Category: Wedding Photography

November 22, 2018

Pierpont Inn Ventura Wedding – Shanon and Jason

Pierpont Inn Ventura Wedding

Super fun and relaxed backyard wedding in the Ventura Foothills with a taco bar!

When Shanon and Jason first got in touch with me about their wedding at the Pierpont Inn Ventura, I was so excited – they were planning the most relaxed and laid back wedding with a taco bar! And who doesn’t love tacos?! Shanon and Jason are the nicest people and I couldn’t wait to shoot their wedding!

Bride and groom prep

I started shooting photos of Shanon getting ready at The Pierpont Inn, while my second shooter went over to the reception site to get some photos of Jason getting ready. The mood was relaxed and everyone seemed excited for the big day.

The ceremony

The wedding took place at the Rose Garnen at The Pierpont Inn, and it was a gorgeous garden ceremony. After the ceremony they went to sign their marriage license with a couple witnesses, and then they took a moment to relax, before we went and got some beautiful family portraits.

The afternoon

The wedding reception took place in a family member’s large back yard in the Ventura Foothills, overlooking the ocean. It was casual and relaxed, like a fun backyard get together with a taco bar.

It was a bright and sunny day, which was what the couple had hoped for. While the guests enjoyed some drinks, we stayed behind to take the family photos, followed by some photos of Shanon and Jason. My favorite photo from our couples session is Shanon and Jason in front of the glass doors at The Pierpont Inn.

During the reception they had a live band, which gave the afternoon a really chilled vibe. For the meal they had a taco bar, and it was super yummy. After the meal there were a few speeches, then the couple cut the wedding cake and the party got started. They also had several delicious cakes to choose from and a large variety of fresh baked cookies.

Here’s some of my favorites from their wedding at the Pierpont Inn!

Vendors

Venue: Pierpo nt Inn

Taco Bar: CaliGent e Catering

Flowers: Etsy

Dress: David’s Bridal

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik

Groom’s Attire: Men’s Warehouse

Bakery: Bread Basket

August 30, 2018

Old Hollywood Winter Wedding

I photographed this Old Hollywood Winter Wedding a few years ago and I have no idea why I never got around to sharing it here! This is one of my favorite styled shoots I have ever done. Every thing about it was perfect and I’m so happy with how it turned out. I’ve always loved the Old Hollywood style, and I’ve always wanted to photograph a winter wedding. Being from SoCal, that isn’t a regular occurrence around here, so I thought I’d make my own. And why not make it into what I love?? An old Hollywood winter wedding!

Venue

I reached out to a few awesome local to Ventura area vendors to see who wanted to join in with the creation. I found the perfect venue, Bella Vista Groves. It’s a beautiful farm house and stable surrounded by orchards. The building itself has an east coast feel and I knew a winter wedding would be perfect there.

Wardrobe

To get the old Hollywood style, the bride wore a gorgeous cage veil and a white faux fur shall, with an intricate diamond brooch. The cozy shall helped tie in the winter wedding theme. The groom wore a classic pin striped suit with a baroque patterned tie and handkerchief. Together, the couple had such a glamorous and sophisticated look that really brought the old Hollywood style to life.

Details

I teamed up with an amazingly talented florist, who really helped with multiple styling elements. Her floral arrangements completed the feel and brought it all together. We had beautifully elegant rentals from Party Pleasers, and a delicious and perfect looking 3 tiered wedding cake, where each flower was painstakingly hand created. There was a fun and cozy little hot cocoa stand, a sparkling, elegant sweetheart table, and an invitation suite that had white faux fur details to match the winter wedding style. Oh, and did I mention we had snow?! YES! I brought in some snow to help make it feel more like the old Hollywood winter wedding that I pictured.

Here’s some of my favorites from this snowy Old Hollywood Winter Wedding.

Here are the amazing wedding professionals that helped pull it all together:

Photographer | Elizabeth Victoria Photography

Venue | Bella Vista Groves

Florist | Knot Just Flowers

Rentals | Party Pleasers

Bakery | Frostit Cakery

Hair & Makeup | DeVenir Beauty

Hot Cocoa & Coffee Bar | Black Sand Coffee Co

Invitation Suite | Umama Online

This wedding was featured on The Perfect Palette!

