Marcus and Sally, a Joyous Malibu Wedding

22 Friday Mar 2013

Tags

Bernhard Mairinger, Donald Wressell, Hotel Bel Air, Malibu Wedding, Marcus Mueller, Sally Camacho

Weddings reflect the personalities of the couple getting married, and Marcus and Sally’s big day resonated with charm, intimacy, and class. We loved capturing the sheer joy Marcus and Sally exuded whenever they were near each other, his eyes crinkling with glee and her eyes open and expressive with love.

When a hotelier and an executive chef get married, you know you’re in for a day where every detail lives up to the highest of standards. Marcus and Sally chose the enchanting Hotel Bel Air for their first look. Not only do the grounds remind me of a secret garden, but it’s all the more endearing since this is where they first met. They treated their guests to a stunning ocean view ceremony. Afterwards, dear friends and family enjoyed a lounge style reception and were offered a sumptuous feast that included hand made German sausages by the acclaimed Chef Bernhard Mairinger (in honor of Marcus’s native homeland), an avant-garde cake made by Sally’s award winning mentor, Donald Wressell, just to name a few of the culinary delights.

Congratulations to Sally and Marcus! Your love is inspiring!

Cuisine_VivianLinPHOTO

Special thanks to Eva Lagudi for keeping the day running smoothly and Devin Espinosa for guiding the evening of merriment!

First Look: Hotel Bel Air, http://www.hotelbelair.com

Venue: Bel Air Bay Club, http://www.belairbayclub.com

Gown: Manuel Mota

Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Florist: Lilit Khatchaturian, http://www.skyeventsandproduction.com

Wedding Cake: Donald Wressell

German Food Station: Bernhard Mairinger

Pastry Station: Carlos Enriquez, http://www.chefcarlosenriquez.blogspot.com

DJ: Shawn Carter, http://www.beautyofthebeats.com

Elaine and Jay, Fun Filled Chinese Wedding

24 Wednesday Oct 2012

Posted by genkiviv in Weddings

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Chinese Wedding, Chinese Wedding Door Games, New Capital Seafood, San Gabriel Hilton

Genuinely good-natured people affect those around them, lifting spirits especially in times of celebration. Elaine and Jay exactly those kind of people, focusing their incredibly fun and energetic love for each other. Downright silly, Jay never failed to make Elaine giggle, yet he was completely nurturing and deep down an eternal romantic. Cool as a cucumber, Jay braved an egg down his pants during the reception, with Elaine laughing raucously all the while trying to gingerly guide the egg out with a pair of chopsticks.

When prompted to agree that his wife looked beautiful, Jay would reply with a flippant “Eh” and proceed to strike his own pose. Yet, we all knew he was completely head over heels for his equally fun loving Elaine. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were equally down to enjoy the moment, aggressively haggling during the hilarious and epic Chinese Wedding Door Games. Jay braved crazy sushi, an ice cold bucket of scrabble letters from which he had to pick out Elaine’s name with his foot, and some gangnum style dance moves, always with a goofy grin on his face and his goal in mind: to see his soon-to-be-wife on the other side of the door.

This was how Door Games should be played, with both sides in a see-saw to test how far one would go for the other, as in a real relationship. And one could see that this relationship was real, that it will endure through thick and thin, because Elaine and Jay have found their common happiness in their humor.

Venue: San Gabriel Hilton

Reception: New Capital Seafood Restaurant

Makeup Artist: Amy Tevis www.amysbeautydesign.com

Videography: RS Productions http://www.rspvideo.com

DJ: Jacky’s Entertainment

Lovely Afternoon Wedding, Calamigos Equestrian Center

21 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by genkiviv in Weddings

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Calamigos Equestrian Center, Canada Please, Little White House

I wish I had time to reflect more eloquently on this fabulous wedding, but I’m heading out for a weekend shoot in San Diego. The deepest impression I had was this: Jaimie was radiant (I mean, she was so radiant, I couldn’t take a bad picture of her, radiant). Her sheer joy at marrying Jonathon, shone throughout the day. He reciprocated back, stealing quick kisses every chance he got. Their robot cake topper was the perfect choice, indicative of their quirky and distinct personalities, along with the amazing robot socks he had on.

“Canadian, Please” is still in my head! Their wedding party coordinated a flashmob with some participating guests as a surprise to Jonathan, paying homage to the couples’ soon-to-be-home. Jon and Jaimie soon found themselves wrapped not only in the love of their friends, but also in giant Canadian flags, enjoying the warm sendoff.

We loved every aspect of this wedding! The vendors that came together for this were exceptional. Virginia, Steve and his staff at Calamigos Equestrian Center are awesome, expertly orchestrating everything from the set up to the ceremony dinner, equal parts great leadership and tireless hard work. The service was superior, and we were touched Steve looked out for us to the same degree he took care of the guests. The DJ, Matt Gudis, paced everything perfectly and played such well chosen sets, I couldn’t stop tapping my feet!

This was a very touching and real wedding to shoot. A close friend of theirs (and a bridesmaid!) was their officiant. Their parents upheld a red checkered chuppah, under which Jonathan and Jaimie exchanged their own vows. We loved working with both of them and every member of their vibrant wedding party. We wish Jonathon and Jaimie a smooth transition to their new home!

And in case you’re wondering, here are the steps they had to follow to move to Canada.

So you’re thinking to yourself,
“How do I live in this beautiful country?”
Well we’ve got some steps for you to follow…

STEP 1: Lose the gun
STEP 2: Buy a canoe
STEP 3: Live multiculturally
STEP 4: You’re ready, there is no more!