Wedding . Alefiya & Vladimir

Alefiya and Vladimir's wedding was amazing. I can't begin to express how much it meant to have been a part of such a memorable day. It was colorful, thoughtful, playful, and joyful. And so full of love. The excitement and energy surrounding the day overflowed as they joined their lives together in front of loving and caring friends and family. And boy could the group dance!

Did I mention how beautiful the colors were?! The saris worn by the bridesmaids were bought in India. The embroidery was stunning and the fabric glowed in the light.
A friend did an amazing job with the girls' flowers. I love the texture and the beautiful fall colors.
Alefiya had her dress made in India and had a lot of help from her sister. Pictures were emailed, texts were sent back and forth and in the end, boy was it worth it! Every stitch was impeccable and clearly done with a lot of care. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of artwork I've ever seen.
The girls got ready with hair and makeup in what is now my home. We didn't have any furniture yet, so we thought it would be a great place to take some "getting ready" pictures.
Drumroll please...
Dear Alefiya,
You are so beautiful.
The handsome groom waiting for the girls to arrive at the ceremony site. I loved his orange tie.
Alefiya's parents patiently waited for her to arrive :)
Alefiya's sister and her daughter.Her father making the trip down to get her......and then giving her away...Their ceremony was thoughtful and funny and heartfelt.
I love laughter.
Married!
After the celebration we walked around the park together for some pictures:
Let the party begin.
Amidst all the fun, there were some very touching moments throughout the night. Especially during the speeches.
Alefiya and Vladimir: Thank you from my whole heart for bringing me into your world and sharing such an amazing day with me. I will never forget it.

May you always have love and laughter in your life. And lots of dancing.

Knock, Knock.

Who's there?
Not me the past week!

Apologies for being absent in the blog world. No excuses here, but I would like to update everyone on what has been going on and what will be coming up shortly.

. We moved officially yesterday and nothing was broken (yeah FlatRate!) .
. We're 40% unpacked .
. Shelves are going to be installed so we can put the other 60% away properly .
. New furniture is coming this weekend so we will have a place to sit .
. I love our new home .
. I have no internet so I can't post photos until this weekend .
. I have beautiful photos to share from the wedding in Central Park .
. I have fun photos to share from an engagement party in New York .
. I have fall photo sessions with families coming up .
. The leaves have started to change .
. My family is coming up to see our new home this weekend and I can't wait .
. I need a long, good night sleep which I hope to get tonight .

Happy Thursday!

i heart love.

Weddings hold a very special place in my heart. There is something so meaningful in bearing witness to a couple's love as they commit to honor and cherish each other for the rest of their lives.

I spent last Saturday shooting a wedding with a group of some of the most loving, caring people I have ever met. I laughed and smiled. And yes, I may have even teared up a bit.

I can't wait to share the images with you in the next few days but they aren't ready yet. So, as a hold over (and because no post is complete without a picture)...

The beautiful bride.

California . Part V . Napa Valley

Our final few days of the trip were spent in beautiful Napa Valley. The wine was wonderful. The food delicious. And the pace was relaxing. So calm and simple and full of those wonderful moments of just us. Together.

On our way to Napa we stopped by Muir Woods to enjoy the giant, wise, old redwoods. My neck hurt by the end of our walk, but boy was it worth it!
I love the patterns the tree branches make against the sky.After lunch we were on our way to sunny, warm Napa...
I loved walking hand in hand along the rows of grape vines. I never quite got over how perfectly straight all of the lines were.

And the grapes......the yummy...
...juicy grapes. Warmed and ripened by the sun. I admit I snuck a few off the vine :) .
One of my favorite tastings was at a vineyard called Quintessa. The design facilitates a gravity-flow process and they do a really great job of taking care of the environment. We learned a lot during our private tour and saw what is now one of my most favorite spots in all of Napa.
During the tour we also got to take a walk through Quintessa's amazing structure of caves and tunnels. They have 17,000 square feet carved into the volcanic ash hillside directly behind the winery. It was cold--perfect conditions to help the wine age to perfection in French oak barrels. Quintessa's caves have a capacity to store up to 3000 barrels. That's a LOT of wine!
The trip was really amazing and I can't wait to go back again someday.
And with that, I leave you with Napa at Sunset...