I don't often blog engagement sessions, but when I do: It's because they look like this! We had the most perfect weather at the beach, the tides cooperated, the wind was perfection, and these two are just so in love - it's what makes my job literally magical. I'm so blessed to have the greatest couples in the world! Jana & Jason are tying the knot next May and I couldn't be more excited for them.
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO AND HASHTAG #GOSSWEDDING
Pink and gold. I could just leave it at that, but I just have to elaborate! I'm such a huge fan of that beautiful blushy-pinky color paired with gold these days and Kelly's wedding had me swooning from the get go. Gold glitter, beautiful floral arrangements, hanging crystals, chandeliers, and a frenchie statue to honor their baby, Duke, who stayed at home for the big event. Kelly was glowing even before she put on that stunning dress and added bling for days.. she couldn't have been a more beautiful bride! I could go on and on.. but I'll let the photos tell the story! Special thanks to the wonderful vendors (listed after the photos) who made this day possible.
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO AND #BOMARWEDDINGBASH PLEASE DO NOT ADD FILTERS.
VENDOR LOVE
Venue The Newhall Mansion
Design & Coordination Tricia Dahlgren Events
Rentals
Gold Silverware AV Party Rentals
Linens, Tables, Tableware, Glasses CMC Rentals
Lighting & Chandeliers A1 Event Rentals
Floral Design & Invitations Celebrate Flowers & Invitations
DJ
Photobooth Photobrella
Dinner La Fogata
Quartet
Makeup Doubletake Makeup Artistry
Hair Haley Mays & Co.
Videography
Being an amazing wedding coordinator herself, it's no surprise that her wedding was absolutely flawless! Beautiful shades of grey with pops of yellow were sprinkled throughout her ceremony and reception.. and every time you looked around, you saw another detail that was so thoughtfully placed. After signing the most beautiful Ketubah that I'd ever seen, Mindy walked down the aisle to meet Daniel for their ceremony. They exchanged rings and Daniel stomped the glass! Mazel Tov! I love these two so much and I'm so glad that I was able to be there for their magical day.
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO AND #MINDYANDDANIEL2014 PLEASE DO NOT ADD FILTERS.
VENDOR LOVE
Venue Spanish Hills Country Club
Design & Coordination Bella Vita Events
Videography Matrimony Films
DJ Phil Birdsell Entertainment
Kelly & Mike's beautiful day was so relaxed and full of joy! The couple celebrated with a Buddhist ceremony and the love of all of their family and closest friends. After they mingled with their guests during cocktail hour, they surprised their guests with an amazing Elvis impersonator that serenaded them during their first dance! Such a beautiful event thanks to the lovely vendors mentioned below :) enjoy!
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO AND #BAXTERMAR PLEASE DO NOT ADD FILTERS.
VENDOR LOVE
Venue TPC Valencia
Design & Coordination Eventful Ana
Rentals Luna Party Rentals
Floral Design, Paper Goods, & Draping Celebrate Flowers & Invitations
DJ/Entertainment & Lighting Luxury DJs
Photobooth Viral Booth
Cake & Cookies CAKEgoodness
Quartet Subito Strings
Makeup Paige Beauty
My super talented associate photographer, Megan, shot a beautiful wedding over the weekend and I'm so excited to share it with you! Eric & Christine tied the knot at Tropical Paradise in Camarillo and here are some of my favorite photos.. it was so dreamy and romantic!
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG #ERICANDTINE2014 AND @BECCARILLO PLEASE DO NOT USE FILTERS.
Beautiful, Megan! Such a gorgeous job :)
If you're interested in working with Megan on your big day, fill out our contact form here!
Kristian and Tiffany met while working at TPC so it was the perfect choice for their beautiful June wedding. The air was warm and a cool breeze swept across the green as Tiffany and her dad walked towards her handsome groom. They exchanged heartfelt vows and rings while their parents watched on with tears in their eyes.. and as the two of them shared their first kiss as husband and wife, they were met with cheers and applause! They danced with their guests, shared cupcakes, and posed with Kristian's awesome groom's cake. Congratulations you two! xo
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG #HALEYEAHWEAREMARRIED AND @BECCARILLO PLEASE DO NOT USE FILTERS.
