Last week was a really special one for me. Photographs I took during a 3 year period at the US/Mexico border (spanning from California through Texas) with AMBOS Project and Tanya Aguiñiga opened in a new exhibit W|ALLS: Defend, Divide and the Divine at the Annenberg Space for Photography.
It makes total sense to me that you’d get married and celebrate in a place that feels like home. In this case, Alison & John married in the home of Alison’s contemporary dance mentor, and ate dinner with all their family and friends at tables that were planted amongst her backyard fruit trees. 🍋 It’s that kind of abundance that makes you feel full and thankful for a long time afterwards.
This past June, Lauren and Jason flew me up to San Francisco to photograph their city hall elopement. It would be just the three of us (I love, love being the only witness), with Lauren and Jason planning a party later in the year with family and friends. We had such an epic day together, we sat in the car afterwards with joy-hangovers, completely beat, but grateful. I mean, at one point we had cheeseburgers and waffles at a diner overlooking a fog drenched ocean — I just can’t think of anything else that makes me smile more.
We’re coming up on the 2 year anniversary of these two, and since this elopement has always been a favorite of mine, I thought I’d share it on the blog today. Cindy & Eric already had an upcoming wedding planned in the mid-west, where they were also relocating for Eric’s new job. But Joshua Tree was too special to them and they wanted to say good-bye their own way, so they decided to elope there on the down-low. It was just the two of them, an officiant, and me as their witness and photographer.
A week ago last week, Corey and I spent a few days in Big Sur (northern California). It was our official plan to celebrate my 32nd birthday at Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, sure, but if anything it was more like a much needed mini-mid-week vacation just for the two of us. What better place to catch your breathe than Big Sur? A place where it actually gets quiet enough to hear your own thoughts.
Above image: Marilyn & Andy, fresh after their ceremony, sit in their booth seat for their wedding reception at The Parker Palm Springs’ restaurant, Mister Parker’s.
Above image: I arrived to the Casa de la Guerra for Kelly & Ben’s reception and couldn’t help but notice the confetti that was already embedded in the gravel. With the evidence of parties-past at your feet, it was unmistakable that we had come to the right place.
Above image: Laying on a massive rock as the Kern River rushes by, taking photos and soaking in the scenery.
Above image: A wide night shot of Corey while camper-camping down south. (San Onofre State Beach, San Clemente, California, March 15, 2014)
