The Wedding of Holly and Chris: Portraits (San Diego, San Marcos, Old Richland School House Garden Wedding Photographer)

Okay, let me catch you up.  The wedding ceremony just finished....



The bride and groom walk down the aisle and head out....to a location we've already decided on.



It is really one of my most favorite little moments of the wedding because they are alone and we stay way back and just keep photographing this really sweet moment.....



Their first conversation - usually a few giggles, a few smiles, a hug and a kiss....





Then the family joins them for some informal hugs - then we get them all organize for formal family portraits!



After quickly photographing the family, we then capture the bridal party with the bride and groom.







Isn't she beautiful? WOW!



She knows all about me and loves me just the same.

The Wedding of Holly and Chris: The Ceremony (San Diego, San Marcos, Old Richland School House Garden Wedding Photographer)

Let me set the scene for you - the wedding has just started.

Chris and his dad have just escorted his mom down the aisle....

Then we have a sweet hug....





Meanwhile, inside the school house, Holly and her girls are peeking out the window sharing the excitement of the audience.

(By the way, a couple of today's portraits were captured by Wendy, my second photographer - aren't they beautiful?)




Then it's time for the bridesmaids to enter from the school house...



Then it's time for the bride (and her father) to make her first steps to her new married life....





I just love the groom's face - he just lit up when his bride stepped out...ahhh....young love is a beautiful thing, isn't it?





Through the entire ceremony, my second photographer and I, with our multiple cameras are constantly circling, capturing memories of the couple, the guests and every little special moment in between!




Love one another and you will be happy. It’s as simple and as difficult as that.

The Wedding of Holly and Chris: The Details (San Diego, San Marcos, Old Richland School House Garden Wedding Photographer)

Before we head off to the ceremony, let me give you some details and fill you in.

First of all - here's the venue:




The Old Richland School House was built in 1888!

Isn't it beautiful?  And here's the view from the school house:



Everything was covered with sunflower's and ribbon in the accent color of aqua blue...





Holly's guest book was quilt squares - isn't that just so clever?  (I hope I get to see the finished quilt!)



And you can't have a wedding without these:
(And can I just say - YOWZA about Holly's ring - isn't it beautiful?)




My Greatest wish for the two of you is that through the years your love for each other will so deepen and grow, that years from now you will look back on this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other the least.

The Wedding of Holly and Chris: The Groom (San Diego, San Marcos, Old Richland School House Garden Wedding Photographer)

Before we get to the wedding, I need to introduce you to our handsome groom, Chris.



And of course, his men.  (And can I just say,  they were such a fun group!)








And we always make sure we capture mom pinning his boutonnier.



And of course a portrait with mom and dad....

Next time we see Chris, he'll be standing at the end of the aisle watching for his gorgeous bride!



"Here’s to the groom, a man who keeps his head though he loses his heart." A toast, anonymous

The Wedding of Holly and Chris: A Beautiful Bride (San Diego, San Marcos, Old Richland School House Garden Wedding Photographer)

It was a beautiful and sunny day at the Old Richland School House-what a perfect location for two teachers to wed!

In keeping with the 150 year old school house, the couple's love of simple things, country music, lace and sunflowers, the bride and groom had planned an amazing vintage wedding.

And her sunflower bouquet was the PERFECT choice!

The bridesmaids bouquets were just sunflowers, but the bridal bouquet included white rose buds - what a gorgeous combination!

Flowers were by Crystal Gardens Florist website HERE



Holly's gown was the most beautiful vintage lace - so perfect for a summer wedding.



What a special moment for mother and daughter....







The wonderful, woodsy grounds had lots of beautiful spots for portraits...



Beautiful location, beautiful bride, beautiful gown and beautiful bouquet....

What more could a photographer ask for?





After all there is something about a wedding-gown prettier than in any other gown in the world. ~Douglas William Jerrold

The Rehearsal Dinner of Holly and Chris: San Diego, San Marcos, Old Richland School House Garden Wedding Photographer

Holly and Chris are so much fun to be around - and aren't they just too cute together?

Perhaps you remember this beautiful couple from their engagement session HERE and HERE?

Well, in addition to being their Engagement and Wedding photographer, they also asked me to capture the memories from their Rehearsal Dinner.



So I arrived early to capture the before...

As well as the during...



We did family portraits....



Both serious and....welll...not so serious.

This next one cracks me up: two brothers and a sister...can you tell?    :-)






Captured some action portraits...



And some emotional portraits.

The parents of the groom read a very emotional and heartfelt story about their son's life and how happy they are to add Holly to their family...I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye in the room!



I will tell you one of the little stories the mom shared - after meeting Holly for the first time three years ago, Chris' mom told him, "We love her, so much that if you break up with her, you are out and she's in."  Hee hee!





I hope the family considers these portraits (and the 139 other portraits I captured that evening) to be heirlooms for future generations....

“In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.” Eva Burrows