27Dec

La Valencia

By, December 27, 2017

Highlights of La Valencia Hotel

La Valencia Hotel is the definition of vintage luxury in beautiful La Jolla, California. Also known as “The Pink Lady,” this Mediterranean style, oceanfront resort is romantic, playful and always enchanting. With it’s marble tiled hallways, hidden fire escapes, iconic pink walls and prime location above La Jolla Cove, La Valencia is one of our favorite wedding destinations to photograph, and we know its every nook and cranny.

Directly adjacent to the hotel is Cafe la Rue; a great spot for some fun photos with your wedding party.
We love to have fun with our couples before heading onto the lobby.
Shooting the same location at different times of the day results in drastically different images.
The marble floor lining the ground floor of the Cabrillo building make for some spectacular shots.
The hallway on the 9th floor of the Tower ends with a fire escape and incredible view of the Pacific.
This place is a gold mine of reflections and dramatic lighting.
The staircase leading to the upper floors of The Tower are adorned with ornate mirrors and lined with original wooden bannisters.
As soon as you step into the central courtyard you will be surrounded by lush vegetation, Spanish tiled stairwells and bright pink walls.
Following the main path adjacent to the pool you'll arrive at a cozy landing that is lined with blue Spanish tile and signature pink walls. If you follow the stairs down you'll pass thru a gate that leads directly to La Jolla Cove.
There are several fire escapes on the outside of the hotel that offer sweeping views of La Jolla and the surrounding areas.
We love to make use of the beautiful window light.
Some couples choose to get ready in one of the hotel's beautiful guest rooms.
The Boardroom is located on the 4th floor and has enough space for you and your bridal party.
You can also choose to get ready in one of La Valencia's Villa Suites.
The Ceremony at La Valencia is located on a cozy landing directly above the swimming pool, and is backdropped by the Pacific.
While one photographer focuses on the close-up intimate moments, the 2nd photographer can get step away to grab an over-all shot of the ceremony.
The walkway directly behind and above the ceremony site is another great spot to capture the festivities while showing off the spectacular view.
The Pacific Ocean makes for a spectacular backdrop for your family photos.
One of La Valencia's biggest draws is definitely its location, just a short walk away from La Jolla Cove and the Pacific Ocean.
The green covered rocks become accessible during low tide, and make for a dramatic backdrop for our subjects.
A bride and groom always grab all the attention.
After the sun goes down and the lights come on, La Valencia takes on a more dramatic and romantic mood.
These photos were taken just outside the ballroom, meaning the bride and groom won't have to be away from their reception for long to get some memorable images.
The fire escape above Cafe laRue is great for backlit night time photos.

La Valencia Hotel Wedding Photography

As preferred photographers of La Valencia, we photograph weddings here frequently :) If you are considering a wedding at this venue, we are happy to talk over specific photography questions. We also suggest checking out more of our La Valencia wedding photos.

25Dec

Scripps Seaside Forum

By, December 25, 2017

Highlights of Scripps Seaside Forum

Located on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus, the Scripps Seaside Forum offers a blend of modern architecture and style that celebrates Southern California’s unrivaled coastal environment. With an unparalleled beachfront location, modern facilities, and award-winning architecture, this stunning venue offers an ideal setting for you wedding and reception. The breathtaking view and multipurpose auditorium also makes the Scripps Seaside Forum a wonderful location, and one that is sure to impress.

The back of the building offers an opportunity to photograph our newlyweds while showcasing The Forum's award winning architecture.
By stepping in closer, we can use the natural lines of the hallway to pull the eye towards our subjects.
We can use the walls and complex architecture of the Forum to naturally frame our subjects
By simply turning our couple around we get a completely different look of the same hallway.
Throwing on a longer lens and staying close to the wall results in intimate portraits.
Continuing further down the hallway, we arrive at a wide balcony with a spectacular view.
From the upstairs patio, we can take the stairs right to the front lawn.
On your way to the lawn make sure to stop on the stairs to grab some fun shots of your newlyweds
Once at the lawn you'll have lots of room for photos of the entire wedding party with the Pacific in the background.
The stairs located at the northernmost point of the lawn will lead you right to the beach.
During low tide, Scripps beach is a great place to pose the bride and groom for some dramatic portraits.
The mood changes during higher tide, but the opportunity for spectacular photos is always there.
Following the beach north, you'll arrive at what is probably the most photographed location at Scripps Beach; The Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier.
After getting extended coverage of the beach, it's usually time to get the newlyweds back to the Forum for their Grand Entrance.
When the timing is right, the reflection on the ballroom sliding doors is pretty epic.
Stepping outside during the first dance can result in some really memorable photos.
The market lights above the main lawn illuminate the bride and groom.
The slotted wooden panels that line the main courtyard offer lots of opportunity to play with off camera lights.
The Forum is not only perfect for wedding photography, but for engagement and lifestyle shoots as well.
The Rose Garden, located just north of the main lawn, is a lush and colorful spot for romantic portraits.
The blue tile on this building gives photos an instant pop.
Looking north from the pier, the cliffs above La Jolla make for a spectacular backdrop.
By positioning ourselves between the cliffs and the water, we can capture a different perspective of the same scene.
During low tide, the tide pools in front of the cliffs emerge, and offer great opportunities for complex reflection shots.
ocean, beach, engagement, love, scripps, seaside, forum
Don't worry, we wont make you get in the ocean. Only if you want to :)

Scripps Seaside Forum Wedding Photography

As seasoned wedding photographers all throughout La Jolla and San Diego, we photograph weddings at Scripps Seaside Forum frequently :) If you are considering a wedding at this venue, we are happy to talk over specific photography questions. We also suggest checking out more of our Scripps Seaside Forum wedding photos.

18Nov

Bun in the Oven | Maternity Session Inspiration

By, November 18, 2016

We love maintaining a personal connection with our wedding couples, and seeing where life takes them. When a baby is on the way, we really enjoy going back and photographing the onetime newlyweds as parents-to-be. It is so much fun to get creative together, and the joy and excitement shows in the resulting photos :) As inspiration, we’ve collected a few of our favorite recent maternity photos, showing soon-to-be moms rockin’ the baby bump. Enjoy!

Expecting couple embraces during beach maternity
During her maternity session, Callie (above) looked stunning in her flowy white gown. With relaxing waves in the distance, it was a beautiful and tranquil moment.

Husband and Wife laugh while playing during maternity sessionBeautiful individual portraits of mothers expecting We love showing soon-to-be-moms looking their best!

Baby shoes frame letter blocks during maternity session Husband and Wife look at one another and hold hands during maternity session at Sunset CliffsMarried couples incorporate personalized props into maternity sessions

Pets are part of the family too! Let your pooch welcome their new sibling to the family in style :)

Expecting mother holds belly next to Scripps PierMarried Couple look at one another and giggle while holding baby shoes
During Christine’s maternity session (above), we captured a candid moment with these adorable footies.

Married Couples embrace during beach maternity sessionExpecting Couple sit on grass during maternity sessionHusband and Wife embrace and laugh during cute maternity sessionExpecting mom holds baby shoes in front of blue wallExpecting mother holding belly during maternity session at Balboa ParkMarried couple sit on grass during maternity session Expecting mother in blue gown at beach

For more inspiration from recent maternity sessions, check out our maternity photo gallery.