Tag Archives: sand

Justin & Kristen // Destination wedding at Mandalay Beach Resort

Sun & Sparrow is one of the leading engagement and wedding photographers in the Los Angeles area as well as Santa Barbara and Orange County.

FROM THE BRIDE //  Our wedding day was so perfect and exactly how we had imagined. We knew from the start we wanted a destination beach wedding.  We were lucky to have found an awesome resort and vendors that were so helpful along the way. We were so happy to have all of our family there to be part of the celebration. The day of wedding seemed to go by so quickly and we were both filled with so much joy. Saying our vows in front of the ocean is something we both will never forget. It felt so surreal that the day we had been waiting for had finally come. We were so excited to get married and start our journey in life together.

We got a lot of decor inspiration by looking at beach weddings on Pinterest. Knowing that our wedding would be held on the beach, we wanted everything to have a soft/romantic look.
Out favorite moment of the wedding day:
Kristen: Bride:My favorite moment of our wedding day was the ceremony as a whole. When the sun came out and blue skies appeared it was such an incredible experience. We were both filled with such excitement and couldn’t wait for our first kiss as husband and wife.
Justin:It’s hard to pick just one favorite moment, everything was so great. But if I had to pick one moment it would be when I got to see Kristen for the first time. She just took my breath away in that dress. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.
Our Vendors:
Venue: Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort
Photographer: Sun & Sparrow
Videographer : Sun & Sparrow
Wedding planner: Michelle Hirrel
Florist: Shells Petals  http://www.shellspetals.com/
Makeup/hair: Brides by Diana http://www.bridesbydiana.com/
Wedding Dress: Marie Gabriel Couture
Barefoot sandals: Etsy: ByVivienn
Earrings: Givenchy
Groom shoes: Aldo
Grooms suit: BarIII
Groom tie: Michael Kors
Officiant : Kimber Wilkes
Bakery: Siblings bakery http://www.siblingsbakery.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

JT & Sheva // Boho chic desert wedding // Joshua Tree, CA

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR WEDDING? // While we were dating, we loved visiting the desert. We had been to Joshua Tree many times and had some of our closest & most favorite moments as a couple in the desert. We absolutely loved the idea of using the paradox of massive open space to highlight the intimacy on our wedding day. We knew that we had to share some of our most special moments with all of our family and friends. Simply stated, in the remoteness and isolation of the desert, we found our inspiration 🙂

 

WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE/FAVORITE PART ABOUT YOUR WEDDING DAY? // I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the Persian dancing with our friends & family was our favorite! It was important to have that element of culture on our wedding day and it was so nice to see all our friends embrace it by cutting a rug to our Persian playlist!

 

WHY WAS PHOTOGRAPHY IMPORTANT TO YOU? // We wanted to capture the beauty of the day; the best, most important day of our lives! We want to share these photos with our children someday so it was important that the photographs captured the love and happiness of the day.

 

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SUN & SPARROW? // We saw a couple weddings they had photographed on their blog and we were blown away! Sun & Sparrow captured all of our moments and details beautifully. One of the best parts about the girls, is when we met Ellie & Tiffani we connected with them immediately. We knew we wanted them to be a part of our day.

 

DID YOU DO ANY DIY PROJECTS? IF SO, WHAT? // One of my favorite DIY projects were our escort cards. These were beautiful pieces of bark that I used a wood burning tool to write our guests names & table numbers into bark. It took forever, but it was so worth it to see all of the excitement from this personalized touch. // Another DIY project was that I designed & made the statement necklace I wore. I absolutely love building new jewelry from old items. By reconstructing antique jewelry and brooches, I made my amazing wedding day jewelry! // The final project was to make & create our bouquets. I wanted plants & florals that would last through the day. So I put together some beautiful drought resistant plants together with some beautiful burlap wrapping and it made a beautiful & wonderful!


WHAT WAS YOUR SOMETHING OLD, NEW, BORROWED, BLUE? // Something Old: An antique locket I pinned to my bouquet that had pictures of loved ones who have passed // Something New: My shoes // Borrowed:My wedding dress! Borrowed from my generous sister-in-law // Blue: My garter was embellished with a blue rose.

 

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR BRIDES WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS? // Keep it simple and delegate tasks as much as possible so you can enjoy your special day. And remember- the planning is part of the fun- do your best to approach it that way.

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF BEING MARRIED NOW? // I love knowing that we are a family now- its a subtle shift but it feels different and good. Also, I love saying “my husband”- it still feels so new and exciting every time!

