I’m pleased to be featured in this month’s issue of Photo District News as one of the Rising Stars of Wedding Photography.
I owe thanks to Lexy, Vanessa and Natasha, the beautiful brides who appear in my photographs accompanying the article, and to Chip Litherland for submitting my name to the editors at PDN. Much obliged, brother!
- Dave
Under the broad limbs of an enormous oak tree, Victoria and Dave exchanged wedding vows before an audience of guests huddled beneath umbrellas against the chill of a light summer rain.
Victoria, an actress with a charming Tennessee accent and a very expressive face, and Dave, a salesman with an intense gaze and a jaw like Clark Kent, wanted to bring their friends and family north for the weekend – away from the busy environs of San Diego to the quiet of the Santa Ynez Valley.
They settled on “rustic chic” as a theme for the wedding and booked the historic Union Hotel in Los Alamos, a 19th century-era establishment that once housed weary stagecoach travelers. They married on a nearby blueberry farm set in a serene valley among the rolling hills of Santa Barbara County.
Instead of walking down the aisle, Victoria surprised Dave by approaching from behind him, crossing a bridge that spanned a pond on the property. Dave later returned the surprise, disappearing at one point during the evening reception and returning in a full gorilla costume.
In the cozy lobby of the Union, the crowd danced late into the evening to the rhythm of a live blues band.
Mauricio Arias joined me for this one, and in addition to providing many of the images you see below, he earned the nickname Johnny Depp from an enchanted bar maid at the hotel saloon.
- Dave
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
Photo below by Mauricio Arias
I have been incredibly blessed to have a job that brings me and my wife, Sheela, to some of the most beautiful locations around the world, and Amanda and Sol’s wedding nestled deep in the tropical Costa Rican rain forest was no exception.
Whether we were eating at the local sodas or watching 17-foot long crocodiles in the middle of the night, we had an unforgettable time getting to know Amanda and Sol throughout the week – one of the many bonuses of destination weddings. Amanda and Sol’s warm hospitality ensured that we felt welcome into their group of family and friends almost immediately.
After dating for eight years, Amanda and Sol were married at the breathtaking Zephyr Palace, which sits atop a hill providing spectacular views of the tropical forest and the ocean below.
After an emotional ceremony at sunset, everyone made their way into the mansion for toasts, dinner and a surprise…
A year ago, Sol proposed to Amanda in the same spot where the two originally started dating seven years before. What Amanda didn’t know was that Sol’s brother was hiding and recording them as the proposal unfolded. Sol kept it under wraps until their wedding reception, when he snuck the video into their slideshow as a surprise. Needless to say, tears rolled down their cheeks as Amanda realized the sweet surprise.
The rest of the evening was the best kind – one full of friends, family, drinks and dancing.
To Amanda and Sol, thank you for trusting me with your big day. We wish you nothing but the best.
Click here to view Amanda and Sol’s Costa Rica wedding slideshow.
- Aaron
Photo below by Sheela Morris
Photo below by Sheela Morris
On an overcast June day, Justin married his sweetheart, Allison, in an intimate ceremony in the front yard of his parents’ home in Los Gatos.
We arrived early to find Justin’s dad, Al, toting a wheelbarrow, wearing jeans and a sun hat as he finished landscaping duties prior to the arrival of guests. Inside the house, Justin’s mom, Ceil, was making last-minute alterations to Allison’s dress, an item she had sewn from scratch. Justin’s sister, Brittany, illustrated signs that would be hung to direct guests to off-site parking.
The many months of personal effort required to pull off this event were evident throughout the day, giving the wedding a beautifully organic and genuine feel. I was particularly grateful for Allison’s quirky expressions of surprise, bemusement and sentimentality, which I think contributed a punctuation mark of authenticity to these images. View their slideshow to see more.
I was joined by Aaron Morris, whose final portrait below with the white picket fence is a great reminder that a back yard wedding can be every bit as elegant and dignified as an event in an immaculate cathedral or a grand ballroom.
- Dave
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
Photo below by Aaron Morris
