Are y’all ready for this?? I could not have let out a more delighted squeal when Emily passed these photos over to me, compliments of Max Wanger. Emily and Richard are super playful, super fun, super CUTE and totally ‘get’ it… know what I mean? I can just see in their faces that they get it. They’re tying the knot THIS MONTH at one of my fave venues, the SmogShoppe in Culver City [I mean, is there a week this September where I'm not there??]! I cannot wait for the explosion of turquoise and red and white and quirk that will come from their wedding. Every time Em and I connect, I get excited. Like probably a little too excited for the fact that it’s not my own personal wedding. But, moving on…

You can tell already huh? This is gonna be good. And you’re right. It’s good.

I mean seriously if I could wrap Richard in a bow and place him on my bookshelf I would. That outfit!!

Classic Max:

UGH you guys. I’m trying to widdle down the number of images as I post and I just CANNOT seem to. I’m sorry. Don’t get bored. The best is still yet to come!

ADORE this:

This was their save the date postcard, below. There is possibly nothing better in life than girly, dainty running hands and human airplanes.

Okay. I’m doing it. I’m limiting myself to THREE more photos. But seriously there are oodles more.

What’s that? You’re DYING for one more?? But how am I supposed to go and break the rules that I myself set up mere minutes ago?? Okay, for you lovely readers, because you’re worth it…

I know! It’s my favorite too. Have a splendid day, my friends. Hope these photos take you back to a youthful, joyful place like they did for me- tennis camp in the summers and playground on school days.

xoxo!!

The lovely Jamie and her wonderful beau Steve sat for a session with their wedding photographer,Kristin Rogers, for a cute little scene celebrating their engagement! I think y’all know by now that I, of course, *adore* when real life couples style their shoots and infuse character with personality into their pictures. So, it’s no surprise that I’m drooling for these images.

J+S are tying the knot in October and their reception is at one of my favorite LA hotspots- Union Station! More specifically the Fred Harvey Room there. Which, I adore. I worked there a few months back and the event was so completely stunning that I’m unable to post images of it. And it’s killing me!

This image, above, makes me remember why I love love so much. Just ooey and gooey in all the right ways.

Um, yes, even their stuff is cute. Because it’s theirs. And set up cutely in a field. And stuff.

Seeing these images is fully getting me PUMPED UP for their wedding! Jamie is kinda my D-I-Y doll [super human crafting powers, respect y'all!!], and I know their wedding is gonna be one big personalized bash!

I could honestly post here for hours…. but since I won’t [and I mean that in the nicest of ways seeing as Kristin's blog is totally worth the click to visit], here’s just a couple more:

And there you have it! The Idiot’s Guide to Being Cute Whilst Posing with Vintage Props in a Field. I’m serious. It works, just look at the results!

J+S: can’t wait to see you both again. I’ll need to resist the urge to pinch your cute little cheeks after falling in love with these images! Only ONE MONTH to go!

xoxo,

A.

I’ll admit it- when the idea of a “Sleeping Beauty” styled shoot was tossed around by Kristin, I quaked in my boots a bit. I couldn’t think of anything [instantly, because that's how I work... I'm very instant] that wasn’t Disney, flitty, fluttery, cheese-ball. And then it hit me: classic. Sewing. 1940’s. With a bed. Because, well, that’s how I roll. I’m grateful to Bethany Belle for capturing it all so beautifully. And thanks to K+D for, you know, being in love and stuff.

Yep. That’s a skort. A skort y’all.

Bed: check! Fun jumping-off-of-bed-picture: check! Classic Sleeping Beauty picture with bed: check!!!

Cute and fun.

Outfit change!!

Yep. Breakfast picnic. SO deeply into it. Cannot even handle it. And the hat?!?

Sleeping Beauty. Get it- breakfast buffet?? This also ties into the fact that Dustin proposed to Kristin by waking her up [at, like, 5am]- awaking his “sleeping beauty”. And then, breakfast. Because it’s soo 2010 to eat the most important meal of the day. In a grassy knoll. With a custom blue and pink quilt [hello, had to tie in that classic movie somehow- color scheme much??]!

And then there’s music. Because they sing- about their dreaming, about their prince. And stuff. And Dustin plays guitar so it happens.

Don’t forget sewing. She pricks her finger on a spindle. And sleeps [like a lot]. But the horses- they’re by FAR my fave. Cause that’s how he finds her!

Thanks SO much Bethany for the abundant beauty you’ve provided. Love the feel of this shoot- so glad I got to come on board and help flesh it out!! There’s plenty more, dear lovelies, over on her blog so don’t miss your chance to see it! And K+D- you know, I think you’re too fabu for words. Get married already!!

xoxo,

I styled a cute, 1940’s style “Sleeping Beauty” engagement session a few weeks back and here’s a preview.