VENDORS // Venue: Le Haut Desert Aerie // Photographer: Sun & Sparrow // Desserts & Confections : Plants Party // DJ : Dan Goldstein

 

©2013 Sun & Sparrow Photography // Boho chic desert wedding // Pioneer Town in Joshua Tree, CA

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jason & Audrey // Vasquez Rocks engagement // Santa Clarita wedding photographer

Audrey and I drove up to San Luis Obispo this past weekend for our engagement, although on Saturday morning, she woke up thinking it was just going to be a wild and crazy 3 year anniversary weekend.  It ended up being all that and more, starting when we arrived at theMadonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, CA. The day started out normal enough.  We woke up next to each other in our bedroom.  I gave her a kiss good morning and started getting ready for our drive.  She made us some matzo-brei with some shmura matzah we got last week.  She got dressed to the nines, a scarf and summer hat.  She looked amazing.  Perfect for today’s events.  I packed the ring in my backpack, wrapped in heavy cellophane from the cleaners, so she wouldn’t accidentally see the box.  I also snuck a special wine bottle of Audrey’s into my bag, a 1998 bottle of Chateau Cantemerle bordeaux that she was waiting for a special occasion to open.  This weekend would most certainly be that. We drove up the 101, stopping in Buellton to pick up some munchies right off the freeway.  Continuing on, we arrived in San Luis Obispo at around 1 o’clock (maybe a little later).  We had lunch at the Firestone Grill in town, where we indulged in that classic central coast treat, tri tip sandwiches.  They were good, but a bit tough, and seating at that popular place was a challenge all its own.  Finally we found a seat, and chowed down.  I only ate half my lunch, since my appetite was low because I was so nervous.

 

That afternoon, we went to two wineries, Stephen Ross and Claiborne & Churchill.  Both had very nice tasting rooms, the first was in an industrial location, rather than at a vineyard, and the 2nd was close to its vineyard, but not on top of it.  They were both modern, with fun people pouring, and good conversation with the other patrons.  Stephen Ross specialized in pinot noir & chardonnay, and Claiborne & Churchill specialized in Alsatian varietals like gewurtztrawminer and riesling (both dry, and pretty good — usually I don’t like them much).  After some tasting and good conversation, I finally coaxed Audrey into heading over to the hotel.  We arrived at the Madonna Inn, where I planned to propose.  Checking in took forever, though to Audrey it probably didn’t seem that long.  Since it was a larger property, we drove up to our room area.  We grabbed as many items from the car as possible, so as to not make many trips.  We got to our hotel room door, which opened out into an outdoor hallway with a view of the surrounding mountains…   PERFECT…

 

I told her to put her stuff down, and I put my stuff down too, and started digging into my bag for the ring.  She thought I was getting my camera out to take a pic of the view, but instead I was grabbing that little white box with a black box inside it.  When she saw it, she didn’t react right away, she was working the whole thing out in her head, unable to believe that it was happening right now.  I had the box in my hand and embraced her, kissed her, and told her that I loved her, and that I was still excited to be with her after all these years.  I then got down on one knee and asked her to marry me.  She did the natural putting her hands on her mouth to hold back tears of joy, and said yes.The odd thing about getting down on one knee at that moment was that it actually made me feel taller.  Rarely have I ever been so sure of myself as at that moment, much like the first time I kissed her.  It was the perfect time, it felt natural, and it went without a hitch.  I placed the ring on her finger and it fit *perfectly.*  She was stunned by the sight of it, and said it was perfect, exactly like what she dreamed of.  We went inside our room, and, just as I had arranged, there was a bottle of champange for us, and a dozen white roses for her.  We had some time before dinner, so we enjoyed some time together, making phone calls to our families, and then got ready for dinner at the Gold Rush Steakhouse, located on the property.  Before heading to dinner, we had a brief wine-tasting in the gourmet wine shop downstairs.  This was located across the hall from the world famous Madonna Inn men’s room (more on this soon).  Finally, it was time for dinner.  Have a look at our photos from the weekend, and you’ll see what kind of restaurant the steakhouse is.  Lots of decorations, and a big dance floor, where it appeared that local dancing couples regularly came by to dance on weekends (they were pretty darn precise with their moves in tango, swing, you name it).  I had the ribeye, and she had the filet mignon.  Absolutely delicious.  Great service too.  The waiter took our “official” engagement picture (until we get some professional ones).

 

The rest of the weekend (Sunday) was great.  Before leaving the hotel, we took some pictures, including ones at their world famous men’s urinal in the main building.  It’s apparently a tourist attraction for people driving between LA and SF.  It looked to me like a large rock fireplace with water instead of fire, with a depressed floor and drains that you peed toward.  Check out the facebook album for pictoral details.  Leaving the Madonna, we went to Tolosa winery and ate lunch at Mo’s BBQ, which we decided was even better than Firestone Grill, with less crowds and hotter food.  At Tolosa, we had a semi-private wine and cheese pairing with a gorgeous view onto their pinot noir blocks.  A great ending to a phenomenal, life-changing weekend.

 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

Just in case you missed the VINE footage… Here it is!

 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

©2013 Sun & Sparrow Photography // Big thanks to Claudia Navarette for second shooting with us! // Vasquez Rocks Engagement // Santa Clarita Engagement Photographer

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
27 comments
  • ClareJune 10, 2013 - 12:33 pm

    Beautiful photos of a beautiful couple!!! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • AudreyJune 10, 2013 - 12:36 pm

    Thank you Sun & Sparrow for taking such AMAZING photos of Jason and I! We are so happy with how our Engagement session turned out. Thank you thank you thank you!ReplyCancel

  • Mary MillerJune 10, 2013 - 12:37 pm

    Hello, Sun & Sparrow! I just wanted to let you know how absolutely amazing your pictures of Audrey and Jason are. Beautiful (Handsome) subjects to photograph in a lovely setting, you captured their relationship and the playful essence of this wonderful couple. I love the Story “Of Our Engagement” being included, made my heart smile. I just LOVE them both (and I have yet to meet Jason for the first time)! Thank you for giving me a glimpse into their chemistry together, via your artistry.ReplyCancel

  • AnnaJune 10, 2013 - 12:40 pm

    Absolutely amazing.ReplyCancel

  • BrittanyJune 10, 2013 - 12:47 pm

    Beautiful pics Audrey! Love the location too!ReplyCancel

  • Brad HechtJune 10, 2013 - 12:47 pm

    You guys look great, can’t wait for the wedding!ReplyCancel

  • DanaJune 10, 2013 - 12:47 pm

    Gorgeous photos! It looks like a truly fantastic day. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Jessica KyleJune 10, 2013 - 1:26 pm

    I went to high school with Audrey and always knew she was an amazing person! I’m so happy that she has found her match! Although we haven’t really kept in much contact since high school I still think very highly and know Jason must be a terrific guy! These photos are unbelievably amazing!! Great work and thank you for sharing them with us all.ReplyCancel

  • Misha ReevesJune 10, 2013 - 1:27 pm

    These photos are incredible! The color, the location, the COUPLE! Just amazing.ReplyCancel

  • EliJune 10, 2013 - 2:14 pm

    Really awesome picts guys!! I kept thinking some Star Trek villain was gonna pop out from behind the rocks. Looking forward to the wedding, just got all the days off!!ReplyCancel

  • EmilyJune 10, 2013 - 2:32 pm

    Such fun and beautiful pictures.ReplyCancel

  • GrantJune 10, 2013 - 2:43 pm

    I think ryback will beat cena at the next PPV. The pics are greatReplyCancel

  • Rachel FriedlandJune 10, 2013 - 3:40 pm

    I loved all of Jason and Audrey’s photos. Thanks for sharing!ReplyCancel

  • Chance ClayJune 10, 2013 - 6:27 pm

    Great pictures!!ReplyCancel

  • PattiJune 10, 2013 - 6:55 pm

    These are done so well, as they capture so many different moods and emotions. The background is very unusual.ReplyCancel

  • Neil MichaelJune 10, 2013 - 8:44 pm

    Great pictures of a great couple!ReplyCancel

  • David R.June 10, 2013 - 9:25 pm

    Too much <3 <3, too few laser guns. How pretty.ReplyCancel

  • Jason SchwabJune 10, 2013 - 10:46 pm

    Phenomenal photos from our phenomenal photographers Tiffani and Claudia! Thanks to everyone who commented!ReplyCancel

  • CaitlinJune 11, 2013 - 4:14 pm

    Gorgeous! Looking forward to seeing equally gorgeous wedding photos.ReplyCancel

  • Kammy McKennaJune 12, 2013 - 3:23 pm

    Absolutely beautiful! I wish I had thought of having pics up there! One of my most favorite places in LA… Great work!ReplyCancel

  • Allison KJune 12, 2013 - 3:35 pm

    These are GREAT. That location is phenomenal, your photographers are obviously dope, and I love the shots of you guys playing with the camera.ReplyCancel

  • AlexJune 12, 2013 - 5:03 pm

    Beautiful photos!ReplyCancel

  • CaitlinJune 12, 2013 - 10:28 pm

    Gorgeous!!!!!ReplyCancel

  • Aunt JudiJune 13, 2013 - 2:30 am

    Fantastic pictures!!! One is more beautiful than the next.ReplyCancel

  • SusanJune 13, 2013 - 5:26 am

    Absolutely stunning photos! Great location.ReplyCancel

  • Claudia NavarreteJune 13, 2013 - 10:50 am

    Ahhhhhh why are Jason and Audrey so beautiful!!! & awesome!ReplyCancel

  • AngieJune 13, 2013 - 11:45 pm

    These turned out so well! The location is gorgeous, the sky is beautiful, and you two look so happy! 🙂ReplyCancel

Featured Post

More to SWOON over