Linsday and Ariel love the California coast but wanted a unique location for their engagement shoot. After some weekend exploring, they found that the cliffs next to Rockaway Beach in Pacifica to be the perfect setting. And luckily, the coastal fog never set in and so we got a gorgeous sunny evening for their shoot.
Debbie and Angela chose the iconic Lands End and Sutro Baths for their San Francisco engagement session. As it's one of my favorite places for portraits, they fell in love the ruins and the grand rock formations all around. Typical to San Francisco, it was windy and cloudy the day of our shoot. These two took it in stride, especially since the cooler weather meant we didn't have to fight tons of tourists to get the famous shot along the ruins. I can't wait for their wedding in the fall!
Dear Gusters,
My sweet boy, you’re four months old and I can’t believe how lucky I am to be your mom.
Your thousand watt gummy smile and the twinkle in your eyes is instant amnesia for my bad days. It’s a smile that charms everyone we meet. Your delightful personality is coming out more each day.
I love our afternoon chats and especially when you have a new silly sound to share. Thank you for encouraging us to go outside. The fact that you love nothing more than to watch the sunlight filtering through the trees tickles me so much. I’d like to think you’ve got a bit of my tree hugging sensibilities in you. But my favorite thing is your laugh which we hear more and more of each day. Those little giggle fests are everything. We can’t wait to go on more adventures with you!
Self care looks different now. Before Gus, self care looked like day long hikes in the woods, morning runs before breakfast and a steady weekly yoga practice. With Gus, self care is whatever brings joy, whatever grounds me, no matter how small. I've redefined what it means to indulge. I’ve redefined what it means to be productive. Watching silly Youtube videos because escapist humor is still effective in small doses. Washing my hair because anything to feel nice is a self-esteem booster. Listening to podcasts while running errands because multitasking doesn’t have to be boring. Going for walks around the neighborhood because fresh air always defeats cabin fever. And most importantly, letting go of work every now and then so I can spend time with other mom friends and their babies. I’m learning that part of self care is freeing myself of past expectations. It may not look the same as it used to but the outcome is still the same. Recognizing, adapting, accepting the new normal.
Maureen and Sean recently moved to Alameda and we wanted capture this new chapter of their lives for their engagement session. We started their engagement shoot at their home with their sweet bulldog Peaches before heading over to Crown Memorial State Beach for sunset. I fell in love with the tall grass on the beach which transported us from Alameda to a tropical island. Afterwards, we headed over to the abandoned docks for a few more sunset photos overlooking the San Francisco Bay.
Community is important for Stacy and Emanuel. So when they planned their wedding, they kept it small with their nearest and dearest friends and family. Emanuel's sister officiated while their vendors were made up of local Santa Cruz businesses, where Emanuel grew up. The warm summer day meant that guests were able to enjoy the expansive outdoor space of the Brazilian Room with lawn games and cocktails. After a delicious dinner by Blue Heron, everyone cooled off with gelato for dessert before shaking it up the dance floor.
Venue: The Brazilian Room // Hotel: The Claremont // Wedding Planner: E Events Co // Florist: Willi Wildflower // Hair & Make-Up: A-List Makeup // Stacy's Dress: Grace Loves Lace // Emanuel's Suit: Hugo Boss // Rentals: Pieces by Violet // Lighting: Quantum Party Productions // Caterer: Blue Heron Catering // DJ: Santa Cruz DJ Company // Dessert: Coletta Gelato
Anela and David are National Park Service rangers who met while working at Point Reyes National Seashore at the Bear Valley Visitor Center. They struck up a friendship that started as being running buddies before it quickly became something more. This adventurous couple love camping, fishing and enjoying the great outdoors. (Anela's love of exploring and sharing on Instagram is how we got to know each other!) Recently, the couple relocated to Alaska where they both work as rangers at Katmai National Park. It was in Alaska on a blueberry picking excursion where David popped the question, surrounded by their friends in blueberry patch. Their wedding plans will bring them back to Northern California so during a recent visit back, we headed back up to Point Reyes for their engagement session. They chose the Kule Loklo Trail for photos as it was the trail they used to run when they were just getting to know each other. For their second location, we caught the sunset at Limantour Beach where David and Anela had their first date. I can't wait to be a part of their wedding day!
Anne and Michael chose to have a small and intimate family only wedding at San Francisco City Hall. We started the day getting ready at Hotel Drisco before heading over to the historic building where we spent some time shooting portraits before their ceremony. Afterwards, we headed over to Crissy Beach for some iconic Golden Gate Bridge portraits. A light drizzle and cold high winds prevented us from spending too much time outside so we headed over to Fort Mason where Anne and Michael met back up with their families at Interval Coffee Bar for some pre-dinner cocktails. Their dinner reception at Greens was held in the private room with views of the Golden Gate Bridge framed by gorgeous sunset. Everyone was treated to a delicious vegetarian meal and Green's famous chocolate flourless chocolate cake. It was exactly the simple and low key wedding Anne and Michael were hoping for.
Kathleen and Ben met in college and have been inseparable for the past 10 years. Ben proposed to Kathleen on the winter solstice in Japantown which was the site of one of their first dates. It was a cute proposal that was captured all on camera by a group of teenage girls who offered to take their photos. Ben told me he always dreamed about what type of woman he would marry and when he met Kathleen, he just knew. They love the look of the California coast so we headed over to San Francisco's Lands End and Sutro Baths for a beautiful sunset engagement session. I can't wait for their wedding in a few weeks!
Dear Gus Gus, Gusters, My Sweet Boy,
We made it to three months together. You giggled for the first time this week and my heart melted all over the place. You finally see me and that eye contact, that acknowledgment is the world. I am grateful everyday to be your mom. Thank you for challenging me in ways I never thought possible and showing me that I am strong and kind and loving.
Motherhood is a contradictory existence. My day to day can feel so isolating and yet I know I am not alone. I am forever a member of the fiercest tribe. There is comfort in knowing that moms everywhere have walked this same path. Felt the same sleep deprived sense of hopelessness that creeps in during those bad days. The same tugs on the heart when I have to leave the you for extended periods of time. The same frantic mental decision making and on the fly prioritizing when faced with an unknown quantity of nap time. (To spend it cleaning, prepping, working to whittle away at that never ending to do list? Always. To nap? Rare. To take care of myself? Also rare. To waste time? A frivolous risk, a luxury from another life.) The same jolt that springs my eyes wide open at the tiniest sound of you stirring at 4am. The same resignation when yet another shirt is soiled with spit up or wet with leaky milk. The same exhaustion at the end of a long day when it’s not quite bedtime and I know I have to keep it together just a little longer. The same self criticism and eventual acceptance of our mom bodies, those new aches and pains, the weakened pelvic floor (when I sneeze and don’t pee I consider it a win), our soft jelly bellies that even the strongest athletes struggle to change because breastfeeding is magic and its hormones are powerful. The same worries and doubt, wondering if I am doing enough, doing it right, doing it well. And the same thrilling joys when you learn a new skill, smile at me, talk to me, letting me know that everything is okay.
To all the mamas I know, thank you for being just a text message away. Knowing I’m not doing this alone and that these fears aren’t just my own helps me keep going. I'm proud to be a member of this messy, imperfect, wonderful and loving tribe.
Jessica and Adrian were married with a small family only church wedding at St. Columba Church in Oakland. After the traditional Catholic ceremony, the couple headed out to the Oakland Hills where we took some portraits in the redwoods. It was a nice little peaceful getaway before we all heading to the Terrace Room at Lake Merritt the main celebration. The large reception included a pianist that entertained the party the whole evening. As a twist on the classic clinking of glasses to get the couple to kiss, the pianist picked a couples name out of a fish bowl and that couple had to kiss first and Jessica and Adrian were to imitate their kisses. After dinner, Jessica and her friends lead a fun singalong before everyone enjoyed dancing and special Indonesian desserts as nod to Adrian's heritage.
For Anne and Michael's engagement session they brought along their cute pup, Mabel to be a part of the portraits. We explored my favorite little redwood grove in the Oakland Hills as the morning sunlight filtered through the trees.
Sean and Cameron, one of my sweetest couples from last year's wedding is up on A Practical Wedding today! Read more about how they pulled off their festive and meaningful garden party at the Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael here.
