It's been really busy around here - loads of weddings, portrait sessions and quite a few corporate shoots, and in the middle of all the craziness, I've decided to start a new venture with my friend April. Oh, and Adm and I are teaching Kiki to become a circus performer. Here's a behind-the-scenes photo with a sneak peek of our new project that we'll hopefully (fingers crossed) officially announce next week!
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.
Remember April and Arthur and April's big tummy? Well, here's their new little girl, Chloe. I had the opportunity to meet and photograph her yesterday, and she is super adorable. I have not been around many newborns, and so I'm always amazed by how tiny these little babies are. She is actually smaller than most as her newborn clothes are even too big for her. Chloe was such a good baby throughout her first official photo shoot, and April and Arthur couldn't stop smiling throughout as their gazed at their baby. Congratulations to this sweet family!
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:
You know the look that couples get in their eyes when they are sharing a special moment together? Well, we got to share a lot of special moments with Sonja and AJ during their engagement session. They have that way of looking at each other where you can that these two are brimming with love and passion for one another. Plus, they both have a great sense of humor, and check out Sonja's hair! Yup, it's all real (I asked). Lucky girl.
Sonja and AJ chose Stow House and the old train station in Goleta (just a little north of Santa Barbara) for their engagement shoot. Since Sonja is from this area, she used to romp around all the grounds surrounding the ranch while growing up. We had a great time romping around the grounds with them during our session. There were so many fun places to shoot: Stow House, the South Coast Railroad museum and Lake Los Carneros with a wooden bridge through the reeds. We're really looking forward to their September wedding in Santa Barbara.
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:
