SO I dropped off the radar all last week with my boyfriend Robert in the glorious receptionless, internet-free wilderness of Yosemite National Park…we stayed at his grandfather’s cabin who actually owns land INSIDE the park!  It was fabulous.  This is the scenery just within minutes from the cabin and the deer walked right up to us on the deck!

Lucky for me that I RANDOMLY ran into a bride and groom of mine who’s wedding I shot last year in Malibu. Jen and Paul Rathwell. Had it not been for them, I would not have ANY photos of my costume from Halloween!  My black and white photobooth film strip idea was more than a huge hit, it was EPIC! Or in the words of Tara…FIERCE! LOL.  Thanks to Tara Dowburd Luftman for helping me with my makeup and ESPECIALLY thanks to Geo, Ben and Marcel at Sun Imaging Photo Lab in Hollywood for helping me create this beautiful costume. Now I feel like I am at the Oscars or something!  But here are some pics from our Halloween adventures.  We first started at Dr. Dan’s usual INSANE Halloween party.  This year the theme was Cirque du Freak and they transformed their house into a “dead” circus…SO cute!  Then we went off to the West Hollywood parade, where I felt like Brittney Spears who just landed in Tokyo with the amount of paparazzi and Japanese tourists that stopped me to take photos!  It was SO fun though to check out ALL of the amazing costumes…then to Jane’s House (the old Memphis) for the real party where we danced the night away …  What a FABULOUS night!

Alissa and Rich you are OFFICIALLY famous!:)  Not only are you about to be published next month in the International Edition of Destination Weddings Magazine, but you were also the featured Wedding of the Day on the WeddingChannel.com.  Congrats! Click on this link to check it out!

Since I joined the Step Up Women’s Network 4 months ago, I have had the time of my life not only with teaching their 9th grade Photojournalism class, but getting to know the other instructors and Women members.  This program not only is one of the best networking groups I have been a part of, but the philanthropical work that they are doing to help girls in Los Angeles and New York to graduate and pursue their goals in college and beyond is amazing.  I am sure that these girls will become Step Up Members when they are business professionals one day and that they will give back and the cycle will continue. I HAD to share some photos of my 9th grade Photojournalism class that I teach at Gertz-Ressler Highschool every Tuesday afternoon.  These girls are so creative, fun and they inspire me as much as I hope I inspire them.  So far they have learned How to operate Cameras, Find good lighting, How to take Portraits, How to manipulate photos and soon how to BLOG.  So this is our FIRST of hopefully many blogs to come.  I can’t wait to see these girls grow into even more talented young ladies and to see what careers and schools they choose.  My 9th grade  year was my FAVORITE year growing up.  I finally had discovered Photography and it really was the year that marked the beginning of my path to my adult life and to discovering my passions and what I love to do.  I am blessed to be able to do what I love to do as my career and I am sure that these girls will find their own passions to pursue in the next few years.  

So introducing Magdalena, Kelly, Lizzet, Juanita, Mayra, Dalia, Krisbel, Yadira, Susana, Leonor, Sarai, Mirca, Kimberly, Melinda, Elizabeth, Alejandra, and Stacy !  My girls!

What I LOVED about this wedding was that it was yet again a reunion of the USC Posse that I have shot now I think 8 weddings for!  Lisa Tuccio-King referred this one to me and EVERYONE there knew all of my previous brides and grooms that I had shot and even the whole Bali crew that I spent a week with overseas.  I ALSO, got to work with one of my FAVORITE coordinators and great friends, Ryan Larson with Savoir Flair Weddings.  She had also worked Lisa’s wedding with me, so that was a mini reunion as well. Vanessa and Michael completely fit the mold so far with what I have experienced with this crew.  EVERY single one of them are fun, extremely caring, lucky in love, and probably going to remain or become great friends of mine.  Seriously, I wish MY college crew was half as amazing as these guys.  They are all just solid people with great energy, so I knew this would be a fun wedding before it even started.  They got married down at St. James Church in Redondo Beach and then we raced back up to do photos on the beach in back of Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica…Sorry guys for getting wiped out by that wave!  It was SO worth the photos though:)  The reception was super fun, the photo booth a HUGE hit and best of all, I got to chill at the upstairs bar with everyone after the party shut down.  It was great to actually sit down and talk to people now that I felt I knew them after stalking them all night with my camera:)

To see more photos from this event, just click on this link.  You guys BETTER not be logged in online looking at these from Italy!

So Danielle not only bailed me out at Vanessa and Michael’s wedding, but she showed up dressed like my TWIN without even planning it…LOL!  People kept on asking me if it was the Beautiful Day uniform or something.  Too funny.

SO Jennifer and Brian are two of the CUTEST people I have met!  Their story is DEFINITELY a Match.com success story:)  So much so that I am hoping to get a little write up about them in a magazine.  They met online, had a chance to get to know each other for a month before they ever even met, and then the rest is history.  I wanted them to put their online profiles blown-up at the wedding, but they went a more “classy” route for their wedding details lol. Their wedding took place at Grand Tradition in Fallbrook, CA.  Having been to the Temecula area numerous times for weddings, I was expecting the typical arid “winery” feel to this place.  Instead, it was a tropical oasis in the middle of the desert.  Only 20 minutes from Pechanga Casino.  Seriously, it felt like you were in Hawaii with all of the waterfalls and privacy and foliage.  It was STUNNING.  I would get married there!  The only thing is that the location shuts down early, but the casino nearby is open 24 hours…so that didn’t stop ANYONE from continuing the party:)  You know how those Venezuelans are, they never stop!  I was so bummed that I couldn’t stay and party after the wedding….I owe you a rain check Jen and Brian!  But they had SO many cute and touching details throughout their wedding.  From their hilarious choreographed first dance (probably the best I have ever seen), to the candy bar with cute labels, wine bottles with their photos on them, old photos of themselves on the tables, and how can I forget the caste of Brian’s balls that made their way through all of his friend’s possession and even into Jen’s Dad’s speech at the wedding!  Either way, I had a blast. I didn’t want to leave and I hope I know these two for a long time.  Thanks again to my photo posse who came with, Lori Yohe and Ivonne Kirk.  They made the day even more fun and special

To see more photos from this event, just click on this link

I have to give a HUGE thanks to Leila Khalil with Be Inpired PR for giving me this Blog Love on Shannon and Tyson’s wedding in Ojai.  I first met Leila when she was Mary Dann’s and Linda Pittelli’s right hand lady (two of my FAVORITE wedding coordinators) and since branching off from them, she has started her own PR business for high-end , unique wedding vendors called, Be Inspired PR.  Her blog is www.inspiredbythis.com  and is chock full of upcoming trends and useful information for brides. Her business has exploded (as I KNEW it would:) and she is definitely a lady to watch!  Congratulations too on your recent engagement Leila..Love you!

Real Wedding Wednesday: Lavendar and Succulent Themed Wedding at Ojai Valley Inn and Spa

October 21st, 2009

SO I won’t give it away JUST yet what I am going to be…all I can say is that it involved a pre-make-up trial that scared my neighbors and made me look like a Dead French Mime:)  My great friend, Tara, Goddess and Owner of Make-up Therapy did a great job of not only making me look terrifyingly hot, but also taking photos. We decided to take photos as the make-up continued to build for her blog.  She should put on her website “Not only does she do Beauty, but she does UGLY as well” …Check it out! I am sure Tara will do a better job explaining the make-up steps on her blog….the hard part is having to do it on my OWN for Halloween!

Ps Tara, If I’M going to be on here with no make up, so are you!:)  Love you!

Enough said….