story is beautiful and so was their wedding.

Thank you so much Chris and Katie and your amazing families! We were blessed to see your day unfold and hear your stories. I know that these photos are only the beginning. So cheers to you and all that is to come!

Katie, you are gorgeous!

The first look.... So sweet!

Love this set...

My view.... Kenny's perspective...

Just so you know, they are both amazing athletes!

The girls each wore these gorgeous pieces...

Just a few of my favorites from the ceremony...

Oh the details.... Loved them!

Chris adores his Mom... and so do I!

And finally.. a sweet dance shared by Chris and Katie...

A sure sign of a wonderful celebration!

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Mallory and Chris

Chris and Mallory were married at Centerville Estates on a warm summer day. And I was honored to be a part of that day. To catch special glimpses between the two of them. To capture the special bond that each of them have with their families and friends. I was honored to see them married and hear the toasts and watch their first dance... They met in college -- living only a floor a part, but not for long. The two of them became fast friends and fell for each other quickly. Mallory loves how Chris protects her and Chris loves the way that Mallory's smile can light up a room. I can tell that the people around them look up to Chris and Mallory. The two have something very special.

So cheers to Chris and Mallory. Thank you so much for everything! I am more than grateful!

The wedding ceremony was beautiful, and the flower girl just as sweet as can be :)

What a sweet relationship Mallory has with her parents :)

Some details from the reception -- They used animal silouhettes instead of table numbers for the guest seating. So unique :)

The Dancing was beautiful... Chris chose to dance with his sister, Lily, for a special song. Lily adores her brother.

I hope Kenny and I will always be like this...

The night went on and was followed by toasts and more dancing. Here is one of my final and favorite shots of the two...

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Jared and Ashley are Married....

Just a tease from this sweet wedding yesterday. Cheers to Ashley and Jared and more photos will come soon!

Chico California Wedding Photography: Almost Finished...

I have been editing so much this week and yet still didn't get this next wedding completely finished and showcased on the blog. However, I still couldn't resist. As I started to put together the story for their blog, this set of photos is one of my favorites from Chris and Mallory's Wedding. I say it all the time, but I am blessed with the BEST clients and the most BEAUTIFUL weddings. I love what I do -- and Mallory -- you are so sweet. I promise the rest of your wedding will be blogged early next week.

Cheers to Friday, another great wedding this weekend, and the fact that Costco sold me the best grapes in the world this week. So delicious!

To All My Sisters Out There: The Powder Room

Well this is long overdue -- another installment of To All My Sisters Out There. Thanks for your patience as the wedding season has made my life a bit crazy lately. Today, I am thrilled to showcase The Powder Room -- a beauty bar in downtown Chico. The concept here is makeup and skin care in a boutique fashion. When clients walk in, they are greeted with a beautiful design and served well. The Powder Room works with many brides and bridal parties, so I thought this was fitting for this post. I believe that makeup design can be a sweet part of your wedding day look and finding a good artist, who understands your desires, is really important.

Ashley, is the owner of The Powder Room and so I asked her to share briefly her perspective on the way that this brand serves the wedding industry.

Ashley first said that Brides incur a lot of stress (even good stress) and tension leading up to their wedding day. This where she comes in: On the day of the wedding, it is her desire to make those moments enjoyable, relaxing, and the most beautiful that a bride can have. She takes careful attention to consult with her brides before and so the day of is totally stress free, when it comes to finishing her look with makeup. Ashley takes the time to understand what her brides envision.

Ashley also said, "I really love my job, and hope it shows! I travel to do makeup for the bridal party and do whatever it takes to make the bride feel SPECIAL and IMPORTANT on her wedding day. Because that is what it comes down to..."

In hearing these things, I think it is safe to say that brides are served in a special way by their makeup artist. These are the people who put the finishing touches on your look in a beautiful, personal way. So consider this investment on your wedding day.

Lastly, here are some photos of the details in her shop -- the beauty bar we call it. Cheers to The Powder Room and Thursday mornings in my office. Thanks Ashley, for sharing a bit of your brand with us.

She has put so much work into the details of her store. I just love it.

Oh yes, and the bride below: Her makeup was designed by Ashley at the Powder Room. Gorgeous!

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Brent and Jade Tease...

This beautiful couple was married on Sunday. What an amazing wedding with so many details. Wait until you see their celebration. Cheers to the newlyweds!

Among the details, was this beautiful veil....

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Chris and Katie Tease...

What a sweet, sweet wedding! Thank you Katie and Chris for letting us be a part of your special day. I promise we will be seeing more of these photos soon. Cheers to a rainy Monday. It is helping me stay indoors, unpack my suitcases and download lots and lots of photos....

Chico California Photographer: Rest

I disappeared this week and you will have a hard time luring me back to Chico from this beautiful place... Kenny and I are taking a break and soaking up every moment before shooting two more weddings this weekend. Cheers to an amazing time. I have left even my own computer behind, to take this break, so this photo lies completely unedited. Another post will follow as soon as I get back to my office -- but hopefully not too soon...

Chico California Photographer: Chris and Mallory Tease...

Although I am exhausted -- I am still so energized because I truly love my job! So much, that I couldn't wait to show you this tease of the beautiful Mallory and Chris. What an amazing wedding day!

Chico California Engagement Photographer: Brent and Jade

I met Jade and Brent only about a month ago and I am so, so glad to get to work with them! First of all, they are creative and inspiring people. I don't know them really well -- but I can tell they have beautiful stories. Together, they are better.I believe their photos begin to tell something -- a bit about their chemistry and relationship. Brent adores Jade and Jade looks up to Brent. They are really beautiful people. Thank you so much for letting me into your lives. Your wedding day will be amazing! PS: Brent roasts his own coffee -- And as soon as I try some, I have a feeling I may be hooked. Stay on the lookout for that, because you probably want to try some too.

Cheers to Thursday and four weddings in the next two weeks!

Love it!

I love these next three -- Just gorgeous people!

I love how happy you are together! Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your day!

Chico California Wedding Photography: Scott and Rebekah

Ok -- this was a crazy, fun wedding! It was one of those strange Saturdays, two weeks ago here in Chico. It was so windy and actually kind of cold. (I know all of my Portland friends do not want to hear that 60 degrees feels cold...). All that to say, Rebekah and Scott were troopers. They made the weather look so good and they had so much fun together on their wedding day. I feel like my blog posts could go on and on with their photos...The wedding was at Butte Creek Country Club. An outdoor wedding with an indoor reception. I loved meeting all of their friends and family -- it was truly a beautiful event. Thank you so much for allowing us into your lives, Scott and Rebekah. What an honor!

Love the girls!!

The boys too...

The flowers were beautiful and created by Flor Decor...

The ceremony came first, followed by our time with the bride and groom....

At the end of the aisle we caught this sweet moment...

Now for portraits...

Rebekah -- you are stunning!

The details were gorgeous as well!

And as for the night -- it was wonderful! Lots of dancing and good times that I will try to blog later as this post has gotten quite long and I still have to make dinner for my hubby :)

So for now -- Cheers to Scott and Rebekah!

Chico California Photographer: Six Years...

Well -- it is Tuesday and I am waist deep in editing right now. So I have a quick post today -- just a little something fun for you. Kenny and I celebrated six years of marriage this past week. Wow -- I can hardly believe that it has been six years. We both feel like it has gone so fast, yet SO much has happened as well. I guess I want all of you to know that marriage is life changing. I am such an advocate for marriage -- such a believer in this great thing that God has created for us! Maybe this is why I love being a wedding photographer. Weekend, after weekend, I watch other people commit to this and I know their lives will never be the same. My life has been changed, for the better, because of this beautiful thing called marriage.

So cheers to my amazing, (and good looking) husband and to the God who put us together. I am forever grateful.

Here's a "self-timed" photo from our date night on Friday. We went to 5th Street Steak House and enjoyed a delicious dinner. Save your pennies for this great restaraunt!

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Brent and Jade Tease...

I walked away from this session last night, my heart full and with much adoration for this couple. Brent and Jade -- you are fabulous! Wait until you see more of these photos.... Cheers to Thursday - and the celebration of six years married to my hubby tomorrow! I am one lucky girl!

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Jeff and Julia

Jeff and Julia are amazing people. They have such a sincere love for one another and God. Their families and friends are among the kindest, happiest people I have met. So then, you can imagine that their wedding was truly a celebration and we had so much fun!Saturday April 30th: The day was so bright and warm: The venue, gorgeous. Julia blushed with anticipation at seeing her future husband. Jeff was beaming with pride at his beautiful wife. I know God had His hand on their special day. Jeff and Julia: I admire your joy and passion and love. Thank you so much for choosing Kenny and I to photograph your day. This blog post is way too short, to even begin to summarize all that happened on your wedding day. Enjoy this glimpse! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you!

Julia, you are so pretty!

Julia and Jeff moments before the first look...

The first look...

The ceremony was beautiful -- very windy, but so blessed!

The details glowed, as did our bride and groom.

La Cocina Econimica catered the party. I know, you can almost taste those chips, huh?

Some friends created a makeshift photobooth for the party and I loved it! The props signified different parts of their lives.

Loved hearing all of the beautiful things said and just seeing so many people have a wonderful time!

Sticking to a "Taco Truck" theme, Jeff and Julia chose to have an array of desserts, with a spanish food flair to them!

They proved to be amazing dancers -- really. I got a little caught up in their first dance as well, because I loved their song choice, "Just the Way You are..." So sweet!

A few cuties came to the party :)

I think we all smiled until our cheeks hurt -- and I love this photo of the "Anniversary Dance Winners". Everyone at this celebration was truly happy!

As the evening sky dimmed, and the flowers became worn, Jeff and Julia took their final dance and away they went. What a beautiful day! Congratulations you Mr. and Mrs. Thielman!

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Scott and Rebekah Tease...

So honored to be a part of this celebration yesterday.Happy Honeymooning you two! I can't wait to share more photos from your day!

To All My Sisters Out There: Wedding Bouquets

Many of you know that it doesn’t take long and I will refer to you as sister. I am not sure when this all started, but a few years ago instead of saying someone’s name, I would just say sister. And it kind of stuck. I have found myself saying this to most of my brides and any of the girls in my life. Now bear with me, there is a reason for this story. Today is the debut of a new blog journey. Every other Friday, I will be posting wedding information for my brides to be and any girl out there who is already thinking of her wedding day (hopefully that is a lot of us). There will be posts about choosing a wedding dress, choosing a venue, elements of a first dance – Basically, anything that has to do with the wedding industry, I will try to post at some point.

Now, I had to come up with a name for these blog posts. Let me tell you – this was the hardest of part, for sure. Here’s where the “sister story” comes in: Because I refer to so many of you as my sisters, I have titled these posts: To All My Sisters Out There.

Ok – so I hope you like that part. When you see that title, you will know that wedding thoughts are coming your way.

And for today’s debut post: It is about Choosing Wedding Bouquets with a Different Perspective.

The floral arrangements for a wedding are often chosen to compliment the colors and theme of a wedding day. Great idea? Absolutely. But let me ask you to consider a different perspective.

Choose flowers that you want to see as photos on your wall. Choose flowers that you will love on the day of, with all of your color combinations and dresses, but remember that you will see these flowers for the rest of your life: in your wedding photos.

Giving attention to your floral investment with a wider perspective will make you more satisfied in the long run. Just think – some of your wedding photos, even of the floral details, could be art on your wall. It is definitely something new to consider.

And below, are a few of my favorite bouquet photos. These are shots that I take at nearly every wedding – and some of these are hung in my office. See, I love them as photos as well!

Cheers to Friday and all of my sisters out there!

Sometimes, I like to photograph the bouquet very subtly.

I photograph the boutonierre and a Mother's bouquet as well.

The bridesmaid's Bouquet.

Some close ups of the bridal bouquet.

I didn't include any photos of the other floral arrangements at a wedding -- because that will be another post, for another time. Cheers!

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Adrian and Adree

We were on the road by six in the morning. Headed to Manteca, California to photograph another beautiful wedding. There is nothing like it -- Starbucks in hand, camera gear in the backseat and my best friend at my side. We may have been jamming out to our latest find, Boyce Avenue. All in preparation for this couples big day!Adree and Adrian had a lovely park ceremony and backyard reception. The weather was just right, and the setting was perfect for their wedding. They are great together -- oh, you should see how much they adore each other! I have had so much fun looking back on their day. These photos are only some of my favorites -- I wish I had the time to post each one! Thank you to the new Mr. and Mrs. -- I am so honored to know both of you! I can't say it enough -- thank you so much!

Both Adree and Adrian right before the first look...

The first look and LOTS of portraits...

Love it!

We had spotted this ally on our way to the wedding, and had to stop. Adree and Adrian are just awesome!

The wedding took place in a beautiful park nearby the residence where the reception was held. Right after the wedding, we caught this moment between Adrian and his Mom. It is beautiful....

Some of my favorites from the group shots

Details... and a glimpse into the reception

A couple cuties at the reception :)

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Jeff and Julia Tease...

What a glorious day yesterday! Jeff and Julia are officially newlyweds and I couldn't be more honored to capture their wedding day. When I saw this photo, it reminded me of their engagement session -- they are radiant people! Have a blessed honeymoon you two! Thank you so much -- I look forward to sharing so many more memories of your day with you!

Chico California Photographer: A First Look

The first look: I define this as a choice that couples make to see one another before the wedding ceremony. Do I love this choice? Yes! I love the first look because it is intimate. It is shared privately between the bride and groom, with the exception of a photographer. As they see one another for the first time on their wedding day, nothing is moving and time stands still. There is no program urging them on, no persons to distract them. It is simply a moment. And that moment is real and breathtaking and unforgettable.

That moment is also captured on film. And that is what I get the honor of doing -- and this is why I love a first look.

There are other reasons why I encourage my couples to see one another before the wedding (and of course, I totally respect couples when they choose to see one another for the first time at the ceremony). These logistical reasons I will share in a later post.

For now, this is truly a tease! But, you do not want to miss the rest of their photos, all to be shown early next week.

Cheers to Friday! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Chico California Wedding Photographer: Levi and Heidi

Levi and Heidi -- what can I say about them, other than the fact that they are perfect together and they are a whole lot of fun! Seriously, after their session, my cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing so much with them. They are full of life -- as you will see from these photos. Thank you so much Levi and Heidi -- I highly anticipate a great celebration come June, when we photograph your wedding!

As for the soda... Levi didn't go anywhere without it during our session, so I thought we better incorporate it in a few photos...

Heidi, you are gorgeous!