Each weekend I venture out to shoot a wedding it’s basically the same set scenario.  There is a bride, a groom, a ceremony, a reception, and yet the characters, the scenes, the environment and the emotion are all one hundred percent unpredictable.  Plucking the art from a wedding is what I love most about my job!  Finding the unique in each wedding day which I have lived over 800 times in my twenty-plus years, never gets old.  At the end of the day I need to feed my inner creative through capturing one-of-a-kind wedding images.  If I can do that and please myself, then I know the clients are going to be happy.

Grand Del Mar Resort San Diego CA.

Grand Del Mar Resort San Diego CA.

There is always art at a wedding, you just have to find it and finding art usually means finding it within yourself.  Art, as well I know, is in the eye of the beholder.  What one thinks is grand, others may think is bland.  As an artist, especially as a photographer, your eye is unique only to you, just like a fingerprint.  No one else sees the same way as you, so when you click the shutter and freeze that moment in time, your fingerprint is the signature at the bottom of the canvas.  Art can be found in the moment, art can be found in the ordinary, and art can always be found at a wedding. Yes, I shoot images for my clients, but I also shoot images for myself and that is key.  It’s the food for my soul, the gas to my engine, and another stone on the path I walk, which keeps me loving  my journey through photography.

Grand Del Mar Resort San Diego CA.

This wedding for me was one of those weddings that I was looking forward to shooting because all the characters were extraordinary themselves, from the bride and groom to the parents to the party planner to the location and the staff – top  notch all the way. Let’s start with the wedding location, The Grand Del Mar in San Diego, WOW!  This was my first time working at this finely-tuned resort ideal for any wedding.  Having opened just a few years ago, The Grand Del Mar resort and spa was conceived with weddings in mind.  Ceremony options include a beautiful indoor chapel crafted specifically for weddings, or multiple locations for an outdoor ceremony throughout the breathtaking grounds of this sprawling resort.  The ballroom and the chapel are all located on one side of the property for privacy for the couples getting married as well as for the consideration of the other hotel guests, so as not to interrupt their rest and relaxation. The band can play into the wee hours of the morning, while the hotel guests dream away.  A very rare find in a wedding location I might add.

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

Next a word about Iconic Event Studios, Michael Gapinski and his professional staff of experts.  Not only is Micheal’s vision always par excellence, he runs his events like a flawlessly choreographed dance.  All of the performers are in perfect unison and carry out their functions not only well, but with grace and elegance, going almost undetected by the reveling guests.  Example: As the first guests were seating themselves in the chapel, a guest bumped in one of the beautiful floral arrangements that lined the aisle leading to the alter.  A tall glass hurricane lamp came crashing to the ground and glass shattered everywhere.  Within less than five minutes the glass was cleaned up and a new hurricane lamp replaced the broken one, with the incident relegated to being shared as a secret only between the Iconic professional and those few early arriving guests.  The clean-up was so well orchestrated that I was shocked but not surprised.  The detail down to the last dance of the night was impeccable.  The best part, from my perspective, is that when I work with Iconic Events I am always given the freedom to preform my job at the highest level without feeling rushed.

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

The detail and aesthetics of the the ballroom at The Grand Del Mar are so pleasing that one could host an event without flowers and most people might not even notice, but let’s not get carried away here!  The ornamentations that Kathy Wright Flora in San Diego provided for the ballroom were absolutely stunning, putting all the right finishing touches on the room.  There were candles and flowers on all the tables which bathed the room in a warm pastel coloring – simply elegant!

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

Mother of the Bride!  Those words can put fear into most people who work around weddings, but not this wedding.  I have a special place in my heart for this mother of the bride.  Although very hands-on and detail-oriented from the beggining of our relationship, she was an absolute pleasure to work with.  I didn’t meet her face-to-face until the wedding day but I felt like I had know her forever.  Thank you for your kindness.

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

Of course I can not leave out the stars of the day, the bride and groom – perfect for each other and just looked beautiful.  Yes, every wedding couple looks beautiful, but it’s true!  The genuine love and affection each couple has for one another is truly unique and I get the pleasure of capturing their love for posterity.  Their devotedness was very special which was evident by the amount of family and friends who surrounded them on the wedding day.  They were easy to shoot because they let their day unfold and didn’t worry about anything other than being themselves and experiencing the emotion that was their wedding.

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

There were so many great touches to this wedding.  The cake, made by the Grand Del Mar, was impressive.  The band, West Cost Music rocked!  And the candy bar was sweet!

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

One of the coolest things I have ever seen at a wedding – Rich Flynn!  Who is Rich Flynn?  He is an artist who comes to your wedding or event and paints the scene as it unfolds.  This is the second time I have had the pleasure of working with Rich this year.  He quietly works off to the side and performs his magic.  Rich is a super nice guy and is a truly unique talent.  His masterpieces are true, priceless treasures to keep forever.

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

The Grand Del Mar Resort-San Diego

Wedding Vendors:

The Grand Del Mar

Iconic Event Studios, LA

Kathy Wright Floral, San Diego

The Paper Place, Scottsdale Arizona

Revelry Event Designers, LA

Wildflower Linens, LA

Rich Flynn

Los Angeles wedding photographer-Robert Evans.com

Orange County wedding photographer-Robert Evans.com

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This was my first time photographing a wedding at The Resort at Pelican Hill, and I have to say what a classy place. Not only is it a spectacular location for a wedding ceremony, but the service and staff are amazing. I had a few special requests which were granted without question. I myself am headed back soon to enjoy the amazing spa, which I took time to tour while I was on the property.

Robert Evans photographing Ian Ziering's Wedding

It was an absolute joy to photograph Ian and Erin’s wedding nuptials. It was very apparent that Ian is totally in love with Erin, all day long he would say ” I am the luckiest guy in the world” or “Honey, you are not fair to all other brides, you are gorgeous!”

When they saw each other for the first time it was a photographer’s dream, with so much emotion you just couldn’t take a bad picture. Ian was blown away when he laid eyes on Erin – tears, laughter, smiles and all recorded through the lens of my camera.

The whole day was just magical. I cannot wait to share some of  the images with you here on the blog. You will have to wait a few weeks before I can do that so I can honor my agreement with Getty Images who I worked with for the second time now on a wedding.  Please come back on June 15th to view exclusive images from Ian & Erin’s wedding.

Until then, you can find Ian & Erin Ziering’s wedding pictures in this weeks People, Us Weekly, and In Touch magazines which come out on Thursday. Come back to the Robert Evans Studios Blog around June 15th, 2010 to see exclusive images that you can’t see anywhere else but here. I will share my favorites images from Ian and Erin’s wedding day with you, the ones that didn’t get published.

I want to give a big Thank You to YourBASH! (www.your-bash.com) the Event Producers. They did a great job and were a pleasure to work with. Thank you for all your hard work; the wedding was just beautiful and a complete success.

Also a great big thank you to Joshua Bobrove and Troy Grover, my other two photographers that day.  Photographing a wedding is a team effort and without them both the wedding would not have been the complete success that it was. Thank you!

Photographing any wedding, let alone a celebrity wedding, is an awesome privilege.  I appreciate each wedding I get to photograph and feel so fortunate to do what I love as a career. Capturing great images is not solely the photographer’s job.  The bride and groom’s attitude and ability to show and feel emotion makes a huge impact on their wedding pictures at the end of the day. Ian and Erin Ziering’s wedding pictures are awesome because they lived every moment and freely expressed real emotion throughout their entire wedding day.

As I mentioned above, Ian keep telling Erin how lucky he was all day long and I think Erin is just as fortunate to have Ian as her husband and best friend. As I witnessed all day long, Erin has found a man who would do anything for her and loves her with all of his heart and is not afraid to show it. Their images reflect their love for one another. I can wait to share with you some of the great images I was fortunate to capture that day. I know he made me think about how I can be a better and husband and friend to my wife, something we all need to strive for everyday.

Until then I have scanned the pages from People, Us Weekly, and inTouch. Go out and pick up a copy. The Issue is dated June 14, 2010.

Feel free to browse other celebrity weddings and events I have photographed at RobertEvans.com. Some of my other clients include Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes, Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston, Trent Reznor & Mariqueen Maandig, Jim Carrey and Jennny MCcarthy and Christina Aguilera and more.

The above image of me photographing Ian & Erin coming down the isle after their ceremony was taken by one of the paparazzi up in the hills above, at least they are good for something every once in a while. Thanks Guys,  I Love the photo!

The Celebrity Guests included Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, and Brian Austin Green former cast members and friends from Beverly Hills 90210. Also, Peter Facinelli, husband of Jennie Garth and Megan Fox girlfriend of Brian Austin Green.

Los Angeles Wedding Photographer-Robert Evans.com

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Situated on a coastal bluff in the picturesque arts community of Laguna Beach, Montage Laguna Beach offers a unique mix: the amenities and conveniences of an ultra luxury beachfront hotel, coupled with the warmth and appeal of a cozy craftsman-style inn. It’s the ideal Southern California beach resort, whether you’re seeking a restorative midweek vacation, a weekend getaway, planning a small to mid-size meeting, or hosting a romantic wedding reception.

Laguna Beach’s artistic roots date back to the early 1900’s, when a group of artists – inspired by the area’s raw natural beauty – settled here. In that spirit, the history and beauty of the region prevails at Montage. Here, this Laguna Beach resort’s décor and architecture are artfully melded with the surrounding natural beachfront habitat. Museum quality fine art that reflects the early California Arts & Crafts movement is prominently showcased, as are stunning works of public art by noted regional artists.

I have photographed many weddings and events all over Orange County, the Montage Laguna Beach is by far one of my favorite place to play photography.

Los Angeles Wedding Photographer-Robert Evans.com

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Courtyard Wedding Ceremony

The Turnip Rose Grand Newport Plaza is a beautiful location to have a wedding. The Turnip Rose Newport offers a the warmth of old-world Spain coupled with the elegance of Turnip Rose. If an outdoor wedding is your fancy, then the dramatic double stairway in front of the bell tower is the number one choice. As a special touch, nestled inside the ballroom are a beautiful bridal suite and handsome Tommy Bahama style groom’s lounge.

Indoor Courtyard

The indoor ballroom at the Turnip Rose Grand Newport Plaza is truly a work of art. The elegant marble foyer opens to a beautiful room accented with rich floral and tapestry prints. The lighting is warm and inviting as is the large dance floor set in the center of the room. There are even twinkle lights on the ceiling to help set the romantic mood. You can choose to dine “cocktail style” with unique food stations set in the room and adjacent Margarita Courtyard. Or if a more traditional menu is your wish, then why not select our elegant silver-dome Served Meal, complete with white glove Maitre’d service. Whichever you choose, the award winning cuisine will be sure to please both your palate and eyes.

I really enjoyed photographing this wedding at the Turnip Rose. There were many options for taking pictures and everything was very convenient all being in one location. If you are looking for an Orange County Wedding location the Turnip Rose is a perfect location for beautiful wedding photography.

The Turnip Rose

1850 W. Collins ave.

Orange CA. 92867

714-977-5871

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I have photographed engagement pictures in many eclectic locations in the past 20 years as a professional photographer, getting to shoot at Hollywood Park Racetrack has to be right up there as one of the coolest places I have had the opportunity to shoot. We had the racetrack all to ourselves. We arrived early in the morning so we could watch the jockeys exercise  the horses and of course have some free ambiance. I mean what’s a engagement shoot at a racetrack without horses?