August 24, 2018

Santa Barbara Courthouse Elopement – Shirin & Ashish

Santa Barbara Courthouse Elopement

Last week I photographed a wedding elopement for Shirin and Ashish at the Santa Barbara Courthouse. They had an intimate ceremony with about 10 or so of their family members. They flew in from New York a few days before their wedding day, and spent time with family in the area. Neither of them had ever been to the Santa Barbara Courthouse their wedding. They were lucky to have chosen such a beautiful place for their elopement.

Ceremony

I met them in the Hall of Records where they signed all of the legal paperwork. While documenting the moment, I had a chance to take some photos of their wedding rings and Shirin’s beautiful bouquet. Her arrangement was created by the amazingly talented, Unique Floral Designs. Afterwards, we went outside next to the building to a small shaded area. Underneath two giant palms, Shirin and Ashish were married surrounded by their closest family members. I always love photographing intimate wedding elopements. Being one of the few people to witness the love is always such an honor.

After the ceremony, we went to another area on the grounds of the courthouse to take the family photos, followed by photos of just Shirin and Ashish. Their wedding was at midday – which can be one of the worst times to shoot outside. Fortunately the Santa Barbara Courthouse has a lot of nice shady areas, and the inside of the building is absolutely gorgeous! We spent some time finding the perfect areas for their wedding photos. One of my favorites is of them walking down the stairs outside, this was right after we finished with all the family photos, so they were probably happy to have some time alone and get some photos together. Another one of my favorites is in the rounded staircase inside of the courthouse.

Check out the pictures from their Santa Barbara Courthouse Elopement!

Planning your wedding or elopement in Santa Barbara? I shoot in the area regularly and would love to chat! Get in touch!

August 12, 2018

Wedding at The York Manor Los Angeles – Stefania & Conor

Wedding at The York Manor Los Angeles

Stefania contacted me almost a year and a half ago in search of a photographer for their wedding at The York Manor Los Angeles. I remember meeting with Stefania and Conor over FaceTime back when I was living in Pittsburgh. They told me about their love story, how it started as just friends, and how they finally realized that their feelings were stronger for each other than they thought.

They started planning their wedding well in advance, which helped since their wedding required a bit more logistics. Stefania is from Romania, and Conor is from Ireland, they had a traditional ceremony in Romania with friends and family, another party in Ireland near Conor’s childhood home, and a final celebration back in the US. That’s where I came into the picture (no pun intended). Since they already had their legal ceremony completed, this was really just a big, awesome party.

Getting Ready

The day started at a cute little AirBnB less than 5 minutes down the street from The York Manor. Stefania and her bridesmaids all wore cute, matching outfits with tropical green leaves. We got some photos of them hanging out and relaxing before the party began, although you could definitely tell that the party had already started when we got there. Everyone was so relaxed and having fun just hanging out.

Stefania was glowing, her hair and makeup looked stunning, and you could instantly see how happy she was. She was so at ease and laid back, nothing could’ve put her in a bad mood. Nothing went wrong, but if anything did, I’m sure she would’ve just laughed it off.

The Party

We all walked (actually I drove the 30 second drive) to The York Manor. Once there we took some Vogue inspired photos of the ladies around the property, some of the guys, and then some of just Stefania and Conor. Then the real party began. There was dancing, and laughing, and more dancing, and more laughing. They served a variety of finger foods (which is super convenient for a photographer btw), and an assortment of tasty little desserts.

Here’s some of my favorites from their wedding at The York Manor Los Angeles

Photography | Elizabeth Victoria Photography

Coordinator | Tasteful Tatters

Venue | The York Manor

DJ | Spirit of ’68

Florist | Valerie Jurado

Caterer | Sunrise to Sunset Catering

Bakery | Portos Bakery

Hair & Makeup | Absolutely Beautiful Brides

Wedding Gown | Dress The Population

Groom’s Attire | Generation Tux

Second Photographer | Jenny Rolapp

Excited to share that this wedding was featured on Offbeat Bride!

