Back in Northern California for this week's wedding to revisit a venue I've had the privilege to film at a few times in the past, Vine Hill House. A stunning property with sprawling views of the winery it sits on. Before we get to the venue, however, my coverage of Mika and Eric's wedding weekend takes me downtown to the Crooked Goat Brewery. The couple decided to host their family and friends at the brewery for a welcome party the night before their big day. During the party the couple had planned to have an open mic, allowing guests to come up and say a few words. Never wanting to turn down the chance to grab some additional audio for their film, I jumped at the opportunity. The evening went flawlessly, with what seemed like half the party wanting to say a few words to the couple. A testament to the people they are. With my gear packed up, I headed back to recharge and prepare for the wedding day ahead. Arriving on property the next day, I unpacked my gear and got an early start on coverage. Having filmed the festivities the night before, the group was already comfortable with the camera's presence. First stop was the main house, where Mika and the girls were wrapping up the hair and makeup processes. I checked in with Mika before grabbing a few shots of the process and heading outside with the details. With the groom not far behind, I and Roberto, the photographer, got started with the flat lay and dress shots. This venue is not short on cool locations and lighting for this type of content. We were alerted that the groom was ten minutes out, so we quickly packed up, not wanting to spoil any surprises. While this venue offers a wonderful getting-ready area for the girls, the groom hangs out outside in what will later become a cigar lounge during the reception. I headed over to meet up with Eric and start his getting-ready coverage. As much as I love to shoot real moments as they occur naturally, groom prep is one area I bend my rules. Typically the guys already come dressed, but I still need the content for the film. With the help of Eric's best man, we got Eric undressed and redressed for the camera. Back inside, the hair and makeup process had wrapped up, and we headed to the front of the house to grab some bridal party photos before Mika stepped into her dress. Rather than tuck ourselves into a bedroom for the moment, the front of the property was completely shaded and offered us a perfect location. Luckily, it didn't take much convincing, and Mika was on board. With the help of her mom, Mika stepped into her dress. With her wedding look complete, the bridesmaids were led out of the house so Mika could show off her dress. These reveals are becoming a popular trend, and I'm here for it! With the bridal party first look out of the way, we moved onto the more important first look, the one between the bride and groom. With Eric in place, Mika approached from behind, and with a tap on the shoulder, Eric laid his eyes on his bride for the first time. The couple decided to share private personal vows to one another before moving on to portraits. Personal vows add so much to the wedding film. It seems strange, but the opportunity to capture quotable audio from the couple on a wedding day naturally is pretty limited, so it's always exciting when a couple decides to write their own vows and share them for the camera. Guests soon began to arrive and take their seats for the ceremony. The couple opted for a short and sweet procession, reserving the aisle for the two of them, their parents, the ring bearer, and the flower girl. The ceremony was led by rabbi Dean, who walked the couple through the different traditions of the Jewish wedding ceremony. This culminates in the most iconic Jewish wedding tradition, the breaking of the glass. Following the ceremony we snuck the couple out for their sunset portrait sessions. The sun decided to put on an absolute show for us that afternoon, and the session was one for the ages. Dinner took place on the lawn in front of the main house and was capped off by some amazing speeches from the couple's closest family. We headed back over to what was once the ceremony site but now had been transformed into a dance floor. Mika and Eric kicked off the evening with their first dance, which started as a slow classic and transitioned into a fast choreographed number ending with an invitation to the guests to join in. The dance floor was never empty again, and the party raged deep into the night, blending Jewish traditional dancing with the mainstream hits. With my cards full, batteries drained, and a long drive ahead, I said my goodbyes to the couple and northern California. Until next time!

Venue: Vine Hill House
Coordination: Chelsea Events and Floral Design
​Photography: Roberto Chavez Photography 
​DJ: AMS Entertainment
Floral: Vanda Floral Design
Hair & Makeup: Devotion Studio
Catering: Trends Catering
Music: Duo Gadjo
Photo Booth: Selfie Booth Co.
Transportation: Thunderstar Charter

