Desert View Weddings, the site for today's event. A stunning new venue located in Apache Junction, aptly named for its panoramic views of the surrounding desert mountains. I arrived early to tour the new site. It's always a welcomed surprise to work at a venue so well thought out as Desert View. The reception and ceremony sites boast a glass wall that fills the venue with natural sunlight. Between the two buildings is a turfed area for the cocktail hour. Having all three sites within a few steps of one another makes life much easier on a wedding day. As I finished up my tour of the site, the coordinator, Kaylie, arrived with her team to set up. The couple opted to arrange their tables in a "horseshoe" layout vs. the typical individual tables. I love when couples think outside the box. Around the reception were details alluding to the groom's occupation as a pilot in the Air Force. A fun homage to the couple meeting while Blake was deployed in Japan. In the bridal suite, Haruri was wrapping up her makeup process. I took the opportunity to film her dress and details before grabbing some shots of the girls mingling. Blake soon arrived along with his groomsmen. Instead of filming him in the smaller groomsmen suite, we transitioned the boys into the reception hall using the glass wall for some great lighting. I should mention that I was joined by Bailie, the fantastic photographer with Cactus and Vine at this time. Once we wrapped up with the boys, we headed back into the bridal suite to get Haruri into her dress. I always try to film this moment organically, and a dress with a lot of buttons certainly helps make that happen. It gives me plenty of time to gather all the shots I need. We opted to capture the first look in the ceremony building, so I grabbed Blake while Bailie walked Haruri over. The couple shared their first look, a few tears, and a few shots with their bridal party before being tucked away for the ceremony. Guest began to arrive and take their seats where traditional Japanese folding fans were waiting for them. Another great personal touch. Blake made his way down the aisle, followed by the rest of the bridal party. As guests stood to their feet, Haruri made her way down the aisle with her mom, Hiromi. The wedding ceremony was officiated by the couple's friend, John, who told some personal stories and gave some marriage advice before passing it on to the couple to share their personal vows. The two were then pronounced as husband and wife before sharing their first kiss. Cocktail hour was hosted outside between the reception and ceremony building while the couple snapped some photos with their family before joining. I always love when couples join their cocktail hour. Inside, Kylie and her team were putting the final details together for the reception. The couple was soon introduced and shared their first dance before taking their seats. Gilbert, the DJ, soon shared that the couple had placed custom scratchers on each of the guests napkins and that two guests had been chosen at random to win a prize. The prize turned out to be tee shirts of Blake's favorite band Creed. I still don't know if this is an inside joke or if Blake is just really passionate about sharing his love for the band Creed. After dinner, the rest of the program went flawlessly, and Gilbert kicked off the open dancing. Having had the privilege of working with Gilbert on a few other events, I knew he would have a trick or two up his sleeve. This time would be Co2 canons the couple shot off into their guests during dancing. My time with this fantastic crew soon came to an end, and I said my goodbyes to the couple and to the Phoenix wedding season. 

Venue: Desert View Weddings
Coordination: K Marie Weddings
Photo: Cactus & Vine
DJ: Genuine DJ's
Florist: Snapdragon Bloom Bar
Hair: Sophglams 
Cake: Piece Of Cake
Catering: AZ Inspirations
Bar Service: Shake It Up 
Dress: Wedding Belles AZ
Tux: The Black Tux
Rentals: Material Girls Weddings
Linens: Southwick Linens
Limo: JET Limousines 

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Livermore California, my hometown. It's not only great to be back to where my video career started, but to share the day with tons of familiar faces. My day started at The Purple Orchid Wine Country Resort and Spa. A venue I have had the pleasure of filming many times in the past. I arrived bright and early, and the bridal party was well underway with the hair and makeup process. I said hello to some old friends and got to work filming the details. I love finding spotted light for my flat lay shots, and this venue offered several options. The property is covered in beautifully kept foliage and tons of shade from trees. After I wrapped up with the smaller details, I moved onto the most nerve-racking part of the day—filming the dress. Even though I've been through this process hundreds of times in the past, having anything to do with handling the dress still makes me nervous. Luckily there was a nice spot inside the bridal suite to hang it up, which limited the risk of getting it dirty. Details were wrapped at that point, so I moved next door to film Daniel. One of the reasons why I love filming at this location is the proximity of the important locations on their property. The groomsmen suite is located next to the bridal. While this leads to a bit of extra choreography so the couple doesn't see each other, it's really convenient to jump back and forth between the two rooms throughout the morning. I arrived and got the ball rolling on Daniel's getting-ready process. I typically cover this event earlier, then it would be naturally occurring, but luckily Daniel and his best man, Dante, were willing participants. At the end of the process, Stephanie surprised Daniel with some custom cufflinks that had been inscribed with their wedding date. I love personal details like this. Back in the other suite, the bride was ready to step into her dress. Instead of filming that moment in the room, we thought it would be better to step outside, where the lighting was even better suited for the moment. With the help of her sister, Sara, and her mom, Mo, Stephanie completed her wedding day look. Stephanie then opted to do a first look with her dad, David. If I haven't said it enough over the years, DO A FIRST LOOK WITH DAD! This is my favorite moment at nearly every wedding. After the two wiped the tears away, we got Daniel placed to see his bride. The two completed this moment with a private vow reading before jumping into some portraits. Side note: if you are on the fence about doing personal vows, the first look is a perfect option to keep the moment private. As we moved onto the bridal party portraits, Stephanie asked to do a dress reveal with the groomsmen. This, at least, was the cover story. As the guys turned around, the true nature of the moment was revealed as Stephanie held two six-packs of Smirnoff Ice in her hands. Some were happier than others to chug the bottle on one knee. Guests began to arrive and take their seats as one by one the bridal party made their way down the aisle. Stephanie decided to share her walk with both her stepdad Julio and father David. During the ceremony, the groomsmen played a bit of revenge on the bride by acting like they lost the rings, only to reach into the bushes and pull out another Smirnoff Ice for the bride to chug. Little did they know, the bride and groom had opted to conclude their ceremony with a shot of fireball. Steph was a trooper and powered through both. The reception took place outside in the orchard behind the ceremony site. I will die on the hill that outdoor receptions are superior to indoors. At least as far as the wedding film is concerned. The content under the sun just can't be matched. The reception went on without a hitch, and the couple danced the night away. Just like that, the California leg of my summer 2024 wedding season came to an end. 

Venue: The Purple Orchid
Photo: Tylar Delegeane 
DJ: Ace Entertainment 
Floral: Rose Bud Floral Designs
​Hair: Girl With A Curling Iron
Makeup: Status Salon
​Tux: Generation Tux
​Dress:Jamie Bridal

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