Yes, I know. It doesn’t look so vintage here. It also doesn’t look so Sleeping Beauty. But it’s not like me to be all theme and no quirk. And thus, the quirk attack. LOVE these cute little signs I whipped up the morning-of. Shouldn’t everyone be holding these, ALL THE TIME??
More [vintage-y, sleep-y] to come on this one from Bethany Belle Photography!

xoxo,

A.

How cute are my clients you guys? Seriously though…. how cute are they?? It makes me love my job even more ferociously when I meet and book clients like Emily and Richard. They’re just some of the coolest, most down-to-earth, creative, fun-loving people that everyone wants to be. And they show it. Like when Max Wanger took their engagement photos. Like this:

And just to tip the cute scale even more onto the sickening side…

Oh Em and Rich! I love your love. You two are gonna have the raddest wedding this side of 2011! I can’t wait to share it with you.

xoxo,

A.

Hello, I am dying right now from gorgeous overload.

I promise you guys [cue terribly long, terribly punctuated run-on sentence riiiiiight now!], I don’t know how it happens, but I truly feel so fortunate, undeserving, and full-on blessed to end up with such tender, love-oriented couples who just happen to take pictures radiating those feelings for one another! Melissa and Fonzo are certainly no exception. When Brandon Kidd [their super fab photog] blogged their engagement session last week… I fell out of my chair. Okay, okay… not literally [but I certainly did emotionally- and then I emailed the link to every single team member working on their wedding... which is 4 of them. 4 + me = 5 members of the awesome-sauce committee]. They looks delicious and stylish and in love and sweet and- well, they look everything that they truly are! I cannot WAIT for their June wedding.

In case you didn’t notice about me yet… I love a good “pop color”- and Melissa is rocking that shirt like it’s going out of style! But, you know, color never does!

Possibly my favorite picture of them ever ever ever:

Happy hearts make happy weddings.

I know you’d all GAWK if I told you that there’s still more over on Brandon’s Blog that weren’t posted here but it’s true! So go visit, leave him some lovely words and ooey gooey notes of pretty things! M+F… you know I’m thrilled about your pending nuptials. I’m so honored to be a part of it! You two are the real deal. And for that… I love you!

Spend some time with living green things today and remind yourself that you’re alive!

xoxo,

A.

[photo taken around 9pm on 3/21/03, the night we got engaged! These were eventually featured on our save the date cards]

I can’t believe I’m even going to say this, but… seven years ago today, the wonderfully talented [and humble and sweet and loving and generous.... and more] Josh Auer asked me to be his wife.

He took me to Huntington Beach, where we parked out on a large stretch of empty sand just the two of us, his guitar and a blanket. He played me a song he wrote for me- the first song he’d ever written. Ever. For the wife of a now-full-time songwriter, it’s pretty unbelievable! Then he got down on his knee, and proposed. At 21 years old, I didn’t have a doubt in the world. And I never have!

Five months later we tied the knot in a wonderful whirlwind full of love [and, admittedly, chaos]. I’m so thankful that he “knew” enough to ask me to be his wife. I’m thankful for our story, and for who we’ve become together. Not everyone can survive being married and still having to grow up together- as man and wife. But we can, we did, we are, we have, and we’re going to!

Here’s one of our engagement photos, taken by a college friend of mine [now a high school photography teacher], Jette Via:

And just for fun, one from our first married Christmas [just a few months later]:

Never forget to celebrate the little things- and never forget the importance of your story! Becoming an “us” is one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in my life! And I’m in love with each day that I get to wake up as a wife of the man I love. Truly an honor!!

xoxo,

A.

Steph and Tom are my friends. They are lovely. They are wonderful. You may remember them from the surprise engagement session that I posted a while ago. You’d remember them because their cute.

And now that their wedding planning is well on it’s way, I’m thrilled to say that this is going to be one of the most special events of the season for me! Not only because Tom and Steph are my friends, but because they’re actually tying the knot at the same place my husband and I did nearly SEVEN years ago [crazy, how time flies]!! Working a wedding at The Oak Knoll Club in Ladera Ranch will be so fun- but Steph’s vision for the big day [think Paris shrouded in black, cream and chocolate tones with a cocktail-style dessert affair] is even more highly anticipated!

Their engagement pictures are courtesy of Trever Hoehne, an ever-fave of anyone with an eye for artistic ability and heart! I’m pumped, y’all! Totally 100% AMPED on this event! So, to get you into the spirit of it all… here’s some of their actual engagement session by Trever:

This image was shot in one of my favorite locations of all time- Santiago/Trabuco Canyon. It’s where I grew up and went to Elementary School. The area, the lush surroundings, and the vibe of the canyon hold such a special place in my heart. This picture represents it so accurately!

Is Steph not the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?? ADORE the dress. Adore the style. Adore the “darkness” of the shot!

Counting down the minutes until their July wedding!!

xoxo,

A.