Smallest wedding I’ve ever shot, right here, right now! Jenni and Seth opted to smallope– my made up word for a combo of elope + small wedding. Even though I had a gigantic wedding myself, photographing this bite-sized celebration was seriously rad. The bride and groom are friends-of-friends of mine, whose wedding I shot several years back, and I was over the moon to get to shoot at the stunning Heisler Park in Laguna Beach, less than a mile from my high school! Swoon. After their religious wedding ordinance in the Newport Beach LDS Temple (one of my favorite places in the world!), Jenni and Seth exchanged vows and rings at the Gazebo in Heisler Park and we shot a few rolls of film down on the beach in the June gloom (that came early in the middle of May). ALSO: if you follow my Instagram, you saw my post last night about this gown having a wild story. Jenni’s good friend Sara is the boss behind the lovely wedding dress company Illume Gowns, and she handmade Jenni’s dress, the first one of the collection ever worn. Lo and behold, the US Mail lost it in transit during its shipment to Jenni, and, being a wizard (not to mention nine months pregnant), Sara recreated the dress two weeks before the wedding. Jenni tried it on two days before her wedding and had next-day alterations done, et voila! All’s well that ends in a jaw-dropping wedding dress, right? However, if you’re reading this, Postmaster General, you are not off the hook.
These photographs were made on Kodak Portra 400 film through my Mamiya 645Pro.
Three cheers for Jones soda, especially because Jenni’s maiden name is Jones. Aww. And three more cheers for small weddings. The best kind, I say. If you’re getting married, eloping, smalloping… drop me a note. I would be thrilled to meet you and work on your wedding with you. Here’s how to reach me: this form, a good old fashioned email, or ringing/texting. XO!