I had a great time walking around looking for great locations to shoot. I sought out some beautiful available light and choose colorful surroundings to capture some great images. We shot images in the exact location where Scott & Taura sit when they come to the races, down near the track as the horses and the jockeys worked out, as well as a few other interesting locations around the track.

Thank you Scott & Taura for choosing such a fun location and thinking outside of the box. Their wedding is in May in Malibu overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I can’t wait…..

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Moments

Other Robert Evans Weddings………..

I just photographed a beautiful wedding in Santa Monica at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. As a wedding photographer in Los Angeles for the last twenty years I have photographed many weddings at this location, but this was the first wedding I have photographed here since the Fairmont Hotel & Resorts took over and I must say it’s even more beautiful than ever before.

Imagine a sun-soaked seaside villa…nestled on a Santa Monica bluff.  Add an infusion of the cobalt blue waters of the Pacific, the gold of a sensuous Southern California sunset, and the vibrant green of a lush tropical garden…

The weather at the Fairmont Miramar is always perfect and today was no exception. One could get married here anytime of year and almost always ensure the perfect temperature for a wedding, sunny and warm with a light breeze off the Pacific Ocean.

The Ceremony was held in the front of the hotel under the amazing eighty-foot tall Ficus macrophylla or Moreton Bay Fig Tree, the second largest fig tree of it’s kind in California. The story of this Moreton Bay Fig tree dates back to the 1880s when Santa Monica was a summer holiday spot. An Australian sailor had been drinking at the Rapp Saloon, or someplace similar. When the bill came, he had no money to pay for his drinks. The Aussie bartered with the bartender, offering him a Moreton Bay Fig Tree sapling instead of cash. Figuring it was this or nothing, the bartender accepted. Having no interest in plants, the bartender then gave the sapling to the wife of Senator Jones, who requested that her gardener plant it in the yard of their estate and has grow there since 1921. The Miramar actually closed the front valet just for the ceremony to take place under this magnificent tree, very chic…

I had the pleasure of working with Mindy Weiss and her awesome staff, Irene, Melissa, Leah, and Nicole. The day was flawless and the wedding design was extraordinary as one would expect from a Mindy Weiss wedding. Mindy Weiss is one of the most sought after event planners and lifestyle experts in the united states. Thank you for making my job easy; I know all the hard work that you all put in behind the scenes that nobody sees. THANK YOU! I want you all to know how much I appreciate you and the work that you do.

Dana Gets her Bouquet From Tic-Tock Flowers

Just a little fine art shot

Also, I have to give incredible props to Tic-Tock Couture Florals- Eddie Zaratsian’s for the most amazing florals. The Chuppa, the bouquets and everything right down to the flowers on the tables in the the reception were breathtaking. Tic Tock is arguably one of the most in-demand florists in Los Angeles and abundantly evident why when you see the work they do.

The day was fun and stress-free. We started photographs about three hours prior to the ceremony with Dana and Jeff seeing each other for the first time privately in a quaint garden area towards the back of the property. We then spent an hour walking around the Fairmont taking advantage of the many beautiful locations, taking pictures of just the bride and groom. I love having an hour alone with my couples, as they are always excited to see each other and we have a great a time exploring all the possibilities the location.

My Vision

After our fun hour together it was time for some family pictures. Dana and Jeff had a fairly small family and bridal party so once we got the families photographed they were free to relax along with the bride and groom. We had an hour before Dana and Jeff walked down the aisle. This gave me time to get over to the ceremony location and get some detail shots of the ceremony flowers. Today was a Jewish ceremony so we had a Kutubah ceremony preformed by the Rabbi  Steven Carr and then we were ready to walk down the isle.  

Following the ceremony the cocktail hour was held opposite the ceremony under the beautiful Fig tree. The tree was lit with up-lights and as it got darker the tree had a magical hue of light which cast a colorful glow on all the guests.

