By Sun & Sparrow
Kevin and Alison were amazing to work with. I had so much fun photographing their wedding and traveling to the bay area for their beautiful engagement session. Enjoy this blog about their glamorous day below!
Table of Contents
The Couple: Kevin and Alison
They are nice. I know that sounds simple, but I have to emphasize how incredibly nice Kevin and Alison were. They immediately fell in love with our little family and it definitely felt like we were friends. I love it when I feel like my clients are my friends!
Kevin and Alison traveled all the way from Santa Cruz to have their wedding at Calamigos Ranch, and honestly, it was a great decision. Calamigos just has a vibe that fits with them so well, and I was really glad that I got to photograph them in Santa Cruz and Malibu. There were so many different environments that this couple got photographs in!
It is clear to me that Kevin and Alison are an incredibly loving couple. The tenderness that they have for each other is beautiful and also, they love to connect with nature. I thought it was a perfect fit that we did their engagement shoot at Shark Fin Cove, near their home.
The Day
From the beginning of the wedding day until the end, it was clear that Alison’s bridesmaids were really out to help her. The performance of a wedding can be difficult and her bridesmaids made the day so much better! They were very peppy and made light of the day with lots of jokes and giggles. They were clearly longtime friends of the bride.
Kevin and Alison stayed at Calamigos and got ready at the Calamigos guest ranch in a suite. The suite is a large space that feels like a ranch and has white walls. Honestly, the Calamigos guest ranch feels really luxurious.
Their colors were deep teal and gold, which looked perfect at Calamigos, which is always up on all of the trends. They did a first look where they read their vows to each other privately and gave each other gifts. I am a proponent of the first look for people who are open to it, and this was another example of a wedding that benefited a lot from having one! We were able to get so many more amazing couples pictures and the couple got to spend some extra time alone together. A Wedding is day that can feel hectic, and a first look is often a welcome respite that helps the bride and groom connect with their day better!
Later in the day, We went to the lake at Calamigos and took late-sunset pictures. I love the lake at Calamigos because of the way that the plants interact with the reflection on it. Water features are always beautiful.
The Engagement Session
Kevin and Alison’s engagement session was especially fun because we got to take a trip to Santa Cruz, where they live. We had the session at Shark Fin Cove, which was easy to find, and wonderful to experience.
The views at Shark Fin Cove were gorgeous. You walk up to the cliff and there is an incredible ocean overlook with a trail that has grass that catches the breeze beautifully. We hiked down into the cove where there were beautiful rock formations and a waterfall. Once you walk out closer to the shoreline there is a big rock platform with moss and a dropoff where you can watch the waves crash. There is also a cave next to it that creates a really pretty frame for pictures. Then of course there is the sharkfin itself, which is a large triangular rock formation that adds a lot of beauty to the scene
Check Out Kevin & Alison’s Shark Fin Cove Engagement Session Here
Details and Decor
The Decor was timeless meets rustic with a pop of boldness. They had wooden plaques with calligraphy all over the place and pampas grass to add that coastal feel. There was a naked cake with gold embellishments and rustic lanterns with candles. Keven and Alison decided to decorate in a way that was fairly minimalistic because they wanted the ranch to speak for itself and do the work of beautifying their wedding. In my opinion, the ranch does a great job of making any wedding magical and amazing!
The Birchwood room at Calamigos Ranch
A Glamorous Wedding at the Calamigos Birchwood room
My favorite part about the Birchwood room is that they have a really big deck where they place all of the reception tables There is a huge tree coming through the deck that gives you the impression that you are maybe in a treehouse. There are twinkle lights hanging from the tree that make it feel like you are in a whimsical fairy tale.
The Ceremony space provides a dark forest backdrop with a rocky waterfall and a pond. there are also two eucalyptus trees that have grown really tall right at the entryway. My favorite part about the ceremony space is that the sun peeks through the forest of trees really beautifully, creating a perfect golden halo around the bride and groom as they get married.
Sun and Sparrow would Love to be your Malibu Wedding Photographers!
Glamorous Wedding at the Calamigos Birchwood Room Gallery:
