Gabby and Jessie were married on a perfect winter day in Temecula at Galway Downs. It was such a treat to be a part of their special day and I am so excited to share their wedding photos with everyone!
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The Couple: Gabby & Jessie
Gabby and Jessie are such sweet kind and considerate people who genuinely care about the people around them. They showcase their respect for each other in everything that they do together. They have a warm and welcoming connection that brings out the best in everyone around them. It was such a blessing to photograph their wedding and to be a part of their wonderful day.
Gabby is a nurse and Jessie is a welder. Before either of their careers came to be they met in high school and were high school sweethearts. They are some of the most sweet, gentlest, and loving people. In our conversations, Gabby always kept a calm demeanor. Even when she was worried about things she always spoke to me with respect. She cared about my opinion while clearly remaining confident in her wedding vision. Jessie appears to be a man of few words but was always kind and respectful. I loved how they interacted together. They clearly have great chemistry and love for each other.
Though Gabby’s personality is sweet and calm, her sense of style and knowing what she wants is strong. She definitely has a vision, and as you can see throughout their wedding, she definitely knew how to put everything together to create a vision and tell a story. They combined their love of fairytales and Country to create a magical day that we will all remember for a long time!
The Wedding Venue: Galway Downs
Galway Downs is such a diverse venue because it is tucked into a mountain range, next to a ton of open space with horse stables. The location allows you to create whatever vision or style you want the venue to be. As a romantic and fairytale photographer, I chose photo locations that feel whimsical and dreamy like the water features, pepper trees, and other soft features. A more modern or rustic photographer might lean into other elements at the venue. The beauty of this venue is that anyone who gets married has a ton of artistic control to make their wedding vision come true!
The Wedding Day: A Gorgeous Winter Wedding in Temecula
Gabby and Jessie were married on a sunny December day in Temecula. Their wedding at Galway Downs was a perfect country fairytale that really showed off their love and their style.
My day started with a scouting session. It was my first time at Galway Downs, but I had been eagerly anticipating this opportunity to shoot there. The venue, of course, looks gorgeous in pictures, but I wanted to see what it was like in person. Places always look and feel a little bit different when you’re actually there, but Galway Downs still had all of the magic that I was expecting. The turquoise lakes, whimsical pepper trees blowing in the wind, and bridges over a stream flowing through the estate genuinely took my breath away.
As I scouted the location I found a spot with a small boulder overlooking the stream. I knew right away that if I Gabby and Jessie were willing to pose on that boulder, we would have the iconic shot for their wedding gallery. There are tons of places to take gorgeous photographs at venues like this, so when I scout I’m always looking for the one-in-a-million backdrop that highlights your love and lets it sing. Once I was done scouting, I made my way to the bungalows where Gabby was getting ready so we could start the day.
Getting Ready
The getting-ready space was a dream. it was like a photographer had designed it. The site had lots of windows and elegant furniture so when I took her getting ready photos there wasn’t a lot to change. The space was already picturesque!
I walked into the space and talked to Gabby about the day and how she was feeling. She was feeling calm and a little nervous, with a peek of joy showing through her smile. I could tell that she was ready to start the day, excited for what was ahead. Luckily for all of us, the space was clean and prepared so I was able to get started on her flatlays right away. It was beautiful to see her wedding come together and everyone’s visions for the day align.
Mother of the Bride
As soon as I met Gabby’s mom I could see where Gabby got her confidence and grace. She was strong and knowledgeable about everything that was going on and knew how to step up when she was needed. She had an eye for detail that played out in a positive way. She was incredibly helpful, following through by helping with small details, while also respecting the people that were running the event. It was wonderful to have her there!
First Look
After the getting ready photos Gabby and Jessie had their first look. It was a particularly beautiful first look in a picturesque location with trees, water, reflections, and emotion. I felt honored watching and photographing as Gabby and Jessie cried tears of joy seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day and exchanging vows.
Couples Portraits
Galway Downs definitely lived up to my expectations. It just had such beautiful spots to capture romantic images of Gabby and Jessie. It was even prettier than I expected. the water features were incredible and created not only beautiful leading lines but reflection and color that was more breathtaking than I anticipated.
The Ceremony
The ceremony had a lake as the background as well as pepper trees and a water fountain.
The Reception
The reception was decorated in a way that brought a lot of magic into the space. Long emerald table runners draping down to the floor along with candles with golden candle holders gave it a sparkling winter feel.
Galway Downs Wedding Photos
Vendors
Videographer: Alex V Martin // Venue, Coordinator, and Caterer: Wedgewood // Hair & Makeup: Refined Beauty inc. // Florist: Soirre Floral // Dress: Allure Couture Bridal // Rentals: Madam Palooza // Desserts: Bo’s Bakery // DJ: Austin Murray // Officiant: Jeffery Huss
Galway Downs Wedding Photographer
I have been photographing weddings in Southern California for over fifteen years, and Temecula is one of my favorite places to be. The mountains and sky just can’t be beat and it feels like a dream. Galway Downs is one of the premier wedding venues in Temecula and from the moment I found out about it I knew that I was going to love photographing weddings there.
When you book with Sun & Sparrow, you are signing up for personalized service. I work with you to make sure that your day goes smoothly, offering my extensive wedding experience to help you through the wedding planning process. Fill out our Inquiry form today so we can talk about what I can do for you! I would love to be a part of your special Galway Downs Wedding day.