Great lighting is key to setting a mood and creating ambiance for your wedding or event. I tip my hat to Brandon from Peterson Event Lighting, he makes my images shine with the added dimension from his lighting.

The dinner reception followed which was held in the main ballroom which was transformed by Tic Tock into a enchanting forest of white flowers. I noticed something that I had never seen before; each guest had his/her own custom menu with their name printed at the top of each menu, a very nice personal touch.

Mindy Weiss & Tic-Tock Floral

Mindy Weiss & Tic-Tock Floral

Guests names printed on each menu

Throughout the dinner courses there were several toasts and then a curtain was drawn to reveal a completely separate room with a white dance floor, comfy couches, and eclectic chairs.  The guests were enticed by a soul vocal quartet, soul singers from West Coast Music singing accapella, inviting everyone to join them in the next room for dancing, entertainment and treats. The treat possibilities consisted of cotton candy, a cookie station for build-your-own ice cream sandwiches and an endless coffee bar, all for tempting the inner child.  The wedding cake was crafted by Cake Divas and was just stunning. It sat by the room entrance for all to goggle at before the bride and groom cut into it. The band played until midnight and then a DJ set up and spun tunes into the wee hours of the morning.  A photo booth, located in a corner near the band, provided both an option for capturing fun, light-hearted moments, but also proved to be a small party in an of itself.

One other interesting event was the Mezinka which is preformed at a Jewish wedding when the last child in the family is married. The bride and groom place a crown of flowers on the heads of the parents and dance around the parents while the band plays the Mezinka song. All the wedding guests line up and approach the happy pair, words of congratulations are issued and much kissing, smooching and crying are heard. “Mazel Tov” and “It’s about time,” echo in the wedding hall, as the tune drones on and on.

Mezinka

Peterson Event Lighting

FAIRMONT MIRAMAR HOTEL & BUNGALOWS

101 Wilshire Boulevard

Santa Monica, California

United States

90401

Los Angeles Wedding Photographer-Robert Evans

Orange County Wedding Photographer-Robert Evans

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Why not, with most of your family and college friends coming in from out of state anyway, does it matter to where they fly?  You can have your destination wedding right in your backyard that is easy for you to plan and less expensive for your local friends than a typical destination wedding.  Having saved the cost of airfaire, your local guests can get rooms for the weekend and relax and enjoy the irresistibly seductive resort hotel and spa that is the St. Regis Monarch Beach.

Last year a couple hired me not only as their wedding photographer, but as a historian for their entire weekend of activities which included a Margarita-themed welcome party, rehearsal dinner, golf day, wedding, and brunch.  As a local Orange County wedding photographer, the family came in to meet with me and we had the opportunity to make a connection prior to the wedding weekend.  This pre-wedding meeting and interview is usually not an option when you are hiring vendors from far away.  I have shot many a wedding where I was hired over the phone, with the couple viewing my images and making a decision to hire me from my website and speaking to me by phone, but it is always a pleasure to get to meet my couples face-to-face ahead of time.  One other nice perk to hiring a local photographer for your stay-at-home destination wedding is the chance to do an engagement session a few months prior to the wedding day.  The engagement session is a chance for the couple and me to familiarize ourselves with one another – just one less thing to do on the wedding day!

As you can see from the their wedding pictures it was an amazing weekend. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed themselves because everyone stayed at the St. Regis without having to worry about driving to the different events. Imagine going on vacation with 200 of your closest family and friends, what a blast it would be and it was apparent the whole weekend, everyone had such a great time. The wedding took place over  Memorial Day Weekend so the guests enjoyed three to four days of  Orange County beach weather and fresh air, nothing like 81 degrees with a light ocean breeze to make you take in a deep breath an exhale the stress away.

If  your an Orange County Resident or live in Southern California the St. Regis Hotel Monarch Beach is the perfect place for your local destination wedding. Why spend extra money on flying some place far away when you can head to Orange County, one hour from Los Angeles and San Diego while enjoying some of the best weather and scenery in the world. If you do live far away, you just may want to consider making the trip to the Dane Point Coastline and check out the St. Regis. If your getting married and looking for one of the best wedding photographers in Orange County, well I think you are in the right place.    I look forward to meeting you.