July 6, 2018

Camarillo Airport Wedding – Brian & Danny

Camarillo Airport Wedding Photography

Late last year I photographed Brian and Danny’s wedding at the Camarillo Airport with Jennifer Johann Photography. This was the first wedding I’ve shot at that location. Now I’m wondering how I haven’t been to more there?! It’s so awesome having all these giant, old planes and jets as backdrops for wedding photos! I loved that I was able to get some photos almost right on an airport runway, because that’s not something many couples get to do.

Before the ceremony, Brian and Danny took an airplane ride around the area. All the guests were seated and then the plane dropped them off nearby for them to walk down the aisle to be married. I thought that was a pretty unique way to make an entrance! Afterwards, we went to the nearby airplane hangar, which was where their reception was. They had a red, white, and blue theme which fit with the location. This hangar is such a clean slate, it really could’ve easily had a completely different look inside and would still look amazing. Because the hangar was so huge, fitting a very large wedding guest list very comfortably would not be a problem.

One of my favorite parts was being able to take Brian and Danny into an old WWII bomber plane. We got some cool photos inside. The weather was perfect and we were able to get some cool photos of them in front of different aircraft.

Here’s some of my favorites from their wedding day at the Camarillo Airport.

If you are planning a wedding at the Camarillo Airport, let me know, I’d love to talk to you about photographing your wedding there!

June 27, 2018

Hotel Maya Long Beach Wedding Photography – Ana & Mike

Hotel Maya Long Beach Wedding Photography

Ana and Mike got married a couple weeks ago at the awesome Hotel Maya, which is a modern and trendy hotel in Long Beach. It was a beautiful day and the sun even made an appearance!

Getting ready

Ana got ready in her hotel room with her bridesmaids and mom, and the atmosphere was full of excitement. After she got her gown on, we went downstairs to a small bridge right in front of the beach for their first look.

The ceremony

The ceremony was a beautiful service overlooking the beach. A gorgeous chandelier hung from above, the waves crashed in the distance, and the tiki torch flames flickered in the wind. Their flower girl was a hula dancer and she performed a traditional Hawaiian dance before the bride walked down the aisle. During the ceremony they read their own vows which were so personal and sweet to hear. It was touching, but funny and overall, such a personal service. Rose bushes have a special meaning to them both, so they had a watering ceremony to show their coming together as husband and wife.

The reception

The reception was in an upstairs room at the venue, right above their ceremony site. It was a tropical themed wedding, which fit their personalities perfectly. I love shooting weddings at the Hotel Maya because there are always so many unique areas for photos. Right when you walk into the hotel lobby, you see so many cool details. And the entire property doesn’t disappoint!

They had a cocktail drinks reception in the afternoon, and a photobooth in the evening. They decorated the venue with orchids and succulents.

For dinner they served steak and chicken, which was absolutely delicious. The first dance involved the wedding party getting on the dance floor to get the dancing going, and they finished off the evening with the cake cutting, followed by a bouquet and garter toss.

The couple

Ana wore an Oleg Cassini gown from David’s Bridal and Mike wore a suit from the Men’s Warehouse and they both looked so incredible. Ana’s shoes were Badgley Mischka and their jewellery was from J&L Jewelry.

Ana and Mike’s wedding had such a chilled vibe and had a really fun atmosphere. Here’s my favorites from their wedding at the Hotel Maya Long Beach!

Hotel Maya Long Beach Wedding Photography Friendors

Venue/Caterer | Hotel Maya

Coordinator | Boutique Event Planning

Florist | Shell’s Petals

Bakery | Great Dane Baking Company

DJ | DJ Scotty Events

MC/Photo Booth | In the Mix Events

Videography | Hot Kofe, Daniel Timtim

Gown Boutique | David’s Bridal

Gown Designer | Oleg Cassini

Bride’s Shoes | Badgley Mischka

Groom’s Attire | Men’s Wearhouse

Jewelry | J&L Jewelry

Officiant | Seaside Ceremonies

If you’re having a wedding at the Hotel Maya Long Beach, I’d love to help with your wedding photography! Please get in touch!

June 27, 2018

What to Look for in a Wedding Photographer

Here’s some tips on What to Look for in a Wedding Photographer. One thing I always tell my clients is make sure you actually like your photographer’s personality. Can you picture being friends outside of the wedding experience? If you can, just think how much more happy and comfortable you’ll feel if your photographer seems more like a friend than the paparazzi.

