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Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel Wedding : Jane and Jee
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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L ove wears a myriad of clothing, has a closet full of haute couture jackets made of laughter and shirts woven from the rarest adoration. It's a closet full of the rarest vintage pieces and enough to make any girl swoon and simultaneously envy. Then there are pieces of Love that are simple, yet classically beautiful. Love that is quiet, private, yet complete with respect and loyalty. Jane and Jee wear such Love. They hold each other in the highest regard, and share a close admiration.
Jane and Jee married at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel and pledged to remain by each other's sides until forever. Close to 350 guests shared in their wedding celebration and the night was filled with performances, dances, and merriment. As the night progressed, Jane's Vietnamese family collected envelopes at each table and proffered wise words of marital encouragement. On the other side of the ballroom, Jee and Jane toasted with his Korean family, and hugs were freely shared. Throughout the evening, Jane wore four wedding dresses and though she looked radiant in each of them, she looked her best when standing next to Jee. Both wearing the perfect shade of Love.
Jane and Jee, I hope you're enjoying Paris and reveling in its grandeur! There's no other perfect place for you to share your first weeks as husband and wife and I know it'll be perfect. Thank you for the honor of being your wedding photographer and I can't wait to see what the future holds for you both! Much Love and Appreciation...j*
Jane wore a pair of vibrant, red Prada heels on her wedding day to start things off right... |
| The weather was perfect along the coast and it provided the nicest breezes along the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel property during wedding photos! |
| JD hung out with Jee and the guys and he had nothing but nice things to say about such a great group of guys... |
| Jane and Jee opted to see each other before the ceremony and it suited them perfectly! Their moment together was private, quiet, and serene...which is so them! :) JD captured these two photos standing from afar in order to give them a little privacy...it turns out I loved his angle! :) |
| It's a good thing my clients think I'm funny... |
| I adored the extra time we had for wedding photos and the day flowed extra smoothly because of it! |
| JD captured this photo...and I think it's one of my favs from the day! |
| The Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel had the most spectacular view of the coast during the wedding ceremony and here's a photo of the recessional, one of my favorite parts of the day! |
| With many thanks to Kelley Gin of Picture Perfect Event, the entire day went off without a hitch and everything planned perfectly. Kelley and her crew worked tirelessly in designing the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel ballroom for 350 guests! |
    
I just got home from a lovely staycation. You know, the newly minted term for a vacation close to home. A small smile broke across everyone's lips when we told them we were staying in Laguna Beach from Irvine...which is just next door! It's hard to get away during wedding season, but sneaking away from the busyness of our lives was so incredibly perfect for our anniversary. Very much like last year, JD and I simply wanted to check out and de-stress together. With gracious help from Jaime Puffer, she aligned a perfect stay for us at Montage Resort and Spa in Laguna Beach and we loved every minute of it!
This morning, we slept in until 8am, hit the gym, and then darted to the beach to soak up the last few hours of serenity. JD and I spread out beach towels and we used a few more to shield us from the overcast skies and sea breezes. We layed in silence, listening to the sound of the ocean along the shore, and felt incredibly overwhelmed with what could have been the most perfect day. Perhaps it was. No, no, perhaps it is. I mean, really, we have everything that ever mattered (healthy families, amazing friends, living passionately, and own a perfect dog) and resting by the shore was simply a thick dollop of creamy sweetness.
While I realize every day cannot be perfect (and, trust me, I've had more than my share of pretty awful days), I am content savoring these moments and storing the memories.
I'm sad to say I forgot my camera, so JD and I made sure we used our iphones to help us remember the details of our fourth year together as husband and wife. |
I saw it on your dresser. And it hurt me. It stared at me in the face like a mirror and reflected the darker shades of my heart. I tried not to be offended, but I was. You told me it was okay, it wasn't anything. But it was. To me. The book sprawled itself on your dresser and the title stared back at me, mocking my attempts at avoiding what was being said between the lines. "Is It Love or Obsession?" That was the name of the book your father gave you one night. We were 19 years old and madly in love.
