blonde photo :: have more fun!

ramona + jimale. what a wedding! on a beatiful saturday afternoon these two tied the knot at the newton white mansion in front of their closest family and friends. they are such a cute couple, and so amazingly photogenic – it was a joy to photograph them.
mk and i arrived early to document the getting ready for both the bride and the groom – there was so much excitement going on just rooms apart! we arranged for ramona and jimale to see each other before the ceremony, so i took him outside and had him wait patiently for ramona…they both looked incredible and as we did their portraits it was obvious how truly in love they were.
the ceremony was very emotional, starting with ramona’s dad. he was all smiles as they started out, but as they turned to take that walk down the aisle it hit him, his little girl was getting married! the tears started…
sadly, jimale’s dad had passed away and in his place he hung a framed photo in a chair next to his mother. in contrast to his joy of marrying ramona you could see how difficult it was for him not to have his father present. however, it was easy to see how close he was to his mother, and how proud she was of him.
the reception was an all-out party! the parents and bridal party danced their way into the room, setting the tone for everyone to get down! there was some serious “hammer time” and the guys weren’t shy about performing seemingly choregraphed moves on the dancefloor. ramona + jimale danced and mingled, and the smiles never left their faces. they were glowing and excited – and i am certain they will have a wonderful life together.
a bubble send-off saw them out and into their white convertible – and off to mexico for a fabulous honeymoon!

matt + leslie are married!
i loved everything about their rehearsal dinner on thursday night, and the feeling continued at their beautiful wedding at the liriodendron mansion in bel air last night.
getting ready with her bridesmaids and mom, leslie was absolutely radiant, and her calm manner was unshakable throughout the day. and matt – what can i say about matt? this guy is great. we’ve worked together tons at his restaurant the rockfish, and he is a man of action. never before have i seen him so relaxed, at ease, and perfectly happy as he was yesterday.
the liriodendron is a very small, unique space, making the ceremony incredibly intimate. including the bridal party there were less than 70 people – and everyone involved in the wedding knew the couple, including the officiant – matt’s godfather – the caterer’s and bartender – friends of leslie’s from vin restaurant– as well as the vocalist, the chef, the coordinator, the florist, and myself!
as the couple exchanged vows the audible silence of the room nearly took my breath away – leslie and matt’s eyes were locked the entire time, and as they spoke it was as if the words had never held as much meaning for anyone else in the entire world…
it was a gorgeous evening and guests wandered beneath the trellis covered in wisteria, gathered at the dimly lit tables on the patio, and danced to the romantic, soft tunes. matt and leslie seemed to glide through the crowd, making their way to each and every guest, smiling and ecstatic.
after the couple’s first dance, leslie’s dad gave a great german toast – presenting them with a nuernberg bridal cup, and telling the story of impossible love between a young noble mistress and an ambitious goldsmith, who rose to the challenge of creating a cup that they could both drink from without spilling a drop, in order to win her father’s unlikely approval. [read the legend here] the young couple joined hands in marriage, and with that the chalice became a symbol of love, faithfulness and good luck for couples who drink together from the cup. of course they drank together perfectly without spilling a drop!
i have no doubt that matt and leslie will have a very happy and rewarding life together – they are an awesome couple, with supportive, loving families. matt’s dad closed the night with a final toast, thanking everyone for being part of their day, and blessing the couple with happiness and “god willing, many children!”
they drove off in their fabulously decorated suv (yeah bridesmaids!) with their family cheering and waving behind them…a family brunch today and then off to the dominican republic for an incredible honeymoon! woo hoo!