This photograph of Gretchen & Jakob’s first dance literally took my breath away. This…this is why I loooooooove my job.

It was a serene, calm morning. As Angie’s friend put the final touches on her hair, Angie was as calm & collected as could be. She laughed, she smiled…she was over the moon. And why wouldn’t she be? She was marrying her best friend & it literally was her dream come true. Her bridesmaids gathered together to “ooooooh” & “aaaaaah” as Angie stepped into her custom made wedding gown. And as Angie & Nick saw each other for the first time on their wedding day in a grove of redwood trees, they embraced…they kissed…everything around them disappeared…and it was perfect. Because when Angie & Nick are together, all is right, all is perfect & everything is better. That evening as family & friends raised their glasses to toast the newly married couple, Angie’s brother said, “I love Angie & I love Nick. But I love Angie & Nick even more.” Everyone who knows Angie & Nick know what a fabulous & dynamic duo they are. There truly is no Nick without Angie & no Angie without Nick.

When I talked to Angie about the wedding, I knew it was going to be an event to remember. Angie put so much work into making sure the details were perfect. And perfect they were! They married at Nestldown in Los Gatos, a romantic & secluded location that was gorgeous-no matter where you were on the property! Family & friends were serenaded by a string quartet as the bridal party walked down the aisle (to the Beatles, no less!). The reception was gorgeous as everyone dined on delicious food, enjoyed a fun photo booth & a rockin live band. As always, there were so many beautiful, thought out details. I loved the bold purple & blue colors, the butterfly guests cards, Angie’s perfect shoes, her chunky gold jewelry, their fun bridal party & their incredible butterfly cake. It truly was an event for all to remember.

Angie & Nick-I honestly love you guys. It’s been so much fun to see you become husband & wife. You are such a wonderful, fabulous couple & I think that everyone who knows you can see how happy you make each other. Thank you so much for giving me the chance to photograph your picture perfect day- it was something that I will always remember & cherish! Congratulations to the both of you-enjoy your 2 week honeymoon in Indonesia (lucky ducks!) xoxo, marielle.

I’m obsessed with Angie’s shoes. Look how fabulous they complimented the hotel’s decor!

This is the reason why I think that having a first look on your wedding day is amazing.

My favorite from their wedding…

Angie-you were such a stunning, fabulously fabulous bride.

And Nick- you cleaned up nicely, too!

A gorgeous photograph from my assistant, Lynn…

I love the look of all the guests faces as Angie’s dad walks her down the aisle…

Nestldown is such a serene setting for a wedding…

The prettiest flower girl..

Which one is your favorite?

I had a blast shooting Angie & Nick’s amazing wedding on Saturday. I’m not kidding, this wedding was beyond beautiful & I can’t wait to share the rest soon…Here’s a sneak peek for the meantime…

He stood quietly under the large white lanterns hanging in the trees. Waiting…patiently waiting to see his bride for the first time on their wedding day. A light breeze caught the branches of the trees & quietly rustled them. As Gretchen walked down the pathway to see Jakob, she grinned ear to ear. As they caught their first glimpse of each other that day, their excitement was palpable. They embraced, laughed & you could see it in their eyes that they were excited to finally become husband & wife. You see, when Gretchen & Jakob are together, things are perfect & everything is more exciting. They are the type of people who are amazing individuals, but when they are together they are quite the powerhouse. They love life, find joy in spending time together & are totally genuine people. Their excitement continued throughout the day during their beautiful ceremony at Hakone Gardens & lasted well into the night. They were surrounded by their friends & family who were beyond excited to be celebrating the union of two fabulous people!

I really loved shooting this wedding not only because Jakob & Gretchen were so much fun to work with, but because the details were everywhere! I loved Gretchen’s fabulous red Converse sneakers, their dog who was the ring bearer (so darling!), the baskets of fresh lemons as centerpieces & I especially loved all the white paper lanterns the hung from the trees. Jakob’s sweet mother made all the cupcakes & Gretchen made all the origami place cards. I love handmade details for a wedding-they make the wedding so much more unique & special. Although the fog rolled in & the reception was freeeeeezing, all the guests had a wonderful time celebrating Jakob & Gretchen’s big day. It was a romantic, intimate & fun day for all who were there.