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Our journey takes us north to Flagstaff for today's wedding to capture Jessica and Eric's big day. I arrived bright and early and immediately got started shooting this beautiful property. With rain in the forecast, I wanted to try and get as many outdoor shots as possible. Jessica and Eric had not yet arrived at the venue, so this gave me some extra time to walk the property and scout possible locations for portraits later. It's pretty cool to live in a place where, in a relatively short distance, the climate and environment can change so drastically. My day started in the warm desert, and now I was smack in the middle of a cool mountain forest. I love this state. Jessica and Eric soon arrived, and I got started with the dress and details. The weather forecast may be less than ideal from the outside looking in, but in the camera world, cloud cover makes for ideal midday lighting. Not wanting to risk filming the dress outside with the possibility of rain, the staircase and chandelier seemed like an excellent and unique secondary option. Soon my photographer counterpart Maya arrived on property. This is a venue that has full-service vendor options, and I would be one of the only vendors that wasn't a regular at the property. Maya and her second shooter, Stephanie, were fantastic to work with throughout the day. I passed over the details and dress and made my way to the groom's suite. Inside, Eric and his groomsmen were well into an intense game of Super Smash Brothers, one of my favorite games. I filmed the action for a bit before checking in on the girls. The girls were also deep into an intense game, but this time the game was Heads Up trivia. Realizing this was a perfect opportunity to match shots with the guys video game session, I let the camera roll. I love capturing these types of organic moments. The audio helps break up the scripted feel the speech and ceremony audio gives to the film. I told Jessica I'd be back in a few minutes to get started with the dress and headed back to Eric's room to film his getting ready. Not loving the lighting condition in the groom's room, Maya and I proposed we take this moment outside. The clouds had broken, and the sun was now out, providing some nice natural light for this moment. After Eric was fully dressed in his quite fitting green suit, I headed back to the bridal suite. Inside, Jessica had stepped into her dress and was ready for the cameras. With the help of her mom, she completed her bridal look. The timeline then called for a first look between the couple, so we headed outside, through a gate, to a nice overlook just beyond the fence line for the property. It's nice to work with a photographer who really knows the venue. Eric was in place, and Maya set out to grab our bride. I filmed the moment the two made their way back up the hill. With a tap on the shoulder, Eric laid his eyes on his bride for the first time. The two shared a few moments together before we moved into some bridal party shots. These two groups made the moment a lot of fun, even bringing a boombox to play some music. As Maya transitioned from bridal party to family, I departed to film the guests as they began to arrive for the ceremony. I find these moments of transition very important to film, as they create a seamless transition from pre-ceremony activities to the ceremony. Guests took their seats as the bridal party made their way down the aisle. The ceremony was officiated by Eric's uncle, Barry, who walked us through their relationship history, sharing some fun personal anecdotes along the way. Rock climbing is one of the couple's favorite pastimes, and they decided to integrate this symbolically into their ceremony by literally tying the knot with a piece of climbing rope. I love fun personal details like this. After exchanging some fun personal vows, a pair of rings, and a kiss, they were officially wed. With the sun setting, we rushed through a few family portraits before heading out into the forest for the couple's sunset portrait session. Wildflowers were in full bloom, and this quickly turned into one of my favorite sessions of all time. The natural landscape is just stunning. The sun soon set as we made our way back down to the covered patio for dinner and speeches before transitioning up to the patio for dinner and dancing. With a long drive ahead, I said my goodbyes to the amazing team of vendors and the fantastic couple. Thank you, Jessica and Eric, for this wonderful opportunity! 

Venue: Aldea Wedding in the Woods
Photographer: Maya Papaya Pictures
DJ: Tony the Entertainer
Hair and Makeup: Boss Beauty AZ
Floral: Four Sisters Floral

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My final stop at Viansa Winery for 2024. This place is just pure magic. The views, weather, and atmosphere are always incredible. Fingers crossed I'll get the chance to come back in 2025. I arrived before our couple and began filming the setup shots while Orchard Avenue Events put the space together. This would be a reunion of the team of vendors I've spent the past 3 weeks with. It's always nice to work with familiar faces. Downstairs our bride, Stephanie, arrived and headed to her bridal suite in the wine cave. I headed inside and collected the details needed for the flat lay and dress shots. Since the groom would be arriving second at this wedding, I used his suite to shoot the details before returning to the cave to film the dress. Perhaps at the next wedding I'll mix up my dress location, but for now I am still loving the framing the staircase to the tasting room provides. As I wrapped up with the dress, Pure Luxury Transportation was dropping off our groom and groomsmen. I returned the dress and headed over to film our groom, Brentley, as he made his way inside. I spent some time with the guys and filmed Brentley getting into his suit before heading back into the bridal suite for Stephanie's getting-ready moment. We would have to be extra careful today, as our chosen location for the bride was just around the corner from her groom. Brentley promised not to peek as Stephanie and her mom finalized her wedding day look. The big reveal was next, so we placed Brentley outside and told him to wait for a tap on the shoulder. Stephanie made her way from the wine cave outside where Brentley was waiting, and the two shared their first look. Having been inspired by the first look Joy and David did with their pup at Viansa a few weeks back, I asked Brentley and Stephanie during our last call if they wanted to do a first look with their two dogs. I am glad they passed on the idea after seeing the size of their two dogs. That could have ended poorly! After some photos with the pups and their bridal party. The couple was tucked away in preparation for the ceremony as guests began to arrive. I headed back upstairs to film guests signing in and taking their seats. Shots like this allow me the content to create a smooth transition from pre-ceremony activities to the ceremony. The procession soon followed along with the typical ceremony traditions. The ceremony was officiated by the couple's friend Austin, who walked us through their relationship history before Brentley and Stephanie exchanged their personal vows to one another. Following the ceremony, the couple took some family photos before embarking on their sunset session. Viansa truly shines in this moment as the sunsets here are always incredible. We made our way around the property to the various portrait locations before heading back inside to prepare for the grand introduction. The couple was introduced and shared their first dance before Stephanie's father, Steve, welcomed the guest to dinner and Brentley officially to the family. Following dinner, the two shared a first dance with their parents before the DJ, Tony, kicked off the party. With my cards full, I said my goodbyes and headed out. Another amazing trip to wine country in the books. 

Venue: Viansa Winery
Coordination: Orchard Avenue Events
Photography: Sydnee Marie 
DJ: Nor Cal Pro Sound
Floral: Wine Country Flowers
Catering: Ray's Catering
Rentals: Twilight Design
Transportation: Pure Luxury Transportation 

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