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Ponte Vineyard Wedding : Sarah + Ryan
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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T hey met in college years ago. Ryan debated between attending Point Loma Nazarene University or another college in San Diego, but something made PLNU stick out. Perhaps it was destiny because it was there that he met a sweet and bubbly blond. With a heart of gold and acute attention to those around her, Sarah easily stole Ryan's heart.
Years later they've grown into mature adults and their love has morphed alongside them. Together--along with their friends and family--Sarah and Ryan pledged to live their lives forever committed to each other. On a warm and sunny day in Temecula, California, they stood amongst the vineyards and swore to never leave each others' sides. The wedding was perfect and their love made them the envy of the day.
Sarah and Ryan...thank you for being two of the sweetest people I could photograph. Your love makes those around you want to be your friend and cheer for your relationship from the sidelines. I wish you all the best as you navigate life and create new adventures all your own! Much Love and Appreciation... j* |
| The wedding was held at Ponte Winery in Temecula and though it was 104-degrees, the day was stunning. What made the day even better was Sarah's father bringing a few classic cars from his museum...they added flair to a gorgeous backdrop and made for a great environment for Sarah's wedding dress... |
| And every wedding day is made better with a pair of Jimmy Choo's... |
| Sarah made a stunning bride and her bridesmaids were so delightful to be around! |
| Ryan cleaned up pretty well himself... |
| Sarah and Ryan opted for a First Look and see each other before the ceremony, which was lovely because it provided plenty of time for wedding photographs... |
| Sarah...you are so beautiful. I can't even deal. |
| On a quick wedding side note, Sarah is sister to Stephen...whose wedding I photographed to Stephanie in Scottsdale, Arizona back in 2009. I lovelovelove seeing past couples at weddings and it's an honor to work with the same family again! Stephanie and Stephen are still stunning as ever, but the best news is they had an adorable baby boy last year who's just as pretty as his parents... |
| Sarah and her dad had such a lovely relationship...I loved watching him give her away... |
| After the wedding, we ventured into the Ponte Winery vineyards for a few more wedding photos... |
| I love unique wedding details, so one might imagine my delight seeing Sarah's grandmother's hand-painted vases used throughout the wedding reception as centerpieces. Such a special detail...many thanks to Peony and Plum for the floral decor... |
| The evening began with lovely toasts... |
| ...and then a surprise guitar performance by Ryan... |
| ...which made guests go wild! |
| They made sure to make time for their wedding photo booth... |
| ...and ended the evening with a grand exit filled with streamers...loved it. |
To see more of Sarah and Ryan's Ponte Winery wedding photos, feel free to check out their slideshow HERE!
Many congrats to such an amazing couple on a beautiful wedding day! |
    
| This past weekend I had the chance to meet with a lovely couple getting married next year. Like most meetings, there comes a time when I ask how the couple discovered my work (it's important to know the source so I can send a proper thank you and measure effective marketing mechanisms) and I thought I'd share how things unfolded. Many photographers ask how they can book more weddings without breaking the bank, so today I'll outline a few tips leveraging online and organic marketing. |
Online Marketing Tips for Photographers
1. Use text to describe the photos in a way prospective brides might search. For instance, sharing the designer of a bride's wedding dress may help with online searches and bring up your blog as a byproduct and get more views of your work.
2. Label the photos on your blog so you can leverage SEO when a prospective client is searching for wedding related topics. For example, you might label wedding photos as follows: jimmy-choo-wedding-shoe-photo or peony-bouquet-photo
3. Share the photos with wedding related outlets (wedding blogs, websites, social media, etc). The more your photos get shared, the more people will see them and--ultimately--reach out if they're interested. |
Using these tips, I want to showcase how this played out for me this past weekend at a client meeting...
Last year I photographed Sonya and Eric's Terranea Resort wedding and blogged the images, making sure to appropriately tag the wedding photos.
I made mention of the wedding dress Sonya wore (a beautiful Vera Wang gown).
I was honored to have the wedding photos featured online (here and here), so both features helped gain exposure for my work (i.e. created online marketing).
About a year later, a prospective bride, X, was searching for Vera Wang dresses and typed this search into Google.
My photos were some of the first to appear in the search and--in a small world coincidence--X loved the dress, but she also knew Sonya!
Seeing the dress--on a friend, no less--caused X to reach out for her destination wedding in Laguna Beach next year.
We met on Saturday and she booked me as her wedding photographer. |
When it comes to online marketing for photographers, I don't think it's one factor that leads to creating business, there are lots of small pieces that contribute to creating momentum. Every wedding I book is an odd mix of referrals, online chutzpah, and investing in relationships with my clients. I'd love to carry this conversation, so if you have tips, I'd love to hear them as well. Together we can grow our businesses to where we want them!