There’s a ton of great photographers out there, but unfortunately you shouldn’t only choose a photographer based on their skill alone. A lot of wedding photographers out there do it more as a hobby or side business, and because it’s not their primary job, some don’t think having insurance or a license is necessary, or even required. Check out the list below so you have a better understanding of what to look for, and what to expect when hiring a photographer for you wedding.

Important Questions to Ask

1. Do they have liability insurance? Hopefully this won’t be needed, but it’s definitely something a professional photographer should have.

2. What equipment are they using and do they bring backups in case something fails? The camera doesn’t make the photographer, but better equipment will help make the photos that much better! Also bringing more than one camera with is a must in case something goes wrong with one of them!

3. How do they backup the images and make sure nothing is lost? I personally use two cards recording twice in my cameras, and when I get home, I upload the images to my computer, and they’re automatically backed up to an external hard drive.

3. What happens if they can’t make it on your wedding? You likely won’t have to worry about this but it’s a good idea to ask. I know multiple other pro photographers that I can call in at the last minute in case of an emergency.

4. How long have they been in business? Are they really inexpensive? Seems too good to be true? Usually an increased price comes with increased experience. For one of the most important days of your lives, you may want to use someone who isn’t just starting out. Inexperience can lead to bad images, missed shots, failed equipment, and all other things you don’t want to think about!

5. What do they require to reserve your wedding date? Do they require a 50% retainer? Full payment? 25%? Is it nonrefundable? Just a signed contract?

6. What is included with your wedding photography? Does it include an album? High res or low res files? Will you get a USB drive or DVD as well? Do you get an online gallery? Any prints or print credits?

7. When can you expect to receive your images? Make sure you know this ahead of time so you won’t be upset when it seems to be taking longer than you want. I guarantee images within 4-5 weeks, some photographers will say 2-3 months. Just make sure you know what to expect.

Make sure that they are trustworthy, responsible, and professional.

8. Do you like their style? Clients always ask me what’s my style. Take a look at their photos. Do the images resonate with you? Do you think they’re pretty? Can you picture yourself in them? If you like the way their photos look, that’s all that matters!

9. Do they have good (or any) reviews on reputable sites, like The Knot, Wedding Wire, Google, or Yelp? Check them out online, do you see any reviews for them? Read the reviews. It’ll help you get a better idea of their personality as well as their quality.

10. Can they recommend other vendors? Have they worked with other vendors that they think would be a good fit? Experienced photographers will be able to refer you to many that would be a perfect fit for your wedding.

Consider Hiring a Wedding Coordinator

Now that you know what to Look for in a Wedding Photographer, I’d really suggest hiring a wedding coordinator as they have the most experience working directly with other wedding professionals. Wedding planning can be so stressful you’ll want one to help alleviate some of the pressure. Here are some coordinators who are extra awesome, and I love working with them!

Ann Johnson Events

All Occasions Event Planning

Stop and Stare Events

Now that you know what to look for in a wedding photographer, contact me to reserve your wedding date and get the planning started!

June 27, 2018

Wedding at The Pierpont Inn Ventura – Melanie & Randy

Melanie and Randy’s wedding was so much fun, I can’t believe how quickly they put it all together!

Wedding at The Pierpont Inn Ventura

Melanie and Randy got married in May at the lovely Pierpont Inn, which is a nice hotel in Ventura. They had their ceremony in the back garden, which overlooked the ocean. They chose Pierpont Inn, because it has so many options and they just fell in love with it. It was an all white wedding, which looked so unique. I love shooting weddings at The Pierpont Inn, because the surroundings are relaxed and the grounds are so gorgeous. There are so many areas for photos, you can have such different looks and the beach right across the street.

Getting ready

Melanie got ready in one of the cottages with her mom, and the atmosphere was perfect. The bride and groom then met for their first look and some couples portraits before going to the ceremony. Randy got ready in his own cottage.

The ceremony

The wedding itself was intimate setting on the venue grounds, with ivy vines framing their ceremony. During the ceremony they read their own vows. It was such a personal service. Looking around at all their closest friends and family all wearing white or beige was so unique!

