– Wedding Photography Blog – Contact jessica@jessicaelizabeth.com

We recently attended the ABC OC event at the Villa San Juan Capistrano to network with the area’s biggest wedding professionals. We had a great time, and it was wonderful to be surrounded by amazing talent who strive to do nothing but the best! Brides checking out venues should definitely consider The Villa if they want a quaint and intimate venue with an outdoor reception and great potential for some artistic Villa San Juan Capistrano wedding photography.

The space was really is perfect for a outdoor ceremony and reception. What was really neat about the venue was that it was about 60 degrees that evening but because of the strategically placed outdoor heaters, the whole area was warm- no sweaters necessary! The venue has the feel of a spanish house, and because of the tall walls covered with lush green ivy you have that sense of intimacy with organic and rustic flair. My favorite part of the evening was that Sweet and Saucy were there with a plethora of desserts. Check out our photos below.

Awesome desserts provided by Sweet and Saucy

Table designs by GBS Linens, Signature Rentals, Floral Occasions and Whitney Rose Floral

We enjoyed some fabulous cocktails from Pharmacie – Mixologists specializing in Sour and Aromatic Cocktails.

We met Leora from Copper Willow Paper Studio.

 Contact  Jessica Elizabeth Photographers at Jessica@JessicaElizabeth.com or give us a call at 562-201-9494.

We’re so happy and proud that this is our first wedding on our brand new blog. But as much as a milestone as it is for us, it’s even bigger that we announce Alice and Ben’s marriage to the world! Their wedding was a amazing two day event.  As Ben’s mother said to me, “Ben and Alice are now married in the eye’s of God, in the eye’s of the law, and in the tradition of the Chinese Culture.”  There’s no getting out of it now guys! LOL 🙂  But seriously, we couldn’t be happier for the two of you, and we can’t wait for many more visits to Arizona and celebrating more special moments with you and your families.

Below is just a sneak preview of their Catholic Church Ceremony at St Bernard’s Church, their American Wedding Reception at Firesky Resort, their Chinese Tea Ceremony, and their Chinese Wedding Reception at the Great Wall Banquet. Phew!  That’s a lot of celebrating!  But Alice and Ben totally deserved every moment of it, every toast, and every well wish.  We are so honored to have been invited to be a part of it all. Cheers to Ben and Alice!

We can’t possibly fit everything into a single sneak peak article, so over the next few days we’ll present to you the amazing moments that happened. Enjoy 🙂

 The romance…

The Bridal Party

The lovely Catholic Ceremony and the equally beautiful and meaningful Chinese Tea Ceremony

There wasn’t a shortage of candid happy moments either. 

This was one of my favorite moments of the getting ready. I had gone down the hall to check in with Ben and the guys and all of the sudden I hear shouting coming from down the hall.  I ran back to the girls room, and I heard the ladies cheering to the world “ALICE IS GETTING MARRIED!”  Such a sweet moment.

They even had a grand ceremony exit with BUBBLES.

If we said to people Sonic the Hedgehog battled a giant banana you think people would believe us?  No we weren’t high. It happened.

The lovely details.

and of course one of our favorite times of the reception, night-fashion portraiture, at Firesky Resort

So stay tuned after a brief word from our sponsors. =X.

If you are interested in having Jessica Elizabeth Photographers document your wedding or special event, please email us at Jessica@JessicaElizabeth.com or give us a call at 562-201-9494.

How to Find “The” Dress | Trying on Gowns

Gown by: Maggie Sottero 

Purchased at: The Dresser Bridal Couture

When you’re dress hunting, it’s good to bring photos of the types of dresses you are looking for, so that your bridal stylist can get an idea of the look you are going for. But be open minded and don’t be afraid to try dresses that are different. You might surprise yourself and find an amazing dress!

Bring shoes that are about the same height as the shoes you plan on wearing for your wedding day.  If you already have your wedding shoes, even better! Bring those.

If the gown doesn’t fit you just right, make sure to get an estimate on the cost for alterations so that you can factor that into the total cost of the gown.

A few questions to ask yourself with each gown you try on:

1)
Am I comfortable?  Most brides will only wear one gown on their wedding day. You need to be comfortable enough in it to get through photos, the ceremony, dinner, and dancing.  If the
dress is too heavy it might be hard to stand, walk, or dance in while wearing heels. If the train is very long, get a quote on getting it bustled, so that you can dance in it throughout the night.

      If the dress is A-mazing, but you know you won’t be able to dance and party in it all night, consider getting a simpler yet elegant gown or party dress to change into for your reception.

2)
Do I look gorgeous? One of the most important things in selecting a wedding gown is that you feel gorgeous! Feeling gorgeous in your gown radiates in your smile, your emotions, and your expressions. This translates into a stunning bride and beautiful photographs.

How do you know if you’ve found the one? Well, if you have the dress on and you can’t stop smiling….that’s usually the one.

Any brides who recently found their dress please share your tips on finding the perfect gown by commenting on this post. Thanks! 

If you are interested in having Jessica Elizabeth Photographers document your wedding or special event, please email us at Jessica@JessicaElizabeth.com or give us a call at 562-201-9494.