Jessica + Arpan Engagement

Jessica and Arpan joined us for our most recent engagement session escapade.  We started at Stinson Beach with their rowdy pups, Rooty and Pearl for a walk along the surf.  Next, we made our way to the hills above Tiburon for some photos at dusk, with a few quick stops at some of the breathtaking turnouts overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  I swear, the Northern California coastline is so dramatic with its cliffs and fog - Adm and I just count ourselves lucky that we get to spend our days with sweet couples like Jessica and Arpan photographing along the coast.

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Kerri and Kevin Engagement

I don't know about you, but I love going to the river, drinking wine, photographing in great light, and walking along the waterfront.  For most people, all these things would make for a packed weekend, but for Kerri and Kevin, it was just their engagement session.  We started in Sausalito for some waterfront pictures near Le Garage where they had their first date.  Then we got a private look at MacMurray Ranch where we were in photo heaven - the light could not have been more gorgeous, and the grounds and vineyards of the ranch were so beautiful.  We were also the only ones there, so we were able to explore to our hearts' content.  We finished their session along the river with their dogs Zito and Pogo, who couldn't stay out of the water.  Kerri and Kevin are getting hitched in just a few weeks, and we can't wait for their wedding, which I know will be gorgeous and a blast!

Including Pets in Your Wedding

One of my favorite parts about Katie and James' wedding was that they included both their dog, Ember, and James' parents' dog, Cabo, in all of their wedding festivities.  As a dog lover and all around animal person, I loved having those two at the wedding, and I completely understand how most pets quickly attain family member status.  Personally, we love our little Kiki so much that we try to take her with us wherever we go, but as dog owners, we also understand the importance of planning ahead when taking our pup on excursions.  It is no different when you want to include them in your wedding, and so I thought I'd write out some of the things you'll want to think about if you plan to include your dog(s) at your wedding.  I'm gearing this specifically for dogs, but most of the advice can apply to other animals.

First things first:  Cover the basics.

1.  Have you cleared your dog's presence with your venue?  Not all of the beautiful places that have weddings want to risk their furniture, floors and gardens.

2.  Are all of your vendors on board with having your pets around?  Just think, what if your officiant had an allergy-attack in the middle of your vows?

3.  Who will clean up after your pet?  No guest wants to step in dog poop at a wedding.  Also, who will be in charge of feeding your pet and giving them water?

4.  Will chewing be a problem?  You know if your dog is likely to nibble on your beautiful wedding touches.

Next (and most importantly), think about the impact your wedding will have on your pup.  Is having your pet at the wedding something that your pet will enjoy or is it really just to make you and your fiance happy?

5.  Will the music be too loud for your dog?  Dogs' ears are far more sensitive than ours and a bass-heavy dance party could damage their ears.

6.  Will your summer wedding be too hot for your pet?  Some dogs cannot be out in the heat for long periods of time.

7.  Will your wedding overstimulate your dog?  Our Kiki is a high-strung dog who gets easily excited.  Too many new people might scare your pet and make them defensive and reactive.

Once you've made sure that having your pet at the wedding is both doable and the best decision for everyone involved, then you can start thinking about how to incorporate your dog into the wedding.  Here are some ideas:

1.  Portraits!  We love including dogs in the portraits.  Unless your pup is super well-trained, you may want to add a little more time for the portrait portion since photographing animals can be a little more finicky.

2.  Well-trained dogs can make great ring bearers.

3.  Your dog might make a great addition to the receiving line.  Who doesn't love a good puppy handshake?

4.  If your dog is small enough, you might be able to carry them in lieu of a bouquet.

5.  Maybe your dog is extra friendly with children and so he'll/she'll be lots of fun for the wee ones to play with.

However you choose to include your pets in your wedding, remember to make it as easy for them as possible.  One last tip: we recommend that you give your dog a long walk or a run before the wedding so that they'll be calm and ready to be compliant during the ceremony.

Katie + James in Solana Beach

Katie's mother Peggy and her husband Tim were our neighbors a couple of years ago when Adm and I first moved to Oakland, and so when Katie contacted us about photographing her wedding, we were incredibly honored.  And once we met Katie and James and the rest of their families, we felt even more privileged to document this special day for these two.  Their families were so nice and so easy going about everything.  During James' toast, he talked about how while growing up, he never saw his parents fight or lose their composure, and although we just met Katie and James, we have a feeling these two are the same way with one another.  It was such a pleasure just being around the two of them.

Their wedding took place at James' parent's beautiful home in Solana Beach, and it was the perfect backyard summer wedding.  Katie and James included their dog Ember and their parents' dog Cabo in the wedding festivities.  The ceremony was lovely and personal and included moments where Katie and James honored both of their parents and James' grandparents, who were the longest married couple.  After the cake-cutting, we were able to sneak these two off to a nearby beach for some photos at sunset, and we arrived just in time to catch a glimmer of the sun peeking through the clouds.  It was the perfect way to end a wonderful day.  Congratulations, Katie and James!

Next three photos by Adm:

Next three photos by Adm:

Photo below by Adm:

Next two photos by Adm:

Photo below on right by Adm:

Photo below by Adm:

Photos below by Adm:

Photo below on right by Adm:

Photo below by Adm:

Ichien Family Portrait

I love this family.  You may recognize Stephanie as one of the bridesmaids in Erika and Colin's wedding last summer.  In addition to bridesmaid extraordinaire, she has been one of my best friends since sixth grade, and so I have so many fun memories of playing with her and being at her house with her family.  Even though she now lives in Oregon and we're in the Bay Area, we've managed to stay in touch throughout the years.  While we were both down in southern California last week, we got together to photograph not only her immediate family, but her extended family as well.  It's amazing how time flies and everyone has all grown up - Steph's older sister Jess now has her own baby, Hank (who stole the show for most of the shoot), and their littlest brother Nick, who was five years old when I first met him, is now in college in New York!  Yikes that makes me feel old!  At any rate, Adm and I had a fun evening with them all in Culver City, and the light was absolutely perfect.

Adm took the following two photos of Hank:

Dressing for Engagement Sessions

I'm also a big fan of including props that are either fun and playful or meaningful for you as a couple.  One of the first engagement sessions that Adm and I did was with Judith and Tom, and it was an absolute blast because they asked us to photograph their session as the story of country mouse meeting city mouse, which is how they felt their relationship came about.  We brought all kinds of fun props including a loaf of bread and a big straw hat for Tom to wear as the country mouse.  Even if you don't want to go that far, including something simple like a bouquet of flowers or balloons can add a sweet element to your photos.

We're also big animal lovers and so anytime our couples ask to include their pets in a few photos, we're always on board!

So, there you have it.  Remember, there's no such thing as getting too dressed up or in poor Tom's case, dressing down too much.