Jakob & Gretchen- I knew from our first hour & a half phone conversation that you guys were going to be wonderful, fabulous clients. And when we first met in person, I was so excited to be able to photograph your beautiful wedding! You guys rock my socks & I am so grateful that I was able to spend your special day with you! You are such a sweet, genuine & real couple. I know without a doubt that your married life together will be fun, easy going & fabulous-just like the two of you! Wishing you the happiest marriage ever! With love, xoxo, marielle.

Hakone Gardens is the most serene & gorgeous location for a wedding!

I am in LOVE with these photographs from their first look….

They incorporated their sweet dog into the wedding ceremony & I loved it!

Gretchen…you are stunning.

Gretchen’s sweet father walked her down the aisle…

Gretchen made all of the oragami place cards & Jakob’s awesome mom made all the cupcakes!

Connie caught some great images & I especially love this one of the gorgeous bouquet..

It was a wonderfully exciting day. The palm trees gently swayed back & forth in the gentle breeze at the Oakland Temple. The fountains bubbled & the flowers were still fresh with the morning dew. Their family & friends excitedly gathered around the front doors of the temple. And as Jackie & George walked out of the temple doors as husband & wife, they both threw their heads back with laughter. They were beyond excited to be married to each other & it showed. Jackie & George are just that: wonderful & exciting. And their wedding day was no different.

I remember the first time Jackie & I talked on the phone about her wedding. One of the first things she said to me was, “I am SO excited to be marrying George…he is amazing!” Her words brought a smile to my face & I could tell that Jackie was truly ecstatic to be marrying the love of her life & her best friend. If you have the privilege of knowing Jackie & George, you know that they truly are one another’s best friends…they laugh with each other & love being together, no matter what they are doing. They are fun, fabulous & just a ball of fun to be around!

I have to admit I was a little intimidated to shoot this wedding. Jackie is a photographer herself & has loads of photographer friends & so it made me a little nervous! But Jackie & George are soooooo easy to photograph & so delightful to be around that I had a great time shooting their wedding! Because Jackie & George have such great taste, their wedding reception was filled to the brim with fabulous, fabulous details (and if you read my blog, you know how much I heart details…). I LOVED everything from their food (seriously, it was AMAZING…), the handmade ties & argyle socks for the groomsmen, Jackie’s fresh & gorgeous bouquet, and I especially loved the fact that they had not one but FIVE wedding cakes! Each detail was put together so nicely & made their wedding simply gorgeous. Simply put, it was the perfect summer wedding & I was so grateful to be a part of it!

Jackie & George, you guys rock my socks. I’m so grateful to have been able photograph your wonderful wedding. I am happy that you have become my friends through this whole process. You were SO much fun to work with & I wish you happiness, love & laughter in your married life together! With gratitude, xoxo, marielle.

My favorite! This totally shows Jackie & George’s personalities…

Jackie…you are simply stunning…

I absolutely LOVE this photograph of George. He is hilarious.

This is by far my favorite photograph from their wedding….

Why have one wedding cake when you can have FIVE?!?!?! Delicious!

Which one is your favorite? I’d love to hear!!!

They exited the Oakland Temple & there they were…their hands woven tightly together, their smiles wider than the Grand Canyon…totally perfect & literally over-the-moon in LOVE. Rachel & Tim are the type of people who just melt your heart & make you happy to be around them. Simply put, their wedding was just that: a wedding that melted everyone’s heart & made everyone in attendance happy.

I can’t even tell you how excited I was to shoot this wedding. Having photographed both Rachel’s sister‘s wedding as well as her cousin’s wedding, I definitely was excited to be around their family again!  It was so nice to see familiar faces & to really feel welcomed by their wonderful family! I knew that this wedding would be chalk full of gorgeous details & amazing style & I was right! I literally was swooning over each sweet & gorgeous detail…from the simple gerbera daisies to the gorgeous navy bridesmaids dresses, along with Tim’s grey suit & Rachel’s sweet, perfect dress…I literally can’t say it enough about this wedding but everything was perfect!!

Rachel & Tim, thank you for giving me the chance to capture your special day- I soooooooo loved working with you both! You are a sweet couple & I was beyond happy to be a part of your special day! I wish you the happiest of lives together…xoxo, marielle.

The Oakland Temple’s landscaping always takes my breath away…their roses this time of year are spectacular.

I am DYING over this photograph. Seriously-they are sooooo cute!

Rachel, you are so gorgeous!

