Wedding in Santa Barbara and Catalina Island | Deidra & Charles

Against the lush green backdrops and antique buildings, a love of 8 years eclipsed as Deidra and Charles uttered their “I do’s” in the Santa Barbara courthouse.

“Since the end of the year was coming up fast, we decided to do a non-traditional wedding. We chose to get married at the beautiful Santa Barbara courthouse, with a few family members as witnesses”, Charles said. The courthouse appealed to them more visually than most venues they saw, hence their choice.

A Spanish Colonial Revival style building, the Santa Barbara courthouse has sprawling greens across a large area, with tall buildings and beautifully designed interiors. Paired with a stunning circular stairwell and a geometric star center, the interiors made for a perfect scenic background for the couple. From a photographer’s perspective, the couple against this architectural dream looked nothing short of star-crossed lovers!

Deidra looked stunning in her gorgeous white satin gown, which of course bears tons of credit to her working in fashion and having a fantastic eye for detail. Charles paired beautifully with Deidra in his chic black tux. It seems like oomph and class were what they were aiming for, which was showcased well!

With a beautiful venue and scenic details, rain couldn’t spoil it as the pictures turned out amazing. The grey from the skies gave a certain moody feel and the rain saturated all of the colors - something that I absolutely love as a photographer.

For the reception, we headed over to a semi-destination in Catalina Island, which was a 1-hour boat ride from Long Beach. “The venue Descanso Beach Club was absolutely amazing and our planner Lindsy Swarts of Coastal Coordinates made sure all of our dreams came true”, said a starry-eyed Charles.

Deidra’s aesthetic vision got a direction from Coastal Coordinates: A romantic vibe draped the scene with sparkly champagne glasses and golden tableware. The flowers were arranged beautifully in line with the blush pink and gold theme of the reception. Hints of pink across the reception table made the entire scene so dreamy, just like a fairytale! Lastly, I loved the elegant touch of the champagne display with hand-lettered escort cards.

The reception was a treat - visually and otherwise with a spread of so many cuisines and drinks centered by a two-tier cake. All in all, the Wilsons were truly a delight to work with!

VENDORS

Coordination: @coastalcoordinates Photography: @lisettegatliff Florals: @hakusandlove Rentals: @premiere_rents @theperfectevent.inc Stationery: @itspapercliche DJ: @kiar.e Cake: @islandcupcake Makeup: @micolmelani Dresses: @andreaiyamah @houseofcb Suit: @grayscaleic Couple: @deidra_adams @kingcharlesvth

Looking for dreamy wedding photography? Check out my services here.

Wedding at Falkner Winery, Temecula | L & K

Today, let me take you back to the day when a woodsy, outdoor charm had me amazed in all its beautiful glory. I’m talking about my recent wedding where I got to capture the love of L & K at Falkner Winery, Temecula, and it was, to say the least, magical.

It was my first time shooting at the Falkner Winery, a stunning open-air winery in Temecula. The very first thing that stood out to me was how complete the location really was. It had tall, emerald trees, stone planters, a large open space full of greenery, snowy flowers - you name it - it had it all. Perfect wedding vibes, anyone?

The bride was dressed in a gorgeous, V-necked gown by Carolina Herrera. Her bridesmaids were dressed in navy blue gowns of varying silhouettes. The blue continued its delightful streak in the groom's Indochino tux while his groomsmen were dressed in elegant onyx. I loved this continuance in the theme, which matched the overall elegance of the wedding so well.

The bride and groom had a first look before the event. I took the extra time before the ceremony to get portraits of the wedding party and family. I made sure that I captured the wedding glow of the couple against the orange glow of the evening.

One of my favorite parts about the Falkner Winery and the entire wedding decor was how a majestic and magical sunset awaited and peeked through the vines. The white florals arranged by HCD Weddings lent a fairy-like feel to the decor. You better believe that I captured portraits against this beautiful backdrop during their ceremony!

