I have known Chris since he was like 5, and I was like 6. And he is my brother’s best and oldest friend. Kristin Vaughn was the main shooter and I was super grateful that she allowed me to tag along! The wedding ceremony and reception took place at the Mitten Building in downtown Redlands (I highly recommend this place). The couple took their first look at Oak Glen above Cherry Valley. Sarah’s dress was by Jessica McClintock and it fit her perfectly!

I am still booking for August! Give me a shout if you haven’t found your wedding photographer, yet!

Awesome dessert table with desserts prepared and bought by some of Nicole and Eric’s close friends. And two gorgeous wedding bands designed by Nicole’s talented cousin, Ann. The engagement ring is an antique.

Little pieces added by the bride and groom all around Godric Grove to tie in with their theme of black and white. Before the ceremony began, Eric and Nicole walked about greeting their guests. Here is Nicole looking like something out of a magazine, just being her darling self.

Again, the most memorable thing about this day was how completely at ease Eric and Nicole were with each other and their guests. Candids of them dancing with their mother and then father is proof of that.

And when the bride and groom took the dance floor for their first dance I was smiling from ear to ear. They chose to dance to Taj Mahal’s “Queen Bee”. They sang the lines to each other as they whirled around the dance floor and in my heart I know that they will spend the rest of their lives whirling around in complete awe and love of each other.

“Honey in the honey pot and, your pot is hot
Honey in the honey pot and the pot is what you got
To lova rocka rocka me to my soul
Oh love me to my soul, rock me to my soul
Oh love me to my soul, rock me to my soul”

I can only imagine that Eric and Nicole woke up in their respective rooms with 10 times the excitement and an ever-increasing amount of anticipation. It was May 22, the day that this amazingly awesome couple would exchange vows that would commit them to a lifetime of happiness.

I didn’t realize that when Nicole and Eric chose Justin and me to shoot their wedding, we would be added to the list of family and friends that would participate in pulling together the small details of this day for them. I was amazed at the organization skills of Nicole’s mother, of Nicole and Eric’s specific vision of their Santa Barbara nuptials, atop a beautiful bluff that overlooked the Pacific Ocean. I was touched to see that Nicole and Eric were more concerned about the well-being and comfort level of their guests that traveled near and far to see them say I do in the warm late Spring sun, then the wind blowing Nicole’s hair out of place or Eric’s (haha). That even though some people were running behind that Nicole and Eric just kid of shrugged their shoulders and just kind of smiled at each other knowing that it would work itself out. Everything seemed so effortless.

I mean, seriously, this will go down in the books as the best wedding I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing. Ever.

I will be blogging this wedding for a few weeks. So, come back next week for more!

I could not be any more happier that this season started off right with Eric and Nicole’s gorgeous day in Santa Barbara.

Sigh.

I know that I will have to dab and wipe away a few tears on Saturday because seeing a happy couple say, ‘I do’, never gets old.

And with that, I leave you a quote from Shakespeare:

‘Now join your hands, and with your hands your hearts.’

This session was a little better BUT the chilling wind factor was crazy! (So, I am sure you’ll see these two again when we actually have some consistent weather next month).

Here’s just a few. More to follow tomorrow. Sorry for being a slacker blogger.

Oh, and Happy Earth Day!

I mentioned that Windmill Ridge Winery is local and it’s gorgeous. The shots from part one are all indoor and then we took it to the great outdoors to play in the vines, the lawn and the surrounding buildings of the winery.

It’s so gorgeous that you have to make it two words…GOR.GEOUS.

Windmill Ridge Winery is located on the outskirts of town, on Linne Road. When Nellie told me we’d be using it for a styled bridal shoot I asked, are we going to be able to use ALL of the winery? (Yes.) Is there a real barrel room? (Yes.) Can we shoot in the vines? (Yes.) Well, then, let’s do this. (I’m a wee snobbish, can’t you tell?)

Most of the images below are of the beautiful model for this shoot, Brittany. But after you gaze at how gorgeous she is look at the background scenery and see that Windmill Ridge Winery would be the perfect place to host an event, including a wedding. The possibilities are endless. There is a front lawn, a simple gazebo, the inside has high warm colored walls, ceilings, a gorgeous fireplace; the back area has a manicured lawn, edged with an old weathered wooden building. Views of a neighboring winery, the hills, ahhh, I just fell in love.

Thanks to Nellie Guerrero for inviting me to help plan this shoot. She is the eye behind Photography by Studio G and fellow wedding photographer. This shoot was fun for our first go around, and I cannot wait for the opportunity to do this again!

A big thank you to the owners and creators of Windmill Ridge Winery, Bill and Stephanie Prioste. Your winery is gorgeous and I cannot wait to see the future events hosted at your venue.

Brittany, it was awesome meeting and working with you. You reminded me of a vintage jazz singer. Billie Holiday? Or maybe even a Lena Horne?

Also, if you love the bridal veil Brittany is modeling, please e-mail my talented friend, Kellie Whitecotton. She can be contacted at kleidy94591 [at] yahoo [dot] com. She will create a one of a kind piece, just for you!

Ben and Shestin, chose to do a first look so we had plenty of time to shoot all around the beautiful grounds at Testarossa. Isn’t this setting beautiful?