Two of my favorite Orange County wedding vendors who help to make my job and my images the best that they can be, Square Root Designs who does the most amazing flora designs you will ever see, make sure you watch your guests mouths drop as they enter your room. My next must is your event coordinator and designer Kathleen Whittle Cover from To Love and To Cherish who you will take the stress of the planning from you and make your wedding perfect from beginning to end.

RE

St. Regis – Monarch Beach

One Monarch Beach Resort
Dana Point, CA 92629

t. 949-234-3200
f. 949-234-3201

Los Angeles Wedding Photographer-Robert Evans

Orange County Wedding Photographer-Robert Evans

San Diego Wedding Photographer-Robert Evans

Destination Wedding Photographer-Robert Evans

RobertEvans.com 818-509-9222

For her rehearsal dinner/party this couple treated their guests to a movie night done right. Before the guests sat down to watch the evenings feature “Wedding Crashers” of course….. They were treated to an abundance of movie goodies, tons of your favorite candy and all the popcorn you could eat…. and dinner too.

The guests had fun taking pictures in the best Photo Booth I have ever seen at a wedding. The inside was huge to accommodate lots of people, the images were beautiful and the Bride & Groom get a DVD with all the images taken that night, so if your guests get out of hand it will be your little secret too!
Foto Cabina Photo Booths are Robert Evans approved!

Did I mention my couple ROCKED too! I like to begin the day capturing the details during the getting ready process. I had so many great elements to incorporate into my day. Lots of left over goodies from the night before.

I had so much fun playing photography that day…. I came up with some sweet ideas!

It was hot so after the couple saw each other for the first time they had to cool off with a refreshing glass of Lemonade from the The Lemonade Stand just one of the many COOL things you can find at the Parker Palm Springs

Let the Games Begin….. Spent the first hour with just the Bride & Groom walking around taking advantage of all the great locations the Parker has to offer.

Downward Bride. I love my couples….

Time to get down to business, Rabbi take it away…

Waiting in the wings with her dad

They included their children in the ceremony it was beautiful.

The decor had a Middle Eastern flair designed my the bride and the incredible Sunny Ravanbach from White Lilac Sunny and her girls were a pleasure to work with.

And they danced into the wee hours of the night…. Thank you for the privilege of letting me capture your wedding images A & T

Palm Springs wedding location: The Parker Palm Springs

4200 E Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92264
(760) 321-4630

Shivani and Anthony gave LA Premier Floral and Event Design full reign to create their personal kingdom.I arrived mid-afternoon to photograph Shivani first in her bridal suite. Capturing details is critical when shooting a wedding. Shivani had an intricate peacock design on her dress that held special significance to her and I wanted to make sure that was included in the photos. The henna design on her hands was done at a celebration a few days earlier and brought an important cultural element to the style of the wedding. I found a mirror in the room aesthetically interesting and felt like it added to the Hindu aspect of wedding. I placed the wedding bands on a piano because of the reflection. I backed the rings up by a uniquely designed lamp because it provided an elegant backdrop.

Shivani and Anthony first saw each other before the wedding in the lobby of the hotel. I wanted to capture the joy they felt at that moment so I took some candid shots as I watched them behind glass, as well as posed together.

The ceremony was held outside in the Wetherly Garden at the Four Seasons. Remy from LA Premier Floral and Event Design said that Shivani’s favorite color is yellow and they used lemons with roses create a fresh look. The raised catwalk was custom made with a carpet and a runner designed with white rose petals.

A combination of a Jewish huppah and Hindu mundap was created out of flowers. A traditional Hindu ceremony is usually four hours long, but this was cut down to about twenty minutes, yet the tradition was not lost. A Hindu official and a judge officiated while they conducted the seven steps of a Hindu ceremony. A conch shell was blown to start the ceremony. Anthony stepped on a glass to represent Judaism.