I'm not obsessed, I said meekly into your chest as you held me tight. I felt your heart. Literally. The beating pumping in my ear. I'm in love...with you
At first I was embarrassed at what was silently floating through your parents' house and thoughts, and wanted to deny it all. But, my dearest husband, I'm writing this today to let you know that it's okay. They were right. After all these years together, I'm unabashedly obsessed with you. If I could crawl into the palm of your hand and seep through your pores, I would. That way, I'd be just as close to you as I always want to be. Obsessed in every way and any capacity with the person you are. And the person you want to be.
Today, I write this as your wife of four years. And your lover until end's end. And your best friend until sunset's sunset. And your soul mate until our very last sunrise.
JD, I am madly in love with you. Today--much like yesterday, and very much like tomorrow--I am proud to be your wife. Happy Anniversary, my love. |
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Viceroy Santa Monica Wedding : Erma and Maxim
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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H e moved from Bulgaria to Canada to attend college, and he fortunately found a lovely apartment with nice landlords. Maxim would talk to Mr. Hadzic about life, college, and--sometimes--his immigration woes. You know what you need to do, Mr. Hadzic told him, find a nice Canadian girl and marry her! Then everything will be solved.
But that was easier said than done.
Maxim continued to focus on his studies and made many friends, one of whom was Erma, a lively girl with charm and class. Maxim and Erma hung out with friends and went out to dinner with large groups, but one night, they ended up at dinner. Alone. They spent the entire night talking and, well, falling in love. But the story only gets better.
Remember Mr. Hadzic? Well, it turns out that he was Erma's father. That's right. Maxim's landlord gave him perfect advice, but one ever knew Mr. Hadzic's encouragement would lead to his endorsement of marrying his own daughter! But it was perfect. And amazing. And the perfect blend of two equal parts.
Erma and Maxim planned a destination wedding at the Viceroy Santa Monica, bringing only the closest of friends and family to witness their intimate ceremony. They chose to marry on Equinox, the day of the year when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, thus causing the night and day to be equally long. Their love, much like equinox, is two equal parts, neither one loving more or less than the other. As Erma placed Maxim's ring on his finger, she knew what part of the inscription read: the latitudes of Santa Monica. That there, in one of their favorite cities in the world, on the most equal day of the year, they became one whole part.
Erma and Maxim...I told you this at your wedding, but it bears repeating again. Thank you. Thank you for sharing your love, your private ceremony, and your lives with us. We walked away from your day feeling like--quite possibly--the luckiest wedding photographers to be alive. I appreciate the gifts you gave me, the lovely toast, and the overt expression of appreciation. We can't wait to see you next year as you celebrate your first anniversary! Much Love and Appreciation...J*
There were so many personal touches to their wedding day, and I was especially fond of the ring plate Erma made... |
| Erma was nervous traveling with her Ramona Keveza wedding dress from Canada, but it made it safely... |
| Many thanks to Carlie B. for a wonderful job with hair and makeup... |
| This is Erma being simply fabulous. |
| When I first met Erma, she explained she wasn't photogenic and I'd have to work hard at capturing photos of her. Ummm, I beg to differ. |
| Maxim and Erma saw each other before the wedding ceremony and it's moments like the following that reassure me that encouraging my clients to opt for a First Look is a perfect addition to their day...JD captured this photo... |
| JD captured this photo and there's something I adore about it...the following two images are his... |
| Erma personalized her ceremony site by pinning childhood through adulthood photos of her and Maxim on long strings of ribbon.... |
| A reading during the ceremony... |
| As we made our way to the beach, JD captured this photo... |
| One thing I love when clients see each other before the ceremony is the flexibility in their day to capture the type of photos they want. Because of the extra time, we were able to capture more wedding photos at Santa Monica Beach... |
| The following two photos are my favorites from the wedding day... |
| **Note to Future Brides: If you want to lay down in your wedding dress, I promise to take very good care of it...and make you feel fabulous doing so!** :) |
| I have to totally commend Erma for being the epitome of perfect destination bride. She traveled from Canada with BOXES of decor, but she made her reception radiant and bubbling with her personal style...LOVED it! |
| Erma's mother made the clay flower cake toppers and they were so pretty... |
| A heartfelt toast from Erma's sister and much celebration... |
| One of my favorite parts of the night was an impromptu First Dance and everyone else joining in...it was perfect! The following photos are JD's... |
| I'll end with this picture...because I hope Erma and Maxim see fireworks for the rest of their lives together... |
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Kisses and Disses : Cats and Twitter
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I 'm pretty sure it's one of the worst things a friend could do. I mean, losing a friend's pet ranks right on up there with Yo Mama jokes and boyfriend-stealing. It's bad. So one could just imagine my horror when JD told me he couldn't find Amy Wenzel's cats.
