Dan and I have been together for a long time. This past September will mark our 9 years together, but more importantly it has marked a significant landmark in our lives. We have been married for 5 years! As our 5 year mark has come and gone, there is so much for me to remember, but even more for us to look forward to. 5 years of learning and growing together; living and building our faiths together. It’s definitely been a journey, but I wouldn’t have done it any other way. With so many amazing landmarks for us, I believe it is important to remember US, as we are now. Dan has supported me through all of my endeavors. I love this man, I love our puppy, and I love our life together.
To celebrate , I wanted to do something really special. A Monopoly inspired styled anniversary session seemed to be the most reasonable way for me, as a photographer and Dan as a monopoly lover, to celebrate us. When Dan and I thought through this idea, I wanted it to be our own with things that we loved. Monopoly seemed a perfect fit for our anniversary session. First of all, we are quirky nerds who love games. Dan is a child at heart. He loves board games and playing them with lots of people! I love this about him. We always have someone over playing a game of Monopoly or sharing coffee over discussing past games. Dan even has a group of Monopoly friends that gather every week to play! Our house is always full of fun and laughter because of it. When it comes to me, I love all things vintage/parisian with a steampunk twist. To me, there is so much beauty in something weathered and old. I love rust, crumbling walls & old items that were once beautifully constructed. If you mix those old broken things with beautiful florals & lace, that’s where my heart is.
As we began to plan this monopoly inspired anniversary session, so many thoughts, vision boards, and DIY projects ran through my mind. Being a wedding photographer, myself, I have seen many beautiful weddings styled by insanely talented designers. This project became overwhelming with the idea of putting this together all on my own. To help me get started, I brought this idea to Nicole from Nicole Alexandra Designs. She has always been an amazing person to work with at weddings. Her enthusiasm and dedication to her brides personal style is what drew me to her for this very unique project. The best part about Nicole, is that she guides ideas most beautiful realizations, building them into something personal and beautiful. Nicole kindly edited my ideas, tied in so many beautiful ideas, florals, and vintage items and turned this styled shoot into what you see. She rallied some amazing vendors like Dish Wish Rentals, Sun & Sparrow Photography, & Cheryl Nacario (hair and makeup) behind this project.
The DIY projects were very important to me – making things by hand adds to each story and makes those personal details last. The main table with the sewing machine base, Dan and I built. We took the old petal sewing machine and an old piece of wood; sanded, stained & created a beautiful desk/table. The bow ties for the boys were next in line. For the puppy, a glittered bow collar that I made from an old belt and fabric sitting in my closet. Dan’s bow tie was simple, black and easy. His cufflinks were 4 separate pieces, two vintage cufflinks and two vintage gold monopoly hats that I fashioned together with special glue. I also made the cake topper & cupcake toppers, the “5 years” sign on top of the centerpiece, the “playing since 2008” cake topper, as well as made all of the paper goods myself. My favorite, and most personal, DIY project were the hand-painted cards. I absolutely love watercolor & calligraphy. Being that these are my free-time hobbies, this project was close to my heart and the perfect way for me to express my love for my husband.
I must talk about the details and fashion! Laura from Dish Wish used her creative eye and provided us with fantastic vintage plates that correlated to each monopoly plot color. Some of the other playful items were sourced from Anthropologie and from fabulous local vintage shops. Both of the gowns featured in the shoot were Claire Pettibone Bridal Gowns. These gowns fit me so beautifully, showing off my curves and natural beauty. They were truly works of art! The gorgeous Hair and Makeup was done by talented Cheryl Nacario. From the braided bun to the beautiful red lips, she knew exactly what I wanted and pulled the entire shoot together. Dan’s amazing navy & black suit was from H&M.
On the day of the session, everyone really came together. Ellie and Claudia from Sun & Sparrow made the photo experience super fun and vibrant. While everyone was setting up each section of our session, these two girls were like a whirlwind. Taking photos of details and smiles, they helped Dan and myself feel very comfortable. She was able to set us up in snuggled poses as well as helped us smile and laugh at ourselves. Dan and I are honored that we were able to celebrate our 5 years of marriage together. We were even more honored that our friends were able to support us by styling, posing, painting, and laughing! Thank you to everyone involved in making this so memorable for the both of us.
Collaboration of concept by Tiffani from Sun & Sparrow and Nicole Alexandra Designs // Styling and design by Nicole Alexandra Designs // Hair & Makeup by Cheryl Nacario // Photography by Sun & Sparrow (Shot by Ellie & Claudia) // Cake and Cupcakes by Cake Bake Shop // Flowers by Bride & Bloom Flowers // Vintage Dishes and Flatware by Dish Wish LA // Dresses by Claire Pettibone // Suit by H&M
©2014 Sun & Sparrow Photographers // So happy to have been a part of this Monopoly inspired styled anniversary session.
©2013 Sun & Sparrow Photographers // Monopoly inspired styled anniversary session
Collaboration of concept by Tiffani from Sun & Sparrow and Nicole Alexandra Designs // Styling and design by Nicole Alexandra Designs // Hair & Makeup by Cheryl Nacario // Photography by Sun & Sparrow (Shot by Ellie & Claudia) // Cake and Cupcakes by Cake Bake Shop // Flowers by Bride & Bloom Flowers // Vintage Dishes and Flatware by Dish Wish LA // Dresses by Claire Pettibone // Suit by H&M