Vendor Love:
Venue Tournament Player's Club - Valencia
Floral Design Acton Creative Flowers
Bride's Dress Cruz's Bridal
Ryan & Trudy's destination wedding at Lincourt in beautiful Solvang was so unique! The boys wore bow ties because, let's be honest, "bow ties are cool" and they also rocked crochet boutonnieres! The girls word all kinds of dragonfly jewelry and the cutest red shoes. Trudy cried herself all the way down the aisle and it didn't stop during the ceremony :) Trudy's dad officiated which was incredibly special! The couple shared a beer and a kiss and were officially Mr. & Mrs.! After they roamed the grapevines for some sunset photos, they joined their guests and partied all night. Congrats you two! Your wedding was truly one of a kind!
Part two of my wedding weekend ended with Sean & Alyssa's nuptials at Walnut Grove in Moorpark, California. I met with the ladies at Alyssa's aunt's beautiful home where they were all getting ready! Her sister, Kellie, is incredibly talented and did all of the bridesmaid's hair (including her own! She was a bridesmaid as well.) A delicious spread of muffins, fruit, kind bars, and a chocolate cake were spread out on the table for the girls to snack on and the cake was actually being made in the kitchen while we were there! We traveled to one of my favorite venues of all time and Alyssa got into her STUNNING dress with her mom and sisters by her side. The boys were still en route, so we took the time to photograph Alyssa and her maids around the property! The ceremony was so touching. One of my favorite moments was when the bride walked down the aisle to a guitar rendition of the Jurassic Park theme song! The couple chose to write their own vows (more on that in a second) and their kiss was nothing less than magical. They were both glowing as they walked back up the aisle and celebrated with their wedding party as newlyweds! One of Alyssa's index cards had gotten misplaced before the ceremony so she took a moment to promise the last part of her vows to Sean.. it was so sweet and I definitely choked up a little bit! But the night was far from over! While we took family photos and some fun bridal party shots, the guests played corn hole, enjoyed the open bar, and snacked on delicious appetizers from Command Performance Catering (one of my faves!). Everyone loved the toasts and while dinner was being served, the new Mr. & Mrs. Kiner greeted their guests and took photos with everyone! They escaped into the night through streams of ribbon to their happily ever after...
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO PLEASE DO NOT USE FILTERS.
The many emotions that Sean experienced in just a few seconds as he saw his beautiful bride headed towards him with her dad..
VENDOR LOVE
Venue Walnut Grove
Bride's Dress Cruz's Bridal
Makeup Makeup by Melissa Ann
Hair Curls & Blush
Catering Command Performance Catering
DJ & Ceremony Pianist Barry Lamster
The day began at the Westlake Village Inn as Todd & Karen prepared for their extraordinary wedding. The sun was warm and there was a cool breeze drifting through the open windows as Karen was curled, pinned, blushed, and glossed to perfection. She looked absolutely beautiful in her gown and Todd couldn't keep his excitement hidden when he turned around and saw her during their first look. They two of them exchanged private vows in the garden before the entire bridal party headed to Calamigos for the big event! It was like a scene from a fairytale as they walked over the bridge to their ceremony while the sounds of the waterfalls (and frogs) serenaded them. The decor included old books, lush blooms, and candlelight that danced over travel themed details. After dinner the party was nonstop as guests enjoyed live music from 11H Entertainment and everyone was on their feet celebrating with the newlyweds!
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO PLEASE DO NOT ADD FILTERS.
A little behind-the-scenes! Thanks to my awesome assistant, Chris, for getting me in action :) it's so rare that I'm on that side of the camera!
It's almost time for the wedding! ....but first: Let me take a selfie.
VENDOR LOVE
Venue Calamigos Ranch - Malibu
Design, Planning & Coordination Djata Grant
Rentals Classic Party Rentals
Lighting The Lighter Side
Draping Revelry Event Design
Floral Design Garden Florists
DJ & Entertainment 11H Entertainment
Cake Skiff's Cakes
This. Wedding. I mean, I almost don't have words to describe the beauty of Zane & Caryn's amazing day. The girls curled their hair and prepped in a stunning old villa while listening to music and laughing. The mood was so relaxed and the feeling of pure joy floated down from the ceiling. Meanwhile, upstairs, the boys shot pool and tried to remember how to tie bow ties ;) Zane and Caryn decided to see each other prior to their ceremony and the perfect place to do that was the San Juan Capistrano Mission! Caryn's dress floated like she was walking on air as she stepped in close to Zane before he turned around. But to be honest, it didn't really matter what she was wearing because in that one perfect moment.. he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. The two of them locked eyes and time stood still.
Their ceremony was so personal and they actually "tied the knot" as each parent placed a cord over their hands. Zane's brother-in-law officiated their union and the crowd went wild when they shared their first kiss as husband and wife. From there, the night was a blur of heartfelt toasts, lots of dancing, great food, fun music, and Caryn's contagious laughter.
I apologize in advance for the insane amount of photos.. I had a really hard time narrowing it down any further so I stopped trying :) This is probably a new record for me.
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO AND #ZARYNWEDDING PLEASE DO NOT ADD FILTERS.
VENDOR LOVE
Venue & Coordination The Villa San Juan Capistrano
Floral Design Sweet Blossom Designs
Hair & Makeup Designed Elegance
Bride's Dress Sarah Seven at Lovely Bride
Bride's Shoes Harriet Wilde for BHLDN
Groomsmen's Suits Friar Tux
Bowties Fox and Brie
Catering Iva Lee's
Rentals Signature Party Rentals
Videography Amari Productions
Cake & Desserts It's All About the Cake
Invitations The First Snow for Wedding Chicks
Signs Rifle Paper Co.
Jami is a dear friend of mine who I met while working in the wedding industry. As a fabulous makeup artist our paths crossed and I've just fallen in love with her and her sister (they own Doubletake Makeup Artistry together!) I was able to capture her maternity photos, Hudson's birth, and their newborn session, as well as their holiday photos each year as a family of 3. I don't think we could have asked for a more beautiful day for Hudson's arrival. It was a misty morning and the view from their room overlooked the harbor - we watched boats come in and out while Jami labored peacefully. I'm not sure how she managed to pull off looking so freaking fabulous during and immediately after she pushed out a baby.. but if anyone can do it, it's her. She's a beautifully strong woman and I'm so lucky to have her in my life!
I'm pretty sure we all had a minor panic attack when we saw RAIN scheduled for Saturday. Kristina had been dreaming of this day since she was a little girl and the thought of rain just made me sad! But surprisingly enough, the skies cleared the morning of her wedding and the blue skies and puffy clouds were the perfect backdrop for her outdoor affair at TPC. It was a beautiful day for a beautiful couple! :)
Vendor Love:
Planning & Coordination Tricia Dahlgren Events
Venue Tournament Player's Club - Valencia
Floral Design Acton Creative Flowers
DJ Oh Watta Night Entertainment
Bride's Dress La Soie
Bridal Hair & Makeup
Additional Hair Kelsey Griffith
Additional Makeup Doubletake Makeup Artistry
As I look back on the last two days, it's really no surprise that as soon as I hit "publish" on this blog.. I'm going to go take a really long nap. Claire and I had been texting back and forth these last few weeks as she kept me in the loop with any contractions she was having. I photographed her first baby's birth a couple of years ago and so I definitely wanted to be there for the second! The only tricky part was Claire and her family had moved down to San Diego and so instead of driving to LA like last time, I'd have a longer journey. Claire knew my schedule of weddings and other things and so we'd laugh that she'd probably go into labor while I was totally busy.
I had an early wedding on Sunday, so I was washing my face at 4:35am and I got the text from Claire, "Looks like labor has begun. I don't think you'll be here for her grand arrival. Make it a great wedding, and come by after if you can."
My heart sank.
I totally wanted to be there! But there was nothing I could do so I hit the road to pick up Mieke and head down to our wedding. Luckily, we were going to be in San Juan Capistrano for the wedding so we'd be close enough to visit Claire after we were finished. Throughout the wedding, Claire and I kept in touch and it seemed like her contractions had slowed down.. it seemed like it wasn't the day after all! I finished up the wedding and drove Mieke home. A soon as I dropped her off, I got a text saying that her contractions were about 10 minutes apart. I told her that I'd get gas and some dinner and wait for "the text"!
However, I decided to crash my friend's wedding on the way home and while I was dancing with the *hottest* groomsman of all time (oh, p.s., I'm married to him) I saw my phone light up on the table.
The time had come!
The groom handed me a centerpiece and I dashed home to backup my wedding images, put on some yoga pants, pack MY birth bag (snacks, water bottles, phone charger, fuzzy/grippy socks), and hit the road yet again. After a fairly uneventful drive down to Scripps Memorial Hospital in Encinitas, I had finally arrived. Claire was already hooked up to a monitor and we settled in for the long haul! I'm definitely in love with Claire's mom and sister (Joelle) so we had a really fun time watching Tangled, timing contractions, and wondering what Ben & Claire would name their daughter when she arrived. Rebecca made the short list. Not because of me, but I'm still proud :)
It was a long night and I curled up on the floor for a nap, which explains the large gap in clock photos haha and at about 7:15 I decided to make a coffee run for the group. Claire was only at 8cm and it had taken a while to get there so I figured I had time to run to the Starbucks across the road. As I was sugaring up Joelle's coffee, I got a text that she was at 10cm.. goodness. I had only been gone for 10 minutes!
I loaded the coffee and bag of goodies into my car and made it back to the hospital. And, bragging, I didn't spill any of my 4 venti beverages and I awkward chicken-power walked-glided all the way back to labor and delivery. There was a wave of "jealous" "where's mine?!" and "Ooo Starbucks!" as I dashed through the waiting room from random people also waiting for babies :) I skidded into the room and was immediately stripped of my caffeine and breakfast with a, "Thank goodness you're here! She's about ready to push!"
Geez. I felt like an idiot.
But we got it all! Whew!!! And she's just too cute!
And it definitely took over an hour.. but she finally got her name: Hazel Miriam Leong. Miriam is Claire's grandma's name (on her mom's side) which explains the hugging photo of Claire and her mom towards the end.
This is Ben's "We're having a baby!" face :)
Ben and his finger-toe shoes.. some things never change.
We did it!
She didn't enjoy getting her hair washed one bit. The nurse and I tried to explain that she would eventually learn to love having her hair washed by others.. but she would have none of it.
What?! Me in a photo? Yup. You best believe I got my snuggle on with this little sweetness before I headed home! (I was in such a rush coming back from Starbucks that I had my sunglasses on my head the whole time!)
The new little family of FOUR! (I still can't believe it)
Anyway! So that about sums up my Sunday and Monday.. 485+ miles, 3 Starbucks venti chai lattes, 2 weddings, and one adorable baby.
...goodnight.
Darren and Amy couldn't have picked a better day to get married! Their lovely, intimate wedding was blessed with a beautiful summery day and a soft breeze that kept everyone cool. Their ceremony was circular so everyone had a great seat and the whole weddings was just full of adorable little details :) Oh my goodness! And their first dance?! Amy is a professional dancer so they rocked their first dance with a Tango! I was completely surprised and blown away by how good it was. They had mentioned that they were going a tango during their engagement session, but I didn't expect it to be that amazing! Special shoutout to Bianca, Darren's sister, who happens to be a professional wedding coordinator. She did such an amazing job planning this dream wedding and it was just beautiful! Darren & Amy mentioned wanting a few vintage edits for their photos, so I added a few into their romantic session just for fun!
Vendor Love:
Venue: El Adobe de Capistrano
Reception DJ: DJ Sherwin
Wedding Cake: Portos
So I know I definitely just posted their engagement photos.. but it's official: These two are MARRIED! Scott & Joni exchanged vows in front of their closest family and friends, they broke the communion bread, and placed beautiful rings on each other's fingers! And then at last, it was time for the first kiss as Mr. & Mrs. Stanick! I loved being there to celebrate with them and to capture such beautiful moments as they celebrated their first day as husband and wife :) Love you guys!!
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO PLEASE DO NOT ADD FILTERS.
Love is in the air! March officially begins my full-blown wedding season so I was super excited for Nick & Jocelyn's wedding at Robinson Ranch Golf Club in Santa Clarita. Their sweet baby girl was all dolled up and such a special guest. She was even presented with a tiny diamond necklace during the ceremony! But she wasn't the only adorable little girl in the wedding because there were FOUR flower girls that stole the show as well. Not to mention adorable preggo bridesmaids, chalkboards galore, mint + peach (can we say "colors of the season"?! Love it.), and an amazing dessert spread by my favorite cakery.. this was a springtime delight!
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO AND #MULHERNWEDDING14 PLEASE DO NOT ADD FILTERS.
Vendor Love:
Venue: Robinson Ranch Golf Club
Florals: Acton Creative Flowers
Bride's Gown: Cruz's Bridal
Ceremony Harpist: Amber Lynn
Reception DJ: David Jay Entertainment
Wedding Cake: Jill's Cake Creations
Dessert Bar: CakeGoodness
We circled for what seemed like forever trying to find a parking spot somewhere near Venice.. this lovely summer weather (in March, what the heck?) plus daylight savings time that same day, had brought EVERYONE to the beach! Luckily for us, we eventually found a spot and were able to wander the streets for some fun engagement photos. This was the second engagement session for Caryn & Zane so they were total pros :) Zane's sister, Mariah, is also a totally rad photographer! She photographed the proposal as well (you can see it here!) and I love that Zane dropped to both knees.. not just the standard one.. way to go :) I've known Zane's family since I was a little kid so it's going to be a real treat to be able to capture his wedding to the adorable Caryn this May.. They both scouted out some fun places for our shoot and I couldn't be happier with the way their session came out!! You guys are awesome!
How cute are these two? I met Scott for the first time during our shoot a few days ago, but I was fortunate enough to have met Joni back in December when her original wedding photographer was unable to shoot their upcoming wedding due to family matters. Now, that part might not have been fortunate... but I'm so glad it happened because I get to work with them now!! Yay! Because their wedding is coming up so quick, we had initially decided to do their engagement session asap. However, Mother Nature had other plans and we had to reschedule our session THREE TIMES due to rainstorms! Well, 4th time's the charm apparently because we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather :) So 3 weeks before their wedding, we headed out to Pasadena to roam the streets and capture some great photos of these two lovebirds!
I'm so excited to capture their wedding at the end of the month!
xo B
Where do I even start with this wedding?! Stephen and Kristina selected The Newhall Mansion as the setting for their wine-inspired wedding and they couldn't have made a better choice. The weather in Piru was absolutely perfect and everyone was so relaxed while they were getting ready for the big day! One of my favorite parts of the day was during the ceremony when they exchanged love letters and wine (how cute is that?!) and sealed everything up in a box to open on their 5 year wedding anniversary.. mm!
Have fun in Maui, you two!!
IF YOU INSTAGRAM THESE PHOTOS PLEASE TAG @BECCARILLO PLEASE DO NOT ADD FILTERS.
HUGE thank you to the amazing team that made this happen!
Vendor Credits:
Venue: Newhall Mansion
Planning & Coordination: Andrea Griffin Weddings and Events
Floral Design: Unique Floral Design
Catering: Command Performance Catering
Cake: Jill's Cake Creations
Live Music & Reception DJ: Barry Lamster Entertainment
Hair/Makeup: Perfect Day, Perfect Hair
My super talented Associate Shooter, Megan, photographed these two over the weekend and I'm in love with how they turned out! Eric & Christine are tying the knot in June and I can't wait to see how Megan captures their big day :) Enjoy the sneak peek from their shoot!
