SAN DIEGO & VISTA, CALIFORNIA - The last wedding of 2023 finally arrived, and we got to celebrate with Micah & Sebastian. Who are they? Only the coolest couple ever!
We were ultra-excited when the day arrived. Like always, I remained sleepless the night before. I always get excited/nervous before weddings. Almost 20 years of doing this, and the feeling hasn't left. It's a good thing to be nervous. It keeps me on my toes.
That day in San Marcos had some overcast, and it was cooler than usual. Maria went through our routine of grabbing and checking our equipment, contacting the newlyweds of our departure to their place, grabbing our Starbucks breakfast, and heading out to meet them at their place in San Diego. This was just the calm before the awesome storm. (Figuratively, of course.)
BEFORE THE CEREMONY
We arrived at Micah's place where her entourage of gorgeous bridesmaids were doing their hair and makeup as the music blasted in the background. There was so much going on at the same time. Micah was on her phone coordinating her wedding. Bridesmaids were either doing their hair or makeup, while some were chattering and looking for accessories for their outfits or just chowing down on their breakfast. But one thing was in common with these ladies: they were all doing it with a smile and having fun. Maria had her hands full trying to capture all the moments, so I helped while waiting for Sebastian, who was getting ready on the other side of the property.
When Sebastian was ready, I headed towards what would be their future home. The excitement was calmer on the groom's side but was still fun as they got ready for their big day. We really enjoyed this group of friends because they were so supportive of Micah and Sebastian. They were always ready to assist in whatever the newlyweds-to-be needed.
This was going to be a great wedding...
Bridesmaids First Look
Father's First Look
AT THE CEREMONY
The ceremony was nothing less than magical with families and friends, and of course, the bride and groom full of emotion, love, and happiness as they tied the knot at the altar. There were so many great moments between these two as they prepared to take on the task of being husband and wife forever. You could tell that they were definitely ready for such a task. Sebastian couldn't contain his emotions as he saw his majestic wife coming down the aisle.
WEDDING PORTRAITS
Now came the fun part of the whole wedding photography experience, the wedding portraits, the gem of the wedding day. I had already eyed some locations around the church, as well as the reception. I implemented our moody tones to give it that romantic intimate feel that we are known for.
There was a fun part that I did for them. Next to the reception venue in Vista is the infamous ice cream shop, Pepper Tree Frosty, which is a place special to these lovebirds. Problem: It was closed, and they couldn't get ice cream. Fortunately, I'm pretty nifty with Adobe Photoshop. So we simulated a pose that allowed me to add ice cream of their choice in their hand. I even added a random cat just for kicks.
Unplanned Shoot
Sometimes, we get these ideas that I like to test out. For example, doing improvised photoshoots of the wedding party in the style of a fashion shoot. Around this time of the wedding, I had been bitten by the fashion photography bug, and I had to scratch that itch.
During the wedding, I would sneak one of the members of the party or a group and photograph them. I didn't get to photograph all the groomsmen because we couldn't find them. (My apologies for that.)
AT THE RECEPTION
The reception was as busy as the rest of the wedding day. We had some touching moments with dads and stepdads and moms and second moms. Then you add tacos to the mix, and you've got yourself an unforgettable wedding. All in all, this wedding was the perfect way to end the year. We thank Micah and Sebastian for the honor they bestowed on us to photograph their wedding. It was amazing.