The "I do's" were exchanged on a wooden podium, which was decorated with white lace and white flowers. After the ceremony, an outdoor reception was arranged where the guests and the newly married couple could enjoy the scenic sunset swirling in warm undertones.

Further into the evening, Lauren and Kegan put their dancing shoes on and waltzed to their first dance under twinkling lights and the starry night. Romance soon circled the air and set the evening ambiance.

I hope you enjoyed this wedding full of outdoorsy charm and breathtaking backdrops. Take a look here to see another winery wedding I photographed.

VENDORS

Venue: @falknerwinery_weddings

Photography: @lisettegatliff

Videography: @blossom.media

DJ: @prosounddjs

Florals: @hcdweddings

Cake: @cakestocelebrate

Hair+Makeup: @makeupbysophiap

Bridal Gown: @carolinaherrera

Shoes: @badgleymischka

Pearl Necklace: @official_mikimoto

Tux: @indochino

Bridesmaids’ Dresses: @azazieofficial

Wedding at Craft LA, Los Angeles | Carie & Rob

On the 10th of September, I had the privilege of working with one of the sweetest, most creative couples I had ever come across. Rob and Carie are a gorgeous couple, with a soulful love, that found its declaration at one of the coolest spots in LA.

I met Rob and Carie at the Shay Hotel, where they prepared themselves for the wedding. The unique interiors stood out to me, which rang very true to the classy brand of the hotel. The balcony overlooked the rushed LA streets, which went very well against the cool teal wall, which by the way, made the gorgeous bride pop even more.

With natural and dewy make-up giving her face a stunning glow, Carie took some shots with her wedding dress before she left for the ceremony. With a laced back and frilled sleeves, Carie's bridal gown made her look like something of a butterfly. She was all dolled up in pearl jewelry as well, so some might say a bejeweled butterfly!

Rob's and Carie's preference for an elegant wedding was reflected in more elements than one. Rob's navy blue groom’s tux with gold buttons was evidence of it. His tux shimmered with an onyx neckline from Men's Wearhouse, and boy, did he look dapper!

Again, the bride and groom's chic and modern vision could be seen in the choice of their wedding location. But, there's a little story here. Both Rob and Carie are super foodies and suuuper fans of Top Chef! Hence, Tom Colicchio’s (one of the Top Chefs) Craft LA hotel was the logical choice and the clear winner.

Besides, the bride and groom’s love for architecture and tall buildings sealed the deal with this Downtown LA location. Don't you just love it when the bride and groom's personalities are sprinkled throughout the wedding?

Another fine detail as it so happens is that the location wasn’t the only thing customed to Rob and Carie's taste (pun intended!). Carrie, as creative as she is, did all the florals by herself! So, if any of you want some floral inspiration for your wedding, you know who to reach out to - Carie Yaka!

The curation continued with the custom-designed rings that Rob and Carie did with Frank Darling. The shiny rocks were held in place by gold, which again tied in with the general sophisticated theme of the wedding. It was a very classy touch and an ever-virtuous fusion of both their charms.

Against the backdrop of LA towers interspersed with a bouquet of pastel flowers, Rob and Carie were officiated as the bride and the groom. And now, it was time for a foodie's dream reception! But hold on, a classic Rob-and-Carie twist awaits.

Both Rob and Carie decided to ditch the traditional ceremonies that follow after the wedding for something more soulful, intimate, and close-knit. All they wanted was good food and fun times, and they made sure everyone was a part of that.

The bride and groom were quirky, creative, and super easy-going to work with - something that is pretty hard to come by. I’m so grateful to be a part of their wonderful story.

VENDORS

Venue: The Shay Hotel | Craft LA Restaurant

Coordinator: Flyte44 Events

Photography: Lisette Gatliff Photography

Florals: DIY Carie Yaka

Bridal Attire: Aritzia | Lulus | Nordstrom

Groom's Tux: Men's Wearhouse

Custom engagement ring: Frank Darling