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Kimberly Curtis : Anytime
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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A couple days ago, while standing in a kitchen surrounded by Chinese take-out boxes and fortune cookies, some friends were making fun of my driving record. And, ahem, my ticket. Or should I say tickets? Yes, I received yet another speeding ticket (if you’re keeping track, I got TWO in one week), so I’ve vowed to change my ways. I suppose my driving emulates my life: GoGoGoGOOOOO.
I drove to Santa Barbara on Tuesday (keeping my speed at a lazy 80MPH) and I’m always encouraged when I get to such a beautiful beach city. Once the 101 freeway opens along the coast, I pop my sunroof open, roll down my windows, and take a deep breath of the wild mustard flowers mixed with sea salt. I was extra excited because I was going to meet Kimberly Curtis for the first time.
Kimberly is a fabulous Event and Wedding Coordinator in the Montecito and Santa Barbara areas. She designs premiere events and has the most amazing clientele, a niche she’s worked very hard at carving. Not only is Kim awesome at what she does, she’s an even better person...we got along amazingly well and I look forward to working with her in the near future. If you’re a bride planning a destination wedding in Santa Barbara, be sure to check her out!
We got together at her family home to capture headshots for her new website. Once the site goes live, I’ll be sure to add a link to my blog. Here are a few images that caught my eye…
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| My favorite shot of the day... |
| When Kim told me she brought her dog, Buddy, along for the shoot, was I stoked because I'm a fur lover. Little did I realize Buddy weighed just as much as Kim (which made for some hilarious pictures of Buddy dragging Kim along) and he thought it was play time, not photo time. He was such a character and made the shoot so fun! Unfortunately, Buddy wasn't feeling the modeling, so here are a few out-takes I couldn't pass up blogging... |
| In a last ditch attempt to keep Buddy still, I channeled all my Dog Whisperer skills and begged him to sit still for one shot...and here it is! :) |
| Thanks, Kim, for such a lovely afternoon! It was a pleasure meeting you and your amazing family! :) |
    
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Amanda and Joel : Wedding
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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H e saw her walking the aisles in search of something. Amanda’s strawberry blond hair immediately caught his eye and he wondered if there was anything he could help her with. Joel, who worked at the campus bookstore, wanted to approach Amanda in the coolest way possible, but this was difficult when surrounded by Biblical Theology and Biology textbooks. She was in search of the perfect iPod and Joel was sure he could find it. Little did Amanda realize that Joel was also finding a way to her heart.
It’s been said that Joel and Amanda’s love story goes from iPod to I Do.
Nothing could stop this AMAZING couple from enjoying their wedding day at the Centennial Heritage Museum. The grey clouds ominously hung over their wedding, but that did not stop their love from pouring out. Nor did it stop the rain. Joel and Amanda, however, were joyful, loving, and content the entire day, serving as the truest testament of optimism. Whatever came their way—pouring rain during the ceremony, last minute reception tenting, rearrangement of chairs and tables—they were all smiles and truly in love. They stood and greeted their guests in the rain, passed out the umbrellas, and laughed the day away. This is indicative of something deeper in Amanda and Joel’s relationship: They can weather storms together and remain truly ecstatic on the greyest of days.
Something tells me they’re going to be able to stand the test of time.
Amanda and Joel, thank you for reminding me what true love looks like. It looks like water, mud, wet skin, and umbrellas. It looks like kisses in the rain and dancing in wet clothes. It looks like the both of you. Thank you for allowing JD and I to be a part of your special day and we can’t wait to hear of all the amazing things the future holds for you! And, lastly, thank you for rocking my socks off. Seriously. Much Love and Appreciation…j*
I absolutely adored the simplicity and the details of Amanda's Nicole Miller Wedding Dress... |
| A little funk and spice to the wedding shoes... |
| The First Look (as captured by JD) |
| While you may not be able to see it, the rain was coming down. It wasn't pouring (at least not now), but it was definitely coming down! In between shots, Chantel (one of the BESTEST bridesmaids...ever!), held an umbrella over the couple to avoid getting drenched... |
| Randomly, the sun appeared for two minutes, so Joel and Amanda celebrated! |
| Then it started raining again, but made for some awesome light... |
| Amanda set the bar quite high for my future brides...here she is laughing and workin' it in the rain... |
| JD caught this picture and I love it! |
| JD caught this picture too... |
| A Big Wet Kiss....literally. |
| Reaction during toasts... |
| To see more of their wedding, CLICK HERE for a slideshow! |
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Nicole and Phillip : Engagement
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N icole saw Phillip on the campus of University of Southern California and was smitten. As she rode her bike to class, she’d notice a handsome, confident, and gregarious boy almost everyday. On a school campus the size of a city, one may assume it’s hard to find your soul mate, but seeing how they lived in the same student housing section, they were practically neighbors. Neighbors who rode bikes to class and had crushes on each other.
Late one fateful night, Nicole saw Phillip at a party and made some smooth moves, this time without the help of two wheels and pedals. From that night many years ago, they’ve been together and in love.
Nicole and Phillip decided to shoot their engagement session in Santa Monica, along Third Street Promenade, a place that acts as second home. They order their favorite gelato together, read magazines at the outdoor stands, and walk along the beach hand-in-hand. And the beach is a very important place for Nicole because she’s the CEO of the ever popular Nicolita line of bikini’s and handbags. She’s amazing at what she does and is going to explode from an overabundance of talent! Phillip definitely has his hands full, but they are filled with fun, joy, love…and the same girl who first saw him riding her bike to class.
I’m SO excited for their outta control August wedding as I’m sure it’ll be a blast!
I wanted to start their engagement photos by them playing and having a good time...and, boy, are they serious about their fun!
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| Phillip told me at the start of the session that he's 100% Italian and Nicole's 100% Cuban, so--according to him--they're romantic, passionate, hot-tempered, and fun. I love it! :) A live salsa band is scheduled for the reception, so here they are showing off their moves... |
| Things got a little spicy... |
| ...And a little spicier the longer we shot! :) |
| To see more of their engagement session CLICK HERE for a slideshow! |
I read an article not too long ago about the affects of the war in Iraq on friends and family. The writer detailed the pain of missing phone calls and weeks of non-communication, which takes the biggest toll on those here in America waiting for their loved ones to return.
One of things that stuck out most to me was the notion of connectivity—by this I mean having a physical connection to the brave souls of the armed forces. The writer made a distinction between people who personally know someone abroad, versus people who don’t. Those who feel the ache of war pain are those who have touched, smelled, or hugged someone who is away protecting the United States of America.
I may not agree with war—or truly feel like the government is fully disclosing its intentions—but I do know there are thousands of men and women who dutifully fight for the freedoms and luxuries I have today. And while Memorial Day celebrates those who have served this country, I want to thank a couple people who are serving in Iraq today. These are people who I’ve touched, smelled, and hugged in the last few months…people who make me appreciate my country…people I want back home soon.
I photographed Tracy a couple months ago and I can’t wait for her and Alex to reunite!
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Some of you may recognize this handsome fellow from a post a couple weeks ago. Jared is serving in Iraq and I can’t wait for him to be back in Jamie’s arms!
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Y esterday was a first for us. Although JD and I prayed against all odds that it wouldn’t rain on the outdoor wedding, it did. The skies clouded over and released water at the most inopportune moments, but the bride and groom were all smiles. They were beautiful representations of true love, which made their wedding even more special.
Here’s what I looked like the most of the day…coolness just oozes from me, no?
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