Sonoma County California Wedding Photography

This wedding photo demands attention as the newlyweds were captured right before their lips touch for a sweet kiss. This image may be in black and white but you can see from the couple’s facial expression the fullness of love they have inside.

They look straight into each other’s lips as they reach for that kiss. What’s even more lovely about this photo is that the wedding photographer was quick to position the couple right in the middle of the frame so as to focus all the attention on them. The image settings and editing are all amazing. You can say that because the outline of the couple’s faces are illuminated even when the venue does not seem to be well-lit.

What’s even more amazing is that the background seems to melt because the focus is directly on the couple. And to be able to do this and capture that precise moment just before the newlyweds kiss prove the expertise and artistry of the photographer behind the image.

Lastly, even with the background melting, you can still see from the photo how wonderfully the table decorations were set up and how magical this table looks like. You can see the candles aligned perfectly and the venue with curved walls, showing its uniquely domed shape.

The story of the wedding day ... One of my very favorite things about my profession is that I get to travel to new and beautiful locations to capture destination wedding celebrations all over the country. In this particular case, I got to spend a weekend at one of the most gorgeous villas I have ever laid eyes (or lens) on; Villa Montebella in Glen Ellen, CA on the edge of Sonoma county. It seemed very fitting that this wedding was directly following my own personal first time adventure to Italy, as I had just recently come to appreciate Italian culture including the leisurely (& delicious!) meals, the amazing wine, and the breathtaking landscapes & countrysides all along the northern region of Italian wine country. Kajsa and Taylor were beyond amazing to work with, top to bottom, left to right and 360 degrees around. Their warm and welcoming personalities were contagious...not to mention the insane backdrops I had to work with for their outdoor ceremony, their romantic couples portraits around the property, and for the intimate reception/dinner in the wine cave. Mmmmm.... the wine cave and the hundreds of candles that lit it up were unlike ANYTHING I have ever seen at any wedding, anywhere, ever. And as if all of that wasn't enough, their love for each other and all of the special people that graced their union was oozing out of them like light energy. My trigger finger literally couldn't keep up with my eye, but I shot my heart out to it's absolute content with a feeling of joy and satisfaction and absolute connection for two straight days.

Kajsa and Taylor came to me by way of their wedding coordinator, Paige Reberry of Colorado Wedding Company. Taylor is a long time friend of Paige's and based on her glowing recommendation and my online portfolio, they hired me sight unseen. I knew I would love them (because Paige said so!), but I had no idea just how far I would fall in love with two total strangers over the course of two days. This is yet another thing I love about what I do and something that has enriched my life in countless ways over the last ten years. When I spend time with couples, documenting their love as a celebration, clients cross over into the realm of friends more often than not, and in this case, they made the leap within milliseconds of my welcome and instantaneous observation of their warm spirits and beautiful relationship. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than giving what I know how to do best to people that appreciate the power of imagery and artistry that is, in my mind, what wedding photography is all about.

When I get a letter like this, I know I have done something special... "Oh my Gawd! They are absolutely amazing, from the portraits to the candid shots, we just can't believe how amazing the photos turned out. The poses/moments, you were able to capture on film are nothing short of amazing. And to top it off, you also had gorgeous artistic shots utilizing the light/angle/subject... we are over the top thrilled and can't wait to share them with friends and family. Thank you does not convey the gratitude we have for you agreeing to fly to California and spend the weekend with us. You are amazing! We absolutely love them all and are having trouble even trying to narrow them down for cards and framing. :) Now that's a great "problem" to have, right? We must find a date to meet up, raise a glass to all the effort that went into this amazing weekend and the new found friendships that emerged! XOXO Kajsa & Taylor"

To Kajsa and Taylor, I look forward to a beautiful and long lasting friendship with you both! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for including me in such a special time in your lives. It was an honor and a gift. To Paige Rebbery, thank you a million times over for connecting me to this amazing wedding! You are simply the best & I love you! To Kelsy Albright, your execution of this weekend was flawless on every level. Thank you so much for all of your hard work!! And finally, to Alex Rubin, my CA local associate photographer, thank you for capturing the garden party day for me so that I could red-eye it back to Denver for my last wedding of the season. Your images are a perfect fit and I truly appreciate your efforts and talents!

Location: 4377 Warm Springs Rd Glen Ellen, California.

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