After the ceremony

The reception was at the same venue and they had their group photos and some more of the two of them taken before their grand entrance. They decorated the venue with all white flowers with candles and hints of gold, because Melanie loved the clean and simple look of an all white wedding. I’ve never seen this style done before and absolutely loved how it all came out. The first dance was immediately following their grand entrance, and it was a romantic slow dance. Melanie and her father had their father daughter dance right afterwards, and it was such an emotional moment. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

The nicest part of the day was being able to capture them together as husband and wife. I always love that part of the day, seeing the little moments no one else gets to see.

The couple

Melanie wore this gorgeous gown with an incredibly long and intricate train, and Randy wore a stylish tan suit and they both looked so incredible. Melanie’s dress was from Wang’s Bridal and Randy’s suit was from Jos A Banks.

Melanie and Randy met online and have been together for about 4 years. They got in touch with me barely a month before their wedding date! They said they wanted a photographer that could capture them and their personalities, and I thought it was awesome that they knew what they wanted, and loved my style.

Melanie and Randy’s wedding had such a fun atmosphere and was everything I love about weddings. I loved photographing their wedding at the Pierpont Inn Ventura! Here’s their awesome wedding day!

Wedding at The Pierpont Inn Ventura

Photography | Elizabeth Victoria Photography

Venue/Caterer | Pierpont Inn

DJ/Photobooth | Islandroots Entertainment

Wedding Gown Boutique | Wang’s Bridal

Groom’s Attire | Jos A. Bank

Rings | Macy’s

Videographer | Adrian Verdult

June 27, 2018

Charming Backyard Wedding – Laila & Dee

Charming Backyard Wedding

Charming Backyard Wedding. Laila and Dee are friends of mine. When they asked me to be the one to capture their day I was happy to do it! Sometimes when it’s a friends wedding I prefer to not photograph it but instead sit back and enjoy the festivities, and sometimes I prefer to do both! Their wedding I did both. I was able to photograph all the main events but I was much more relaxed and was able to mingle with the guests during the reception.

Laila and Dee had a really fun wedding and they did an amazing job pulling it all together. We got some great photos in the Santa Monica mountain range which was just a short 5 minute drive from their fun backyard wedding! They had a tight budget but managed to have such a cute and charming day! A lot of the details were being painstakingly put together within hours of their ceremony. Laila and a couple of her bridesmaids assembled all of the flowers themselves. Dee spent many days prepping the backyard for the event. Enjoy the photos, there’s a lot of great ideas for you DIYers out there!

Photography | Elizabeth Victoria Photography

Venue | Private Residence

Catering | Wood Ranch

Photobooth | In the Pix

DJ/MC | In the Mix Events

June 27, 2018

Styled Cigar and Wine Bar Same-Sex Wedding Photography

Styled Cigar and Wine Bar Same-Sex Wedding Photography. Here’s a styled shoot I did earlier this year. I wanted to create a wedding for an awesome same-sex couple! Allen and Benedict had recently been married so this was perfect timing for all of us. I worked with some amazing wedding vendors to help pull the entire look of the wedding together. Melissa at Engaged to Be Wed helped with the vision, organization, and planning. The finished shoot turned out even better than expected and it has already been featured on three different wedding blogs! Here are some of my favorites from the wedding shoot.

It was a pleasure working on this styled shoot with all the amazing vendors. Being able to bring our ideas together is always a lot of fun. Doing these styled shoots also is a great way for couples to get ideas on how to put their wedding day together. Benedict and Allen were so sweet and really helped bring the entire shoot together. The location itself is perfect for a large or small wedding. And if you love wine but don’t want to drive all the way up to wine country, then this location is perfect! The wine barrel backdrop makes for a unique, rustic feel to your wedding. This location is near large open fields to add to the look of your wedding day.

Check out some of the photos from the styled wedding shoot.

Photography | Elizabeth Victoria Photography

Coordinator | Engaged to Be Wed

Venue | Cantara Cellars

Florist | Passion Flowers

Rental Company | Ventura Rental

Stationary | Umama Online

Signage | Splendid Expressions