few weeks ago, we sat next to a friend and she was all, I don't want to offend you, but...it's like you share a brain or something! And then I laughed. She couldn't have been more spot on. And, really, I wasn't offended at the thought of sharing a brain with JD. I can use all the help I can get.
People often ask what, exactly, JD does for the business, so I'm going to put it as simply as possible: HE KEEPS ME FROM GOING CRAZY. And if you've met in real life, you'll know it's a full time job.
JD has been full time with the business for about a year and I don't think a single day has looked the same for him. He's a visionary, risk-taker, and executes ideas. And Oh! The! Ideas! We! Have! Part of why the business has grown the way that it has is because he takes the responsibility for actually doing things. You see, I say I'll do something, but then life, email, and pedicures get in the way of actually doing it. That's where JD comes in.
And, of course, he shoots weddings with me. And he looks handsome while doing so. And this makes me happy. And I like using And to start sentences. Somebody call the Grammar Police!
Just yesterday JD planned my next trip to speak in Las Vegas for Skip's Summer School (which is in just three weeks!) and organized our travel schedule for the next four months. He got so busy planning things, he suggested I make lunch on my own. Lunch? ON MY OWN?!? Did he know who he was talking to? My lunches consist of Triscuits, cotswold cheese, and an apple. And THAT is why I need him in my life. Without him, I wouldn't adhere to the FDA's suggested Food Pyramid, be imprisoned by the Grammar Police, and only ever say I wanted to dream big. Together, he helps me actually do.
Thanks to videographer extraordinaire, Russel Fowler for snapping this photo of us at last week's wedding...we're looking a little tore up, but the memory is special...
Happy Sunday!
Michelle and Brady : Anytime
07.17.10
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ne of the highlights of what I do is the ability to meet many people and document their lives. How we find each other always amazes me and I have the web to thank for much of it. Such was the case with Michelle and Brady. Sorta.
The Glass Slipper Guild, an amazing organization hoping to raise $5 million dollars for Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), hosted a Gala and auction a couple months ago. I was contacted by a fellow Whittier College alum (Hi Jessica...and Go Poets!) who asked if I'd be willing to donate an Anytime session as part of the auction. I was honored and immediately agreed.
Sometime before the Gala, I spoke at the Smarty OC Event. And then other stuff happened in the weeks that followed. Oh, like, I dyed my hair a festive summer color.
Then I got an email from Michelle. She said she's a part of the Glass Slipper Guild (which means she's awesome by default) and heard me speak at the Smarty OC Event (which means she's awesome by association) and has since followed my blog. And, surprise! Michelle bid on my Anytime session and won. She and her husband Brady hoped to have their session before their third baby arrived and I was more than happy to oblige.
Last week we hung out in Newport and had a chance to have some fun...
Immediately upon meeting Michelle and Brady (it was the first time we met, outside of email), I knew they were the kind of people who made Orange County a great place to live. They're a great family, they give of their time to charitable organizations, and they're truly in love with each other...
I'm particularly fond of Michelle's freckles. But I might be biased. ;)
Brady and Michelle are expecting their third child this fall and I have no doubt their family will be extra blessed with a new bundle of joy...
One thing I loved about Brady was his familiarity with my camera gear. He loves photography so we talked shop for a bit (and I'm quite certain he dropped not-so-subtle hints for Michelle to add to his wish list) and when we passed by this random spot, I tossed the idea out to see if they'd be willing to hang out for a bit. Michelle laughed because when they walked in earlier, Brady mentioned that place would make a great spot for photos. Great minds think alike! :)
I'll end with this photo because Michelle looks incredibly happy...and a kind, beautiful, and giving woman like herself deserves every bit of it!
he room was warm, the balcony suite door closed from the Pacific breeze, and Sarah sat in socks and covered in a blanket. As she had her hair and makeup done, Sarah explained she wasn't feeling well and the morning started off with a few bumps, but she called her acupuncturist in LA and she came down to help Sarah get back to where she needed to be. Hence the soothing sounds of crashing waves and tropical rain forest birds coming from the radio.
Sarah dressed with the help of her amazing friends and family, and looked radiant. But her smile was just a wee bit incomplete. And everyone knew why. Sarah needed Chris. It was just that simple. The minute she walked down the aisle and into his arms, the soothing sounds of his laughter and the San Diego ocean relaxed her soul. They, together, were the perfect display of love, respect, and dependance.
The rest of the wedding day at Hotel Del Coronado was spent together--Chris holding her dress, Sarah clasping his hand, sharing moments that belonged only to them--and the world was back to where it needed to be. They need each other and last Sunday they made the commitment to ensure it lasts forever.
Sarah and Chris, I adore you both. I think you're perfect for each other and I had a blast getting to know you, especially on one of the most important days of your lives. Thank you for being so amazing and I can't wait to see where life takes you...preferably on your honeymoon once Chris finishes his law school finals! Enjoy the journey and I'm thrilled to call you friends. Much love and appreciation... j*
The day was spectacular...but so was Sarah's Vera Wang wedding dress...
Timeout...Valentino's on the left...and an Adorations bouquet on the right?! Awwww, yeah, that's how I starting a wedding in San Diego...perfection...
The light as Sarah prepared at the Hotel Del Coronado was just amazing...