Shivani and Anthony wanted the cocktail area to portray a chic, sophisticated look, so LA Premier draped the walls with shimmery fabric, provided ice sculptures with their names and walls of gold gilded mirrors. The ballroom was magically turned into an enchanted forest, decorated with white and gold place settings, menus and decor, and completed with a full arbor that crossed the room, embellished with hanging crystals and flowers.

Bride in front of the Mundap

This image is the couple seeing each other for the first time.

Bride and Groom moment

Room Shot

Shivani changed in a different dress for the dinner. West Coast Music provided a live band as well as a DJ for after midnight dancing. Bollywood Dancers entertained.

Location: Four Seasons Beverly Hills

300 S Doheny Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 289-4777

The day ran as smooth as the silk in the brides Vera Wang gown, all due to the hard work of Mary Sushinski from Occasions, and her team of coordinators. This was our first time working together and I would definitely want to be on her crew again. She ran a tight ship yet allowed me to do what I do best. She even had one of her girl’s assist us with the brides dress to help keep it clean and dry, what a plus. She went above and beyond her call of duty, I have only had one other coordinator in my 17 years do this for me.
There were so many things about this wedding that made it unique. The mother of the bride carried a scepter of flowers and feathers instead a nosegay; her daughter Stephanie, designed her beautiful dress. The bride and her sister wore silver dragonfly broaches on their person as a symbol of their deceased father, and the bride had a tiny locket sized pictures of dad tied to her bouquet. Mother and daughter walked down the aisle, arms wrapped around each other despite the mom’s twisted ankle, which she sprained on the staircase carrying the bride’’s train on her way to see her groom for the first time. Her deceased father was present and included every moment of the day. He even had his own boutonnire. There is a beautiful old cemetery right next to the church where her father rests. The couple placed the flower on his bench at his gravesite, and then walked hand in hand back to the church to marry.
During the ceremony a quire lined either side of the church holding candles and sheet music, singing in tandem, one side then the other in stereo, as stout man with large powerful fingers played an old pipe organ.

The bride and groom exited the church after tugging on an old rope attached to a large bell in the tower of the church, ringing the bell is a long time tradition at The Church of Our Saviour. Then they ran out to the vintage Roles Royce that awaited, as guests threw feathers and cheered.
The party has held in a 5000 square foot tent erected next to the Athenaeum. Outside in the courtyard, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served along with an opportunity to pass on a piece of advice or a wish to the newlyweds. There was a beautiful table covered with candles, mirrors, and crystal bowls where guests wrote their wishes or advice on 2×3 parchment and placed them into corresponding bowls.
The bride and groom entered the tent to a number that looked more like a Broadway musical number than a first dance, the excited guests surrounded all three edges of the black and white checkered dance floor 3-4 people deep. The energy kicked off by the couple’’s dance never subsided until the band quit playing. Jay Sterling and his band kept the dance floor packed all night. The evening came to a close as the bride and groom cut their towering pink and white cake made by Janelle Paige from Layers (818-784-3918), Her cakes always turn heads.

The flowers and decor were designed by Drew Domenghini @ Patterson’s Topiaries Pots and Teas(626-396-9590 and last but not least the amazing videographer from Envision Productions Doug Brannigan, who also shot my wedding, without him I wouldn’’t have had the fortune or the privilege to photograph this awesome event, thank you, thank you.

I did not see any dragonflies flying around that day, probably due to the rain, but there was defiantly, something in the air that day. There is a word I coined when I am excited about pictures I’ve taken and there were many times during this wedding I got excited about what I was capturing with my camera. Let’s just say this wedding was one continuous, “Photoboner”” !

And that’s what I saw,

Robert Evans

Wedding Location:

The Athenaeum

551 S. Hill Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626)395-8200