My partner Brea and I have a baby due in March so we have been trying to do lots of activities before little Bijou comes. We took a drive down Highway 1 from SF to Pismo beach, stopping in Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Año Nuevo and San Simeon to see the elephant seals with their new born pups.
My Mom was out of town for Mothers day so I went for a hike with a couple friends instead. My good friend Joey organizes a hiking group called the Telegraph Hiking Club. We did a short loop outside of Winters called Stebbins Cold Canyon. First we stopped at the Berryessa Brewing Co. and grabbed a growler full of Common Sense Ale with a giant coozy to boot. Lots of fun and close to home! Take a look 🙂
Judd and Brina • Olympic Valley, CA
Alli Galaxy and Satsi Sonic have recently merged into one epic supernova. I was honored to be a part of this day.. it was truly one of the most magical and moving unions I have ever witnesses (and I’ve witnessed lots).
Most weddings the guys are guzzling booze prior to the event. Not these guys
Satsi was crying tears of joy when he first saw his beautiful bride.
Smudging is a traditional method of clearing any negative energy from peoples hearts, bodies and minds. The smoky sunlight and sweet smell of sage transformed the forest into a spectacular sacred space.
Priestess Tasha, always with a warm smile and an open heart.
I broke down after the ceremony and melted for a couple moments with the newlyweds.
Shinneyboo Creek Campgrounds is the place to be if you want a forest wedding with tons of camping and amazing swimming holes.
Details from the Tree of Life constructed in the ceremony site
Bad Unkl Sista not only designed the dress but she also did a powerful and evocative Butoh dance.
I can’t speak highly enough about the amazing people who helped bring this together for the lucky couple. Here’s a list of some of the champions of the day:
Additional Photography / my best friend:
Lindsay Calmettes http://www.lumiphotography.com/
Decor:
Riley Marr/Ri’Ze Creations http://www.facebook.com/rizecreations
Ceremonial tree and sacred space construction:
Iain McMahon, Jeremy Mustille, Jerome McCarthy/Sticks & Stones
Dress & Groom’s Vest:
Anastazia Louise/ Bad Unkl Sista http://badunklsista.com/
Bouquets & Bulk Flowers:
Deena Miller / Sweet Roots Farm http://www.sweetrootsfood.com/Sweet_Roots_Farm/Home.html
Priestess:
Tasha Berg
Wedding Coordination:
Megan Bowers, Jamie James/Mirrorball Special Events http://mirrorballspecialevents.com/
Rings:
Utopian Stone Nevada City http://www.utopianstone.com/
I took a little break from blogging and now I have to catch up.. There’s all kind of things want to share with the world but I have to go back in time a little and start where I left off.
I went to HI last summer to photograph a wedding and ended up staying for a week to soak it all in. HI is truly the state of aloha, there’s a sweet smell to the air and the people are amazingly friendly and connected to the energy of the islands. I didn’t want to leave and when I got back I couldn’t stop thinking about it.. Maybe that’s why I didn’t post this blog because that would be the final closure for the trip. Oh well… I’m saving up to go back soon. Here are some of the things I saw 🙂
Here’s a couple shots of me jumping off the rocks at Waimea Bay
The top one was shot by Lindsay Calmettes and the bottom one shot by Mandy Draper
It’s not too often you have two of California’s premier photographers shooting your shenanigans 🙂
Rolling Stills 