Sarah looked extra fabulous with help from Tracey Taylor for makeup and Sheila Stone for hair...what a dynamic duo...
A little garter action...
Sarah's bridesmaids were my fav...
Wedding details can breathe new life into a perfect day and Lavonne with Adorations knows how to do this perfectly with her floral creations...I love working with her!
Sarah, you're st-st-stunning. You made me stutter.
And Chris cleaned up nice himself. As a sidenote, I really like this guy. Like, really. One of the coolest grooms ever and a total gentleman...Sarah totally scored with Chris and she found a great husband. Trust me...I know what a good husband looks like! :)
The wedding was centered around a Summer Romance, so whimsical elements and pastel flowers were used to create a distinctly feminine appeal...
A special thanks to Kelly of Mint Weddings for working so tirelessly on creating a flawlessly wedding day. She and her team are some of the best coordinators in San Diego!
The wedding was filled with lots of hugs, love and laughter...
&phonalytiAfter the extraordinarily hot ceremony (Internet...it was 90 degrees...ON THE BEACH!), we used the gorgeous backdrop of the Hotel Del Coronado for wedding pictures...
My angle...
JD's angle...along with a special photo for Sarah. JD snuck away to capture photos of literally tons of dandelions Sarah cultivated for her wedding...she wanted to make sure her guests could all make a wish on her wedding day...
What else would a couple who's getting married on 7/11 provide to cool down their guests...Slurpees of course!
In spite of the heat, Sarah and Chris decided they wanted beach photos, so we made the best of it and played along the San Diego shoreline for more wedding pictures...
...and I'm so glad we did because we got this photo...
A few more wedding reception details in the Grand Ballroom at the Hotel Del Coronado...with many thanks to Lavonne at Adorations for her ever fabulous work...
The First Dance...
That's right, Sarah...go on and be gorgeous during your dance...do your thang....
I wasn't able to get the rings before the ceremony (which is what I prefer), but JD and I used off-camera light for the following wedding ring photo we took at night...
I think I took a million photos of this cake...it was unreal...there were SO many details and it was an absolutely incredible creation. The girls at CAKE deserve all their accolades...
The toasts were particularly funny...and Sarah's sister may or may not have quoted the entire Golden Girls theme song. Awesome.
"If you like it then you betta put a ring on it..."
This post will end with two photos of Chris and Sarah reveling in their perfect wedding day...
eople ask why and I don't have a concrete answer. But I suspect it has something to do with childhood. For me, meatloaf symbolized something I didn't have as a kid. Namely, what I considered normal American dinners. I mean, because Kimmie Gibler? I didn't see her eating burritos on Full House.
Growing up, I dreamt of pot roast, rotisserie chicken, and rack of lamb. Because, really, I'm sure the Cleavers ate rack of lamb on a weekly basis. My family--on the other (darker) hand--ate anything of the bean and tortilla variation. When I wanted something different, my dad would simply pass me a different salsa and insist it changed the entire meal.
Once I begged my mom to make an American dinner, so she brought out a dusty Betty Crocker cookbook and made dumplings. It was like a stew you poured over white rice. I was intrigued and thrilled that my family was finally acting like the families I watched on TV. It was going well until--I kid you not--my dad asked my mom for salsa. I bet Cliff Huxtable doesn't eat salsa with his dumplings, I muttered under my breath.
When JD and I got married, I was excited to make dinners that didn't require refried beans. That is until I actually had to make dinner. I was flustered, but undeterred. I made meatloaf for the first time (yes, even though I'm a vegetarian) because it just seemed like a cool dinner to make. Yeah, I made meatloaf last night...and I darned some socks by the fire, too! And then I was all, EWWWW. Meatloaf requires ketchup. For the record, ketchup is a condiment...not an ingredient.
Needless to say, my adventures in meatloaf making were unsuccessful. But I'm sure if you were to ask my dad, he'd insist salsa would've made things a whole lot better.
CreativeLive : Looking for a Bride+Groom
07.14.10
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olllllllla! So the response to the online photography course with creativeLIVE I posted on Monday has been nothing short of incredible. Thank you. No, really, these two small words aren't enough to express my appreciation, but they're all I have right now. Thank you.
In more exciting news, I'm happy to announce we're looking for a fabulous real life couple who'd like to get married on creativeLIVE in Seattle August 26-29, 2010. It can be your first wedding, a vow renewal, or a chance to have the wedding you never had...the sky's the limit! :) The wedding photography will be free...but there will also be a ton of hooked up surprises along the way as well as we work with Seattle's premiere venues and vendors! Just you wait and see...
And, wow, look at the size of my teeth...I make the Big Bad Wolf look like Benji...
If you'd like to be part of this epic adventure, here's what you need to do:
*Create a 90 second video of you and your significant other...and it doesn't have to be fancy.
*Please include your name, where you're from, how you met, and why you want to be a part of creativeLive.
*Ideally, we just want something that allows your personality to shine.
*Upload the video to Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
*Let me know where to find it via Twitter@JasmineStar using the hashtag #StarWedding. The dead line is Friday, July 23, 2010.
Thanks again to my friends who've been sharing the news on their blogs and Twitter...I appreciate your help in spreading word and making this a collaborative effort to share. THANK YOU! :)