Happy Tuesday! |
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La Estancia Wedding : Lesley + Colin
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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I t just wasn't that Colin was nice, funny, and smart, it's that everyone loved him. He was a standout in the law firm's associate program and though it likely wasn't proper, the lawyers compared the other associates to Colin behind closed doors. He was the guy who made people smile when they talked about him, but he also happened to catch the eye of one of the firm's shining stars, Lesley.
For being pretty, smart, and inordinately organized, Lesley is laid-back and relaxed. She's the type of girl who'll plan a perfect wedding and then let the day take its natural course. Her mother tied a red bracelet on her wrist and pinned a charm into the wedding dress for good luck, but Lesley and Colin made such a great couple, they didn't need luck. Goodness was already on their side.
On a gorgeous day in La Jolla, California, they wed at La Estancia Resort surrounded by their friends and family, many of them who bore witness to the love that grew in the hallways of a law firm a few years ago. Together Colin and Lesley started a new life in the company of those who love them the most.
Lesley and Colin...tapas, sangria, and paella...oh my! I hope you're enjoying every last second of Barcelona, Spain! Thank you for allowing us the honor of sharing a beautiful day. Your friends and family were amazing and we felt welcomed like we were part of the crew...we can't thank you enough for being so darn amazing. Really. Much Love and Appreciation... j* |
| Lesley wore a beautiful Oscar DeLaRenta wedding dress accompanied with a paid of blue Kate Spade wedding shoes...a perfect pair if I say so myself. |
| La Estancia Resort is a stunning backdrop for wedding photos...here Colin is making his Paul Smith suit look extra dapper. |
| I was incredibly excited to hear the couple opted to see each other before the ceremony for a First Look...not only did this provide extra time for wedding photos around La Estancia Resort, they were able to relax and enjoy cocktail hour with their guests...just look at Colin's reaction to seeing his bride...priceless. |
| Every nook and cranny of La Estancia Resort is picturesque and we had a blast working with the bridal party...all the bridesmaids were lawyers, so they were on-time, ready, and some of the sassiest girls I've worked with. LOVED it. |
| Lesley, you're stunning. Really. |
| Colin, hey, you clean up pretty well too! ;) |
| I have to include a picture of my most favorite flower girl ever, Nala. When I first met with Lesley and Colin, we bonded over our love for dogs and compared walking trails in the neighborhood. When I discovered Nala was the flower girl--aka the Dog Of Honor--I was delighted! |
| Both Colin and Lesley had the most delightful families...everyone shared a beautiful bond of love and it was easy to photograph their joy. |
| Colin was more than excited to see his bride walk down the aisle... |
| ...and as they walked up the aisle together as man and wife, they surprised their guests with a bagpiper! |
| Many thanks to Kerrie Underhill Platinum Weddings by Kerrie for orchestrating a perfect day. I love working together because I know the wedding will be seamless and perfectly perfect...Colin and Lesley's wedding was no exception. Love her. |
| An adorable chevron cake stand and a beautiful cake cutting... |
| Lesley had a blast with the hora... |
| ...but I don't think Colin wanted to be outdone, so he sang the loudest during a Journey song... |
| I'll end on this note because it embodies just how much fun the wedding was and how perfect their love was sealed. |
T he TSA agent was patting me down. I just walked through the airport scanner and the alarm sounded. I apologized and scrambled to remove the cell phone from my back pocket. As she followed procedure and patted me down, she turned and yelled at the agent in the next line, It's like they say...you always want what someone else has!
They umm-hmph'd each other from a distance.
As I boarded my flight from San Francisco, her words rang in my ear. If this was true--we desire what resides in the possession of others--I told myself to want moments, not things...happiness, joy, contentment. Sometimes it's easy to look on the outside and wish for more, but behind simplicity sits life's most beautiful memories. |
Dear JD,
This is a thank you letter that's been a long time coming. Instead of the notes I leave scattered around the house, I wanted to publicly express my appreciation for all you do. I guess I'm embarrassed to admit how much I take for granted. At the wedding last weekend a guest stared at our camera gear in disbelief. She leaned over and whispered, you don't really carry that backpack all day do you? I stared blankly at the wedding guest then whispered back, No, but HE does, pointing to you as you piled the 70-pound pack on your back.
You smiled and waved from a distance.
Then you gave me your coat because the ballroom was cold and I didn't bring a jacket.
I saw you from a distance documenting cocktail hour while making guests laugh at your charm.
I worried I didn't get a portrait shot of the bagpiper at the end of the ceremony, then you patted my hand and said you had it covered.
You grabbed the valet ticket early to have the car ready by the time our photography services commenced.
Everything you do makes me breathe easier. Your actions enable me to shine and I can't thank you enough for all your are. Thank you for being a wonderful partner, shooter, and friend.
Love,
me |
| Many thanks to our assistant Kendra for grabbing this photo of us together at our last wedding. |
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