It was 4:30am in Grand Rapids and the taxi awaited us downstairs. JD slipped out the front door to load the bags, but accidently left it open. When he came back to the room where I waiting, his eyes were bugging out of his face. Oh my GOD...I think the cats escaped!
Now, these aren't just any cats. They are cats specifically saved from euthanasia by Amy--either adopted from the pound or rescued from the streets--and legitimate members of the Wenzel household. Pegasus and Other Kitty are black cats with emerald eyes, and could audition to be the model cat for Andrew Lloyd Weber's Broadway musical, Cats. And they're smart. Like, smart enough to play fetch, cup their paws in a glass of water to drink, and cajole anyone into cuddling. They're basically glorified dogs with claws.
So just imagine my horror when JD says he lost Model Cats. In the middle of darkness, we're desperately whispering Heeeeeere kitty kitty kitty...heeeeeeere... I mean, isn't that how you do it in the movies?! Our main problem wasn't that we couldn't find the cats, we couldn't even see them against the blackness of morning. I thought I might just cry, but then begged JD to just Do SOMETHING! There we were, running around a vintage house bribing two invisible creatures with treats, playing fetch, and a bedazzled crown of cat nip awaiting them upstairs. Pegasus finally made his way through the open door on his own and I nearly hugged him to death. JD and I then decided to strategically comb the length of the yard and make noise. Riiiiight. Because noise always catches cats, right? Well, the plan ended up working because we saw Other Kitty's eyes under a nearby bush. We gently made noises and heeeered our way to guiding her back in the house.
The entire time our taxi driver laughed at us like we were insane. With the meter running.
When we were finally headed to the airport, we kinda laughed about the whole thing. Kinda. We felt like bad friends. In order to make things better, I decided to alleviate the situation by telling jokes. I turned to JD and said, Yo Mama is so...
It's time for another installment of Kisses and Disses... |
This week's DISSES go to...
*Smart cats. Though absolutely adorable, I almost lost my mind out of sheer fear. Even Andrew Lloyd Weber would have fired them!
*Junk Mail. I mean, really, does anyone even read it? My mailbox lately has been out of control and though a couple for horse feed or a 2% discount on laser hair removal sounds appealing, I think I'll pass.
*Sheet sets. I want to buy just one, single ribbed sheet for my bed. I don't need the extra flat sheet, the pillow cases, or the duvet cover...just the ribbed sheet. But, nooo, I need to buy everything. Why? I don't know why, but if someone could please explain it, I may be less annoyed with this practice. |
This week's KISSES go to...
*Twitter. As strange as it sounds, I feel SO much closer to my friends. I know what they're doing and the small things of their days. It's like a really long phone conversation, without cords getting in the way. Well, you know...if you still OWN A PHONE WITH A CORD ON IT!
*Simply Orange Juice. I don't know if I could get through a day without one glass of this stuff. It's like I'm addicted. And it has calcium to boot, so I'm way healthy because I drink it. At least that's what I tell JD.
*Anniversaries. JD and I will be celebrating our fourth anniversary on Monday, and we decided to start the partying a little early. Oh, world, just you wait and see how two people in love can shake a dancefloor and drop it like it's hot. Or, if not that, then... Oh, world, just you wait and see how two people in love can order appetizers and watch a movie. Like it's hot. |
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