I loved their colors! Navy blue & yellow just seem so perfect for a summer wedding…

My fun & fabulous assistant Connie covered Tim & Rachel’s reception…here are a few of her images…

I’d love to hear what your favorites are!

As family & friends gathered outside the doors of the Oakland Temple, they excitedly chatted about Sarah & David. They talked about what a sweet & perfect couple they are…they talked about how happy they are together…they talked about how happy they were that Sarah & David have found each other. And as Sarah & David joyfully exited the temple as husband & wife, their sweet smiles told me the same thing-that they are a sweet couple…that they are happy to be together…that they are so beyond happy that they have found each other.

The Oakland Temple is seriously one of my favorite places to shoot weddings because of the incredible landscaping, the fabulous architecture & the views of the City. It’s a gorgeous location to be married & it was the perfect setting for Sarah & David’s perfect wedding. I loved the simple yellow tulip bouquets that her bridesmaids carried, Sarah’s perfect flower in her hair & I especially loved the sweet & fun way that Sarah & David are with each other. They certainly are the perfect pair!

I covered just one hour of their wedding celebrations but I think we had just enough time to capture some great photographs! Sarah & David-thank you so much for letting me capture your sweet & fun relationship! Enjoy your fabulous Honeymoon! I wish the both of you a lifetime & happiness together! xoxo, marielle.

This photograph makes my heart happy…

The gorgeous yellow tulip bouquets for the bridesmaids were perfection…

See why I LOVE the Oakland Temple? It’s amazing…

This particular bench is special to Sarah & David because it’s the place where he asked Sarah to be his wife!!

Sarah was such a gorgeous bride & I LOVED her green shoes!!!

It was an incredible day. A cloudless sky, budding flowers, butterflies & bees buzzing through the air all made it not only an incredible day, but a perfect day for a wedding. After being together for many years, Evelyn & Dave tied the knot in a gorgeous ceremony before their families & friends. As Evelyn’s parents escorted her down the aisle, Dave stood there wearing a mile-wide smile. After all these years of being together, it is obvious that Dave still gets weak in the knees when he sees Evelyn. It is obvious that Evelyn’s heart skips a beat when she speaks his name. It is so obvious that theirs is a love that will last a lifetime. As they held hands & became husband & wife, the joy that was in the air was literally palpable. They wanted everyone there to have fun, to relax & to enjoy each others company in an incredible setting. And that’s exactly what happened! Their wedding was a perfect reflection of who they are as a couple: classy, fun & totally fabulous!

As I pulled my car up to the Montalvo Arts Center, my jaw literally dropped to the floor. I could not believe I was going to photograph a wedding at such a gorgeous venue! Every nook & cranny is a complete dream to have as the backdrop for photographs. Add Evelyn & Dave’s classy wedding to the mix & you’ve got one amazing, unforgettable party! Everything from the divine purple & lime green flowers, the darling birds which adorned the centerpieces, the cake from heaven & the BEST food I have ever eaten in my life (I’m not even kidding you…) was fantastic. Evelyn & Dave boogied on the dance floor, surrounded by their closest friends & family members until late in the evening. It was the perfect, perfect party to celebrate one perfect, fabulous couple.

Evelyn & Dave-you are the sweetest couple I know. The way you treat each other as well as the way you treat others speaks volumes about your character. You are both so easy going, so sweet & such good, genuine people. You are fabulous & I am so grateful to have taken part in your gorgeous wedding! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to document your gorgeous & perfect day! With all my love, xoxo, marielle.

I LOVE this photograph of Evelyn right after she got ready in her gorgeous dress…

The guests waiting for the ceremony to begin-such a gorgeous setting for a wedding!

Evelyn…you are amazingly stunning.

This photo makes me smile…

A shot of their sweet first dance by my fab assistant, Lynn…

My very favorite shot of the day….

There was an exciting buzz that permeated through the air of Melissa’s bridal suite. It came from the combined sounds of hairspray spraying, music playing from Melissa’s phone & the laughter that was shared with Melissa & her closest friends. The buzz continued as Melissa helped steam one of her bridesmaids dresses, helped her flower girl into her shoes & made sure that everyone around her was comfortable. Although today was Melissa & Casey’s day, it truly was a day celebrating each & every person who was in attendance. It was a celebration of the individuals who had influenced & loved Melissa & Casey through the years; a celebration of all those who had helped shape them into the wonderful, incredible people they are. It wasn’t just their special day, it was everyone’s special day. Because that’s just the kind of people Melissa & Casey are: selfless, loving people who want the best for everyone around them. The wedding buzz wasn’t just for them, it was for everyone. And Melissa & Casey were more than happy to share the buzz with their closet friends & family as they tied the knot in a classy, gorgeous & utterly perfect wedding.

As Casey waited at the end of the aisle for his bride, he smiled a quiet smile. A smile that showed peace. A smile that showed the world that he was about to become the luckiest man alive. As Melissa walked down the aisle, she smiled her mile-wide grin & as she held Casey’s hands for the first time that day, tears streamed down her face. They were tears of complete happiness in knowing that she was finally going to tie the knot with the man of her dreams. The ceremony was sweet & perfect.

The wedding was chalk full of amazing details-all handmade by Melissa. Everything from the centerpieces, the take-away boxes of homemade cookies (baked with love by their Grandmothers!), the napkins, the invitations, the programs, the horseshoe place finders…everything! Literally no details were left untouched by Melissa-she truly put her heart, soul & all her craftiness into each & every part of the wedding. I love when brides & grooms get creative with the details because, well-I’m a detail junkie! The wedding was held at the incredible Grace Vinyards & it was such a dream for me to photograph. The combination of the Colonial-style home, the vineyard & the fields of grass were beyond dreamy & such an ideal setting for a wedding.

Melissa & Casey-I love you guys. Literally. I LOVE you guys! You are two of the kindest, caring & genuine people on planet earth. I am so impressed with the love you show not only to each other, but to each person you meet. I felt like I was part of your family at your wedding & am so grateful for the opportunity to document the wonderful celebration of your love. Thank you for being my clients, but most importantly, thank you for being my friends! I wish you a lifetime of incredible, fabulous love. With love & appreciation, xoxo, marielle.

Melissa opening Casey’s wedding gift to her…he surprised her & hired a Videographer for their wedding-Melissa was so excited about it & I loved being there for the sweet moment…

I’m obsessed with this photograph of their awesome bridal party…

I turned around when we were walking & caught this photograph-it truly shows how cute they are together…

I’m dying over this photograph. Melissa-you are totally, utterly fabulous. And so are your shoes…

Melissa handmade all her boutonnieres-they were made with wheat, strings & paper flowers. Sooooooo darling!

Like most good stories in life should begin, Jennifer & Jason’s story began with candy. Jennifer had noticed Jason at church & wanted to get to know him better-after all, he was the cutest boy in the congregation & by far the cutest boy she had ever laid eyes on. One day while at church, Jennifer invited Jason to sit next to her & share the delicious candy that she had stashed in her purse. As any smart guy would do, he accepted the sweet offer & that’s how it all began. They began a relationship filled with fun, laughter & happiness. Because, quite simply, that’s how Jennifer & Jason are-fun & happy people who want everyone around them to share in their joy. Jennifer & Jason are some of the happiest people I have ever met in my life & it was such a pleasure to spend their special day with them!

Their gorgeous wedding at the Oakland Temple was filled with lots of laughter & love. As they excited the temple doors as husband and wife, their mile-wide smiles & laughter were just a small glimpse of how truly happy they make each other. Each detail was perfect-from the gorgeous Calla Lilly flowers all the way to the eyelet paper lanterns (you might know by now that I am obsessed with paper lanterns), down to the best darn wedding cake I’ve had in a long time, everything was pure perfection. Being such a happy couple, it only seems fitting that they would Honeymoon at the Happiest Place on Earth-Disneyland. See, I told you-pure perfection.

Jennifer & Jason-thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your gorgeous wedding! I loved witnessing the happiness that the both of you share & I know that this is only the beginning of the many, many happy years to come. Thanks for being so very fun to work with! You guys rock my socks! With much love, xoxo, marielle.

It was very cold, windy & cloudy at the temple but I loved the wonderful moodiness that it added….this is by far one of my favorite photographs I’ve ever taken of the Oakland Temple…

This is my favorite photograph of Jennifer & Jason…it just shows exactly who they are as a couple-fun, funny & totally fabulous.

Jennifer-you are fabulous in every way.

After our photographs at the temple, we snuck away to a faaaabbbulous location & did some fun shots…